Enjoy the Festival of Tulips and other outings in Can’t Miss Alabama
The Festival of Tulips at American Village is the perfect spring outing. (contributed)
St. Patrick’s Day festivities begin this weekend.
Festival of Tulips at American Village
With spring rapidly approaching, it is a great time to visit American Village. Stroll through the village row after row and see more than 80,000 colorful blooms. Visitors are welcome to take photos, pick flowers and take home bulbs. Tulips including the bulb are $2 each plus tax and can be purchased at the tulip field. The village is open seven days a week as long as the flowers are in bloom and weather permits. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Before you attend, check the website. Coca-Cola products, water and American Village merchandise will be on sale. Admission is $5, with free admission for children ages 4 and younger, veterans and active military.
St. Patrick’s Day at Five Points South
Celebrate the Irish culture with a parade, dinner, flag raising and an Irish toast through Saturday, March 19:
- The Birmingham Irish Cultural Society presents the 42nd annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Saturday, March 12 at 7 p.m. at the Inverness Country Club. Link here for tickets.
- Enjoy Irish-themed drink specials from bars and restaurants March 14-19.
- The 7th annual Irish Flag Raising and the Great Birmingham Irish Toast is Wednesday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Chick-fil-A flag pole in Five Points South. The event is an opportunity to pay tribute to the parade marshal and kick off celebrating St. Patrick’s Day early. The ceremony will include a pipe performance, the announcement of this year’s parade marshal and an Irish blessing from members of the local Irish community. Following the flag raising, a procession led by bagpipe will take the crowd over to Black Market Bar & Grill for the Great Birmingham Irish Toast with $5 Guinness pints and Tullamore Dew shots. The toast will be led by Birmingham Irish Cultural Society chair Marty Connors.
- St. Patrick’s Day festivities include Irish food, beverage deals and live music from Five Points South bars and restaurants Thursday, March 17 at 11 a.m.
- The 38th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Five Points South is organized by the Five Points Alliance and the Birmingham Irish Cultural Society. The parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The lineup starts at 11 a.m. at the Southern Research parking lot (2000 Ninth Ave. S.).
The complete schedule of events is here.
Birmingham Hammerfest
Professional cycling teams from across the country will race through the streets around Pepper Place in downtown Birmingham on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, March 12-13. The fast-paced criterium racing is not just for the pros. Amateurs and juniors will be tackling the same course and putting their skills to the test. Racing begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the women’s pro race starting at 5:45 p.m. and the men’s at 7:05 p.m. Weekend events include a community hour, the Lil’ Shamrock fun ride and best-dressed contests. Hammerfest has teamed up with Lakeshore Foundation to encourage and provide opportunities for people with a disability to live a healthy lifestyle through activity, research, advocacy and health promotion. Events will also include a handcycling race. On Sunday, the Hammer Ride will offer two free rides for cyclists. Beginning and ending at Cahaba Brewing, cyclists will have the option of a 30-mile or 60-mile race or ride. Riders are encouraged to fundraise with 100% of rider-raised dollars going to support Lakeshore Foundation. Participants must register by Thursday, March 10 at 5 p.m. For more information, email info@alabamasportscouncil.com or call 205-967-4745.
Kick off St. Patrick’s Day with O’Daly’s Irish Pub in Mobile
Kick off St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Mobile March 11-12 with live entertainment. On Friday, March 11, festivities include Art Walk at O’Daly’s Irish Pub from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and a live performance by Chee-Weez from 10 p.m. to midnight. On Saturday, March 12, festivities include the Yeah, Probably performance from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Voodoo Gumbo from 9 p.m. to midnight. Rock out the weekend with $1 green beer at 564 Dauphin St.
Gear up for great St. Patrick’s Day events from around the state. (Getty Images)
ShamROCK at Cahaba Brewing Company
The Taproom will be green, but the beer won’t be. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Saturday, March 12 with craft beer, cocktails and live music at the annual ShamROCK event. Audible Envy will perform from noon to 4 p.m. and Frank and Company will perform from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Food trucks will include The Current at Cahaba from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tamale Queen from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Hyderabad Dum Zone from noon to 5 p.m. Cahaba Brewing will participate in the Sweet Ham Alabama’s Spring Clean Sale and Tour De Brewers. The venue is at 4500 Fifth Ave. S. in Birmingham.
St. Pawtty’s Day in Foley
Join OWA for the fifth annual St. Pawtty’s Day celebration on Saturday, March 12 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The family event will feature music, dog adoptions, a dog-kissing photo booth, pet parade and costume contest on OWA Island. Preregister online for the festive pet parade and costume contest for $10. A $15 day-of registration is available from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with all proceeds donated to the Mobile County Animal Shelter. The parade begins at 3:30 p.m. with lineup starting at 3 p.m. Dress in your St. Pawtty’s best. Immediately following the pet parade, a costume contest will take place on the OWA Island Stage with cash prizes given for Mr. & Mrs. St. Pawtty’s, Most Creative, Dynamic Duo and OWA Choice. This is a free event with optional donation for entry into the pet parade and costume contest. If a pet is adopted, OWA will cover all adoption fees for guests. Follow this link for the complete schedule of events.
Women’s Adventure Film Tour
Sidewalk Film includes diverse short films in a two-hour program, featuring inspiring women like Australian Olympic champion Torah Bright and ultra trail-running champion Lucy Bartholomew among women in climbing, distance swimming and mountain biking. Before you attend, please review safety protocols. Showtime is Saturday, March 12 at 2:30 p.m. The show is in the lower level of the Pizitz Food Hall at 1821 Second Ave. N. in Birmingham.
The short films are:
- “Running Out.”
- “Mum’s Gone Climbing.”
- “We Are Like Waves.”
- “Women You Won’t See On TV.”
- “Like a Girl.”
- “I Just Went For A Swim.”
- “Skate Like A Girl.”
- “Mountain Adventure: Out of Bounds.”
- “Sibling Rivalry.”
Purchase tickets at sidewalkfest/tickets.
Highlights Tour for Women’s History Month at the Birmingham Museum of Art
Save the date during Women’s History Month at the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) for Wednesday, March 23 from noon to 12:30 p.m. Celebrate with a tour by Rachel White, director of Learning and Engagement, as she spotlights women artists whose work is represented in the BMA collection. Each Highlights Tour offers an intimate look at specific areas of the BMA collection with a BMA curator or educator. Learn something new from the collection of more than 27,000 works of art.
The Freedom Rides Museum honors Women’s History Month
The Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, a historic property of the Alabama Historical Commission, will present a series of weekly virtual conversations every Friday in March at noon in honor of Women’s History Month. Programs will feature conversations with women who were either involved in the Freedom Rides or whose history intersected with the Freedom Riders. To join the event, visit the Freedom Rides Museum on Facebook.
Women’s History Month in Mobile
Join the city of Mobile for celebrations honoring the contributions of women throughout March.
Festivities include:
- Women Supporting Women: Every Monday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., shop until you drop at the women-owned pop-up market along the Mobile River (101 South Water St.) with music and food trucks.
- Loda Artwalk: Stroll the streets of downtown Mobile Friday, March 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and celebrate women’s history. Follow along on Loda Artwalk on Facebook and Instagram.
- Words of Women: Follow @mobileparkandrec every Wednesday to hear empowering messages from women in and around the area.
- Sip ‘n’ Paint: Wrap up the Women’s History Month celebration Monday, March 28 with an evening of sipping and painting at Cooper Riverside Park (101 South Water St.). The cost is $25 for an 8-inch-by-10-inch canvas and painting supplies. Those attending must be 21 or older. There will be music, vendors, food trucks and adult beverages available for purchase. Register here.
Learn more about events here.
Prattville Pops Spring Concert 
Celebrate the arts with the Prattville Pops at its annual spring concert Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m. The Prattville Pops will feature musical milestones, such as pieces that are achieving a special anniversary or featured in recent movies. To learn more, visit prattvilleal.gov or call 334-595-0850. Admission is free.
Bird Walk for Beginners
Spring is the perfect time to birdwatch and there is no better place to get a “bird’s-eye view” than at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park in Orrville. Learn the basics of bird identification from an experienced birder on an easy two-hour walk. Frank and Shirley Farrell of Tyler will guide participants through the park, identifying birds that abound this time of year. Wear your walking shoes and bring your binoculars and field guides. Participants will meet at the Old Cahawba Visitor Center, rain or shine, Saturday, March 12 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased in advance by calling 334-872-8058. Visit the website for more information.
Jeremy Denk brings Bach to Woltosz Theatre in solo performance
The Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University will feature internationally acclaimed pianist, conductor and scholar Jeremy Denk in the Woltosz Theatre Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets for Denk’s solo concert can be purchased online, by phone at 334-844-8497 or in person Tuesday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gogue Center box office, 910 S. College St.
Get Healthy on the Railroad
A series of free exercise classes led by expert instructors will return to in-person classes at Railroad Park in Birmingham. Classes are Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, March 14 through Monday, Oct. 31. The complete evening lineup includes bootcamp, hip-hop cardio, Zumba, yoga and Family Fun Friday. With low-impact workouts designed to boost strength and balance, Senior Fit classes will be each Tuesday at 8 a.m. Visit the website for the complete exercise schedule. Cooking classes will instruct attendees on preparing delicious recipes with a healthy focus, using locally sourced produce.
Exercise classes are designed to meet varied fitness levels and preferences. (contributed)
