By Crystal McGough, Editor
TRUSSVILLE – The Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce, along with Dog Daze presenting sponsor Brown Automotive Repair, invite the public to join them for a night of entertainment as they “Tune Up for Dog Daze” this Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Trussville Entertainment District.
Admission is free and the event kicks off at 7 p.m., with local singer Ethan Womack, followed by The Velcro Pygmies, performing on the TED stage. The Entertainment Sponsors for “Tune Up” are APCO Employees Credit Union and Trussville To Go, and the Performer Sponsor is SouthPoint Bank.
Those who have been around the Trussville community for a while will likely remember the widely-popular “Dog Daze” festival held annually at the Historic Trussville Mall off North Chalkville Road. Named after the “dog days” of summer, which according to the Farmer’s Almanac is considered to be a 40-day period of excessive heat lasting from July 3 – Aug. 11, the festival was originally held on the Mall each year in August.
Though not necessarily the intended purpose of the festival, due to the name, many people would also bring their dogs along with them to enjoy the music, booths, giveaways and other entertainment.
In July 2012, the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce announced that the name of the festival, which had been moved from August to May in recent years, would change to Trussville City Fest beginning in 2013. The location of the event was also moved from the grassy Trussville Mall to stretching all the way down Parkway Drive from Main Street to Cahaba Elementary.
The Chamber announced in July that it would be bringing Dog Daze back to the Mall on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.
“Trussville Dog Daze is a fun, family event … and the admission is free,” the Chamber states on its website. “So much going on including kids’ activities, vendors, food trucks, art walk, cornhole tournament and lots of entertainment. Make plans to visit Dog Daze on September 16, it is a day you will not want to miss!”
Dog Daze will begin at 10 a.m. and will include free family activities provided by Voigt Abernathy (balloon artist), AireServ (inflatable sports game) and Spoc Automation (Free Face painting), as well as the Bryant Bank Kid’s Area, a Foam Dance Party provided by Mccullough Oil Company, Pet Supplies Plus Pup Strut, Jefferson Memorial Car Show, TDMA Food Tent, various marketplace/booth vendors and more.
Throughout the day, patrons can also plan to visit Trussville’s Fresh Farmer’s Market at Holy Cross Church, located at 90 Parkway Drive from 8 a.m. – noon.
Unlimited-ride wristbands for the Fun Source Kid’s Zone will also be available for $25 (cash only), and a portion of all wristbands sold will go back to the Trussville Chamber’s Scholarship fund.
Brown Automotive is the presenting sponsor for Trussville Dog Daze. Other sponsors for this year’s festival include Courtesy Buick GMC, Bryant Bank, AmFirst Credit Union, Birmingham Coca-Cola, Ascension St. Vincent’s and Grandview Medical Center/Freestanding ER, Voigt-Abernathy Company, Pet Supplies Plus, Aire Serv, Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home and Gardens, BBB of Central & South Alabama, Wilbur’s, WZZK, APCO Employees Credit Union, Trussville To Go, and SouthPoint Bank.
“Come be a part of this great festival,” the chamber stated. “There will be plenty of food, fun, booth vendors, kids’ activities, live entertainment, car show, touch that truck, pup strut and much, much more! And be sure to pick up one of the official Dog Daze T-shirts with this year’s great design for only $15!”