Adjust to the new normal with Can’t Miss Alabama.

Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema

Sidewalk in Birmingham is kicking off April with a virtual edition of 2020 Book + Film Club. Participants read books focusing on filmmakers, film styles and film techniques; each month is a different topic. Participants receive books the first week of the month, watch the preselected film on their own and then participate in a discussion facilitated by Sidewalk staff via Zoom on April 29 at 7 p.m. This month’s book is “Independent Stardom: Freelance Women in the Hollywood Studio System.” The book documents some of the most famous stars of old Hollywood – Barbara Stanwyck, Irene Dunne, Janet Gaynor and others – and their efforts to establish their independence within the hierarchical studio system. The film for April is “Double Indemnity,” which is available to stream on Hulu. Participants must register for April’s club by Monday, April 6. Registration includes the book and online film rental where applicable. Books will be packaged wearing gloves and sanitized before being mailed to participants.

You can register online. Visit the website for upcoming dates; multimonth memberships are available at a discount.

Virtual Camp Song Sing-Along

Join your Girl Scout sisters to sing your favorite camp songs and learn some new ones, too. Don’t know any camp songs? All the words will be on the screen so you can sing along.

To participate in the sing-along:

• Download the Zoom Cloud Meetings app for your phone, tablet or computer.
• Fill out the form here to access session links.
• After an email has been received, link to the sessions.

Participants must register for upcoming sessions and join sessions in progress. For questions, follow Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama on Facebook or message GSNCA.Programs@girlscoutsnca.org.

Railroad Park

Visitors exercising at Railroad Park must follow the city of Birmingham’s shelter-in-place ordinance. Park hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Restrooms close at 8 p.m. Group activity is not permitted unless it is among people sharing a household. The playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment areas are closed. Chairs and tables have been removed from the pavilions and the Boxcar Cafe is closed. Park programs have been suspended.

Follow this link for park updates.

Social Distancing Egg Hunt

Neighbors in the Westwind neighborhood of Hueytown are hosting a Social Distancing Egg Hunt. Children and adults are making large, paper Easter eggs and placing them in their windows beginning Friday, April 3 and continuing through Easter. Take a ride through the neighborhood and see how many eggs you can find from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Follow the event on Facebook.

Alabama Music Maker Cashmere Williams Facebook Live Concert

Cashmere Williams’ Facebook Live concert is Friday, April 3 at 7 p.m. Link your phone to your big-screen TV, watch with friends and enjoy the smooth sounds. Stay updated on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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Alabama Public Libraries Online Services

Major libraries across the state offer a huge slate of online services. Patrons can check out e-books and audiobooks, stream movies and TV shows, prepare for standardized tests and get expert help with homework. Some systems have expanded access to their online offerings since the start of the pandemic, or even shifted their purchasing patterns for new materials. Some have taken storytime sessions online to maintain a sense of normalcy for their youngest clients (and some relief for their parents).

A Digital Media Zone powered by OverDrive allows patrons to check out e-books, audiobooks and movies. Freading adds yet more e-books. Freegal has thousands of songs and music videos available for free and for keeps. The exact mix of services varies from system to system, as does the way they’re presented on websites. Most systems are actively promoting their online offerings on their homepages, but it pays to poke around.

The Birmingham Public Library has a “Digital Library” tab. The website for Jefferson County public libraries has a coronavirus update on its homepage that lists online services. At the Mobile Public Library’s MPLonline.org, you can find the most popular offerings under the “eResources” tab, where you can select “Digital Downloads.” Options on the Mobile system’s site include Cloud Library (audiobooks and e-books), Flipster (magazines), hoopla (e-book, audiobooks, comics, music, TV shows and movies) and kanopy (movies, with an emphasis on independent, foreign, documentary and classic cinema).

RELATED: Kids bored during COVID-19 hiatus? Try these family fun ideas

Birmingham Zoo Launches Virtual Zoo

The Birmingham Zoo is offering a virtual look inside the zoo with access to signature camps and programs. Guests who follow Facebook and Instagram will have an opportunity to tour the grounds and see behind-the-scenes areas, learn what’s new at the zoo and meet their animal neighbors.

Additionally, the zoo will host a Virtual Zoo Camp on Facebook weekdays at 11 a.m. Each 10-minute episode includes engaging activity, tours, interesting lessons about animals and Birmingham Zoo conservation work in our own backyard and around the world. The zoo’s education staff will be online to answer questions and chat with virtual campers about the day’s lesson. The zoo’s social media will continue to highlight animals through its Meet the Neighbors campaign. Each day at 1 p.m., viewers will have a chance to watch a short clip of zoo animals, learn about their behaviors and meet the professionals who care for them daily. Zoo members will receive an email video every Monday with exclusive content just for them.

For more information and how to give, visit birminghamzoo.com.

The Market at Pepper Place Drive-Thru Farmers Market

The next Market at Pepper Place Drive-Thru Farmers Market is Saturday, April 4. Customers can pick up their pre-ordered and pre-paid goods from vendors Saturday between 7 a.m. and noon. To ensure participants’ safety and health, there will be no sales or payments on Saturday – pick-up only. Similar to grocery stores, Certified Farmers Markets in Alabama are included in the list of essential services and can remain open to the public as they provide access to fresh produce and goods. Based on the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Jefferson County Health Department (JCDH), the Market at Pepper Place can safely support Alabama farmers and the community. Orders and sales will be made by the customer directly to the farmers online. Pre-purchased items will be delivered directly to the customer’s vehicle. Farmers will wear gloves while handling pre-purchased goods. Customers will remain in their vehicles at all times. If you have trouble contacting anyone, call the farmers market at 205-705-6886. Visit the Market at Pepper Place website or follow along on social media as the market continues to offer and evolve the drive-thru options each week. The venue is at 2807 Second Ave. South.

View and place your order for the Drive-Thru Farmers Market on the Market at Pepper Place website.

Spring Into Reading Challenge

The Spring Reading Challenge is underway through Thursday, April 30, at the Birmingham Public Library (BPL). Children of all ages will experience the joy of reading plus a chance to win weekly mystery prizes. Learn more about the Spring Reading Challenge here.

For information about other programs and services at BPL, visit www.cobpl.org.

Go here to support BPL.

Get online with ‘NASA at Home’

NASA’s new internet and social media special, NASA at Home, will show and engage viewers in the agency’s discoveries, research and exploration from around the world and across the universe – all from the comfort of your own home. NASA offers something for the whole family. It brings together a repository of binge-worthy videos and podcasts, engaging e-books on a variety of topics, do-it-yourself projects and virtual and augmented reality tours, which include the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station, as well as an app that puts you in the pilot’s seat of a NASA aircraft. This special spotlights educational and entertaining resources and activities for families and students from kindergarten and up. Plus, it provides access to everything from formal lesson plans to amazing imagery and stories about how science and exploration help the world. If you want to practice safe science at home, there are opportunities for citizen scientists to contribute to ongoing research, from our solar system’s backyard to your own backyard. This includes searching for brown dwarfs and planets in our outer solar system and helping track changes in clouds, water, plants and other life in support of climate research.

NASA at Home will feature ongoing opportunities to interact with and hear from agency experts. For example, record-breaking astronaut Christina Koch reads children’s books weekdays at 3 p.m. on Instagram live as part of educational and STEM activities for students.  NASA Television is running NASA at Home-themed programming 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, as well as broadcasting around the clock with recent mission events and news, conversations with astronauts on the International Space Station, educational looks at science, technology and exploration topics and historical programs from the agency’s storied past. Check in regularly with #NASAatHome for updates. For more information about all of NASA’s programs, projects and activities, visit nasa.gov.

Highland Park Golf Course

Unwind at the Highland Park Golf Course in Birmingham from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Golfers are welcome to walk along the cart path. Book your tee time at highlandparkgolf.com or call 205-322-1902. The course management is carefully monitoring the evolving coronavirus situation and is in regular contact with health agencies for information.

Click here for updates.

Alabama State Parks Live

Alabama State Parks is offering fun, educational and inspirational programs online. Enjoy live videos, photos, park stories, pictures and more.

Visit Facebook and search for Alabama State Parks’ naturalists:

Oak Mountain State Park
Lake Guntersville State Park
Gulf State Park
DeSoto State Park
Cheaha State Park

Link to alapark.com for more information.

Vulcan Park & Museum Shows Unity with Special Lighting

Vulcan Park & Museum will stand in solidarity with the Birmingham community during the COVID-19 pandemic with a special light presentation. Until further notice, each night starting at dusk, the pedestal will stay dark and Vulcan will be lit in his signature white to give a message of hope. Vulcan Park & Museum President and CEO Darlene Negrotto hopes the focus on Vulcan is a reminder of his symbolic importance for many generations. This lighting capability is made possible through the generous support of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham with its centennial gift to the city.

Understanding the fluidity of the current issue, the following adjustments have been made on the Vulcan property:

• The park grounds, including Kiwanis Centennial Plaza, will remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, free of charge.
• Vulcan Center, The Anvil and Vulcan’s Observation Tower are closed until further notice.
• Out of abundance of caution, the picnic area has been closed and tables and chairs removed on the overlook. Handrails and branches are sanitized daily.
• All student and adult programs have been canceled.
• For private events, contact the event organizer for more information.

Alabama Shakespeare Festival

While the Alabama Shakespeare Festival is taking an unplanned intermission, share your best memories of ASF. Tag the festival and use #ASFintermission to tell what you love about the theater. In the coming months, not-for-profit arts organizations are going to be faced with some incredible obstacles. Donations of any size are appreciated.

ASF audiences and artists are key to its future success.

Stay updated about performances and messages from ASF artists at asf.net.

The Birmingham Museum of Art Virtual Tour

Explore the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) online digital gallery. The exhibition highlights a vast collection of educational and entertaining art to view from the comfort and safety of your home. View the first live broadcast from BMA’s galleries with Executive Director Graham C. Boettcher, Director’s Cut and Facebook Live.

For updates regarding the digital gallery, visit the website or follow Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Make donations here.

Children’s Hands-On Museum in Tuscaloosa

“CHOM at Home” is underway featuring Hopscotch on the Sidewalk. Staff members came up with the idea to inspire kids to have fun while they are at home because of COVID-19. Other initiatives include science experiments, charades, interactive poles, children interacting and daily challenges. Donations are welcomed. Follow the event on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Learn more at chomonline.org.

Red Mountain Theatre Facebook Live

Enjoy “Play Making Live with Bradford” on Facebook Live and YouTube each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. for an exciting adventure through theater for children ages 4 to 6 years old.

Bradford H. Forehand is the education manager at Red Mountain Theatre Company (RMTC). He received his bachelor’s degree in musical theatre from the University of Mobile. He completed his master’s in theatre for youth at Arizona State University, where he also worked as a freelance actor, director and teaching artist. Prior to starting at RMTC, Forehand taught and directed at Lexington Children’s Theatre, Childsplay and The Coterie Theatre. He is a native of Trussville. Follow the event on Facebook.

To support Red Mountain Theatre, visit redmountaintheatre.org.

Follow the guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which includes helpful tips and reminders about coronavirus, steps to prevent illness, and symptoms.