St. Patricks Week in Downtown Huntsville- Shopping, Dining, and Beer!

Downtown Huntsville is turning green! This Saturday join us for a St. Patrick's Day Super Saturday Sidewalk Sale and the Holmes Ave. Block Party! Also in this edition of the Downtown Explorer, we give you our picks for the best St. Patrick's Day Beer in Downtown Huntsville! You don't want to miss this lucky week!

This St. Patrick's Day edition of our Super Saturday Sidewalk Sale is going to be a special one!

We are so excited to announce that we are doing another giveaway with our Downtown Businesses this Saturday!!! If you want to win a Shamrock Key Lime Pie from The Moon Bakeshop here's how:

• Roosevelt & Co.: After making a purchase on Saturday, you will get a chance to draw a ticket. If you draw the winning ticket, you will get to take home the Shamrock Key Lime Pie!

• Caley Paige Home & Gifts: Make a purchase Saturday before 3pm and be entered into the drawing! At 3pm a name will be drawn to decide the winner of the pie!

• Indigo's Boutique: On Indigo's Facebook Page you will find a social media contest taking place. Enter to win your pie online and pick it up in person on Saturday!

• Creative State at Clinton Row Shops: Customers will throw their name and number into the green hat for a chance to win the pie on Saturday at participating Clinton Row Shops.

• La Esquina Cocina: La Esquina will be open all day (not closing for a break after lunch like normal) offering their entire menu. If you want a free slice of pie with your meal, all you have to do is wear green!

• Phat Sammy's: Eat at Phat Sammy's on Friday, and get your name entered to win a pie on Saturday!

• Elitaire Boutique: Make a purchase Saturday before 3pm and be entered into the drawing! At 3pm the name will be drawn to decide the winner of the pie!

• Green Bus Brewing: Stop by Green Bus on Saturday between noon and 4pm to register for the drawing. The winner will be announced at 4pm!

• Honest Coffee Roasters: Honest will begin their giveaway on Friday morning on Instagram. Go like, save, share, tag ( all the good stuff ) on the post for a chance to win. The winner will be announced on social media and contacted by DM on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

• Corner Pour: Check out Corner Pours social media accounts to be entered to win the pie. The winner will be announced on Saturday!

This event is going to have local art vendors, musicians, retail deals, giveaways, and contests! But, that's not all! After our Super Saturday Sidewalk Sale, join us on Holmes Ave. for a St. Patrick's Day Block Party! Don't miss out on any updates and RSVP to our Facebook Event Page!

Join us on Holmes Avenue on the 13th from 3-9 pm for an amazing St. Patrick's Day-themed Block Party!

Live music will start at 11 am and last all the way until 9 pm! Melt Huntsville will be offering a traditional Reuben made with corned beef and Reuben fries, drink specials all day, and street seating from 3-9 pm. Moes Original BBQ will have a delicious crawfish boil. La Esquina Cocina will be open all day with their entire menu and drink specials. Plus, finish off the night at Stellas Elixir Lounge where a DJ will start playing at 9 pm.

Vendors will line the street and there will be great specials all day long. We hope to see you there!

St. Patrick's Day wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without a glass of beer! Here are our holiday beer picks for this special occasion:

• Straight to Ale: Rocket City Red- a yearly St. Patrick's Day special brew. This Irish Red Ale- is light, malty, and sessionable at 5% ABV. And, The Cow Tipper is Straight to Ale's take on a traditional Car Bomb cocktail, featuring a shot of Shelta Cavern Spirits Whiskeynaut and Irish Cream Liquor dropped into a pint of Lily Flagg Milk Stout.

• Old Town Beer Exchange: Cahaba Brewing Irish Stout on Nitro and Black Warrior Irish Red

• Yellowhammer Brewing: The Kolsch- a light and crisp German-style beer that has been given the luck of the Irish with its whimsical green color, and The Barrel-Aged Wee Heavy- aged for 15 months in Willett bourbon barrels, this silky smooth brew gives you caramel and heavy malt with a warm bourbon finish.

• Green Bus Brewing: Green Omnibus Cream Ale - A traditional American Cream Ale served up Green for St. Paddy's Day. Dominant Red - A traditional Irish Red Ale, an easy-drinking red ale made with an imported Irish malt.

• Chandlers Ford Brewing: Red Bird - Irish Red Ale - 4.2% ABV, Palate Dry Irish Stout - 5.4% ABV, and Catarina Sour - Guavasteen - 3.5% ABV

• Innerspace Brewing: Paddy's Dry Stout, a traditional Irish Stout served on nitro, and the Pub Ale, a traditional English bitter meant to be enjoyed with friends in a proper pub environment.

• Liquor Express: All of the Guinness Family of Brands including the new Nitro Cold Brew Coffee will be at Liquor Express Saturday through St. Patrick's Day. Plus, get 10% off all sizes of Jameson and Proper Twelve Irish Whiskies. The Craft Bar will have $5 Shots of Jameson and Cahaba Brewing Irish Stout on Tap!

• Corner Pour: A Beer by Against the Grain Brewery & IPAcalypse Now by the Singin' River Brewing Company

• Purveyor: Luck of the Irish, Lepre "matcha" Chan, and Irish Sour

• Pourhouse: Irish Mule (Far Left), Guinness Draught, and Lucky Sour Appletini (Far Right)

Drink up Downtown Huntsville!

Downtown Trails! Art, Coffee, Hiking, and More!

Trails! From art to beer, to hiking trails, we will discuss it all in this edition of the Downtown Explorer. Read more to learn about our new secret art trail segment, updates to our Craft Beer Trail and Craft Coffee Trail, announcements for a new downtown trail, and great options for running and hiking!

You may have noticed some new art pop up in Big Spring Park! These pieces encompass our Mae Jemison Segment of the Downtown Huntsville Secret Art Trail, sponsored by Polaris. This segment is sponsored by Lockheed Martin and celebrates the first African American woman in space, Mae Jemison.

This segment contains 7 pieces, located on power boxes throughout the park, and features various Mae Jemison quotes. This beautiful art is done by Jessie Andrews, more widely known as Honey Blood Art.

If you are interested in exploring this new segment, you can visit downtownhuntsville.org/satmaejemison

We are so excited to have our new stops on the Craft Beer Trail and Craft Coffee Trail! In case you missed the news, Chandlers Ford Brewing was added to our Craft Beer Brewery Trail, and Corner Pour was added to the Craft Beer Store Trail. Our Craft Coffee Trail, sponsored by Valleymls.com, also got two new additions: Northside Coffee and Charlie Foster's.

However, that is not the only exciting news we have regarding our trails. There is a new trail coming to Downtown Huntsville very soon!! So, keep an eye out on our social media channels and upcoming newsletters for the official announcement!

Tis' the season for 5k's!

If you are preparing for a 5k, you might be on the search for a perfect location to do that. Great Runs is a website that allows you to find that perfect spot in Downtown Huntsville for your fun runs or training.

Once you have your location down, you might want a few friends to complete your run with. Check out We Run Downtown Huntsville to find a community of runners in our area.

Once you are ready for your 5k, there are so many options available for you. One, in particular, is the Burritt on the Mountain Virtual-ish 5k starting February 19th. Hike the trails around Burritt and receive a free admission ticket to the museum! This is a great way to get in some exercise while enjoying these beautiful views of the Rocket City.

Whether you are interested in urban art, craft beverages, or running, Downtown Huntsville has the trail for you!

Date Night in Downtown Huntsville: Where to go this Weekend!

Spend this weekend in Downtown Huntsville! Starting Friday, the Von Brewski Festival kicks off. Saturday is the return of our Super Saturday Sidewalk Sale! On Sunday, treat your Valentine to a great date night! We feature all of that and more in this edition of the Downtown Explorer!

The 2021 Von Brewski Beer Festival is going to be spread out in 4 3-hour events this year, filled with plenty of beer on tap, live music, and pretzel necklaces! Beers will be served at each of the three bars in Mars Music Hall and will include over 70 taps including local, regional, and international brews! A cash bar will be onsite for non-beer drinkers and food will be available for purchase. Plus, a special treat this year, a different solo artist will perform live during each event!

Mars Music Hall Showtimes:
Friday, February 12, 2021 from 6 - 9 p.m.
Saturday, February 13, 2021 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday, February 13, 2021 from 3 - 6 p.m.
Saturday, February 13, 2021 from 7 - 10 p.m.

Tickets:
$40 Pre-Sale Sample Ticket; $15 Non-Sampling Ticket
($50 Sampling ticket at the door)
Tickets available at the VBC Box Office or on Ticketmaster.
You must be 21 or older and have a valid ID to attend.

Learn more information through this Facebook Event Page.

This Saturday, enjoy the return of our Super Saturday Sidewalk Sale with this special Valentines/Mardi Gras edition!!! Shopping for that special someone is a tradition for most during this holiday and we want to be able to provide that for you in a safe way. This fully outdoor event will allow you to walk the streets of downtown to shop from local small businesses and art vendors. Plus, hear live music from our amazing local musicians.

To celebrate Mardi Gras coming up, DHI has partnered with our local small businesses and The Moon Bakeshop to giveaway 10 King Cakes at this event! 10 small businesses have been provided a King Cake from The Moon Bakeshop to giveaway during the event.

View our Facebook Event Page for a map of vendors and buskers, and a list of businesses participating in the King Cake Giveaway! Be sure to follow them to find out how to win a king cake from their business!

We can't wait to see you there!

Need a date night idea in Downtown Huntsville? We've got you covered!

Looking for a nice rooftop brunch or dinner with live music? Then Valentines at Rhythm on Monroe is the date for you! They will be serving a limited edition Valentines Menu for brunch and dinner on Sunday along with live music from Lamont Landers Band during brunch.

Looking for a quick snack to take with you while you walk around downtown? Visit Honest Coffee Roasters for their special collaboration with Maddies Cookie Company! The Honest Coffee x Maddies Cookie Company Valentines special comes with their limited-time White Chocolate Raspberry Mocha and a double chocolate cookie!

On Friday the 12th, Saturday the 13th, and Sunday the 14th enjoy Commerce Kitchen Surf N' Turf Dinner along with their regular menu. On Sunday they will provide their normal brunch menu from 10:30am-2pm and dinner will start at 4pm. Searching for a cocktail? Try their Valentines themed "cupids cocktail" and "pom of her heart". Similarly, you can also grab a Valentines Brunch & Dinner at Cotton Row!

Forgot to get a gift? Grab the Mason Dixon Bakery & Bistro Macaroon Gift Set! Complete with flowers and macaroons, date night is saved!

Another date night option in downtown is Dinner & Brunch at La Esquina Cocina. They will be serving a special Valentines Dinner on Saturday the 13th with items like Ribeyes and Salmon. Then on Sunday the 14th they will have a special Valentines Brunch menu featuring Eggs Benedict, Vegtable Omlettes, cocktails, and much more!

Once your stomachs are satisfied, consider taking a stroll through the historic square or visiting the Downtown Districts. Downtown Huntsville can be a pretty romantic place this time of year!

New Stops on the Downtown Huntsville Craft Beer and Craft Coffee Trail Coming Soon!

Our Downtown Huntsville Trails are getting a few updates and we are excited to reveal those to you in this edition of the Downtown Explorer! Plus, we have compiled a list of great workout locations in downtown worth trying out! We are hopeful that 2021 is going to be a great year!

Huntsville has a huge Craft Beer scene, and with that, came Downtown Huntsville's Craft Beer Trail! This trail currently has 8 local craft breweries and 3 local craft beer stores participating. However, things are about to get more exciting! We are adding Chandler's Ford Brewing, located inside Beezr on Northside Square, to our Craft Brewery Cards...AND we are adding Corner Pour, located on Clinton Row, to our Craft Beer Stores Card!!! These two new editions are going to bring such a fun and unique new vibe to our trail and we can't wait for you to experience it yourself!

New cards will be available at our Craft Beer Trail locations within the coming weeks!

Not only is the Craft Beer Trail getting an update, but so is our Craft Coffee Trail! Joining the trail this year is Northside Coffee, also located in Beezr on Northside Square! So, while you're enjoying a Craft Beer at Chandler's Ford Brewing, you can also start the Craft Coffee Trail within the same building!

New cards will be available at our Craft Coffee Trail locations within the coming weeks!

We assume somewhere in your New Years resolutions, you may have mentioned something about staying active and healthy. We hope you are still staying strong to that, and we have a lot of great places in Downtown Huntsville that can help you out!!

As the weather gets colder, you may be looking for some safe indoor activities to partake in. So, if you are interested in activities like Jiu- Jitsu, check out our Small Business Profile with Maverick Training!

If you are looking for boxing, cardio, and building muscles with your own personal trainer, you can learn more about Regymen Fitness here. They have also recently expanded their gym to allow for even more physical distancing in their classes!

From cycling to aerial yoga, you can find exactly what you are looking for in Downtown Huntsville! View our complete list of workout locations (indoors and outdoors) here!