Food, Music, and Fun: Taste of Alabaster Brings Local Businesses Together for a Great Cause
By Lori Culpepper
Alabaster’s flavor-packed fundraiser is back, and once again, it’s serving up more than just great food. With a successful event last year, Taste of Alabaster returns to Siluria Brewing Company on October 9, 2025 to duplicate some of the best features and fan favorites and add even more fun as restaurants from Alabaster bring tastes of their top menu items for event-goers to sample.
The $20 ticket to Taste of Alabaster lets guests sample all the available dishes at the event, but the benefits of purchasing a ticket go far beyond food, says Tracy Coyne, president of the Alabaster Business Alliance (ABA). She has been involved with the event since it was introduced five years ago.
“Taste of Alabaster is a fundraiser, and all ticket sales and sponsorships go straight into scholarships awarded to Alabaster graduating seniors. We have given out 22 scholarships to Alabaster graduates since the event started,” she says. “We want to invest in the next generation of leaders in our city.”
Coyne adds that the scholarships are intended for students who would most likely not qualify for other more traditional scholarships—the ABA wants to support students heading to training or trade schools, or those who prefer the traditional two- or four-year college route. “We want to help everyone we can,” Coyne adds.
The ABA scholarship application is open in April, and the board of directors selects the recipients. “We have grown from awarding three scholarships the first year to six for the 2024-2025 school year, so we have definitely seen growth in the funds as well,” Coyne says. The ABA has awarded more than $20,000 to graduates so far.
The goals related to the Taste of Alabaster scholarships fit in well with the overall mission of the ABA to create relevance for local businesses with events and value-added services. The organization has strong ties with city government as they serve as a voice for the business community.
In addition to Taste of Alabaster, the ABA hosts networking opportunities for members and visitors alike. All are encouraged to share their expertise and experience with each other in a friendly noncompetitive environment. The group meets monthly in different business locations, and dues to join are reasonable so the group continues to expand.
Taste of Alabaster is a networking opportunity like no other, and last year’s event saw approximately 225 attendees. Previous scholarship recipients are invited to attend, and Coyne says the event will be similar to last year when several changes were made that were well received. Over the years, the event has evolved and improved in many ways.
“The first couple of years, we learned a huge lesson in arrangement. We held the event in November, which limited us to inside space only, and that resulted in major crowding and parking issues,” she says. The date was moved to be earlier in the fall so it could be held mostly outdoors.
“We moved the event primarily outside at Siluria Brewing and added a full band on the loading dock. That worked out so well, and everyone loved it, so we’re going to duplicate that this year. We will also be able to host more restaurants with the extra space,” Coyne says. This year will also include a new “Best Bite” award that attendees will get to vote on.
Typically, 12 or 13 restaurants participate, and favorites from the past include Joe’s Italian, Chubbfather’s, Gumbo to Geaux, Birds and Burgers, Brother Paul’s BBQ, and others. New and different restaurants are also planning to participate this year, such as Hey Bebe Where Yat?.
For the cost of one ticket, attendees have the chance to taste a menu item from every restaurant at the event, and they receive access to the other entertainment. Coyne says Siluria Brewing will have all their fan favorites on tap for purchase. “We are very thankful for Siluria Brewing Company hosting us every year,” she adds. “The event has a lot of food and fun with the live band, and it’s all in support of the great cause of helping our Alabaster students.”
Sponsorships and tickets to Taste of Alabaster are still available and can be purchased on the ABA website, alabasterbusiness.org. Contact Tracy Coyne for more information at 205.266.3158.