SELTI

2nd Annual Boyington Oak Festival planned for May— and a criminal pardon may be in the works for the main character!

The 2nd Annual Boyington Oak Festival will be held in Mobile May 14-15 at the historic Oakleigh House. The festival will include a play about Charles Boyington, who was executed in 1835 for the murder of his friend but continued to proclaim his innocence to his dying breath. Boyington famously foretold that his innocence would be proven when an oak tree would grow from his grave, an oak tree that did sprout soon after and continues to stand today in a historic cemetery. The play is based on Mary Palmer’s book Boyington Oak: A Grave Injustice. Palmer reports that a bill in the Alabama legislature is moving forward that—if enacted—would clear the way for Charles Boyington to be officially pardoned, providing one more fascinating twist on this legendary tale that continues to capture the imaginations of readers and tourists.

The festival provides options for travel packages that can include hotel stays at the historic Battle House Hotel, trolley rides with the actors that take visitors to real locations related to the story, and other exciting opportunities. See the flyer above for more information!