š± Whatās driving Florence tourism past $350 millionāand whatās coming next?
Florence, Alabama Patch AM: a 4 min readWhat's up Florence! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. āļøļø
In today's newsletter:
- Whatās driving Florence tourism past $350 millionāand whatās coming next?
- How does Florenceās home value really stack up to Killen?
- Florence students earn perfect GPAs and big next steps at MSU.
Also on today's calendar: Payton Howie and 5 more events.
Today's riddle: Why did the turtle cross the road ? š¤ (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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Find a T-Mobile store near Florence.
- Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 84 and low of 67 degrees.
- Thursday: A shower and thunderstorm, temps: high: 89, low: 72. š¶ Hot!
- Friday: An afternoon thunderstorm, with a high of 92 and low of 74 degrees.
š° News we're reading
ā¢ Tourism in Lauderdale County hits record growth, topping $350 million in 2025 (whnt.com) ā Tourism in Florence and Lauderdale County surged in 2025, topping $350 million and growing 9.5%, bringing fresh money into local businesses, attractions, and hotels. Local leaders credit partnerships across the Shoals and point to upcoming projects like the Hard Rock Hotel Reverb, a new ag center, and UNAās Bank Independent Stadium to keep that momentum going. 
Ā Ā Ā 
ā¢ Cities with the most expensive homes in the Florence metro area (thecutoffnews.com) ā Home prices across the Florence metro are laid out city by city, showing Florenceās typical home value at about $214,000 and ranking it sixth in the area. Nearby towns like Muscle Shoals, Killen, and Rogersville are even pricier, giving local buyers and sellers a clear snapshot of how competitive the market has become. Ā Ā Ā
ā¢ MSU's College of Education celebrates 23 Stephen D. Lee Scholars (msstate.edu) ā Two Florence natives are among 23 Mississippi State College of Education graduates honored as Stephen D. Lee Scholars for maintaining perfect 4.0 GPAs. Kinesiology grad Payton Edwards heads to UAB for physical therapy school, while music education grad Sabrina Infanger plans to teach elementary music, reflecting Florence studentsā impact well beyond the Shoals. Ā Ā Ā
šø Around Florence
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
š
Upcoming Events in
Florence
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
ā Featured events ā
-
Working in the Deep ā
YMCA of The Shoals, 2121 Helton Drive, Florence
10:15 am
Friday June 26
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
-
Payton Howie ā
Singin' River Brewing, 526 E College St, Florence
7:00 pm -
Sensory Friendly Screening | AMC CLASSIC Florence 12 ā Florence, AL ā
AMC CLASSIC Florence 12, 2621 Hough Rd, Florence
10:00 am -
Open Play Court A
YMCA of the Shoals , 2121 Helton Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
5:00 am -
Kickboxing (Kimberly)
YMCA of the Shoals , 2121 Helton Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
5:15 am -
Y Cycle (Christy)
YMCA of the Shoals , 2121 Helton Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
5:15 am -
All 6 Lanes Available
YMCA of the Shoals , 2121 Helton Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
5:30 am -
Joints in Motion (7:30)
YMCA of the Shoals , 2121 Helton Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
7:30 am
Friday June 26
Saturday June 27
Wednesday July 1
š£ Florence Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
š Events Nearby
-
S.N.A.P.-Starting New At Pistols ā
Cypress Creek Indoor Range, 5060 AL-157, Florence
6:00 pm -
W.C. Handy Music Festival 2026 ā
GunRunner Boutique Hotel, 310 E Tennessee St, Florence
7:00 pm -
Concealed Carry Defensive Handgun ā
Cypress Creek Indoor Range, 5060 AL-157, Florence
6:00 pm -
Stayin' Alive Dodgeball Tournament for St. Jude ā
Mars Hill Bible School, 698 Cox Creek Pkwy, Florence
10:00 am
Monday July 6
Wednesday July 15
Monday August 10
Saturday August 15
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
š¬ Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- [6/22/26 Midday Update] Severe Storm Watch for Northern and Parts of Central Alabama
Clusters or broken line segments extend from central Mississippi to northwestern Alabama as of 1 pm. These storms will move east-southeastwardā¦ (Nextdoor ) - Discover local peer support resources and nearby crisis centers!
Or call 988 to find immediate, confidential help. https://buff.ly/ZgIWnEH (Nextdoor )
- Cornerstone Building Brands posted a job opening for Machine Operator Day Shift in Florence. Apply here.
- Tarkett S.A. posted a job opening for Production Operator in Florence. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Florence here.
š Nearby News
Sheffield
- Birmingham City and Wrexham sent clear Burnley FC warning (onefootball.com)
Muscle Shoals
- ALBUM REVIEW: From Sweden with Love: Jesper Lindell's Take on Classic Southern Soul On āRoyal' (nodepression.org)
- Quieter Forecast Ahead (whnt.com)
Tuscumbia
- Meta smart glasses aim to improve accessibility at Helen Keller Birthplace (whnt.com)
Ok Florence! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: She was going to the shell station (Thank you Nettie D. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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