Dega Jam Named 2016 Event of the Year, Others Awarded

The Alabama Tourism Department has named Dega Jam the 2016 Event of the Year and the GulfQuest National Maritime Museum the Attraction of the Year.

Dega Jam boasts a huge music lineup over 3 days and nights and will be held in the infield of the Talladega Superspeedway. More than 30 country music artists will perform including Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Eric Church, Kid Rock, Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam, Brandy Clark, Lynyrd Skynyrd,  and Hank Williams, Jr.

The GulfQuest National Maritime Museum in Mobile, which opened in September, is the first museum dedicated to the Gulf Coast’s rich maritime traditions and only the third interactive maritime museum in the world.

The state tourism department also released its complete list of top 10 events for 2016 ranging from the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores to the Spirit of America Festival 50^th Anniversary in Decatur and the Barber Vintage Festival in Birmingham.

The top 10 events in chronological order are:

• Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores - May 20-May 22
• 80^th Anniversary of the Bellingrath Home in Mobile - month of June
• Slocumb Tomato Festival in Slocumb - June 18
• 50^th Anniversary of the Spirit of America Festival in Decatur - July 1-4
• Dega Jam in Talladega - July 1-3
• Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Athens - Oct. 7-8
• Barber Vintage Festival in Birmingham - Oct. 7-9
• Renaissance Faire 30^th Anniversary in Florence - Oct. 22-23
• Magic City Classic 75^th Anniversary in Birmingham - Oct. 29
• Pike Road Arts & Crafts Fair 50^th Anniversary in Pike Road - Nov. 5

The state tourism department selects the top 10 events based upon significant anniversaries and the uniqueness of the event. The events listing is featured in the 2016 Alabama Vacation Guide and Calendar of Events that is available at the eight state welcome centers, local tourism bureaus and online here. The 204-page magazine-size publication contains colorful photos and covers the state by geographic regions with an introduction section, a city-by-city listing of attractions and accommodations and profiles of the state’s major cities. The calendar section lists more than 600 annual and special events from across the state.