We’re doing the Panoply dance over here at my house – could it be… a beautiful April weekend for Huntsville’s premier arts festival? It’s about time they got a break, and we hope families will come out in droves to support it! Just be sure to bring all your sunscreen – sunshine is in the forecast!

There’s plenty more to do – why not make a weekend out of it? You serve some quality time with your family and we’ve got a list of our favorite free and/or cheap things to do in Huntsville, plus a few more that are worth the band for your buck below. You can always browse through our full Event Calendar too!

Free & Cheap

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Concerts On the Dock Return!

Friday from 6-9 PM
Cost: FREE admission, $5 parking
Lowe Mill | More Info
Grab your picnic dinners and the kids and head to Lowe Mill for our favorite Spring concerts that are also family-friendly! Our best advice: arrive a little early to claim your favorite spot. Get the full schedule here.

Community Book Sale

Saturday from 7-11 AM
Cost: starts at $5
Sparkman High | More Info
Kids can g0 through books like water – why not pick up a few new-to-you picture books and some beach reads, all while supporting a great cause! All books are $5 or less or fill a bag for only $15 – proceeds go to the Sparkman High School Literary Magazine, Silhouette.

“Back When” Day

Saturday from 9AM – 3PM
Cost: FREE
Arab Historic Village | More Info
Visitors can interact with volunteers quilting, grinding cornmeal, blacksmithing, teaching school the way it used to be, playing checkers in the country store, and telling stories about “things back when.“ Crafts are provided for the children and local groups perform Blue Grass and Southern Gospel. Classic foods like pintos and turnip greens are available.

Herp Hike

Saturday from 10AM – Noon
Cost: FREE, donations accepted
Madison County Nature Preserve | More Info
This 2-mile family-friendly hike on Green Mountain will be guided by Alabama A&M Biology & Environmental Science/Wildlife Program Assistant, Andrew Cantrell. He’ll point out all the good reptiles that slither, skitter, and crawl in the pristine cove and streams of Alum Hollow trail.

Aqua Family Fun Fest

Saturday from 10AM -2PM
Cost: FREE
Redstone Aquatics Center | More Info
Splash into Summer at the 3rd Annual Family Fun Fest at the Redstone Aquatics Center! Bring your crew and make waves in our year-round indoor pool or join the scavenger hunt, obstacle course, and chuck activities.

Artis Studio Grand Opening

Saturday from 3-6 PM
Cost: FREE
Artis Studio 2nd location | More Info
A great opportunity to check out one of our favorite art studio that offers classes for kids in Huntsville! There will be demos, freebies, activities, and a chance to learn more about summer classes.

Summer Camp Open Houses!

Sunday, various times
Cost: FREE
Various locations
There are two opportunities to preview summer camp for kids before you sign up today!

• Pine Ridge Day Camp – from 1-4 PM | Camp tours, and a sampling of activities
• Camp Cha-la-kee – from 2-4 PM | Various camp activities, camp tours, summer camp information and camp story will be available for families who attend. Free water bottle for the first 50 campers.

Hike Amongst the Flowers on Rainbow Mountain

Sunday from 2-4 PM
Cost: FREE, donations accepted
201 Stoneway Trail | More Info
This hike is 2-3 hours / Moderate to difficult, app. 2.5 miles. The April showers should bring waterfalls and wildflowers to Madison’s Rainbow Mountain. Hike leader Allison Wheeler will make certain you also see famous Balance Rock! Snacks, water, and hiking sticks recommended. Dogs on leads welcome.

$ Worth the Dinero $

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Fantasy Playhouse Presents “Pinocchio”

Friday – Sunday
Cost: $15
VBC Playhouse | More Info
It’s the final weekend of the final show of their season, and Fantasy invites families to come see their production of “Pinocchio”. Join the Blue Fairy and his friends as they lead the audience through the classic Italian tale of the boy whose “nose” grew… and grew… and grew!

Panoply Arts Festival

Friday – Sunday
Cost: Tickets are $10/day and children 12 and under receive FREE admission
Big Spring Park, Huntsville | More Info
Each spring in the heart of the Rocket City the arts are in full bloom at the Panoply Arts Festival. Three days of musical and visual arts, children’s activities, and performances – an experience that should be on every family’s Must List! Bring your favorite outdoor seating and your sunscreen. A list of Parent Pro-Tips can be found here.

Spring Fling Train Ride

Saturday at 10AM and 1PM
Cost: $10-15
North AL Railroad Museum | More Info
Enjoy the arrival of spring with a train ride! Our regular excursions are run over the entire length of our line to make a 10 mile round trip. These trips last a little over 1 hour. Read our Parent Review before you go for some tips!

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[box style=”lavender rounded” ]DISCLAIMER: We do our best at Rocket City Mom to provide accurate, useful information about events and activities. This information (such as times and locations) is gathered from user submissions, press releases, local newspapers, signs around town and word of mouth. While we always try to confirm details in the Huntsville Weekend Roundup before they are posted here, sometimes details change or we are given inaccurate information. Whenever possible we link our write-ups to the source in which our information came from and strongly urge you to confirm details before you go, especially when it comes to outdoor events and weather. [/box]