Wheeler Lake to Host Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifying Tournament June 7

Wheeler Lake will host the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation’s final regional qualifying tournament June 7, 2014. Approximately 150 to 200 anglers from Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle will travel to Decatur for cash prizes and a chance to compete in the Bassmaster Classic.

Boats will takeoff from Ingalls Harbor at safe daylight and return between 2 and 3 p.m. for weigh-in. The top fifty anglers will advance to the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship to be held on Lake Martin in the fall of 2014. The winner will automatically qualify for the 2015 B.A.S.S. Nation Southern Divisional where an invitation to the Super Bowl of bass fishing, the Bassmaster Classic, is up for grabs.

Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation members and High School Nation members (16 years and older) may go to www.albassnation.com and register for the tournament. Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation high school members may register as non-boaters at a discounted price. Nonmembers can also visit the website to learn the benefits of membership and how to become a member.

Ingalls Harbor is located at 802 Wilson Street NW in Decatur. Takeoff and weigh-in are open to public with no admission fee. A pairings meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, June 6 at the Ingalls Harbor Pavilion.

Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation, a proud supporter and partner with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is one of 54 state and international Nation Chapters affiliated with Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation is active in youth, conservation and local and national issues that affect our rivers, lakes and waterways. Through its charity, Fishin4aCure, Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation has raised more than $160,000 for Children’s of Alabama to fight childhood cancer. For more information, visit www.albassnation.com.

For more information on the June 7th tournament on Wheeler Lake, call Decatur-Morgan County CVB President Melinda Dunn at 256.350.2028 or 800.524.6181.

Cajunfest Brings Louisiana to the River City

A bit of Louisiana will make its way to the River City the second Friday in June when Cajunfest returns to Ingalls Harbor. The annual event, set for June 13, 2014, offers partygoers a chance to experience authentic Cajun cuisine while raising funds for the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

Hosted by the American Red Cross Morgan-Lawrence Chapter, Cajunfest gets started at 5 p.m. and lasts until 9 p.m. Authentic Cajun food will be freshly prepared and served by Roland Lowery’s New Orleans Lunchbox. Each serving includes 1Ž4 pound of shrimp, chicken and sausage gumbo, red beans and rice, potatoes, corn and two drinks (Pepsi or Budweiser products).

This year’s event is a family-friendly affair as event organizers have added special activities for kids. Mellow Mushroom will cater the children’s food and a special area for children will be set offering fun and games including a bouncy house, Twister and cornhole games. As children play, adults can enjoy an evening of dancing and live music provided by the Al Keith Band.

A limited number of tickets are available now until June 6^th and may be purchased online at http://american.redcross.org/cajunfest or at the Red Cross office located at 431 Holly Street, NE in Decatur. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult tickets are $25 each (includes food and two drinks) and a child’s ticket is $10 (includes two slices of Mellow Mushroom pizza and one drink). Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Sponsored by BP (title sponsor), CoBank, Joe Wheeler EMC, Valley Budweiser, Air Products, Lawrence Medical Center, Cintas-The Service Professionals, Progress Bank and Trust, Bank Independent, Serra Toyota of Decatur, Cook’s Pest Control, Tennessee Valley Training Center, OCI Chemical, Pepsi Cola of Decatur and Ingalls Entertainment, proceeds from Cajunfest benefit the Morgan-Lawrence Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Ingalls Harbor is located at 802 Wilson Street NW in Decatur. For more information on Cajunfest, call Beth McGuire at 256.353.4891.

Point Mallard Waterpark Makes 14 Greatest Water Parks List

Among nationally known locations such as Orlando’s Wet ‘n Wild and Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, BuzzFeed featured one Alabama attraction – Point Mallard Waterpark – at number 11 in their list of “14 Greatest Water Parks in America.”

Known for its wave pool, speed slides and sandy beach, the Point Mallard Waterpark joins top waterparks such as Orlando’s Wet ‘n Wild, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Great Wolf Lodge, Big Surf Waterpark, and Kalahari Resort on the list posted May 14, 2014 just in time for the summer travel season. BuzzFeed says Point Mallard Waterpark is “a great outing for the whole family.” The complete list of the top 14 waterparks can be found at www.buzzfeed.com/h2/fbsp/coppertone/greatest-water-parks-in-america. According to BuzzFeed, the webpage has received nearly 85,000 views.

Founded in 2006 in New York City, BuzzFeed is a social news and entertainment website with a global audience of more than 130 million.

“It is an honor for Point Mallard Waterpark to be named a top waterpark in the country and we are very excited about the exposure the list will generate for the park and the city of Decatur. In recent years, Point Mallard has experienced a wave of success largely due to a strong, cohesive leadership team and an innovative marketing plan that focuses on guest relations,” said Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Melinda Dunn.

The Point Mallard Waterpark officially opened the 2014 season on Saturday, May 24. With plenty of water action, the waterpark offers a welcoming reprieve from the warm temperatures summer brings. The Waterpark is open daily until August 10 with hours 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all other days. General admission is $20 for adults (ages 12-61 years old), $15 for youth (ages 5 to 11 years old), $15 for seniors (62+) and military, with half price days offered Monday through Thursday (excluding holidays).

The Point Mallard Waterpark is located in the heart of Point Mallard Park, a 750-acre municipal park providing year round activities and recreation facilities in Decatur. Additional facilities include an 18-hole golf course, a “Good Sams Park” campground, an indoor ice-skating rink, tennis courts, batting cages, a 3-mile walking/jogging/biking trail, and a driving range.  Point Mallard Park is also home to four of Alabama’s top festivals: Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic, SoulStock, Spirit of America 4^th of July celebration, and Battle for Decatur. For more information, visit www.pointmallardpark.com or call 256.341.4900.

For more information, call the Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 256.350.2028 or 800.524.6181.

Music Mondays in June and July

Decatur’s free summer concert series kicks off Monday, June 2^nd at Rhodes Ferry Park.

 

Decatur’s summer concert series is set to return in 2014 bringing friends and families to the beautiful waterfront of the Tennessee River to celebrate summer while enjoying free musical performances. Sponsored by the Decatur Parks and Recreation Department, The Paul Stroud Concerts by the River is a free concert series that offers a wide variety of musical entertainment in a family-friendly setting. The concert series gets underway the first Monday in June with concerts held each Monday through July 28.

The 2014 concert schedule, featuring a broad range of musical styles, is as follows:

June 2  Dorothy Cole and Friends

June 9  Bimini Road

June 16            Ben Parker Project

June 23            Jeff Whitlow and the Old Barn Band

June 30            Dixie Bluegrass / Robert Montgomery

July 7  Reginald Jackson and Friends

July 14            Decatur Youth Symphony / Madison Community Band

July 21            Papa Rox

July 28            Taylor McLain / Sophisticated Swingers

Concerts are held at Rhodes Ferry Park on the banks of the Tennessee River. Hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Concert goers are reminded to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets. Pets are welcome to attend but must be on a leash.

Funding for the 2014 concert series is provided by a Community Service Grant secured by Sen. Arthur Orr. During the opening concert on June 2, Sen. Orr will present a check to Decatur Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Dunlap and Assistant Director Tom Chappell with the Decatur Parks and Recreation to help offset costs associated with hosting the concert series.

For more information on the Concerts by the River program, call 256.341.4818.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Celebrate Opening of New Disc Golf Course in Decatur

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at 2 p.m., the Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Decatur Parks and Recreation will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new Flying Dragon Disc Golf Course. The public is invited to attend the ceremonial ribbon cutting and to learn more about Decatur’s newest attraction. 

Located in the Jack Allen Recreation Complex, the Flying Dragon Disc Golf Course is one of 58 courses located in the state of Alabama. Occupying 13 acres, the course will feature 18 holes and is located within a mostly flat rocky and wooded area. Seventeen holes are a par three with one hole a par four. Signage has been placed throughout the course, guiding players to each hole. The object of the game is to complete the course in the fewest number of throws. The course is free to play and the only equipment needed is a flying disc.

Staff members of the Decatur Parks and Recreation will be on hand offering disc golf demonstrations and providing more information on the course following the ceremony. Refreshments will be served at the pavilion near the playground.

Development of the course was provided by tourism funds secured by Sen. Arthur Orr. The course is named for a thorny bush, nicknamed Flying Dragon, native to Asia that fills much of the wooded area surrounding the Jack Allen Recreation Complex. More information on the Flying Dragon Disc Golf Course is available at www.decaturparks.com in the Jack Allen Recreation Complex section.

For more information on the ribbon cutting ceremony, call the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 256.350.2028.