WHAT IS A FRY-DOWN?
The Cahaba River Fry-Down Features an Explosion of Alabama Flavor
Fry-Down is an annual catfish cookoff and festival celebrating the Cahaba River and benefiting Cahaba River Society.
Featuring river-themed activities and fun for all ages, Fry-Down is a party with a carnival-like atmosphere including live music and entertainment, delicious food, hula-hoopers, disco dancers, games, prizes, a Cahaba River Adventure Experience, photo booths, a climbing wall, craft beers and cocktails and so much more!
The Cahaba River Fry-Down is a celebration of the Cahaba River – our region’s primary drinking water source and a treasure trove of biological diversity. The principal fundraiser for Cahaba River Society, Fry-Down is a competitive cook-off surrounded by a party! The goals of this fun, unique event are to build more support for Cahaba conservation, explore the relationship between water quality, habitat, and drinking water, and build new partnerships to sustain our work to ensure a healthy future for the river.
FISH FRY COMPETITION
We call it a fish fry-off, but teams are encouraged to prepare the catfish in any way they choose. Guests have enjoyed fish cold-smoked, grilled, sautéed – lots of creative and varied presentations. Corporate and community team creations are evaluated by a panel of high-profile judges.
The Fry-Down is gaining a reputation as a culinary event, and a great addition to Birmingham's dynamic food scene. It is unique in that there are no other area events including team catfish competition and crowd tasting. Attendees are encouraged to sample all offerings and vote for Crowd Favorite.
Other awards include Most Creative, Best Presentation, Ken Bowen Team Spirit Award, Best Side Dish, Miss Congeniality, and more. Learn more about the awards here.
ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES
Featuring river-themed activities and fun for all ages, Fry-Down is a party with a carnival-like atmosphere including live music and entertainment, delicious food, hula-hoopers, disco dancers, games, prizes, a Cahaba River Adventure Experience, photo booths, a climbing wall, craft beers and cocktails and so much more!
