A new $49.2 million project

Happy Friday,

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For those who haven’t joined, there’s still time before our first member-only giveaway in a few weeks! More on that later.

Regardless of whether you join or not, I’m grateful that you read this newsletter every week!

Let’s get to it!

Madison City School Approves New Elementary School

Madison City Schools has approved a contract with Pearce Construction to build a new $49.2 million elementary school. The school will be located west of the new roundabout on Hardiman Road.

The location aims to help families that live in Limestone County but attend Madison City Schools. School records show that around 27% of Madison City Schools students live in Limestone County.

The new school does not have a name yet. Its goal is to open for the 2026-2027 school year.

According to Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols, the school will have a capacity of around 1,000 students. There are currently close to 13,000 students in Madison City Schools, so the new school will help capacity issues in other schools.

Make Music Day Set For June 21

Huntsville’s 2nd annual Make Music Day is set for June 21. The goal is to get people of all ages and skill levels to make music together. Huntsville is 1 of over 1,000 cities participating in Make Music Day.

Concerts In the Park Kick Off With a Drone Show

Concerts in the Park is back for another year and will be kicking off the concert series with a drone show on Monday, June 3. Starting at 6:30 PM, there will be performances by Unique Live Band and Juice, followed by Huntsville’s first-ever drone show.

Point Mallard Waterpark Is Open For The Season

The Point Mallard Waterpark is officially open for the season. There are tons of waterslides for kids of all ages, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a wave pool, a lazy river, and more. I have very fond memories of going to Point Mallard as a kid, so I had to share!

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Friday, May 31

• Concerts on the Dock: Come listen to live music at Lowe Mill from 6-9 PM. Admission to the concert is free, but you will have to pay $10 to park. Feel free to bring food and drinks or purchase something there. More info.

• Cigar Box Festival Day 2: Day 2 of the 20th annual Cigar Box Festival will be held at Joe Davis Stadium from 6:30-10 PM. This is a free event. More info.

• Downtown Food Truck Rallies: There will be food trucks in Big Spring Park from 5-9 PM. Come on our with your family and pets and enjoy an evening in the park!

• Piper and Leaf Mini Maker’s Market: Piper and Leaf is hosting a Maker’s Market for entrepreneurs, makers, and artisans under 18 years old! More info.

Saturday, June 1

• Bailey Cove Farmer’s Market: The market is located at St. Thomas Episcopal Church and will be open from 8 AM - 12 PM.

• The Village of Providence Farmer’s Market: The market is located at The Village of Providence Town Center and will be open from 9 AM - 2 PM.

• Lowe Mill Outdoor Market: The perfect market for pickers and art lovers! It will be open from 11 AM- 4 PM at Lowe Mill.

• Cigar Box Festival Day 3: Day 3 of the 20th annual Cigar Box Festival will be held at Lowe Mill from 11 AM - 3 PM and The Orion from 6:30 - 10 PM. This is a free event. More info.

• Guided Hike at Blevins Gap South: Join the Land Trust of North Alabama at 9 AM for a guided hike at Blevins Gap South. The hike is approximately 4 miles and is completely free. Registration is required.

• Guided Hike at Bethel Spring Nature Preserve: Join the Land Trust of North Alabama at 9 AM for a guided hike at Bethel Spring Nature Preserve. The hike is approximately 2 miles and is completely free. Registration is required.

• Local Author Book Launch: Local Author Leonard Adams will be launching his new book, Prepare to Love, at the Huntsville Country Club. This is a free event. More info.

• Read Around the Block: the Madison Public Library is kicking off its Summer Reading Program with a read-aloud from guest author Debbie Dadey. More info.

• Annie Jr. Casting Call: Around the Curtain is holding auditions for their upcoming performance of Annie Jr. You must register before auditioning.

• Straight to Ale’s 15th Anniversary: Celebrate 15 years of Straight to Ale with brews, food, yard games, and more. Proceeds will go to support the Crim Compassion Fund. More info.

• Rocket City Mom Learning Expo: Join Rocket City Mom at Stovehouse from 11 AM to 5 PM to learn more about tutoring services, private schools, educational games, STEM kits, and more. More info.

Sunday, June 2

• Cigar Box Festival Day 4: Day 4 of the 20th annual Cigar Box Festival will be held at BeeZr from 11 AM - 1 PM and The Orion from 6:30 - 10 PM. This is a free event. More info.

• The Market at MidCity: If you like farmer’s markets, you’ll want to check out The Market at MidCity this Sunday from 12-4 PM. It’s one of the biggest in town, with 45 vendors!

• Rocket City Bluegrass Jam: Where are my bluegrass lovers at? If you want to play or listen to bluegrass music, head to Straight to Ale from 4-8 PM.

• RCLX Fuel Fest: The Orion is hosting a free car show under The Dome in Apollo South from 1 - 5 PM. There will be food, fun, and music. All proceeds will go to the Huntsville Green Team. More info.

Monday, June 3

• Concerts in the Park: Head to Big Spring Park at 6:30 PM to enjoy a free concert from Unique Live Band and Juice. More info.

• Monday Movie Night: Enjoy a free movie night with your pup at Rocket City Dog Bar. The movie starts at 7 PM. More info.

Tuesday, June 4

• West Coast Swing Dance Lesson: The Rocket Westies will be giving free West Coast Swing Dance lessons at the Electric Belle at Stovehouse. More info.

• Trivia Night at Urban Cookhouse: It’s Tuesday Night Trivia at Urban Cookhouse. It’s free to play and starts at 6:30.

• Sip & Stroll at The Orion: An evening market featuring our favorite local vendors, food trucks, live music, and more. This is a free event and it starts at 5 PM. More info.

• Trash Pandas Home Game: The first pitch against the Chatanooga Lookouts will be thrown out at 6:35. It’s also Mental Health Awareness Night. Tickets.

Wednesday, June 5

• Bingo at The Camp: It’s Bingo Night at The Camp! Bingo starts at 7 PM and is free to play. There will be prizes for the winners. More info.

• Line Dancing Night at Stovehouse: Head out to Stovehouse for free line dancing classes. The lessons start at 7 PM. More info.

• Open Mic Night at Rocket City Dog Bar: This is your classic open mic night! The fun will start at 7 PM. This is a free event. More info.

• Trash Pandas Home Game: The first pitch against the Chatanooga Lookouts will be thrown out at 6:35. There will also be a Sprocket Pen giveaway. Tickets.

Thursday, June 6

• Greene Street Market: Shop local and enjoy produce, snacks, desserts, and more from local vendors. The market will be open from 3-7 PM. More info.

• Southern Fried Film Fest Day 1: The theme for Day 1 of the Southern Fried Film Fest is Horror Night. The event will be held at Lowe Mill and will start at 6 PM. More info.

• The MAD Summer Movie Night—Jaws 2: The Madison Public Library is hosting a free movie night and will show Jaws 2. This is a free event and you are welcome to bring food and drinks. More info.

• BBQ at Burritt: Enjoy a family-style BBQ dinner at Burritt. Tickets are $20 for adults and $8 for children. Kids under 3 eat for free. More info.

• Trash Pandas Home Game: The first pitch against the Chatanooga Lookouts will be thrown out at 6:35. It’s also Cat Rescue Night. Tickets.

Last week we asked you if you would be attending the Cotton Row Run. Here’s what you said:

🟩⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Yes (5%)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 No (95%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Not sure yet (0)

Here’s this week’s poll:

Closing remarks.

Talk soon,
Andrew Smith