An Oxford, Mississppi based magazine called "Y'All" teamed up with Regions Bank in Florence to bring the 2008 Alabama "Y'All" Sweet Tea Challenge to the WC Handy Festival. The event was the first challenge held in Alabama. 61 teas were entered in the competition and were judged on a scale of zero to one hundred by a panel that included Swamper David Hood and his wife, Judy Hood, the TimesDaily sports copy editor Ryan Sonner, and a team of a dozen travel writers. The tea was judged individually and by restaurant, and was ranked by judges and tasters.
Restaurant category:          Chik-Fil-A  First Place (judges)
                                        Texas Roadhouse  First Place (tasters) I
Individual category:             Katrice Richardson of Muscle Shoals: First Place (judges)
                                        Bill and Laura Black of Brimingham: First Place (tasters)

Most Unique:                     First Place Sylvia Russell of Florence
Sugar Free Tea:                 Christina McKelvey of Florence
Best Fellowship Tea:          Florence Jaycees
(church/civic group)
Hottest Tea in the Shoals:  Florence Fire Department Station 1
(fire house)