Lawn & Garden

Alabama Beekeepers Symposium

2 min read
A beekeeper inspecting the hive.

31st Annual Alabama Beekeepers Symposium

The 31st Annual Alabama Beekeepers Symposium will take place Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Wallace State Community College School of Nursing and Center for Science in Hanceville, Alabama. Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. and is located at the building’s center doors. The symposium begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.

Registration

The cost to attend is $45, and online registration is required by February 1. After February 1, the registration fee increases to $55 and is payable at the door the day of the event. Lunch and refreshments are included in the registration cost.

Registration

Welsh Honey Workshop & Show

Prior to the symposium, the Cullman County Extension office will host a Welsh Honey Judging Workshop Friday, February 6 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is an additional registration fee to participate in this workshop. This year, there will also be a Welsh Honey Show as part of the symposium. More information on registering for the workshop and show will be forthcoming.

Speakers & Topics

Honey Bees on CombKeynote speakers for the event include Cameron Jack—an assistant professor of honeybee toxicology with the University of Florida—and Jon Zawislak, an assistant professor of apiculture at the University of Arkansas.

The symposium will include a day-long beginner beekeeping workshop and three other educational tracks to choose from.

Main Track

  • Management Practices for Survival
  • Oxalic Acid Applications and Timing
  • Seasonal Efficacy of Varroa Treatments

Management Skills Track

  • Troubleshooting a Failing Hive
  • Queen Health and Rearing
  • Crop Pesticides vs. Honeybees
  • New and Innovative Products in Beekeeping

DIY Track

  • Beekeeping as a Business
  • Value-Added Products in Beekeeping
  • Food Handling and Honey Labeling

Journeyman Track

  • Bee Wrangling for Mathew McConaughey
  • Integrated Pest Management for Newbees
  • Products from the Hive

Beginner Beekeeping Track

  • Honeybee Biology
  • Setting Up an Apiary
  • Colony Inspections
  • Feeding Bees
  • Managing Pests and Diseases
  • Managing Varroa

Vendors

A variety of vendors will be on-site for people to purchase supplies, equipment, and other apiculture-related goods. Many of the equipment vendors will take preorders, which can be picked up at the event to save shipping costs. See the list of vendors below.

A site map that shows people where to park for the Alabama Beekeepers Symposium.Directions

Address: 453 Frances Dodd Drive, Hanceville, AL 35077

From Alabama Highway 31, turn by the large flagpole on to Francis Dodd Drive. The School of Nursing and Center for Science is the first building on the right. Turn right just before you get to the nursing building and go around back to find parking.

Lodging

There are a variety of hotel options to choose from in nearby Cullman directly off of Interstate 65 at Exit 310.

More Information

For more information on the 31th Annual Alabama Beekeepers Symposium, contact Jack Rowe at wjr0001@auburn.edu or (251) 589-5572.