Can’t Miss Alabama spotlights the Magic City Art Connection at Sloss Furnaces
Celebrate the arts this weekend at the Magic City Art Connection at Sloss Furnaces. (contributed)
Many events canceled last year due to pandemic are returning bigger and better than ever.
Magic City Art Connection
- April 23-25: Magic City Art Connection (MCAC) is going live at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. MCAC’s 38th year will present 150 juried fine artists from the region and around the country to visitors hungry for art, culture, creativity, entertainment, food and fun. The festival will spotlight the work of its featured artist, Garland Farwell of York. Recycling and reuse are big elements in Farwell’s 2D mixed media work as he reimagines and upcycles wood and other materials into graphic pieces of art. Farwell’s practice is centered primarily in the studio, developing paintings, sculptures and assemblages for South 17, a rural arts cooperative he founded to help foster economic growth in west Alabama. Farwell has been a recipient of numerous fellowships, residencies and awards from, among others, the Jim Henson Foundation, Franklin Furnace Foundation, Peg Saandvoordt Foundation, New York Foundation on the Arts, Diverse Forms (National Endowment for the Arts), Manhattan Cultural Council and ArtSpace220. Complementing the art collecting experience is the food, wine, craft beer, spirits and cocktails.
- April 24-25: Corks & Chefs: A Taste of Birmingham will gather foodies and tastemakers for a mouth-watering flavor experience Saturday and Sunday. There will be two sessions each day with a maximum capacity of 150 people lasting an hour and a half. Upon entry, patrons and groups will select a seated or standing table that will be reserved for their exclusive use for the duration of the tasting session. Masks will be required by patrons while moving throughout the venue, but can be removed at reserved tables. The event will be paired with wine, craft beer, spirits and cocktails, which will be presented at Sloss Furnaces. The tasting is an exploration and appreciation of local flavors, and was the first of its kind to hit the Birmingham scene. Since then, it’s been teeming with patrons eager to sample creations from many of Birmingham’s favorite tastemakers. Get more information and tickets at corksandchefs.com. Social Media tags: #CorksandChefs #CorksandChefs2021 #CandC2021.
- April 23-25: While at the festival, check out MCAC’s special exhibition “Within Reach: Celebrated Black Alabama Artists.” This curated exhibition gives tribute to the accomplishments of artists creating a solid legacy for the community. Featured artists are Larry Allen, Michael Atkins, Michael Banks, Tony Bingham, Amber Cunningham, Chris Davis, Garland Farwell, Sydney Foster, Joseph Frye, Roscoe Hall, Darius Hill, Larry O’ Gay, Jon Osborne, Debra Riffe and Toni Toney. Take in dance and music performances live on stage with socially distanced seating under Sloss’ main Casting Shed; art-making workshops for kids at Imagination Festival; and lingering at the café or one of the festival’s open-air lounges. Visit MCAC’s FAQs website page to get attendance questions answered.
A previous Magic City Art Connection festival. (contributed)
Mudbugs & Music
Come rain or shine, Mudbugs & Music returns to Cahaba Brewing Company on Saturday, April 24, from 1-6 p.m. Attendees can enjoy crawfish and shrimp, a silent auction and live music. Proceeds will support the Arthritis Foundation’s mission to conquer and cure arthritis. For 16 years, this family-friendly fundraiser has directly supported the pediatric rheumatology program at Children’s of Alabama and UAB. Masks and social distancing are required while outside your vehicle. Drive-thru pickup is offered for those unable to attend. Tickets are $25.
Sidewalk Cinema
Kick off the weekend at the Cinema with “In the Earth” April 22-25 and 29, directed by Ben Wheatley. As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep into the forest for a routine equipment run. Link here for COVID-19 restrictions. Tickets are sold in advance and online. Assigned seating will be in place. Credit and debit cards are accepted at the bar and concessions.
Southern-Made Saturdays: Bessemer Health and Wellness Market
Afonomics Community Outreach (ACO) Ministries is collaborating with the Bessemer Local Food and Education Network and other community-based organizations to promote health and wellness Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. The event will be at the Bessemer Farmers Market in support of local farmers. There will be live music, outdoor yoga, fitness activities, blood sugar testing, blood pressure checks and prostate screenings provided by Urology Centers of Alabama. Admission and health screenings are free while supplies last. CDC recommendations will be enforced, including face coverings and social distancing. Registration is required and donations are welcomed. The venue is at 100 14th St.
Rock the South
Rock the South returns to Cullman Aug. 13-14 with performances by Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nelly, Ashley McBryde, Jordan Davis, Ingrid Andress, Flatland Cavalry, Trey Lewis, Drew Parker, Morgan Wade, Alex Hall, Josh Kiser, Laine Hardy and Dee Jay Silver. Save up to $50 on tickets through Tuesday, May 18. Social Media Tag: #Biggestpartyinthesouth
Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama
For more than a decade, the Wiregrass Museum of Art has hosted the Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama, an exhibition of work created by Alabama students with visual impairments, blindness or deafness. The exhibition is juried statewide and travels from Birmingham to Mobile. Select pieces are shown internationally. The Helen Keller Art Show emphasizes creativity, color and tactile media in the arts. The winning entry for the grand prize is selected by the Helen Keller Festival Board to receive the Patty Johnson Award and will remain in the permanent collection at Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, the birthplace of Helen Keller. The show will be on view through Saturday, May 22, at 126 Museum Ave. in Dothan.
Alabama Ballet
Performances for Alabama Ballet’s “Romeo & Juliet” will be April 23-25 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. Choreographed by Roger VanFleteren, associate artistic director and resident choreographer of Alabama Ballet, the classical ballet is based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. The ballet is known for its breathless pas de deux, dramatic emotions and tragic tale. Faithful to Shakespeare, it follows the fate of the star-crossed lovers from their first meeting to their untimely deaths. “Romeo & Juliet” is likely the world’s best-known love story, and the ballet version is set to Prokofiev’s dramatic score, widely recognized as a masterpiece of 20th-century music.
Talladega Superspeedway
Limited tickets are available for Talladega Superspeedway’s Spring Tripleheader Weekend April 24-25. There will be grandstand and tower options with giant video boards visible to all fans in front-stretch seating for Saturday’s doubleheader featuring the General Tire 200 and Ag-Pro 300 and Sunday’s Geico 500. Camping opportunities are available for RVs inside the track and outside the venue. The Talladega Garage Experience is offering a modified experience with reserved table seating and lounge and picnic table availability. An all-new “Drive-In Experience” in the Geico Grounds Blue area of the infield near turns 1 and 2 will take place for fans to enjoy Sunday at the Geico 500. Fans can park their four-person vehicle in a 20-by-20-foot parking spot and tailgate with their own food, drinks, small portable grills and pop-up tents. A full listing of opportunities for fans to be a part of the weekend can be found at talladegasuperspeedway.com. In addition to encouraging distancing throughout the venue, guests will be screened before entering the facility at staggered entry times and will be required to wear face coverings. Multiple handwashing and hand-sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the operating areas and a “clean team” of staff, clearly identified for guests, will be cleaning or disinfecting at all times.
Make it a great weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Birmingham Walking Tours
Vulcan Park and Museum (VPM) announces the expansion of its annual programming with 40 tours scheduled across Birmingham through the end of 2021. Visitors and residents may experience the history and beauty of Birmingham’s neighborhoods and cultural districts in a fun, invigorating way. The Birmingham Walking Tours invite participants to step into the shoes of the architects, visionaries, socialites and entrepreneurs who sparked the magic in the “Magic City.” The first three tours will be Center Street, the Retail/Theatre District and Five Points South, led by Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins, Gary Bostany and Allison Vosicky, respectively. From historical homes to new retail developments, VPM has offered walking tours the past 16 years unlocking and discovering the uniqueness of the city. A brainchild of historian and author Phillip Morris, the tours allow participants to dive into Birmingham’s history and culture to discover hidden architectural treasures. Registration is $25 for VPM members and $40 for nonmembers. Masks and social distancing are required. Tour groups will not exceed 20 participants. Reservations and payment are required in advance. The Birmingham Walking Tours are on Saturdays and Sundays over the next year. For more information or to register, go to birminghamwalkingtours.com.
Gravity Island Watersports
OWA’s Gravity Island Watersports in Foley will open the summer with two wet attractions, an Aqua Play and Wake Park, which are the first of their kind in coastal Alabama. The Aqua Play, by Union AquaParks, offers recreational waterplay on two inflatable obstacle courses in the lake at OWA. Guests will slip and slide, trying not to fall off, as they test their versatility and rush across the obstacles. The Wake Park is a two-tower cable system by Sesitec System 2.0 stretching across the lake at OWA, operated by professional wakeboarder T.J. Allen and his wife, Caitlin. Their team will provide hands-on training with the cable system to help guests glide across the lake with certified lifeguards on hand to ensure a fun, safe experience. Allen and his team will coach and give lessons to those looking to improve their wakeboard skills. For those new to watersports, Gravity Island Wake Park offers a “get up guarantee” to enhance the experience for every rider. Once open, reservations will be available online or onsite at the OWA Island Boathouse or Starting Dock behind Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant. Sign up for email updates at gravityislandwatersports.com.
