During the June Saturday Walking Tours 30 cities across Alabama conducted 120 guided tours. This was the sixth year for the free statewide walking tours held at 10 a.m. each Saturday during the month of June. Different civic leaders led the walks through the historic districts or courthouse square areas of their hometowns.
Governor Bob Riley praised the work of local communities in conducting this year’s Saturday Walking Tours. “Hometown pride really showed in the time and effort put in across the state,” said Riley. The top attended tours this year took place in Florence, Athens, Fairhope, Guntersville, Tuscumbia, Birmingham, Cullman, Huntsville, Mobile, Scottsboro, and Madison. More than 2,000 participants joined the tours.
“Alabama is the only state in the nation to hold statewide, simultaneous walking tours,” said Brian Jones with the Alabama Tourism Department. “The Saturday Walking Tours program has proven so popular that state tourism has decided to create a year-long marketing campaign based on it. The Year of Small Towns and Downtowns will take place in 2010,” said Jones.
More information on the Saturday Walking Tours program is available at www.alabama.travel. Representatives from cities and towns interested in joining the program next year can contact the Alabama Tourism Department at 1-800-Alabama.
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