COLBERT COUNTY-With the longest-running Labor Day celebration in Alabama, a tribute to raccoon-hunting hounds, a state fair, motorcycle rides and festivals, September is a busy month in Colbert County.
The events kick off Monday, Sept. 3 with Labor Day celebrations at Spring Park in Tuscumbia and at Key Underwood Memorial Coon Dog Cemetery near Cherokee.
The Shoals Area Central Labor Council’s annual Labor Day celebration at Spring Park begins at 10 a.m., Sept. 3 with a parade along Main Street in Tuscumbia. Political speeches, music and other activities will follow, beginning at 11 a.m. An added event at this year’s celebration is a car and truck show that gets underway at 8 a.m. at the park. The celebration is the oldest salute to workers in Alabama. For more details call 256-383-2758.
The annual Key Underwood Memorial Coon Dog Cemetery Labor Day Celebration begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 3, at the world-famous cemetery, 4945 Coon Dog Cemetery Road, Cherokee. It includes a liar’s contest, arts and crafts, barbecue and music. More details are available at www.coondogcemetery.com.
Susann Hamlin, president and CEO of Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau, said September is traditionally one of busiest months for festivals and celebrations in the Shoals.
“It’s a great month for tourism and a great month for our local residents,” Hamlin said. “There are lots of things to see and do.”
The annual Oka Kapassa, Return to Coldwater, Festival, is Friday, Sept. 7 and Saturday, Sept. 8 at Spring Park. Admission is free to the festival that celebrates the rich traditions and cultures of American Indians. The celebration features American Indian dancers, story tellers, musicians, artists and vendors. More information is available at www.okakapassa.org or by calling 256-383-0783.
Also on Sept. 7, the annual Colbert Gathering – a reunion for descendants of George and Levi Colbert and anyone interested in the history of the family and Colbert County – will be held at the Tuscumbia Roundhouse. The gathering, which is being held in conjunction with a meeting of the Natchez Trace Parkway Association, begins at 6 p.m. It will feature speakers, presentations, food and door prizes. The event is open to the public, but pre-registration is required. To register, call 256-415-0700.
An Alabama Bicentennial event at Belle Mont Mansion on Saturday, Sept. 15 provides an 
opportunity to step back into the 19th century. A frontier farm-to-table celebration at the mansion features a meal of Alabama-grown foods, prepared using recipes from the early 1800s. Period music will add to the ambiance of the celebration. Advanced tickets are required. For tickets, or more details, call 256-381-5052.
Motorcycle riders from throughout the nation will converge on Colbert and Lauderdale counties Saturday, Sept. 15 for a pair of motorcycle rides.
The Trail of Tears Memorial Motorcycle Ride begins in Chattanooga, Tenn., and ends at Natchez Trace Harley-Davidson in Tuscumbia. More details are available at 
www.trailoftearsmemorialassoc.com The Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride begins in Bridgeport and ends in Waterloo. More details are available at www.al-tn-trailoftears.net. End of ride activities, including live music and vendor displays, will be held in Tuscumbia and Waterloo.
The North Alabama State Fair is Tuesday, Sept. 18 through Sunday, Sept. 23, at the fairgrounds, 65 Sportsplex Dr., Muscle Shoals. The fair features exhibits, agricultural competitions, rides, live acts, beauty pageants, cheerleading and dance contests, a demolition derby and lawnmower races. More details are available at www.northalabamastatefair.org.
