The Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama is an annual traveling juried event. The show is open to students from throughout the state that have visual impairments, blindness or deaf blindness. The artists are of various ages and attend public, private, residential and home schools. The show provides artists an opportunity to showcase their talents and abilities. Children who participate in the show use various media to create their works. Art is included in the students’ academic curriculum in areas such as the development of communication skills using visual and tactical abilities, math, science, reading and leisure activities. The artwork emphasizes creativity, color and tactile media. Student artwork is exhibited in an open reception ceremony at the beginning of the year, then in museums and venues throughout the state. The opening reception is Sunday, Jan. 24 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Shelby County Arts Council, 105 West College St. in Columbiana.

Shelby County Arts Council

Enjoy the Shelby County Arts Council (SCAC) free livestream performances from the Black Box Theatre on the SCAC YouTube channel. For the complete lineup, click here. Follow this link for upcoming events. For donations and memberships, go here.

Dinosaur Adventure

Enjoy an all-new exhibit featuring realistic, life-size dinosaurs that come alive with movement and roars. Learn about Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Diplodocus and Velociraptor, and explore recent fossil finds with exciting discoveries. As part of Dinosaur Adventure at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, children of all ages will enjoy a variety of activities: fossil crafting, Jurassic jeeps, themed obstacle courses and riding a dinosaur. The whole family will be amused by live entertainment featuring a walking dinosaur show and a baby dinosaur meet and greet. Tickets are sold on a per-day/per-time slot basis and are valid for one vehicle of up to eight people. Vehicles must be no bigger than 20 feet long and 8 feet tall. If you would like the flexibility of arriving at any time, you may purchase an “anytime” ticket. All vehicles will follow the same one-way route through the fairgrounds. If the “pay now” button isn’t allowing you to click on it, change the address field to a different state and then change it back to Alabama. Tickets for this event are limited and must be purchased online. Learn more here.

Birmingham Restaurant Week

The winter edition of Birmingham Restaurant Week (BRW) is underway through Sunday, Jan. 31. It features to-go and curbside pickup options, as well as the traditional but limited dine-in, as pandemic health precautions are still mandated. With a variety of options, food and drink lovers with a taste for adventure can enjoy special two- and three-course breakfast, lunch and/or dinner menus ranging from $5 to $50 per person, making it easy and affordable for everyone to enjoy a taste of Birmingham’s diverse dishes and sips. Participating restaurants and menus are listed on the Eat/Drink page of the BRW website bhamrestaurantweek.com.

Rojo is a participating restaurant during Birmingham Restaurant Week. (contributed)

The Yard Birmingham at Elyton Hotel is among the participants in the extended Winter Edition of Birmingham Restaurant Week. (contributed)

El ZunZun is among participants in the summer edition of Birmingham Restaurant Week. (contributed)

Michael’s Restaurant is a participating restaurant during Birmingham Restaurant Week. (contributed)

A sample of the offerings from last year’s Birmingham Restaurant Week. (contributed)

Museums for All offers free admissions

People of all backgrounds are invited to join Vulcan Park and Museum’s Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Association of Children’s Museums. Museums for All supports low-income families receiving food assistance benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Up to four people per household can visit Vulcan at no charge with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Eligible members of the public can visit more than 500 museums across the country, including McWane Science Center, Imagination Place Children’s Museum, Huntsville Botanical Gardens and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. More than 500 institutions in 48 state are participating in the initiative, including art museums, children’s museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos and history museums. To make a donation to Vulcan Park and Museum, follow this link. For more information on participating museums, visit museumsforall.org.

Huntsville Museum of Art

Throughout January, enjoy exclusive exhibitions honoring famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and featuring paintings and memorable photos by fashion designer and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt at the Huntsville Museum of Art. While Kahlo died before she was 50 years old, her life and talents continue to inspire art admirers and artists alike. The exhibit is a tribute to Kahlo by more than 95 international artists who admire her work and reinterpret many aspects of her life in an array of media. The museum at 300 Church St. in Huntsville is open all week except Monday. Admission is $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-11, free for children younger than 6 and $10 for seniors age 60 and older. Call 256-535-4350 for more information.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home

Winter Wednesday programs are open to the public through Wednesday, Feb. 24. Attendees will learn about plants that peak in the winter months, exhibiting showy flowers, evergreen foliage or interesting twigs and branching structure. These programs are included in general admission and are free to members of the Friends of Bellingrath. Sessions are from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. in the Magnolia Café, and reservations are required.

• Jan. 27 – A History of Mobile in 22 Objects: Meg McCrummen Fowler, director of the History Museum of Mobile, will discuss the museum’s new exhibit, a look at 22 distinctive items from the collection representing more than 300 years of Mobile history. An artist has created a special  sculpture to represent the history of azaleas in Mobile as well as at Bellingrath. The catalog from the exhibit is available for purchase in the Gift Shop.
• Feb. 3 – Winter Garden Walk: Take a guided stroll to view numerous camellia varieties and new winter plantings, led by Barbara Smith, gardens display manager, and Chuck Owens, horticultural and operations director.
• Feb. 10 – Grow More, Give More: Learn the basics of vegetable gardening and how to get things started on the right foot with Jack LeCroy, regional extension agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Vegetable gardening can be a great activity for family, but it can also be very daunting if you aren’t sure where to start.
• Feb. 17 – Origins of Azaleas: Distinguished horticulturist Marten van der Giessen will give an overview of the types and provenance of the South’s most beloved flower.
• Feb. 24 – Cool and Crazy Plants at Bellingrath: Join Executive Director Todd Lasseigne, who has taken numerous plant-finding expeditions all over the world, to learn more about the exotics that thrive in the Gulf Coast climate.

To reserve, call 251-459-8868 or email astrickland@bellingrath.org. For discount information, visit bellingrath.org.

Bellingrath’s Winter Wednesday programs are open to the public through Wednesday, Feb. 24. (contributed)

Bellingrath’s Winter Wednesday programs are open to the public through Wednesday, Feb. 24. (contributed)

Bellingrath’s Winter Wednesday programs are open to the public through Wednesday, Feb. 24. (contributed)

Alabama Shakespeare Festival continues to Play On!

With audiences and artists separated from live performing arts by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Play On! allows the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) to advance its mission to create transformative theatrical programming in the wake of canceled and postponed productions. ASF recently commissioned 22 Southern playwrights to create original pieces on the theme of “home.” The playwrights collaborated with actors from around the country to bring new works to life. View all 22 monologues free of charge and learn more about Play On! and updates by clicking here.

Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Stay connected with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) while you are physically isolating and social distancing. ASO is offering a variety of resources, including teaching guides, music education and lesson plans. Visit the website for more information: alabamasymphony.org/learning.