City: Birmingham, AL

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Description: Held in Birmingham for the past few years, the Alabama Sports Festival is a massive weekend of athletic competitions in a variety of sports. Archery, basketball, bass fishing, disc golf, flag football, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, taekwondo, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling are just a few of the sports represented in what has been called “Alabama’s Olympics.” The athlete of the year is selected from the participants, and the event also hands out scholarships for qualifying students. The Alabama Sports Festival has awarded more than 300 academic scholarships for a total of more than $200,000 to young students. By placing first, second, or third in the festival, participants are qualified to compete in the State Games of America, a national competition among states that is usually held in San Diego.