Special Feature
Save the date for the 22nd Annual Gardendale Magnolia Festival on April 21-22, 2023 at the Gardendale Civic Center. Each year the community enjoys a wide variety of entertainment including free fun activities hosted by area churches.
Art Extravaganza. Every year Decatur Highway Church of Christ teaches free art classes in the Civic Center and provides all the materials. Church secretary Karen Hogeland coordinates the art classes. “We look at this as a way to give back to our community,” Hogeland explains, adding, “It’s a great way to reach out and meet people.” This year, children can participate in four sessions on Saturday including watercolor pens, string art, and sand art. Children of all ages are welcome to stay for one session or all four!
Kid Zone. Gardendale First Baptist Church creates a free Kid Zone each year full of inflatables and fun games. “It’s a great opportunity for us to serve the city and community,” explains New Member and Outreach Pastor, Phil Cronin. Children are invited to come to the Kid Zone and enjoy a variety of inflatables, putt putt games, sand art, and more. Cronin believes being a part of the Magnolia Festival gives the church a way to engage the community and “let them know that church is more about loving others and helping the community.” Each child that visits the Kid Zone will receive a Gospel of John booklet.
The Magnolia Festival will also host 160+ vendors, a car show, pooch parade, petting zoo, artisan demonstrations, pony rides, live music and more! Be sure to come hungry because there will be a wide variety of food vendors with items like cheesecake funnel cakes, shrimp and oyster po’boys, tamales, polish sausages, roasted corn and sweet potatoes, bbq ribs, kettle corn, gelato, and more! For more details about the Magnolia Festival, visit www.magnoliafestival.org.
-Melissa Armstrong
