What began with a single birth on June 11, 1926, is now a century-long milestone in North Alabama health care, as Huntsville Hospital Health System prepares to celebrate 100 years of delivering babies with a free community event and drone show this June.

The system’s first baby, Buddy Miller, was born at Huntsville Hospital in 1926, launching what officials describe as a century of care for mothers, newborns and families across the region.

To commemorate the milestone, Huntsville Hospital Health System will host “100 Years of Babies” on Saturday, June 6, at The Orion Amphitheater.

From 6 to 8 p.m., the free public event will feature inflatables, games, live music, food trucks and family-friendly activities. At 8:30 p.m., the celebration will conclude with a drone show over the amphitheater, the first of its kind at the venue, honoring a century of births, families and medical milestones tied to the hospital system.

“Every baby born here represents a family placing their trust in us during one of the happiest moments of their lives,” said Tracy Doughty, president and chief operating officer of Huntsville Hospital and executive vice president of Madison County operations for HH Health. “For 100 years, that trust has shaped who we are.”

Doughty said the milestone reflects not only the history of the institution, but also the evolution of maternal and neonatal care across the region.

Over the past century, Huntsville Hospital has expanded services for mothers and infants, including opening North Alabama’s first neonatal nursery and later developing specialized obstetric emergency care and women’s health programs as the region grew.

Today, the system’s legacy continues through Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, which delivers more babies annually than any other hospital in Alabama, and Madison Hospital, which has expanded maternity access in one of the state’s fastest-growing areas.

The June 6 event is free and open to the public, with organizers encouraging families to arrive early. Guests attending the drone show are asked to be seated in the amphitheater bowl by 8:15 p.m. due to designated safety zones during the launch.

More information about the celebration is available at hhbabies.com.