Enjoy the sights and sounds of springtime from Can’t Miss Alabama
The Alabama State Fair will have carnival rides, shows, food and more through Sept. 24. (contributed)
A sweet April breeze is in the air!
Alabama State Fair
Through April 10, enjoy spectacular carnival rides at the Alabama State Fair. Attractions include Jurassic Kingdom, Globe of Death, Wheel of Destiny, a white tiger display, kiddie rides, petting zoo and fair foods. Youths must be accompanied by an adult. Follow this link for ticket information. The state fair is at the Birmingham Race Course Casino.
Brian Bohanan folk art exhibit
The Prattauga Art Guild will host the artwork of Alabama folk artist Brian Bohanan through Sunday, April 10 at the Prattville Creative Arts Center and Gallery. Bohanan is a self-taught artist who creates work on discarded objects. A major theme in his work is “Trees of Life,” which echoes the theme of renewal, recycling and a second life. Gallery hours are Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit prattvilleal.gov or call Prattville Cultural Arts at 334-595-0850.
Black Warrior Film Festival returns
The Black Warrior Film Festival will be at the University of Alabama (UA) Ferguson Theater in Tuscaloosa April 8-10. The festival will have virtual panels and in-person screenings of 38 films and 13 UA student films. There will be seven categories: experimental, comedy, horror, Capstone, documentary, drama and Holle. The Capstone category consists of films about UA, while the Holle category is for films that will be nominated for the College of Communication and Information Sciences Holle Awards for Excellence in Creativity and Communication. The event is produced for and by UA students. The competitive showcase of student films highlights emerging talent from universities across the South through communitywide screenings, events, workshops and featured guests. Festival events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the website.
Birmingham Legion
Birmingham Legion FC will face Hartford Athletic FC at Protective Stadium Sunday, April 10 at 4 p.m. Call 205-791-7145, download the Legion FC app or follow @bhmlegion on social media for more information. Buy tickets here. Visit the website for upcoming games.
Birmingham Legion will face Hartford Athletic at Protective Stadium April 10. (Kamp Fender / Birmingham Legion)
‘SpongeBob Musical’
Mark your calendar for “The SpongeBob Musical,” adapted from the iconic TV series, with nightly shows April 13-16 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee performance April 17 at 2 p.m. at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Center. The musical tells the story of SpongeBob, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks and the residents of Bikini Bottom as they face imminent disaster. When the volcano of Mount Humungous threatens to annihilate the town, the friends must come together to face what may be their final moments – when a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage. Visit AlysStephens.org for tickets or call 205-975-2787. The venue is at 1200 Tenth Ave. S.
‘Legends of Country’
Performances featuring tributes to Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Martina McBride and Elvis Presley are underway through Sunday, May 29 at OWA Theater in Foley. Stacey Whitton Summers will pay homage to Shania Twain and Martina McBride, with Shawn Gerhard as country music superstar Garth Brooks and Patrick Dunn as Elvis Presley. Dunn is the recently crowned 2021 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion from Elvis Week in Memphis. “Legends of Country” is his first appearance in coastal Alabama. For tickets and more information, visit the website.
‘My Broken Doll’
“My Broken Doll” will be featured at Birmingham’s Red Mountain Theatre Arts Campus Saturday, April 9 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The play is produced by Baleigh Nelson, an intern for the Alabama Holocaust Education Center. The production is based on the book “My Broken Doll, a Memoir of Survival of the Vichy Regime,” a true story by Holocaust survivor Beatrice Karp and her daughter Deborah Pappenheimer. After the play, there will be a Q&A session with Nelson and the cast. Masks are required at the event, which is free. To register, click here. Read the related article to learn more about “My Broken Doll.”
World Games 2022
The World Games 2022 and Hibbett | City Gear are inviting Alabamians to see and wear the gold, silver and bronze medals that will be placed around the necks of winning athletes. Each Thursday, medals will make stops in selected Hibbett locations. Visitors can take their pictures wearing the medals, learn more about The World Games 2022 and visit with the official mascots of The Games, Vulcan and Vesta. The World Games 2022 is the new generation of global sports competition and will feature 3,600 elite athletes from more than 100 countries competing for medals in 34 sports. Organized with the support of the International Olympic Committee, the competitions will take place in Birmingham July 7-17. In addition to thousands of athletes, an estimated 500,000 spectators will attend the opening and closing ceremonies and watch incredible displays of athleticism in softball, flag football, gymnastics, dance sport, sumo wrestling, sport climbing, parkour, drone racing and other sports.
The medal tour and schedule include:
- Tuscaloosa: Thursday, April 7 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hibbett Sports, 1701 McFarland Blvd. E.
- Huntsville: Thursday, April 14 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hibbett Sports, 6275 University Drive NW.
- Hoover: Thursday, April 21 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hibbett Sports, 1717 Montgomery Highway.
- Birmingham: Thursday, April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hibbett Sports, 2205 Bessemer Road.
For more information visit TWG2022.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Every year, thousands of Renew Our Rivers volunteers remove trash small and large from Alabama waterways. (Mark Jerald)
Renew Our Rivers
The Renew Our Rivers cleanup at Lay Lake (Coosa River) is underway through Sunday, April 10. For more information about the cleanup, contact Judy Jones at 205-669-4865. Shirts and supplies will be provided. Follow this link for the complete schedule.
Best Buddies Friendship Walk: Birmingham
Walk with your friends and celebrate Best Buddies at Oak Mountain State Park Saturday, April 2. Best Buddies serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since 2009, more than 200,000 participants have walked in more than 30 states and raised more than $16 million. Jonathan Hardison from WBRC FOX6 News will be the emcee. Proceeds are integral to supporting state programs that provide one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. and the opening ceremony is at 10:30 a.m. Register at bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/alabama.
Woodlawn Street Market
The Woodlawn Street Market will bring back several interactive and entertaining favorites Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be dance battles and live graffiti art. The REV / Woodlawn Street Market team plans to implement new wayfinding to help visitors explore the broader Woodlawn business district that has been growing and thriving beyond the market footprint. Each market will feature more than 70 Birmingham makers selling items, including art, jewelry, clothing, toys, food and décor along 55th Place between First Avenue North and First Avenue South. Click here for the complete vendors list. Follow Woodlawn Street Market on Facebook and Instagram for updates throughout and between market seasons. For more information, visit woodlawnstreetmarket.com.
Negro Southern League Museum to celebrate Jackie Robinson with street festival
The Negro Southern League Museum (NSLM) will pay homage to Jackie Robinson Saturday, April 9 from noon to 3 p.m. The festival will include children’s activities, stage performances, fitness activities, food trucks, vendors and the NSLM mascot “Barry the Bear.” Attendees will experience a day full of history as former players will be in attendance signing autographs and sharing memories. The museum will be open to view artifacts and memorabilia telling the story of Black baseball in Birmingham and across the nation. This is a free family-friendly event. For more information, call 205-581-3040 or visit the website. NSLM is at 120 16th St. S. in Birmingham.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute walking tours
Join the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) each Saturday at 10 a.m. throughout April for tours that illuminate the legacy of those who changed the world through the civil rights movement. Walk in the footsteps of legends like Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Rosa Parks and Dr. Angela Davis. Honor the lives lost during the movement at the site of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Salute heroes A.G. Gaston and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as you walk the path alongside A.G. Gaston Motel and envision their innovative strategic meetings. Expand your insight and understanding as you explore the historic sites of the Birmingham Civil Rights District that commemorate those who altered history. Registration is not required.
