6 Summer Events Happening in Auburn, AL

Summer is coming up fast, and with all these long, sunny days at your disposal (and the kids finally out of school), you might be wondering how to fill your time and weekends. Well, not to worry, as in addition to some top-notch dining and gorgeous scenic drives you can take around town, the Auburn, Alabama, area is hosting a lot of great events, from festivals and concerts to races and celebrations of food and art. No matter what you love and what your tastes are, Auburn definitely has something for you this summer.

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Burger Wars

Is there anything better than a good old-fashioned American burger? Start the summer off right with the Burger Wars competition on June 3 in downtown Opelika, sponsored by the Opelika Rotary Foundation. Whether you like to make burgers or just eat them, this event is exactly what you need. You can register in advance to grill your own burger recipe in the Burger Wars and enter it into the competition. Both professional and amateur cooks can compete, so don’t let your level of experience hold you back.

If you’d rather eat burgers than cook them, starting at 10:45 a.m. on the day of the event you can buy a tasting ticket for just $2; this ticket covers one quarter of a burger at any one of over 30 available grilling stations. Pay attention to what you’re tasting, as the audience also gets to vote for the Crowd Favorite in addition to the judges’ choices. Though the event lasts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., we recommend getting there as early as possible, as the tastiest burgers tend to disappear fast.

SummerNight Downtown Art Walk

Follow up a day of gorging on burgers by taking in some culture at the SummerNight Downtown Art Walk on June 9, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in downtown Auburn. Artists will be displaying their artwork throughout the downtown area, and local shops and restaurants will stay open late to allow you to shop and dine in between admiring the work of local creators. You’ll also be able to enjoy live music.

If you’re worried the kids might get bored, you’ll be happy to hear that there are lots of arts and crafts opportunities children love that’ll be available at the Art Walk. In addition, this event also has different live entertainment each year, so stop on by to see what the show is like in 2023. Take the whole family with you to enjoy a beautiful Southern summer evening together.

Hemmings Motor News: Great Race 2023

The Great Race is not just any old car race; antique and collector cars make their way across the country in an endurance race, and this year they’ll be passing right through downtown Auburn on June 25. Rather than testing speed, this race tests the teamwork and ability of the driver/navigator teams to follow the course instructions and their cars’ ability to make it through a cross-country trip.

As the instructions for the race itself mandate that cars stay at or below local speed limits, this is a completely safe event for Auburn residents to observe. Best of all, it’s free to attend. Bring the whole family with you and marvel at the collection of vintage cars that’ll be making their way through Auburn’s streets.

Auburn Independence Day Celebration

Celebrate Independence Day with your neighbors and the wider community by attending the Auburn Independence Day Celebration, which takes place behind Duck Samford Stadium on July 4 at 5 p.m. The event offers food and other classic July 4 treats to visitors, as well as live music plus a DJ on the premises. Stay long enough to see the fireworks display, which starts at 9 p.m. and is visible to a big section of Auburn. In fact, it might be the best fireworks display in the whole town.

If the display ends up getting rained out, the celebration will take place on July 5 instead. The event is entirely free to attend, and kids of all ages are welcome.

Ian Sherwood in Concert

Take a day off to listen to the soothing sounds of Ian Sherwood in Concert, presented by Sundilla at Pebble Hill. The concert takes place on July 21 at 7:30 p.m. Sherwood is a multi-talented wonder; when you attend one of his shows, you’ll hear an accomplished songwriter and absolute master playing the guitar and saxophone. His voice also won him the Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Singer.

Sherwood’s style of music is best described as an amalgamation of folk and pop, with witty, beautiful lyrics and incredibly touching music. Buy tickets in advance for $20 apiece, or buy them at the door for $25. You can bring your own food or drink if you like, or otherwise take advantage of the free coffee, water, and snacks available at the venue.

Alexander City Jazz Fest

If you’re a music lover but jazz is more your style, attend the nearby Alexander City Jazz Fest to start your summer off right. This festival takes place on the weekend of June 9 and 10 and is now celebrating over 30 years of its existence. The Jazz Fest attracts fans from not only the Auburn area and Alabama but also all over the U.S. The featured musicians are drawn from all over the country as well, from New Orleans, New York, and California, just to name a few places, in addition to the local Alabama talent.

The event is entirely free to attend and takes place in downtown Alexander City’s Strand Park on the Friday night from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and at the AMP on Lake Martin on Saturday night at the same time. Come with friends or family to enjoy the sweet sounds of jazz on a beautiful summer evening.

If you’re excited about an upcoming Auburn area summer event we missed, contact us at Hyundai of Auburn and let us know, as we’d love to include it in another post.

Alabama by GPA Photo Archive is licensed with CC BY 2.0