While art is no longer strung up with clothespins like it was when the Bluff Park Art Show kicked off 50 years ago, the event has stayed true to its tradition of recognizing and supporting local artists.
Originally named the Bluff Park Arts and Crafts Show in 1963, the Bluff Park Art Association’s volunteer-run show has grown in participation and reputation. It has transformed from a means to raise money for a local library to a state-recognized event.
“You start something that’s really small, it becomes a high-quality show and then it is one of the top things to do in Alabama,” said Beth Albright Johns, president of the Bluff Park Art Association. “The seed started with community members raising money.”
Making the Alabama Tourism Department’s list of the top 10 events for 2013 is just one of the honors for this year’s show. Artists and attendees will also be part of its 50th anniversary the first weekend in October.
About 10,000 visitors walk the park next to the Bluff Park Community Center each year to support the local artists, and more are expected this year to enjoy the half-century-old show.

To read more about the upcoming Bluff Park Art Show, check out the September 2013 issue of H Life. Find your copy here.