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Home My WebLink AboutSept_Oct 2026_City-SketchesCity Sketches SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2026 Be Part of the 39th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup! Fairhope Farmers Market Thursdays Are Back! Downtown Trick or Treat Returns to Fairhope Flying Creek Nature Preserve Continues to Grow The City of Fairhope is excited to celebrate another milestone at Flying Creek Nature Preserve as the John Marti n Nature Center officially opens to the publi c and work begins on Phase II of the preserve. While visitors have been enjoying the trails and natural beauty of the preserve since the opening of Phase I, the completion of the John Martin Nature Center marks the next step in creating a destination for environmental education, conservation, and outdoor exploration. The center will serve as a gathering place for educational programs, school fi eld trips, community events, and hands-on learning experi ences. Loo king ahead, plans for Phase II will further enhance Flying Creek Nature Preserve with new opportuni ties for visitors to explore and learn. Planned improvements include a kayak and canoe launch, scenic creek overlooks, and additional outdoor classrooms. As the nature center opens its doors, the City is also launch ing a volunteer program. Community members with a passion for nature, education, or welcoming visitors are encouraged to get involved. For more information on volunteering, email flyingcreeknaturepreserve@FairhopeAL.gov or call 251-278-9963. NEWS HIGHLIGHTS S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 City Sketches SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2026 Join us for one of Fairhope’s favorite Halloween traditions on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Families are invited to enjoy a festive morning of trick or treating throughout downtown Fairhope. Children can visit participating businesses to collect treats. Simply look for the orange pumpkin displayed in merchant windows to find participating locations. Be sure to stop by the Fairhope Welcome Center for a special Halloween photo opportunity before heading out to explore downtown. Whether your little one is dressed as a pirate, princess, supevrhero, ghost, or something entirely unique, Downtown Trick or Treat is a fun, family friendly way to celebrate the season while supporting our local businesses. Downtown Fairhope Saturday, October 24 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. September 10 – November 12 The Fairhope Farmers Market offers a great opportunity to shop locally and enjoy fresh, seasonal products from across Baldwin County. Featuring locally raised beef, poultry, fresh Gulf seafood, local honey, organic vegetables, homemade bread, farm- fresh eggs, handcrafted goods, and more, the market offers an authentic taste of the Gulf Coast while supporting the farmers, growers, and makers who call our community home. As the season progresses, shoppers can also look forward to an abundance of fall favorites, including sweet potatoes, turnips, collard greens, winter squash, seasonal herbs, and other fresh, locally grown produce. The Fairhope Farmers Market has been a beloved community tradition since 2002, connecting residents and visitors with local agriculture and the people behind it. Whether you’re picking up ingredients for dinner, discovering a new local vendor, or simply enjoying an afternoon outdoors, there’s something for everyone to enjoy! The Fairhope Fall Farmers Market begins Thursday, September 10, and is held every Thursday behind the Fairhope Public Library. Market hours are 2 to 6 p.m. through October and 2 to 5 p.m. in November to accommodate daylight saving time. The season runs through November 12. Come out this fall, support local, and experience Fairhope’s favorite weekly tradition. Celebrate Fairhope’s Founder’s Day with an evening of live music on Sunday, October 4, at 6 p.m. at Henry George Park. The Baldwin Pops will perform a selection of audience favorites overlooking the beautiful Mobile Bay waterfront. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, relax with family and friends, and enjoy one of Fairhope’s cherished community traditions as we celebrate the city’s history through music. For more information about the Baldwin Pops, visit www.baldwinpops.com. Grab your family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers and help make a difference during the 39th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 19. Volunteers will clean along Mobile Bay, local waterways, parks, neighborhoods, and public spaces to help keep Fairhope beautiful from the shoreline to the streets. Groups, families, businesses, and individuals are all encouraged to participate. Register early to receive a free event T-shirt and volunteer supply packet, available for pickup at the James P. Nix Center (1 Bayou Drive) on Friday, September 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Didn’t register in advance? No problem! You can still participate by checking in at the Fairhope Municipal Pier beginning at 8 a.m. on the day of the event. Whether you’re helping along the bay or in your own neighborhood, every volunteer makes a difference. Together, we can protect our waterways, reduce litter, and keep Fairhope looking its best. To register your group or learn more, contact 251-929-1474 or email bethann.greisinger@fairhopeal.gov. VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION: Be Part of the 39th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup! Fairhope Farmers Market Thursdays Are Back! Baldwin Pops Founders Day Concert Downtown Trick or Treat Returns to Fairhope Labor Day Holiday Schedule The City of Fairhope Administrative offices & operations will be CLOSED ON MOND AY, SEPTEMBER 7. There will be no garbage, trash, or recycling pickup. Ser vices will resume on the next scheduled pickup day. Contact your elected officials LETTER FROM THE MAYOR Public Meetings Listings The Fairhope Planning Commission MEETS AT 5pm | City Council chambers FIRST MONDAY OF EACH MONTH The Fairhope City Council MEETS AT 6pm | City Council chambers THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAYS FairhopeAL.gov | 251-928-2136 Sherry Sullivan, Mayor Sherry.Sullivan@FairhopeAL.gov Jimmy Conyers, City Council President Jimmy.Conyers@FairhopeAL.gov Andrea Faust Booth, City Councilmember Andrea.Booth@FairhopeAL.gov Jack Burrell, City Councilmember Jack.Burrell@FairhopeAL.gov Joshua Gammon, City Councilmember Joshua.Gammon@FairhopeAL.gov Jay Robinson, City Councilmember Jay.Robinson@FairhopeAL.gov Mayor & City Council mailing address: City of Fairhope P.O. Drawer 429 Fairhope, AL 36533 Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year in Fairhope. As the weather begins to change and our spectacular sunsets paint the sky over Mobile Bay, I hope you’ll take time to enjoy all our community has to offer with family and friends. Join us for our Coastal Cleanup as we work together to protect the waterways we treasure, and don’t miss Downtown Trick- or-Treating—a fun, family-friendly tradition that fills our streets with laughter, costumes, and community spirit. This season also marks the beginning of Phase II of the Flying Creek Nature Preserve, made possible by a $1.3 million GOMESA grant. The project will add a kayak and canoe launch, creek overlooks, outdoor classrooms, and educational signage, with future plans for mountain biking, hiking trails, and outdoor adventure areas across Veterans Drive on the south parcel. The events are great, but it is the people who make Fairhope special. Thank you to our employees and all of you for helping make Fairhope such a special place to call home. Wishing you and your family a wonderful fall season! Happy Fall, Sherry Sullivan, Mayor Are you receiving the City of Fairhope bi-weekly e-newsletter? Get signed up today so you don’t miss out! Each newsletter features important updates and announcements from City departments, project updates, construction progress, upcoming meetings, events and more. Visit fairhopeal.gov to sign up today!