Though the historic Hotel Red Bay sat empty for a few decades, it overcame the threat of demolition, and – after months of renovation – the grand reopening is set for Friday.

The community is invited to help celebrate the reopening of the Red Bay icon. Festivities will begin at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, when all local spiritual leaders are invited for the Gideons’ Bible dedication and building blessings. Following will be an official ribbon cutting at 3 p.m.

After the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to partake in guided tours of the hotel until 4 p.m. At 6 p.m., an exclusive banquet will be held for guests who have purchased tickets for the First Night Stay. A few tickets remain for this honor. To inquire about reservations call 256-275-4288 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Crowning glories of the soon-to-be-opened hotel are the check-in desk and staircase, which are to-spec recreations of the original desk and staircase that are now housed at the Red Bay Museum. Other bits and pieces of the original are also sprinkled through the new hotel, like a plaster column in the lobby, or a tall storage cabinet in the dining room that was created using a door rescued from the old hotel.

Emily Strickland describes her Hotel Red Bay as “a vintage boutique-style hotel.” In decorating, she said she has tried to incorporate the flavor and personalities of people connected to Red Bay and to the hotel, its past and its future. Each room is decorated and set up differently, with a mix of antique, contemporary and eclectic pieces.

For those who aren’t able to take part in the First Night Stay, a limited number of history tours and dinner tickets are also available during next week, April 17-21. Call for more information.