Dale County Alabama Crawdad and Music Festival
Every April, the square at the center of Ozark fills with the smell of seasoned crawfish and the sound of guitars. The Crawdad and Music Festival is one of the Wiregrass region’s most anticipated spring gatherings, and it has been drawing Dale County families to the courthouse square for two decades.
What began as a modest community event has grown into a full day of food, live music, arts and crafts, children’s activities, and an antique car show — all of it free to attend. In a county better known for peanuts, cotton, and Army aviation than for seafood, the crawdad boil is a distinctive local twist.
Ozark is the county seat of Dale County and the festival sits right on its historic downtown square. The setting matters: the event spreads through the streets around Court Square, so visitors move between vendor booths, food lines, and stages within a few walkable blocks.
Ozark’s spring calendar also includes the Dale County Alabama Claybank Jamboree Arts & Crafts Festival, an October tradition on the same downtown square with craft vendors, live music, and barbecue.
Crawdad and Music Festival: Quick Facts
| Festival | Crawdad and Music Festival |
| County | Dale County, Alabama (seat: Ozark) |
| City | Ozark |
| Venue | Downtown Ozark Square, 115 E. Court Square |
| Timing | Second Saturday in April, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Admission | Free |
| First held | 2006 |
| Highlights | Crawfish and festival food, live music all day, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, antique car show |
| Organizer | City of Ozark Parks and Recreation |
| Region | Wiregrass, southeast Alabama |
| Best for | Families, food lovers, and anyone wanting a free, lively spring day out |
How the Crawdad Festival Began
The festival started in 2006 as a small downtown gathering and has been held every year since, making the 2026 edition the twentieth. Over that time it has become one of Ozark’s signature events, and organizers credit steady growth in both vendors and visitors for its staying power.
The numbers tell the story. In 2022 the festival drew around 154 vendors and an estimated 7,000 attendees. By 2023, that had climbed to roughly 236 vendors and about 12,000 visitors, figures the city’s parks and recreation department reported as the event grew. The growth reflects how the festival has become a regional draw rather than a strictly local one.
A Wiregrass Tradition
Dale County sits in the Wiregrass, the southeast Alabama region named for the tough grass that once covered its fields. Ozark is its county seat, a town of around 15,000 that grew around the courthouse square. The crawdad festival leans into that downtown identity, using the square and surrounding streets as its stage.
For the city, the festival is more than a day of fun. Local leaders describe large downtown events like this one as catalysts for economic growth and community vitality, drawing visitors who then spend time in Ozark’s shops and restaurants.
That economic role is deliberate. Organizers and city officials talk about using major festivals to introduce Ozark to people who might otherwise drive past on US 231, turning a single day of crawfish and music into repeat visits across the year.
What to Expect on the Square
Crawfish and Festival Food
Crawfish is the headline, served boiled and seasoned in the Louisiana style, but the food lines go well beyond it. Vendors offer the full range of Southern festival fare — barbecue, fried favorites, sweets, and cold drinks — so even visitors who skip the crawfish find plenty to eat.
The crawfish boil itself is a communal ritual. The shellfish are cooked in large seasoned pots and turned out onto tables, and first-timers quickly learn the technique: twist, peel, and eat. For a county whose tables more often feature peanuts and barbecue, the crawfish boil gives the festival its distinctive character.
Live Music All Day
Music runs from opening to closing, with a lineup of local and regional acts performing through the afternoon. The schedule has featured country, rock, and everything in between, and the stages are set up so you can hear the music while you eat and browse.
Crafts, Cars, and Kids
Beyond the food and music, the festival hosts a mix of arts and crafts vendors and an antique car show that draws collectors from across the region. Children’s activities run through the day, which is a big part of why families return each spring.
A Library Fundraiser, Too
In recent years the Ozark Dale County Library has set up during the festival to raise funds, selling barbecue plates, holding a raffle for books by a Dale County author, and running medieval-themed jousting games. It is a good example of how local institutions fold themselves into the day.
Planning Your Visit
Getting to Ozark
Ozark sits on US 231 in southeast Alabama, roughly 20 miles north of Dothan and about 90 miles southeast of Montgomery. The downtown square is at 115 E. Court Square, near the intersection of US 231 and AL 27. From Dothan the drive is about 25 minutes; from Enterprise it is about 30 minutes.
Parking and Getting Around
Because the festival closes the streets around the square, downtown parking fills early. Arrive before mid-morning for the best chance at a close space, and expect to walk a few blocks. The whole event is compact, so once you park you can cover it on foot.
Admission, Costs, and Weather
Admission is free; you pay only for food, drinks, and anything you buy from vendors. April in the Wiregrass is warm and pleasant, often in the 70s and low 80s, with a chance of afternoon showers. A hat, sunscreen, and a light rain jacket cover most conditions.
Where to Stay
Ozark has a handful of hotels close to the highway, and Dothan — about 20 miles south — offers a much larger selection of rooms. Enterprise, to the west, is another option for anyone combining the festival with a wider Wiregrass trip.
A Sample Festival Saturday
Arrive when gates open at 9 a.m., when the food lines are shortest and the crawfish is freshest. Walk the square to get your bearings, then settle in with a plate and catch the first music set. Spend the middle of the day on the craft booths and the car show, and let the children work through the activities.
By late afternoon the crowds are at their fullest and the music is at its best. Stay through the final set, then wander into downtown for a look at Ozark’s historic streets once the festival winds down.
If you have the time, plan the visit around more than the festival alone. Ozark’s square sits at the heart of a compact historic downtown, so a morning at the festival pairs naturally with an afternoon exploring the shops and streets that surround it.
Other Festivals to Compare
Dale County and the surrounding Wiregrass host several events through the year:
| Claybank Jamboree Arts & Crafts Festival | Ozark, October — craft vendors, live music, barbecue on the square |
| Daleville Annual Fall Festival | Daleville, October — vendors, games, and pumpkins at Culpepper Park |
| South Alabama Pride Festival | Daleville, September — vendors and performances, free admission |
| National Peanut Festival | Dothan (Houston County), autumn — the Wiregrass’s largest fair |
| Boll Weevil Fall Festival | Enterprise, autumn — arts, crafts, and food downtown |
Practical Checklist
- Bring cash for food and vendor purchases; not every booth takes cards.
- Arrive early for downtown parking near the square.
- Pack sun protection and a light rain jacket for April showers.
- Wear comfortable shoes — the event is spread across several blocks.
- Bring a folding chair if you plan to settle in for the music.
Beyond the Festival
Dale County rewards a longer stay. Ozark has a historic downtown and the Claybank Creek greenway, and the surrounding countryside is classic Wiregrass farm country. To the west, Enterprise is home to the Boll Weevil Monument, the only monument in the world to an agricultural pest. To the south, Dothan offers shopping, dining, and the Landmark Park living-history site.
The Significance of the Crawdad Festival
For Ozark, the Crawdad and Music Festival does double duty. It gives residents and visitors a free, family-friendly day centered on the courthouse square, and it brings outside spending into a downtown that depends on events like this to stay lively. Two decades in, it has become a fixture of the Wiregrass spring.
Festival Area Map
The festival takes place on and around the downtown square in Ozark, at 115 E. Court Square in Dale County.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Crawdad and Music Festival?
It is held on the second Saturday in April, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In 2026 the festival fell on Saturday, April 4. Confirm the exact date with the City of Ozark before you travel.
Where is it held?
In downtown Ozark, Alabama, on and around the courthouse square at 115 E. Court Square in Dale County.
Is admission free?
Yes. The festival is free to enter, and you pay only for food, drinks, and vendor items.
How many vendors and visitors attend?
Recent editions have drawn roughly 200-plus vendors and around 12,000 visitors, up from about 154 vendors and 7,000 attendees a few years earlier.
Is it good for children?
Yes. The festival is family-friendly and includes children’s activities, plus the antique car show and live music, which appeal to all ages.
What food is available?
Crawfish is the signature dish, but vendors also serve barbecue, fried foods, sweets, and drinks, so there is something for everyone.
What is Dale County known for?
Dale County is a Wiregrass county in southeast Alabama, known for peanut and cotton farming, its county seat of Ozark, and the Army aviation installation at Fort Novosel near Daleville. Its spring and fall festivals are part of the region’s strong community-event tradition.
What to Expect From the Next Crawdad and Music Festival
The festival is an annual event and is expected to return to downtown Ozark each spring, with the City of Ozark Parks and Recreation department organizing it.
How often is the Crawdad and Music Festival held?
Every year, on the second Saturday in April. It has been held since 2006 and marked its twentieth edition in 2026.
When is the next festival?
The next edition falls on the next second Saturday in April. Organizers publish the confirmed date and music lineup in advance.
Will the dates or lineup change?
The second-Saturday timing has been consistent, but the music lineup and vendor list change each year, and spring weather can affect an outdoor event. Check the current schedule before you go.
Last updated: October 2026
The Crawdad and Music Festival is Dale County’s best excuse to spend a spring Saturday on a historic courthouse square with a plate of crawfish and a band playing in the background. Come hungry, bring a chair, and enjoy one of the Wiregrass’s friendliest free events.
