Moss Rock Festival, on November 3 and 4, is Birmingham’s only eco-creative arts festival and features a beer garden, smart living area and nature-inspired art

Where can you find a beer garden, local art, a rock climbing wall, guided hikes, food trucks and some of Birmingham’s coolest adventure gear? If you guessed Moss Rock Festival, you’re right! This eco-creative fall festival is coming up on its 13th year and was just named one of the best festivals in North America by FlightNetwork. The best part? It’s right here in Birmingham!

Buy festival tickets at the gate. Buy beer garden tickets here.

What Is Moss Rock Festival All About?

“Moss Rock Festival is the only eco-creative, fall festival of its kind in the region exploring how art, design, and smart living can positively impact and influence sustainability, lifestyle, and our appreciation and enjoyment of nature.”

Moss Rock Festival

Moss Rock Festival is a  2-day festival happening November 3 and 4. It is hosted at The Preserve neighborhood in Hoover, just steps away from its namesake, the 350 acre Moss Rock Nature Preserve. The Moss Rock Nature Preserve is known for its miles of hiking trails, a boulder field, sand glades, and other unique ecosystems.

As stated above, it is an eco-creative festival. So, what exactly does that mean? An eco-creative festival mixes art with nature. Since nature and smart living are two of the main driving forces behind the festival, the crew in charge chooses artists who work with natural materials and mediums, advocate for recycling and promote a more thoughtful, natural way of life.

The +Design and Smart Living aspects of the festival are places where the organizers showcase innovation and everyday opportunities for a more sustainable lifestyle. For example, in past years the festival has emphasized tiny homes as the +Design special feature. The tiny homes exhibit shows people how they can live with less — a win for the environment, design, innovation and for their lifestyle.

What Can You Expect If You Attend Moss Rock Festival?

Artistry, innovation, imagination, and fun await 10,000 visitors under a blanket of fall colors at this idyllic neighborhood setting. 

Moss Rock Festival

Attendees of the festival can expect a weekend of learning, art, food and drink, and the outdoors. The festival features 100 juried artists whose work is depicting or inspired by nature is some way. This can come in the form of recycling, using natural materials, making a statement for the environment, and so on. The +Design area will feature innovative design and tech. Mini-campers will be showcased as the special design feature this year. In the Smart Living Market at the festival, you will find natural food, body and wellness products. Guided hikes, a fly-fishing demo, and a rock climbing wall will keep you moving as part of a line-up of fun outdoor activities. Live music will drift throughout the festival from the green space in the heart of the festival site, and tasty eats and more will be served up at the Cafe by the Woods as visitors lounge or move and dance to live music on stage. In addition, children will have a blast at the WonderKid Studios where they will engage and create nature-inspired art and participate in large collaborative projects.

Featured Artist

Each year, the festival showcases the work of an artist on its poster and media campaign. The featured artist always has a strong tie to nature: “Since 2014, a rabbit, a fox, a squirrel, a bird, plus various insects, indigenous Alabama plant life, and more have graced the poster and reinforced the festival’s eco-creative mission and nature themes. But what about 2018?”

This year’s featured artist is Deborah Davis of North Garden, Virginia. Davis is an artist who creates realistic paintings of moths. These paintings are quite large, and highlight the beauty and unique designs of the nocturnal moth species — an underrated and often under-appreciated member of the insect world. The selection of Davis’ works will be accompanied by a moth exhibit. The exhibit will feature an array of moth specimens provided by Dr. Grant Gentry, a professor at Samford University. The exhibit and paintings will showcase the wide variety of moth species and will be a way for attendees to learn more about moths and their role in the natural world.

Tickets to the festival will be available at the gate. Admission is good for entry both Saturday and Sunday. $10 Adult, $5 Student, Kids 15 & under free.

Moss Rock Beer Garden

Beer Garden is set to feature around 65 brews, as well as snacks from local partners and even a few wines to sample. This popular destination at Moss Rock Festival is tucked away in a wooded area on the West Side of the Village Green, which makes for a beautiful and unique beer-tasting experience. The 7th year of the craft tasting event is being presented by The Beer Hog, among others. Mr. Mancave is back with their mobile theatre featuring the day’s football games, so you won’t miss a play. Longtime partner, The J. Clyde, will be curating a special Cask Garden plus serving up their famous sauerkraut balls. You won’t want to miss this extra lucky anniversary.

Mini-Campers

This year’s +Design section will feature mini-camper designs. In the past, the area has been host to the tiny home, encouraging attendees to think a little bit differently about the way we live as a society. This year, the mini-campers plan to change the way we think about travel. One of the companies sharing their innovative creations is Gearbox Adventure Rentals. Gearbox has refurbished vans and outfitted them with everything you need to hit the road for a weekend or longer. Check out their website here to reserve one for your next getaway, and make sure to check them out at the festival.

Moss Rock Festival is the perfect way to celebrate the glory of Fall and kick off November in Birmingham and Hoover! I’ll leave you with this note from festival organizer and Marketing Director Alex Kunzman:

“We hope MRF’s lens of art and design will inspire people to learn more about sustainability, and appreciate nature in a way that ensures its enjoyment for years to come.”

Fast Facts:

• Buy tickets:
  • Festival: buy at the gate. Beer Garden.
• Food trucks and festival food favorites:
  • Catering by Lanetta  
  • Greek Tavern
  • Karen’s Candy Kitchen
  • Little Donkey
  • Magic City Sweet Ice
  • Pazzo’s! Big Slice Pizza
  • Rae Rae’s Catering
  • Steel City Pops
  • Yarbrough Festival Food Service
• Pet-friendly?
  • Yep! Bring your furry friends and make sure they are on a leash.
• Parking and Shuttle Information:
  • Parking will only be available in the neighborhood for residents. Festival attendees should park at the Hoover Met and take one of the free shuttles over to the festival.

See you there!