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Goin’ Mobile
Alabama city showcases music in the streets, southern hospitality and fabulous seafood

I received an invitation to visit Mobile, Alabama and attend its 16th Annual BayFest, a three-day music festival held in the streets, parking lots and public spaces of downtown during the first weekend of October.
As with any travel experience, I hoped to gather information that might apply to my life back home in Norfolk. Indeed, I thought, city leaders and entertainment organizers in Hampton Roads would do well to observe how successfully produced BayFest is and create a similar event.
In addition to BayFest, I also planned to visit a number of local attractions and dine on Gulf Coast seafood. Luckily, I discovered the city had not been adversely affected by the recent oil spill.
The first stop on my “get-to-know-Mobile” agenda was the Museum of Mobile, a landmark building in which the city’s fascinating history and culture are well documented and preserved.
The city of Mobile is tucked away in the northwest corner of Mobile Bay in southern Alabama. The Bay feeds into the Gulf of Mexico and is somewhat protected by a few well-positioned barrier islands like Dauphin Island. Still, hurricanes have wrecked havoc on the region for centuries.
The Museum of Mobile offers a timeline that begins with Native American artifacts, including a fully-intact wooden canoe dating back 700 years. Visitors then view a colorful portrait of the past where each colonizing European power made an imprint on the city. In 1702, the French claimed the Mobile Bay area and located its first capital of the Louisiana Territory there. It was under French occupation that the first Mardi Gras celebration came to North America; Mobile first and then New Orleans.
France controlled the region from 1702-63. The British won the area in 1763 at the Treaty of Paris, but lost Mobile Bay under Spanish attack in 1780. Spain then occupied the Bay until the Americans gained control as a settlement at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1813.
With colonization and exporting commerce that included cotton, lumber, corn, tobacco, rice and beans, came the introduction of slavery. The Museum of Mobile does not shy away from its less-than-noble past. Slaves from Africa were first brought to Mobile Bay in 1721. A powerful exhibit shows the impossible way slaves were forced to sleep, stacked on top of each other, during Trans-Atlantic voyages. Another display tells of the 12,500 Native Americans forced out of Mobile as part of the Trail of Tears. Yet another example of the city’s discriminatory past is documented with Segregation-era objects like a “Colored Entrance” neon sign.
Mobile also has much to pride itself on. Shipbuilding has long been essential to the region’s economic stability and continues to this day. The museum has a significant section focusing on the Civil War, WWI and WWII eras.
Speaking of wartime, just a few blocks away from the Museum of Mobile is the city’s most popular attraction, USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Docked on the banks of Mobile Bay is the battleship USS Alabama. Unlike Norfolk’s USS Wisconsin battleship, not only can visitors climb the ladders to the top command post, but they can discover the highly interesting inner depths. The entire “below deck” portion has been turned into a floating museum.
The Alabama was launched into service in 1942. It battled the Japanese during World War II in the South Pacific and Japan itself. I was impressed with the size of the 3-level interior. Music from the 1940s played as visitors walked from rooms of bed bunks dangling by chains, dining and cooking galley, the brig, barbershop, and commander living quarters.
Beyond the USS Alabama, the park features an enclosed hanger with WWII, Korean War and Vietnam-era aircraft. The highlight is an enormous black supersonic A12 CIA spy plane. Outside the hanger, visitors may tour the complete interior of the USS Drum, a WWII submarine, as well as a variety of army tanks and the gigantic B-52D bomber with its 185-foot wingspan.   
With a good sense of Mobile’s important history, I then ventured back into the downtown area for a bite to eat. During my stay, I must tell you, that I discovered four essential places you must patronize to officially say you’ve had a true Mobile dining experience. The first is Wintzell’s Oyster House. If you want authentic Gulf Coast seafood this is the place. Wintzell’s was established in 1938. The walls are adorned with hundreds of mini-sign plates featuring founder J. Oliver Wintzell’s witty sayings. Oysters “fried, stewed or nude” are the featured menu item, but everything imaginable from local shrimp, fish, crabs and a bowl of gumbo should be considered. Attempt an oyster-eating record and be awarded loud cheers from the always crowded restaurant.

Next, there’s Island Tyme Eats & Arts, a nifty sandwich and healthy eating spot located within a space shared with seven local artists. I highly recommend the Cuban pork sandwich. And if you want to people watch, Spot of Tea offers diner-style cuisine frequented by Mobile’s movers-and-shakers as well as everyone else in town. Jutting out into Mobile Bay is a causeway where Felix’s Fish Camp Grill is located. Locals say this is the best place in town for watching the sun set. The exterior is charming with its rustic, tin siding. I loved this place as a late night dinner option because each table sports a wine bottle candle holders with the only lighting being provided by candles throughout. The friend shrimp and fish were perfect washed down with locally-crafted micro-brews. 
Since downtown Mobile hotels were booked well in advance of BayFest, I stayed at the historic Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, which is located on Mobile Bay’s scenic Eastern Shore. Along the way is a vibrant town called Fairhope. The cozy streets are lined with boutique and specialty shops, antique dealers, art galleries and fine restaurants. It’s like a better version of Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood.
Returning to BayFest, I was introduced by a radio station employee to Mobile Mayor Sam Jones before Earth, Wind & Fire’s performance.
“This is a tremendous occasion where the entire region comes together,” said Jones of BayFest. “It has something for everybody.”
Indeed it does.
BayFest draws a diverse array of concertgoers from Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and, of course, Alabama. Seven stages are located within a gated portion of downtown Mobile. Admission for all three days was just $45. Headliners included Mary J. Blige, Godsmack, Motley Crue, Reba McEntire, Babyface, Lady Antebellum, Nelly and Shinedown.
Attendance normally averages 200,000 per day. This year’s ticket sales increased 40 percent. Part of the success was attributed to addition funds provided by oil company BP as part of its effort to support Gulf Coast communities. One BayFest official said the money from BP made Motley Crue’s appearance possible.
One of the highlights of BayFest for me wasn’t seeing the major recording artists. Many regional acts perform throughout the afternoon areas. Catching 70-year-old Evangelist Loretta Handy strut across the Gospel Stage and work the crowd like James Brown was an unexpected treat. Back in the day, Ms. Handy sang backup with Otis Redding. Her performance, featuring a backing group of vocalists doing handclaps, added to my sense of Mobile.
BayFest was a memorable Gulf Coast experience. I liked that the entire festival was held in the city streets. People everywhere were friendly and digging on musical genres ranging from country, R&B, hip-hop, rock, gospel, jazz, blues and indie-pop. Now, I’m anxious to see who they book next year.

BEFORE YOU GO

General Information
Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau
800/5-MOBILE
www.mobilebay.org

Lodging
Grand Hotel Marriott Resort
1 Grand Blvd.
Point Clear, AL
www.pehresorts.com

Battle House Hotel
26 North Royal Street
Mobile, AL
251-338-2000

Food
Wintzell’s Oyster House
www.wintzellsoysterhouse.com

Island Tyme Eats & Arts
www.island-thyme.com

Spot of Tea
www.spotoftea.net

Felix’s Fish Camp Grill
www.felixsfishcamp.com

Attractions
USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
2703 Battleship Parkway
www.ussalabama.com

17th Annual BayFest Music Festival
October 7-9, 2011
www.bayfest.com

Museum of Mobile
111 South Royal Street
www.museumofmobile.com

Mobile Carnival Museum
355 Government Street
www.mobilecarnivalmuseum.com   

Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center & IMAX Theater
65 Government Street
www.exploreum.net