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By NOAH WORTHAM |Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Scotty McCreery and Tenille Townes will headline this year’s edition of Alabaster CityFest which serves as the largest free music festival each year in Shelby County.

This year’s CityFest will take place on Saturday, June 1 on the front lawn of Thompson High School starting at 9 a.m. and will feature a regional music lineup and a host of other attractions, including vendors and food trucks.

“The Arts Council is excited to announce this lineup for Alabaster CityFest,” said Adam Moseley, president of the Alabaster Arts Council that puts on the free festival each year. “It gives the community an opportunity to gather for some great food, family fun and incredible music.”

Alabaster CityFest will open at 9 a.m. and local and regional music acts will continue throughout the afternoon, including Michael Warren, Alli Leighann Carruth, Twelve, Cahaba Grass and Sanchez Tanniehill—culminating with the headlining acts beginning at 7 p.m.

“The city is a proud sponsor of Alabaster CityFest,” said Jamie Cole, city council member in Alabaster’s Ward 5 and Arts Council vice president. “This is a terrific music lineup, one we are excited to share.”

As the leader of the lineup and a familiar face to CityFest, McCreery will take the stage at 9 p.m. McCreery has been a household name for nearly half his life, since making history in 2011 as the youngest male artist of any genre to debut his first studio album, the Platinum-certified “Clear as Day,” at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The 30-year-old has sold more than 4 million albums and achieved five consecutive No.1 hits: the RIAA Platinum-certified “Damn Strait,” the RIAA Gold certified “You Time,” the RIAA Gold certified “In Between,” the RIAA Platinum certified “This is It” and the RIAA Triple Platinum certified ‘Five More Minutes.”

His current single, “Cab in a Solo,” which McCreery wrote with Frank Rogers and Brent Anderson, is from a forthcoming album due out on May 10. Most recently, McCreery was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Garth Brooks on Saturday, April 20.

“You always like to say you’re excited and that’s certainly true, but when you have an artist that you’ve had before at CityFest like Scotty McCreery and you’ve seen his career build and make strides to point that he’s being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry—It’s almost like CityFest grew up with that artist,” Cole said. “And to see him come back now that he’s made it to that point is really, really exciting.”

Townes will be the first headliner to take the stage at 7 p.m. with a display of compassionate storytelling and her well-known style of soul-searching songwriting. Townes has toured with legends like Stevie Nicks, Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire. The Canada native discovered her passion for songwriting at age 14, influenced by artists like Patty Griffin and Lori McKenna.

Townes also got to perform with Shania Twain at a young age and signed with Sony Music Nashville after demos caught the music industry’s attention. Her debut album, “The Lemonade Stand,” garnered massive success, featuring two No. 1 singles, “Jersey on the Wall (I’m Just Asking)” and “Somebody’s Daughter.” Her commitment to causes she believes in is noteworthy, with a recent train trip across Southern Canada—a 3,000-mile trek in which she played 65 shows in 15 days in support of local food banks. Tenille is working on a new indie-rock-influenced sound with the recent single “As You Are.”

“She became a songwriter when she was just 14 years older and caught everybody’s attention with that creative side,” Cole said. “They’re a perfect pairing.”

KidsFest will also make a return this year with rides and activities for the whole family, all day long. The Cruise-In Car Show returns as well and vendors and food trucks will be on site throughout the event.

“This is a great opportunity for local businesses to be a part of a big event,” said Camille Herron, Arts Council vice president. “And we encourage those attending the event to support our sponsors; we couldn’t make this happen without them.”

Central State Bank, Coca-Cola and the City of Alabaster are among the sponsors for this year’s Alabaster CityFest.

The event is also made possible each year thanks to the efforts of members of the Alabaster Arts Council who volunteer their time and energy for free.

“The Alabaster Arts Council is an all-volunteer organization and it’s months and months of preparation to get it done,” Cole said. “I think the best aspect of the show is, no matter how big the artist is—and this is one of the biggest lineups we’ve ever had—it’s always going to be free and that’s where the work is.”

The Alabaster Arts Council were officially incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization in 2007 and are comprised of a group of local volunteers whose mission it is to advance and enrich the quality of life in the Alabaster community through the arts and art education.

“CityFest is a big event, it’s the biggest thing we do, but it’s not the only thing the arts council does,” Cole said. ‘From my side of it, as a (city) council member, (we’re) always working to increase arts funding to raise, not just private funds, but make sure that the city is investing in the creative arts.”

Those interest in hearing more about Alabaster CityFest may visit Alabastercityfest.com for schedule updates and more information.