Things to Do in Lowe Mill and the Arts
Artists' studios in a 1900 textile mill, breweries in an old school and a full performing arts calendar.
See top-rated activities »About Lowe Mill
Lowe Mill ARTS and Entertainment occupies a sprawling textile mill built in 1900 on the west side of Huntsville. After the mill closed, it was turned into studios, and today about 150 studios hold roughly 200 painters, potters, glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers and makers of almost everything else. The facility describes itself as the largest privately owned arts facility in the United States. Most studios open to visitors Wednesday through Saturday, when you can wander the long hallways, meet artists at work and buy directly from them.
The mill also has galleries, a small theater and a few food vendors, and it holds night markets, concerts on the loading dock and seasonal events such as a Halloween night market and holiday markets in November and December. Weekend afternoons are the liveliest time to go, and parking is free in the lots around the building.
A few blocks away on Clinton Avenue, Campus 805 turned the former Stone Middle School into a neighborhood of breweries, restaurants and entertainment. Straight to Ale and Yellowhammer Brewing both brew here, Earth and Stone serves wood-fired pizza inside Yellowhammer, and the campus has a saloon, an arcade bar and an event center. Together with Lowe Mill, it makes the west side the place to spend an afternoon and evening, moving from studios to taprooms to dinner.
For performances, the Von Braun Center downtown houses the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, where the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra plays its season, along with a playhouse and a music hall for touring acts. Arts Huntsville, the city's arts council, runs some of the area's best-loved events, including the Panoply Arts Festival in Big Spring Park, Concerts in the Park on summer Mondays and the Monte Sano Art Festival. Its online calendar is the best single source for gallery openings, recitals and community theater across the city.
Don’t Miss
About 150 studios and roughly 200 artists in a 1900 textile mill, with galleries and markets; most studios open Wednesday through Saturday.
A former middle school now home to Straight to Ale, Yellowhammer Brewing, wood-fired pizza and music venues.
The city's professional orchestra, performing a season of concerts at the Von Braun Center.
Organizer of Panoply, Concerts in the Park, the Monte Sano Art Festival and a local arts calendar.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Lowe Mill
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When is Lowe Mill open?
Most studios and galleries open Wednesday through Saturday, from late morning into the evening. Individual artists set their own hours, so some studios may be closed on any given day.
Is Lowe Mill free to visit?
Yes. Walking through the mill and visiting the open studios is free. Some special events and performances have tickets.
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