Events in Gadsden today

Designed for children ages 3½ to 5 with a parent or caregiver, this weekly preschool program blends stories, hands-on activities, and simple crafts to spark curiosity about the natural world. Led by the education team each Tuesday, sessions feature a new theme and may include occasional visits from animal ambassadors. Afterward, families are welcome to continue learning together in the exhibit halls to explore the day’s topic further. Space is limited to 15 children per session, and spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Participation is included with regular museum admission and is free for AM&G members.

Beginner-friendly line dancing at the ROC / First Baptist Centre features step-by-step instruction from Bryant Allen in the Aerobics Room. Expect upbeat music, simple routines that build confidence, and a welcoming environment focused on fitness and friendship. Non-members pay a $1 entry fee, and participants may bring a friend.

The event begins with a ribbon cutting and tour of the new AOD Federal Credit Union Mobile Unit, a community resource built to support local gatherings and to assist during disaster response, ready to be on site when needed. After the ceremony, activities move indoors for Business After Hours, a relaxed setting for networking and camaraderie among business leaders. Light refreshments will be available, there will be opportunities to exchange business cards, and attendees can enter for door prizes. The evening concludes with an ice cream bar.

On Tuesdays, vendor participation is optional and there is no Market Manager on site, so the number of sellers can vary from week to week. If you hope to visit a particular vendor, check that vendor’s Facebook page or send a direct message to confirm their plans. EBT and Double Up Food Bucks tokens are not distributed on Tuesdays. Shoppers who already have EBT or Double Up tokens may use them with participating vendors on both Tuesdays and Saturdays, and new tokens are available on Saturdays only during market hours.

Low-impact aerobics is offered in the ROC Aerobics Room on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Sessions are typically led by Dr. Keith Hannay. There is no cost for First Baptist Centre and ROC members.

Every Wednesday, this shop ride rolls from the back parking lot for roughly 20 to 25 miles on a blend of pavement and dirt. Gravel and mountain bikes are recommended. Two pace groups help riders find their fit, with the fast group aiming for about 12 to 15 mph on the way out and the super fast group around 20 to 25 mph. The plan is to keep it going weekly until the time changes, with the possibility of a cancellation if there is a conflicting soccer game. After the ride, participants gather in the parking lot for a bring-your-own-beverage meetup.

Third Thursday features a plant sale that supports Longleaf Botanical Gardens while helping gardeners grow their collections. Browse a variety of trees, shrubs, native plants, tropicals, and more. The sale takes place at the LBG Greenhouses. To get there, drive up Museum Drive, pass the Anniston Museum of Natural History and the Berman Museum, then turn left at the Monarch Butterfly. There are no Third Thursday plant sales in April or December.

Explore how to choose and grow flowers that stay beautiful when dried. This program highlights varieties that dry reliably, practical tips tailored to the region, and techniques for harvesting and preserving blooms so you can create long-lasting arrangements from your garden. Third Thursday admission is $5 per person and free for AM&G members. Registration is encouraged.

Riders gather in the large parking lot behind Blackstone Pub & Eatery for a group ride. Routes rotate each week. The North option covers about 18 miles and includes Owls Hollow Road and Old 411. The South option is an out and back toward Rainbow City with several easy turnaround points, typically totaling 15 to 26 miles. Helmets are required, and lights are strongly recommended. After the ride, participants can eat at nearby local restaurants.

Marshall County 4-H participants present their chickens in a show, followed by an auction where the birds are sold in pens of two. This year features Ameraucana and Speckled Sussex. Support for award and prize money is available through sponsorships at these levels: Bronze at 10 to 49 dollars, Silver at 50 to 99 dollars, Gold at 100 to 199 dollars, Platinum at 199 to 499 dollars, and Diamond at 500 dollars or more.

This low impact aerobics class offers a gentle, effective workout in the ROC Aerobics Room. It is typically led by Dr. Keith Hannay. Aerobic classes are free for First Baptist Centre and ROC members.

Settle into lakeside camping and calm-water paddling at Town Creek Campground on Lake Guntersville during a free, beginner-friendly weekend focused on flatwater kayaking. Catalyst has arranged special access to the primitive campground through North Alabama State Parks, with plans that include time on the water along with birding, fishing, outdoor games, music, storytelling, talks about the land and its history, a community dinner, and a few mystery awards. The goal is to relax, have fun, try something new, and wrap up the weekend feeling good. Activities are guided by Trey Reaves, who holds the record for kayaking the entire 652 miles of the Tennessee River in about six and a half days. No experience is necessary, and registration is required. Comfort and accessibility are priorities at the site. A road leads to the camping area and another with a slight incline reaches the showers. Some sections have exposed roots, and most ground is grassy with a gentle slope to the water’s edge. Participants can be seated on shore when that is preferable, and assistance is available for transfers into kayaks. Restrooms and showers are on site; while the shower stalls do not include built-in benches, two ADA-approved extended shower benches will be provided, along with two ADA portable restrooms. Generators will supply power for charging phones, lights, or medical devices. Co-hosts include Yellow Hammer, Alabama State Parks, and RC&D, also known as Alabama’s Mountains, Rivers and Valleys Resource, Conservation and Development. Snacks and refreshments accompany check-in, followed by campsite and kayak setup, multiple relaxed paddles, shared meals, and evening entertainment across the weekend.

Give blood with the American Red Cross at Gadsden Mall. The drive is set up in the storefront located behind the nail salon, reachable from an outside entrance near the food court side of the mall. Both new and returning donors are welcome. Walk-ins are accepted, and making an appointment in advance is encouraged to help the process go smoothly. There is no charge to participate, and every donation helps patients in need.

At the Albertville Farmers Market, visitors can enjoy a lively community atmosphere with complimentary live music, a dedicated activity table for children, and a variety of local vendors. It is welcoming to families as well as both regular shoppers and first-time visitors.

Anglers gather on Lake Guntersville for a simple, competitive 1-fish shootout focused on strategy and time on the water. Each participant may bring one live bass to the scales, and the single heaviest fish, recorded to the hundredth of a pound, wins the entire pot with a 100 percent payback. The entry fee is $20 per angler and may rise to $25 based on participant input. All anglers must complete a liability release and related waiver before taking part. There is no limit to the number of anglers in a boat so long as the vessel stays within its USCG capacity, and everyone on board must be a paid entrant. The event runs on the honor system, so the fish weighed must be caught by the angler presenting it, and no dead fish will be weighed. Forward-facing sonar, including systems such as LiveScope, ActiveTarget, and Mega Live, is not allowed. Non-live 360 imaging is permitted. Any forward-facing sonar equipment must be completely disconnected from power, removed from the bow, and its transducer unplugged or otherwise disabled so it cannot be operated. If it can be turned on, it is not allowed, and violations result in disqualification. Blast off is announced from the tournament director’s boat. For weigh-in, anglers check in with the director, avoid blocking boat lanes or docks, and present fish directly from their livewell without weigh bags. Fish may be kept after weighing. All applicable lake and state regulations for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass apply. Eligibility excludes guides and professional anglers at the tournament director’s discretion, and all rulings by tournament leadership are final. The spirit of the event is to meet fellow anglers, enjoy the lake, and keep things straightforward.

Cars4Allison is a car show featuring vehicles to admire, music, and food. It is open to everyone. Volunteer opportunities are available for the day, and the organizers can answer questions. The effort focuses on making a difference through each car show.

Belle of the Ball is a natural-format pageant with divisions from newborn through Mrs., offering groups for every age. Contestants can enter beauty and an optional OOC category that is open themed, including casual wear, swim, and fun fashion. Sixteen overall titles include cash awards. Prizes feature custom themed crowns up to 10 inches tall and embroidered sashes with rhinestone trim, plus toy and prize tables. Every participant takes home a large custom crown at least 6 inches and an embroidered sash, and can choose items from the toy and prize tables. Entry is capped at 10 contestants per age group, and a $35 deposit secures a spot. For an entry form and details, email beckyfromal@bellsouth.net.

At Bright Ranch Arena, the fifth show in this buckle series offers exhibitions before the main competition, with groups for Leadline and a Modified 4D format. The lineup includes barrels, poles, a fun event chosen by monthly vote, and a mystery class announced during the show to highlight horsemanship. One entry covers all four events for $40, with a $10 arena fee. Ribbons are awarded to first through third place in each division for every event, and highpoint in each division pays out in cash. There are no membership fees or awards fees. Food trucks will be on site for concessions.

Melissa Etheridge takes the stage on a tour connected to Rise, her 17th studio album that centers on resilience and renewal. The record gathers everything that has unfolded since 2019’s The Medicine Show, a period when touring paused and she created hundreds of Etheridge TV episodes, wrote the memoir Talking to My Angels, performed her one-woman Broadway show Melissa Etheridge: My Window, launched the Etheridge Foundation to explore plant-based approaches to illness and addiction, and appeared in the 2024 Paramount+ docuseries I’m Not Broken. It also carries the weight of personal loss, including the opioid-related death of her son, Beckett, in 2021. The music of Rise channels these experiences into songs that lean toward healing, setting the tone for an evening rooted in strength and hard-won hope.