“All roads have led through Huntsville since the beginning of America’s space flight program. That’s not changing.” – NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

We aren’t called the Rocket City for nothing.

And Huntsville will celebrate its singular place in space history with the inaugural Rocket City Space Fest.

The nine-day community festival launches Thursday – the 57th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon – and splashes down July 24.

“The Apollo landing is considered the 20th century’s greatest achievement, and this city played the central role – building the 25,000 mph Saturn V that took humans to the moon,” said festival Chair Ralph Petroff.

The festival is anchored on Apollo Day, July 20, the anniversary of the first human Moon landing, and is designed as the proud complement to the city’s America 250 celebration two weeks earlier.

According to organizers, the idea behind the festival is simple: Huntsville built the Saturn V rocket that put people on the moon, and Rocket City Space Fest is how the city tells that story to the world.

Just as the historic mission united the city and nation in 1969, this year’s festivities will stretch from Thursday’s Lift-Off Day celebration at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Biergarten to events across the Mid-City and downtown districts to the Splashdown Day celebration that honors Apollo-era veterans. For information, visit rocketcityspacefest.com.

“This city changed history, and we intend to honor it, preserve it, and permanently cement that into the fabric of Huntsville’s history,” Petroff said. “And just like the first time, this is not a single company or a government leading the way.

“It is our community, the people who live here and love this place, choosing to carry the torch forward together.”

As a centerpiece of the celebration, Mayor Tommy Battle will sign a proclamation declaring July 20 “Apollo Day” in Huntsville, officially recognizing the anniversary of the moon landing and the generations of Huntsville engineers, scientists, and workers who made it possible.

“Huntsville didn’t just witness the Space Age,” Petroff said. “We built it. This festival is our chance to say that out loud and invite the whole community to celebrate together.”

Rocket Fest Schedule:

Thursday
Lift-Off Day marks the Saturn V launch anniversary.
Launch party at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Biergarten with a Saturn V theme, a special guest astronaut, and vintage launch footage.
Friday
Cocktails and Cosmos
A planetarium evening celebrating the James Webb telescope, followed by a space-themed concert.
Saturday
Space Night
A space- and Apollo-themed Huntsville City FC match at Joe Davis Stadium with mascots, halftime trivia, and giveaways.
July 19
Community Day
MidCity Market, a Von Braun Astronomical Society tie-in, and library story time for kids.
July 20
Apollo Day
A lunar-landing-themed Concert in the Park marks the moon landing anniversary.
with a drone show honoring lift-off, the moon landing, and splashdown
July 23
Biergarten Bookend
Back at the Space & Rocket Center Biergarten honoring the Marshall Retirees Association, with space authors and an Apollo to Artemis program.
July 24
Splashdown Day
A downtown splashdown party, Apollo veterans’ recognition, a Skinny Black Tie dress-up day, and a Moon Shot drink competition.
July 25
Bonus Bookend
A Rocket City Trash Pandas game with fireworks closes out the celebration.

“This is year one of something we want Huntsville to be proud of for decades, a seed we believe grows into one of the country’s signature space celebrations,” Petroff said. “There is no better place on Earth to celebrate Apollo than the city that made it possible.”