Name: Syrup Sopping Day at Pioneer Park
Start: 2026-10-31
End: 2026-10-31

Scout

Things to Do in Auburn-Opelika

Explore the beauty and excitement of the Auburn-Opelika area, where there is something for everyone. Visit the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art to appreciate world-class art exhibits. Experience the natural beauty of Chewacla State Park with its hiking trails and waterfalls. Take a stroll through historic downtown Opelika and enjoy its unique boutiques and vibrant dining scene. For sports enthusiasts, catch an Auburn Tigers game at Auburn University, known for its spirited football, basketball, and baseball games. Don't miss the Opelika Pickleball Facility, with 24 individually fenced, covered, and lighted courts, perfect for year-round play.

Local Highlights
Auburn University: Known for its beautiful campus and sporting events, Auburn University is a hub of activity and culture.

Downtown Opelika: Enjoy the charm of a historic downtown area with a variety of shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions.

Chewacla State Park: A natural retreat offering hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and camping.
Opelika Pickleball Facility: One of the best pickleball facilities in the Southeast, providing year-round play on 24 lighted courts.

Dining and Accommodations
With a wide range of dining options from casual eateries to fine dining, the Auburn-Opelika area caters to all tastes. Notable mentions include The Hound for its hearty Southern fare and Café 123 for a fine dining experience in a historic setting. Accommodations range from the luxurious Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National to charming bed-and-breakfasts.

Plan your visit to Auburn-Opelika today and discover why it is a prime destination for sports, culture, and Southern hospitality! For more information, visit Auburn-Opelika Tourism.

Auburn-Opelika Tourism

For the past 50+ years, during October, the small town of Loachapoka, Alabama, welcomes approximately 10,000 visitors to the annual Syrup Sopping Festival at Pioneer Park on the grounds of the Lee County Historical Society. This year, Syrup Sopping Day will be on October 25, from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, October 26. Admission is free!

On this day, visitors take a step back in time to the late 1800s – early 1900s as they tour historical buildings while taking in historical displays and reenactments and observe numerous historical demonstrations such as sugar cane milling, syrup making, quilting, and blacksmithing. In addition, the event features live music, great food, and over a hundred arts and crafts and other types of vendors spread throughout the town park and the museum grounds for visitors’ enjoyment.

The festival officially starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday and lasts until about 3 p.m., but many people arrive early to be among the first in line to purchase one of our famous sweet potato and sausage biscuits for breakfast. As the morning progresses, other festival food favorites are available at the cookhouse, such as sweet potato fritters rolled in cinnamon and sugar, open-fire cooked camp stew, collard greens, pinto beans, and corn muffins. And of course, you can make this fall day in the south complete by purchasing some boiled peanuts!

In addition to the food sold at the museum cookhouse, there will also be other food vendors selling everything from barbecue, polish sausages, hot dogs, ice cream, kettle corn, fried pies, and many other tasty treats. And speaking of vendors and finding that perfect item that you really need (or don’t need), visitors will want to walk around the festival grounds and checkout the arts and crafts and other vendors. This is a great place to find a perfect piece of hand-made pottery, an original painting or photograph, basket, jewelry, wood craft, leather craft, candles, soaps, and numerous other items. There are also vendors available that provide other services such as home improvements, self-help, health information and many other things.

Syrup Sopping Day at Pioneer Park

No new posts