Jackson County Alabama Annual Catfish Festival

Each May, the banks of Lake Guntersville at Jackson County Park fill with the smell of fried catfish and the sound of live music for the Annual Catfish Festival, a lakeside community event that has become one of Scottsboro’s most anticipated spring traditions. Now more than two decades old, the festival is a fundraiser as much as a celebration, with proceeds supporting local organizations and community needs.

The setting does a lot of the heavy lifting. Jackson County Park sits right on the water, so visitors can eat, browse, and fish within sight of the lake. The festival is a rain-or-shine event, and its easygoing mix of food, crafts, and family activities has kept it going strong year after year.

Annual Catfish Festival: Quick Facts

Location	Jackson County Park, Scottsboro, on Lake Guntersville
Typical timing	A Saturday in mid to late May
Admission	Free, with food and activities sold on site
Beneficiary	Proceeds support local charities and community needs
Highlights	Catfish plates, car show, live music, kids’ area, fishing
Setting	Lakefront park on the Tennessee River system

A Fundraiser in Festival Clothing

The Catfish Festival is organized as a charitable event, and that purpose shapes its character. Funds raised go toward a range of local causes, including youth programs, church ministries, and community needs, and the volunteer effort behind the event reflects that shared goal. It is the kind of festival where the person selling you a catfish plate is likely to be a neighbor raising money for something you both care about.

Lakefront and harvest festivals are a recurring feature of Alabama’s spring calendar, and the Jackson County Alabama Art Sunday Arts & Crafts Festival shows how another community turns local flavor into a full day out.

Catfish is, unsurprisingly, the centerpiece. Plates are typically prepared with help from local partners and served fresh through the day, alongside the broader spread of festival food that keeps everyone fed. For many attendees, the catfish plate is the reason to come, and the line forms early.

A Full Day by the Water

Beyond the food, the festival offers a classic family lineup: arts and crafts vendors, a car show, inflatables, train rides, and pony rides, plus a free play area for younger children. Live music runs through much of the day, and because the park sits on the lake, visitors can also fish during the event, which gives the festival a genuinely outdoorsy feel that sets it apart from a typical street fair.

The lakeside location makes the day flexible. Families can spread a blanket, wander the vendor rows, and let children move between activities without the constraints of a crowded downtown. Parking is available at the park, and the event runs from morning into the afternoon, leaving the rest of the day open for exploring the lake.

Around Lake Guntersville

Jackson County Park is part of a larger recreation story in northeast Alabama. Lake Guntersville is a major draw for anglers and boaters, and the surrounding area offers camping, hiking, and scenic drives. Pairing the festival with a weekend on the water is a natural move, and the timing in May usually delivers warm, pleasant weather before the summer heat sets in.

Scottsboro itself is a short drive from the park, so visitors can combine the festival with a look at the town’s downtown, its heritage sites, and its riverfront. For families building a spring tradition, the combination of festival and lake makes for an easy, low-cost weekend.

Why It Keeps Going

The Catfish Festival endures because it is rooted in something real. It raises money for local needs, it brings people to a beautiful lakeside park, and it asks nothing more of visitors than a willingness to eat, browse, and enjoy the day. That combination is hard to argue with, and it is why the festival has become a fixture of the Jackson County spring.

The Story Behind the Plate

Catfish is more than festival food in this part of Alabama; it is a local industry and a familiar taste. Farm-raised catfish has been a staple of Southern cooking for decades, and the festival puts it at the center of the day. Plates are typically prepared with help from local partners and served fresh, and the line for them forms early for good reason.

The choice of catfish as the theme says something about the setting. Jackson County Park sits on Lake Guntersville, part of the Tennessee River system, and fishing is woven into the area’s identity. A festival built around a fish and held beside a lake makes sense in a way that a generic fair never could, and it gives the event a genuine sense of place.

Family Activities and the Car Show

Beyond the food, the festival offers a full family lineup. Arts and crafts vendors line the park, a car show draws owners from across the region, and inflatables, train rides, and pony rides keep children busy. A free play area gives younger visitors room to run, and live music runs through much of the day to set the mood.

Because the park is on the water, the day has a relaxed, outdoorsy feel that sets it apart from a downtown street fair. Families can spread out, wander the vendor rows, and move between activities at their own pace. Fishing is usually permitted during the event, which means visitors can bring a rod and make a full day of it.

A Spring Weekend on the Lake

Lake Guntersville is a major draw for anglers and boaters, and the festival is a good excuse to build a weekend around the water. Camping, hiking, and scenic drives are all within reach, and May usually delivers warm, pleasant weather before the summer heat arrives. Visitors can stay in Scottsboro or at lakeside sites and use the festival as the anchor of the trip.

The surrounding area also holds heritage sites and small towns worth exploring, from the Stevenson Railroad Depot Museum to the riverfront in Scottsboro itself. Because the festival runs from morning into the afternoon, there is ample time to add a hike, a boat outing, or a museum stop to the same day.

Tips for First-Time Visitors

Come early if the catfish plate is your priority, since the line builds quickly and the food can sell out. Bring cash for vendors, sunscreen for the open park, and a chair or blanket if you plan to settle in for the music. Comfortable shoes help, since the park is spread out.

If you intend to fish, bring your own gear and check any local rules before you cast. For families, the morning tends to be calmer, with the car show and activities filling in through the day. And because the event is a fundraiser, remember that your purchases support local causes along with a good time.

A Lake With a Festival

Jackson County Park is the kind of venue that makes an event feel effortless. Set on Lake Guntersville, it offers shade, water views, and room to spread out, all within a short drive of Scottsboro. The setting gives the Catfish Festival a relaxed, outdoorsy character that distinguishes it from a downtown street fair.

The lake itself is a major regional resource, popular with anglers, boaters, and campers throughout the warmer months. Holding a festival on its shore ties the event to that larger recreational culture, and it gives visitors a reason to stay longer than a single day. In May, the weather is usually at its most cooperative.

Fundraising With a Purpose

What separates the Catfish Festival from a purely commercial fair is where the money goes. The event is built around a charitable purpose, and the funds it raises are directed to local causes rather than to a promoter’s margin. That structure attracts a different kind of volunteer, one who is there for the community rather than for a paycheck.

The result is a festival with a conscience. Vendors and organizers are working toward something beyond the day itself, and visitors often leave with a sense that their money did more than buy lunch. For a community event, that sense of shared purpose is a powerful thing, and it keeps people coming back year after year.

A Day Built for Families

The festival is designed with families in mind. A car show, live music, inflatables, train and pony rides, and a free play area give children plenty to do, while the lakeside setting offers parents room to relax. Because everything is on one site, the day requires less logistics than a multi-venue event.

The rain-or-shine policy means the festival proceeds regardless of the forecast, so visitors should plan for the weather. Comfortable shoes, sun protection, and a little cash cover most needs. For families looking for an affordable spring outing, the Catfish Festival offers a full day of activity without a gate fee.

Festival Area Map

The map below shows Jackson County Park on the shore of Lake Guntersville, with the main roads through Scottsboro and nearby communities marked for reference. The park is signed from the highway and offers on-site parking for festival visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Catfish Festival?

It is typically held on a Saturday in mid to late May at Jackson County Park in Scottsboro, Alabama, and it runs rain or shine.

Is admission free?

Yes. There is no entry charge. You pay only for food, activities, and vendor goods, and proceeds support local causes.

What food is available?

Catfish plates are the signature offering, prepared with local partners, alongside a full range of festival food and drink from vendors.

Can I fish during the festival?

Yes. Because the event is held at a lakefront park, visitors are generally able to fish during the festival in addition to enjoying the vendors and activities.

Is it family friendly?

Very. The festival includes a car show, live music, inflatables, train and pony rides, and a free play area for children.

Is the event held rain or shine?

Yes. The Catfish Festival is a rain-or-shine event, so plan for the weather and bring rain gear if showers are in the forecast.

Do I need to bring my own fishing gear?

If you want to fish during the festival, bring your own equipment and confirm any local licensing requirements before you arrive.

Planning Ahead for Next Year

How do I confirm the date?

The exact May date is announced by the organizers and local tourism channels each spring, so check those sources as the season approaches.

How can I volunteer or sponsor?

Because the festival is a community fundraiser, volunteers and sponsors are welcomed by the organizing committee. Inquiries are best made in the weeks before the event.

What else can I do nearby?

Lake Guntersville offers boating, fishing, and camping, and Scottsboro’s downtown and heritage sites make for an easy add-on to a festival weekend.

Can I donate or sponsor the festival?

Because the event raises money for local causes, sponsors and donors are welcomed by the organizing committee. Inquiries are best made in the weeks before the festival.

Last updated: October 2026

The Annual Catfish Festival is a reminder that the best community events are often the ones that give something back. A plate of catfish by the lake, a car show in the sun, children on pony rides, and money raised for neighbors who need it. Come for the food, stay for the lake, and you will see why Jackson County keeps this spring tradition alive.