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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – The Alabaster Arts Council has announced the lineup for Alabaster CityFest 2023.

CityFest will be held on Saturday, June 3 on the front lawn of Thompson High School. In addition to the headliners, the event will feature a regional music lineup as well as a host of other attractions, including vendors, food trucks and kids activities.

This year’s headlining act will be Chris Lane, while popular band Sister Hazel will also perform.

“The Arts Council is excited to announce this lineup for Alabaster CityFest,” said Adam Moseley, President of the Alabaster Arts Council. “It gives the community an opportunity to gather for some great food, family fun and incredible music.”

Central State Bank, Coca-Cola and the city of Alabaster are among the sponsors for the event.

“The city is a proud sponsor of Alabaster CityFest,” said Jamie Cole, city council member in Alabaster’s Ward 5 and Arts Council vice president. “The music lineup is diverse and represents some of the best up-and-coming artists as well as some classic favorites.”

Lane will headline the event with his nationwide FILL THEM BOOTS TOUR. Lane has a number of chart-topping hits that have led to his 1.4 billion on-demand streams, including “Big, Big Plans,” “Fix,” “I Don’t Know About You,” and his massive hit duet with Tori Kelley, “Take Back Home Girl.” Lane is a Kernersville, North Carolina native and has appeared on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, TODAY, The Bachelor, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers and CONAN. Lane will perform at 9 p.m.

“Chris is one of the biggest artists we’ve ever had,” Cole said. “We are so proud to have him in the lineup. He represents the best of New Nashville and brings with him a tremendous fan base.”

Set to perform at 7 p.m. is Sister Hazel, who has been recognized as “one of the Top 100 most Influential independent Performers of the last 15 years” by Performing Songwriter Magazine. The band’s success began with the ubiquitous hit “All For You” during the late 1990s. The band was a pioneer in the themed cruise industry by co-founding “The Rock Boat” and annually hosts events like the “Hazelnut Hang” and “Camp Hazelnut” that focus on creating unique experiences and interacting with the fans. Sister Hazel is a significant regional draw—the band gained and maintains popularity in central Alabama.

“Besides a huge regional following, Sister Hazel fits so well into the Arts Council’s mission of giving back to the community,” Cole said. “’Lyrics For Life,’ founded by singer Ken Block, is a charity unites musicians and celebrities for concerts and auctions to benefit cancer research and patient-care charities. We love seeing an artist give back.”

CityFest staple Michael Warren will be performing at 5 p.m. Warren has performed at the festival multiple times but returns this year with his band in a headlining slot. It has been a tremendous year for the native of Birmingham, who spent the previous decade writing songs in Los Angeles for A-listers like Akon, Jennifer Lopez and Toni Braxton. His four-song EP, “What’s Country To You,” was recorded last year and spawned a hit with its title track.

“Hard to express how excited we are for Michael,” Cole said. “He has been with us for a long, long time, from his earliest days as a songwriter. He has just exploded on the Nashville scene this year, and we’ve always told him, when you hit the big time, you have to come back home and perform and here he is.”

The following artists are also currently listed for the CityFest 2023 lineup:

• The M-80s at 3p.m.
• Wheelers, TBD
• Take 7, TBD
• Jasper Charles, TBD
• Sanchez Tanniehill, TBD

“This event draws thousands to our city every year,” Cole said. “It’s the biggest free festival of its kind in the state, and it just grows every year. Besides our amazing sponsors, like Central State Bank and Coca-Cola, we also get tremendous support from the city of Alabaster on a number of levels, from funding to hard work for our Parks and Rec. folks to support from our first responders. I’m also happy to say that Shelby County Tourism has increased its support this year for CityFest and other Arts Council events. It’s bigger and better than ever.”

Alabaster CityFest will open at 9 a.m. and local and regional music acts will continue throughout the afternoon, culminating with the headlining acts beginning at 5 p.m.

“There’s just not another event like this with free entertainment,” Cole said. “These are world-class artists performing in our town with the support of the city and our sponsors, to keep the admission free. On top of that, our food lineup and vendor shopping area are both second to none.”

KidsFest will return this year with rides and activities for the whole family. The Cruise-In Car Show will return as well and vendors and food trucks will be on site throughout the event.

“This is a great opportunity for local businesses to be a part of a big event,” says Camille Herron, Arts Council vice president. “And we encourage those attending the event to support our sponsors; we couldn’t make this happen without them.”

Alabaster CityFest is organized each year thanks to the efforts of the Alabaster Arts Council, a group of local volunteers whose mission is to advance and enrich the quality of life in the Alabaster community through the arts and art education.

“My council colleagues increased arts funding this year for CityFest and other Arts Council events throughout the year, as well as grants and scholarships,” Cole said. “We’ve already provided two grants to drama performances in our school system this year, and we’ll be presenting Arts Council scholarships at the end of the school year. Another fall event is coming up, and we’ll welcome the Alabama Symphony Orchestra back to Alabaster at Christmas. So (I am) grateful for the forward thinking to fund creativity in our city.”

For a full lineup as it is announced, visit Alabastercityfest.com/schedule.