Main Street Atmore officials on Aug. 14 announced that the second annual Bee More Festival Weekend will be held on Aug. 28-29, 2026.

The festival will bring together beekeepers, educators, scientists, local businesses and families for two days celebrating honey bees, pollinators, agriculture and downtown Atmore.

MSA officials said the event is funded through the Science Discovery on Main Street initiative, supported by The Simons Foundation and Main Street America.

After completing a community discovery process highlighting Atmore's agricultural and environmental assets, Main Street Atmore was selected as one of only seven Main Street America communities nationwide to receive a $20,000 Implementation Grant to develop science-based public programming.

"Bee More Weekend is about much more than a festival," said James Little, executive director of MSA. "This initiative combines science education, agriculture, conservation, tourism, and downtown revitalization into an experience that showcases what makes Atmore unique. We're creating opportunities for families to learn, support local businesses, and celebrate one of Alabama's most important agricultural resources.”

The weekend includes a Bee education day, dinner and program at the Encore at the Strand on Friday, and the Bee More Festival on Saturday.

The full schedule of events is below:

Bee More Education Day - Fri., Aug. 28

Coastal Alabama Community College and Escambia County Extension Service will be holding a Bee education day for Escambia County, Ala. area fifth graders. The students will experience lessons focused on the anatomy of bees, importance of bees in the environment, haiku writing, and data analysis of bee populations. The Bee More Education Day is focused on introducing beekeeping and environmental importance of bees in our local youth.

Bee More Dinner Opens the Festival Celebration - Fri., Aug. 28

The weekend begins Friday evening with the Bee More Dinner at the Encore, hosted by Main Street Atmore in partnership with the Escambia County Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Beginning with networking at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and presentations at 6 p.m., the event will bring together beekeepers, agricultural professionals, educators, community leaders, and residents interested in learning more about honey bees and pollinator conservation.

Featured program presenters will include Brandon Hargraves, USDA Honey Bee Inspector; Dr. Selina Bruckner, professor, Extension Specialist, Auburn University Bee Center; Dr. Geoff Williams, professor, director, Auburn University Bee Center; and Richard Woodham, state apiarist, Alabama Community College System.

Dinner information and reservations are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bee-more-dinner-at-the-encore-tickets-1980014161658?aff=oddtdtcreator

Bee More Festival Returns Saturday

The celebration continues on Saturday, August 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Box Car Willie Park

in Downtown Atmore. Designed as a free, family-friendly educational festival, Bee More will feature:

As Bee More continues to grow, Main Street Atmore plans to expand educational programming for area schools through hands-on STEM learning experiences focused on pollinators, agriculture, environmental science, and conservation. The grant also supports the development of permanent pollinator gardens and educational signage that will provide year-round learning opportunities in Downtown Atmore.

"We're incredibly grateful to Main Street America and the Simons Foundation for making this opportunity possible. Their support allows us to bring science out of traditional settings and into the heart of downtown Atmore through the Bee More Festival,” said Sydney McGhee, Promotion Committee Chair of Atmore Main Street. “We hope this festival sparks curiosity in minds of all ages while showcasing downtown Atmore as a place where education, innovation, and community thrive."

Complete schedules, dinner registration, participating beekeepers, vendors, entertainment lineup, children's activities, and additional event information are available at :www.mainstreetatmore.org/beemore

The Atmore Advance Latest News

Message History

Delivery option(s)