Labor Day celebrations on tap on Baldwin County Gulf Coast - al.com (blog)
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama -- After a booming summer, thousands of people plan to return to the beach for the Labor Day weekend to wind up the season.
Taylor Hicks said he will be among those heading for the Alabama Gulf Coast when he returns to one of the areas where his music career began. Hicks, who jumped to national fame after winning the 2006 American Idol competition, will be playing Saturday at the Flora-Bama Beach Concert and Party.
"I'm looking forward to getting down to the beach," Hicks said Thursday. "That's one of my first stomping grounds and that area of the Gulf Coast is near and dear to my heart."
Hicks, a Birmingham native, said he last performed at the Flora Bama with an impromptu set after coming to the area last spring to visit family.
"I'm planning to have a seven-piece band that I'm going to bring that usually travels on the road when I tour and I'm looking forward to playing some roadhouse in what's, in my opinion, one of the last great American road houses," Hicks said.
Hicks was also in the area last year producing a public service announcement urging visitors to return to the coast after the oil spill.
"This part of Alabama means a lot to me and when something like this comes up and I can lend a hand, I'm glad to do it," Hicks said.
Also performing at the concert will be Rollin' in the Hay and Spoonful James, said Valerie Tyson of the Flora-Bama. She said the concert will include a large projection television playing SEC football starting at 11 a.m., with music starting at 2 p.m.
"We're having a total beach bash on Saturday," she said. "We're thinking it's going to be a lot of fun."
Tickets are $25. More information on the concert is available at the club's website, www.florabama.com.[man: cq: ]
Tyson said the concert and Labor Day weekend will wrap up a busy summer season.
"We've had a tremendous summer," she said. "I know that last year with the oil spill, it really impacted all of our neighbors and friends down here in terms of business, but we've rebounded incredibly well from last summer."
After a 2010 summer hit hard by the oil spill, the beaches have rebounded this year, Mike Foster, vice president of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Tourism, said Thursday. He said tourist numbers are about 8 percent more than 2009.
"I think the fact that we had such a great summer will bode well for our weekend. People came, they loved it and if they can, they'll be back," Foster said. "We were down 10 percent last year and for us to bounce back, get that back and pick up another 7 or 8 percent is just fantastic."
The Flora-Bama concert is one of several events taking place along the Alabama Gulf Coast this weekend.
Among the celebrations at The Wharf are Kid Rock performing Monday and the Rock Allegiance Tour on Sunday.
At the Hangout in Gulf Shores, a three-day celebration of Louisiana music kicks off today with performances by Louisiana Frye at 7 p.m. Marc Broussard will perform Saturday at the same time while Wayne Toups and Zydecajun will be on stage Sunday. Barbecue plates will be sold all three days with part of the proceeds going to the Alabama Sheriffs' Boys Ranch in Summerdale.
Foster said activities along the coast will continue after Labor Day with events such as Thunder on the Gulf and the National Shrimp Festival taking place in upcoming weeks.
Tyson said fall is one of the best times to enjoy the beach.
"One of the best kept secrets of this area is that it's so beautiful past Labor Day and we want to encourage everyone who is a fan of this area to keep coming down here, because our season really does extend past Labor Day," she said.
02 Sep, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGwNKMSM7K4whbdKfSnzzVuUgR9eg&url=http://blog.al.com/live/2011/09/labor_day_celebrations_on_tap.html
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