Small Town with Bigger Opportunities

One of my very favorite things about Auburn is that it feels like a small town because the nearest city is over 50 miles away, yet it offers opportunities that typical "city suburbs" of its size simply cannot. Much of that can be attributed to the university drawing everything from wonderful restaurants to fun concerts, to international intellectuals seeking advanced degrees, to of course world-class college athletics. The dichotomy is terrific and while other college towns can offer something similar, I don't think anywhere does it quite like Auburn, Alabama.

There was one particular weekend this past spring that drove this home for me, but if you look closely, it happens with with considerable regularity. Friends of ours are generous enough to host an annual fish fry party each year at their home. It's typically on a Friday evening and is a highlight every year. This, however, is not a casual gathering of just a few friends, as they pull out all the stops and invite hundreds. (The host probably could run for town mayor and win. He also happens to be our mortgage broker. He and his wife loves Jesus and their friends, dearly!) Each year we've attended, it seems like the party adds something new to top the previous year. This year, the caterer was the old owner of Byron's BBQ and the food was terrific. Thankfully they also hired River Dan to perform and to provide the perfect background music of everything from Southern Rock to contemporary country tunes. Bartenders and dozens of coolers of beverages made sure no one was thirsty and a great time was had by all. This party provides the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, as you kind of know that if you're close with the hosts, you'll likely enjoy their friends as well. Caitlin and I have literally met some of our dear friends at the fish fry over the years. And despite the large crowd, it speaks to the nature of this small town, as you'll connect with folks across numerous generations, your children's school principal, and even candidates for county sheriff and state senator. The host employs college kids to run attendees back and forth from the party to their cars in golf carts, and everyone is excited to connect during one of the most pleasant times of year. Oftentimes the biggest challenge is trying to make it five feet before you are engaged in another conversation with someone you know.

The 2026 Fish Fry was a huge success and we had a blast, although this year we were wise and made a much earlier departure.

So the day after this "small town party", my son and I got to enjoy one of the big "opportunities" in town, which was to take in the second game of the Auburn/Georgia baseball game. Both teams were ranked in the Top Ten at the time, and of course Game 1 was discussed much at the party the night before. Cian and I graciously accepted the tickets offered by our friends and parked with ease on the third floor of the parking deck, which connects to the stadium. Within minutes, we were at our seats, in the fourth row and enjoying the sunshine, sites and sounds. College baseball, SEC baseball in particular, is so much fun because of the fan involvement. You won't hear a fight song at a MLB game, or see the team empty out onto the field after a home run, or hear the fans chant in unison upon hearing a certain song being played on the speakers. And you won't see hundreds of folks watching the game from outside the confines of the actual stadium, be it on the side yard (with smokers cooking cured meats) or on the parking deck. The other difference between a college baseball game and the pros is that you're much more likely to run into folks you know in these smaller stadiums. Cian saw numerous friends from school and I ran into multiple friends as well, including a gentleman in his 70s that wanted to talk about our pickleball match from that morning. While my son's favorite part may have been the unlimited ice cream at the Hall of Fame Club--courtesy of our hosts-I simply enjoyed the one-on-one time and soaking up another unique aspect of life in Auburn.