Roger Steele Named Director of Ave Maria Grotto

Roger Steele of Cullman, Alabama has recently been named the new director of the Ave Maria Grotto. The Grotto has long been a favorite destination for tourists coming to Cullman, and Steele is no stranger to local tourism.

Steele previously held the position of Director of Tourism at the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce and will now be in charge of promoting and managing the Ave Maria Grotto.

After a few short weeks on the job, Steele has already begun the planning of a new event, Christmas at the Grotto, where many of the Grotto’s famous features are accented with lighting for nighttime viewing during the Christmas Holidays. This is the first time in the history of the Grotto that the displays will be lit at night.

When asked about his goals for the future of the Grotto, Steele said, “We want to establish the Grotto as one of the premier attractions (both religious and secular) in the state. We plan on improving the grounds, gift shop and also restoring Bro Joseph’s work in an effort to showcase what we believe is one of the outstanding artistic achievements located in the southeast. We also are looking to create new events, like Christmas at the Grotto in order to showcase this art in different ways in order to create a sense of the divine in everyone who visits. Finally, we are working on ways to reintroduce the Grotto to the local community. So many people who live here have never seen Bro Joseph’s work and we want to see that change in the coming months and years.”

Come out and see the beauty of the Grotto at night for this unique Christmas at the Grotto event.

Friday, Dec 20, 2019: 5pm-9pm
Saturday, Dec 21, 2019: 5pm-9pm
Sunday, Dec 22, 2019: 5pm-9pm
Admission
Adults – $6
Students – $3
Children under 3 – Free