Spread the message of hope throughout breast cancer awareness month.

Greek Food Festival

Thousands of people are expected to attend the 48^th annual Greek Food Festival in Birmingham Oct. 14-16 from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Authentic Greek entrees and desserts include souvlakia, pastichio, Greek chicken, spanokopita, dolmathes, veggie plates, Greek salad, gyros, baklava, kourambethes, melomakarana, koulourakia and loukamathes. Soft drinks will be available along with Greek beer and wine. In addition to delicious food, there will be live Greek music and dancing Thursday through Saturday. The open-air festival is free to all. Outside tented seating for dining will be available. Take a stroll through the Greek Market Place, which has Mediterranean and Orthodox Christian souvenirs. Free parking available in the former Liberty National parking building one block away on 20th Street South (Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard) between Third and Fourth Avenues. A drive-thru is available during the festival from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. No need to call ahead; servers will take your order and deliver to your vehicle. Online ordering will be available at bhamgreekfestival.com. Walk-up and take-out options are welcomed. A car raffle will be available online to help raise money for local and national charitable organizations. Serra Nissan has donated a fully inspected, ready-to-drive Nissan Rogue. The raffle will be Saturday at 9 p.m. at the festival. Raffle tickets are $20 or purchase three for $50. First place wins the Nissan, second place wins $5,000 and third place wins $2,500. To learn more, visit bhamgreekfestival.com or call 205-716-3088. The festival is at 307 19th St. S.

Thousands of people are expected to attend Birmingham’s oldest and most anticipated cultural event that offers an abundance of delicious Greek cuisine. (contributed)

Greek dancers of all ages will perform. (contributed)

Greek dancers of all ages will be performing all three days. (contributed)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (contributed)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (contributed)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (contributed)

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For decades, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) has raised funding for the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and collaborative partners. Funds raised by the BCRFA remain in Alabama to support local research, which in turn makes a national impact.

BCRFA events include:

• • • ARC Realty Blue Goes Pink: Throughout October, $25 will be donated for each new property listing, while employees and agents are encouraged to raise funds and awareness.
    • BDA Farm: Throughout October, BDA will donate 10% of its proceeds, and every purchase includes a bracelet to show your support.
    • Bertolone’s Classic Italian: Throughout October, Bertolone’s will donate $1 for every slice of strawberry cake sold. Patrons can purchase a pink ribbon for $1 in honor or memory of a loved one to be displayed in the Calera restaurant.
    • brick & tin: Throughout October, brick & tin will donate 100% of proceeds from sales of pink macarons, pink cocktails and “b&t x BCRFA” shirt sales in Birmingham and Mountain Brook. On Monday, Oct. 18, 10% of all sales will go to the BCRFA.
    • Kendra Scott Charity Pop-Up: Attendees of the Calera Goes Pink Disc Golf tournament will be able to shop a special Kendra Scott charity pop-up (including online shoppers), with 20% of proceeds going to BCRFA.
    • Fire Station Pink Ribbon Project: More than 20 fire stations from Florence to Eufaula will sell specially designed Pink Ribbon Project T-shirts throughout October.
    • Renasant Bank: Twenty-four Renasant branches across Alabama are holding community fundraisers and accepting donations to support the BCRFA and Alabama breast cancer research. Renasant Mortgage will donate $50 per mortgage closed during October.
    • Standard Heating, Cooling & Plumbing: Throughout October, the company will donate $5 per service ticket to the BCRFA.
    • Stokes Automotive: The company will donate $100 for every new car sold at the Clanton location during October.
    • Tameron Automotive Group: The Hoover and Gadsden locations will donate $100 in support of breast cancer research for every new car sold at Tameron Honda and Tameron Hyundai.

During October, watch for events affiliated with BCRFA.

Learn the signs, know the symptoms and get educated during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Getty Images)

‘Waitress’ Broadway musical

The American Theatre Guild presents the Broadway musical “Waitress” Oct. 15-17 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex as a part of the Broadway In Birmingham series. The production is about Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life, such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county – and a satisfying encounter with someone new – gives Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness. The all-female creative team features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles (“Brave,” “Love Song”), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (“I Am Sam”), original choreography by Lorin Latarro (“Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” “Waiting For Godot”), recreated by tour choreographer Abbey O’Brien, and original direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus (“Hair,” “Pippin”), recreated by tour director Susanna Wolk. “Waitress” deals with some adult content; discretion is advised for parents bringing children younger than 13. Patrons are encouraged to wear face masks while inside the BJCC Concert Hall and throughout each performance, regardless of age and vaccination status. For tickets, visit bjcc.org/events.

Kiwanis Vulcan Trail tour

Learn about the history of local mining and iron-making companies while taking in beautiful views on what was once the bed of Birmingham’s Mineral Railroad, The Kiwanis Vulcan Trail. It was recently updated by the Freshwater Land Trust and serves as the center of the Red Rock Trail System. The walking tour is set for Sunday, Oct. 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is $25 for Vulcan Park and Museum members and $40 for nonmembers. Space is limited and advance registration is required.

Vulcan Park and Museum is offering a tour of the beautiful Kiwanis Vulcan Trail Oct 17. (contributed)

Red Mountain Entertainment

Concerts include:

• The Beach Boys will perform Thursday, Oct. 14 at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Buy tickets here.
• Earth, Wind and Fire will perform Tuesday, Oct. 19 at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Buy tickets here.

For more shows, visit redmountainentertainment.

Totally ’80s Girls’ Night Out

Get ready for a blast from the past with your best girlfriend Thursday, Oct. 14 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This means it’s time to pull those hair crimpers from storage for the Totally ’80s Girls’ Night Out at The Wharf in Orange Beach. The event will feature exclusive in-store discounts, food, beverages and prizes. Dress up with friends for a costume contest and indulge in a little retail therapy. Proceeds benefit the Baldwin County Child Advocacy Center. The first 20 people in line will get a swag bag. Registration check-in is at Shades Sunglasses from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, stop by Ginny Lane Bar & Grill, sip on a pink-tini at Martini’s & Mammo’s and learn about the importance of mammograms, digital mammography, ultrasounds and bone density.

Sustaining Dialogues: Two Painters exhibit

The “Sustaining Dialogues: Two Painters” exhibit is on display at the Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA) in Decatur through Thursday, Oct. 28. The exhibit features 20 paintings each by Alabama artists Daniel White and Tony Sturgis. Sturgis is exhibiting works from the past year and White is showing work from the past few years. White’s work in “Sustaining Dialogues: Two Painters” focuses on the abstracted portrait. Often these paintings can serve as studies for larger paintings, but the intimacy of the facial expression and the abstraction it offers within that framework is intentionally paired with Sturgis’ larger, often monumental works to create a dynamic conversation for the viewer about painting abstraction. While they are different in approach and styles, the intersection of patterns, color and line bring Sturgis’ and White’s work together for this show. White lives in Northport and Sturgis in Tuscaloosa. The exhibit will also be on display during Decatur’s annual River Clay Fine Arts Festival Oct. 16-17. The ACA will be open during the festival with special weekend hours.