March is when festival season truly begins on the Gulf Coast. Spring is on the horizon, the azaleas are blooming and outdoor events fill nearly every weekend. The March 2024 festivals across coastal Alabama and Northwest Florida were a showcase of that energy, from craft beer among the blooms at Bellingrath Gardens to florists competing in Mobile’s Cathedral Square, nearly 300,000 visitors at the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival and a massive gathering of custom trucks and hot rods at The Wharf. This look back revisits those highlights, a festival that was pushed into April and the story behind one of Pensacola’s best-known restaurants.
Many March events are free to the public and raise money for community organizations, which helps explain why so many residents clear their calendars for them year after year.
Beers and Blooms at Bellingrath Gardens
The month opened March 2 with the 4th Annual Beers and Blooms Festival at Bellingrath Gardens and Home in Theodore. From noon to 6 p.m., guests strolled the gardens, listened to live music and sampled a wide range of craft beers from local and regional breweries. Food vendors, garden tours and other activities rounded out the day.
Early March is an ideal time to visit Bellingrath. The gardens, developed on the Fowl River by Walter and Bessie Bellingrath and opened to the public in the 1930s, are famous for their azaleas, and the spring bloom is among the most spectacular sights in south Alabama. Pairing it with a craft beer tasting introduces the gardens to a new, younger audience.
Festival of Flowers in Cathedral Square
From March 8 through 10, Providence Hospital’s 31st Annual Festival of Flowers returned to Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile. The award-winning festival showcases horticultural displays created by teams of florists, nurseries, landscapers, designers and artists from the Mobile area, all competing for the People’s Choice Award.
Recognized in 2021 and 2023 as Alabama Magazine’s “Best of Bama Charity Event,” the festival combines beauty with education. The 2024 edition offered live music, outdoor seminars, select vendors and special events including ArtWalk and a Saturday morning exotic car show.
Cathedral Square, the downtown park beside the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, is one of downtown Mobile’s most elegant public spaces. Filling it with elaborate garden displays each spring has made the Festival of Flowers a beloved tradition.
The 72nd Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival
The month’s largest event came March 15 through 17, when the 72nd Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival filled downtown Fairhope. For more than 70 years, the festival has grown while remaining a family tradition for many, and during its three days the city’s population swells with nearly 300,000 visitors.
The 2024 theme was “Fairhope in Bloom,” a tribute to new growth and timeless traditions. Downtown streets came alive with art, food and entertainment, and public entry was free.
The festival is one of the oldest and largest outdoor art shows in the Southeast, and it is closely tied to Fairhope’s identity as an arts community. Founded in 1894 as a single-tax colony, Fairhope has long attracted artists, writers and craftspeople, and its walkable, flower-filled downtown offers an ideal backdrop for hundreds of artist booths.
Orange Beach Invasion at The Wharf
From March 22 through 24, the 7th Annual Orange Beach Invasion returned to The Wharf in Orange Beach. One of the largest events in the city, the Invasion drew more than 72,000 people to its sold-out 2023 edition.
Hot rods, lowered trucks and other custom vehicles traveled from across the United States and Canada for the three-day event, which featured more than 40 vendors plus food vendors. Attendees also took advantage of The Wharf’s shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment.
The event’s scale makes it one of the biggest spring gatherings on the Alabama coast, bringing a distinct crowd of automotive enthusiasts to Orange Beach before the peak summer season.
Ballyhoo Moves to April, Plus Other March Events
One event originally expected in March was pushed back: the Ballyhoo Festival was rescheduled for April 6 and 7 at the Lake Shelby picnic area in Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores. The festival stands out for its focus on fine art, combined with the cultural charm and fun-loving spirit of coastal Alabama. It features fine art vendors from across the Southeast, local seafood, live music both days and a Banjo and Fiddle Competition on Sunday in which the top three scorers in each age bracket win cash prizes.
Other March 2024 events included:
- Laguna Music Festival in Pensacola, March 1
- 23rd Annual Gulf Coast Renaissance Fair and Pirate Festival in Milton, Florida, March 2 and 3
- Joe Bonamassa at the Saenger Theatre in Pensacola, March 7
- American Cancer Society Chili Cook-Off in Mobile, March 9
- Cedar Street Social Crawfish Boil in Mobile, March 14
- Best of the Bay 2024 at the Daphne Civic Center, March 21
- Katt Williams’ Dark Matter Tour at the Civic Center Arena in Mobile, March 22
- Pensacola Brains Ballpark Bash at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, March 24
- Crawfish and Bluegrass Jamboree at Odd Colony Brewery in Pensacola, March 26
The Story Behind Dharma Blue
March 2024 also marked a milestone for Dharma Blue, the Pensacola restaurant on the corner of East Government and Alcaniz streets across from Seville Square, which turned 28 that month. The building previously housed an Italian restaurant owned by Richard Scott. Charles Morgan and Chips Kirschenfeld bought it in 1995 and have operated Dharma Blue since February 13, 1996.
The restaurant is part of a family that includes Harbor Docks, Camille’s, La Paz and the Local Market in Destin, as well as Chuck’s Fish and Five Bar restaurants around the South. Dharma Blue has served fresh seafood from Harbor Docks Seafood Market for many years, and its sushi bar is managed by Yoshie Eddings, who had been training sushi chefs and customers for 34 years.
The name has an unusual origin. After buying the property but before opening, Morgan read a New Yorker article about a film script Joan Didion was developing. She had inherited the script from a producer; the film was to be set in the New Mexico desert, and its working title was “Dharma Blue.” Didion said she had no idea what the phrase meant but loved the way it sounded. Morgan thought it sounded good too. Today the restaurant is known for its folk art, professional staff and long-time customers.
Planning for Future Springs
Most of these festivals recur each year, but dates, themes and venues change, and weather can force rescheduling, as the 2024 Ballyhoo Festival showed. Anyone hoping to attend a future Beers and Blooms, Festival of Flowers, Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival or Orange Beach Invasion should confirm details with the organizers. Arrive early, wear comfortable shoes and expect heavy traffic, especially in Fairhope during the arts festival weekend.