Can’t Miss Alabama: Fill up the weekend at Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival, Birmingham Folk Festival
Downtown Birmingham will be filled with the sounds of smooth jazz Aug. 27 at the Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival. (Mykeon Smith)
It is a great time to rock a weekend in Alabama.
Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival will return Saturday, Aug. 27 to Birmingham’s Historic 4th Avenue District downtown. The festival will bring together varied artists, vendors, food and entertainment. The jazz festival will feature Chelsey Green, Logan the Entertainer, Deirdre Gaddis, the Official Clutch Band, Vann Burchfield and other artists. To learn more about the festival, including the complete lineup, visit 4thavenuejazz.org. Alabama Power is among the sponsors for the event. Stay updated on Instagram and Facebook. The festival is free.
The annual Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival is Aug. 27 in the 4th Avenue Historic District. (Mykeon Smith)
Legends in Concert
Summer performances are underway through Sunday, Sept. 4 at OWA in Foley. Fans will see performances by Isaiah Mercado as Bruno Mars, Nellie Norris as Katy Perry, Nae Cullors as Michael Jackson and more. The show features high-energy dancers, backup vocalists, a live band, costumes, elaborate theatrical sets and a full array of special effects. Performances are at the OWA Theater Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m.
Helen Keller Art Show
The Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama is underway through Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur. The exhibit is a traveling juried art show that displays work created by students throughout Alabama who have visual impairments, blindness and/or deaf-blindness. Children who participate in the show use various media to create their works. The arts are 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-time activities. This year’s exhibit will feature 46 pieces of art that can be purchased for a donation starting at $100. For more information, visit the website.
Sidewalk Film Festival
The 24th annual Sidewalk Film Festival is underway through Sunday, Aug. 28 in Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District. Festival venues include the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema, the Alabama Theatre, the Lyric Theatre, the Carver Theatre, First Church Birmingham, the Alabama School of Fine Arts Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Recital Hall and Lecture Hall, as well as Steiner Auditorium at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Alabama Power is among the sponsors for the event. Follow this link for tickets. For more about the festival, visit sidewalkfest.com/how-to-fest. Stay updated here for new additions.
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q Tour and Demo
Come hungry and enjoy a finger-licking time when you visit the legendary pit master and restaurateur Van Sykes as he explains the history of Bob Sykes and Southern barbecue. Take your barbecue skills to the next level by attending the event on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Van Sykes, a second-generation owner of the Bessemer family-owned restaurant, has worked in the iconic barbecue house all his life. His parents, Bob and Maxine, founded the restaurant in 1957. Van Sykes has a gift for storytelling and sharing barbecue tales. Guests will taste their way through the Bob Sykes barbecue menu and learn how it has stood the test of time. The private tour is a journey through what goes into creating Southern barbecue from the pit to the plate.
The tour and demo include:
Round 1
• Sample servings of barbecue pork and spareribs with sides of potato salad and onion rings.
• Hear Sykes’ history and stories from the barbecue pit.
• Learn about direct fire and heat.
Round 2
• Sample servings of smoked wings and sausage with sides of coleslaw and baked beans.
• Hear why Bob Sykes cooks barbecue picnic shoulders.
• History of Southern barbecue sauce and what makes Bob Sykes’ sauce special.
• Learn about sparerib cooking hot and fast.
Round 3
• Sample servings of lemon icebox pie and red velvet cake.
• History of Bob Sykes’ famous desserts and how they have stood the taste of time.
Final Round
Each guest will take home:
• Bob Sykes souvenir cup for which refills are $1 on return visits to Bob Sykes.
• Bob Sykes barbecue gift card and rewards card.
• Barbecue tour T-shirt.
Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com. Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q Restaurant is at 1724 Ninth Ave. N. in Bessemer.
Birmingham Legion FC
Birmingham Legion FC will square off against the New York Red Bulls II Sunday, Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. Purchase tickets online. Call 205-791-7145, download the Legion FC app or follow @bhmlegion on social media for more information. Games will be played at Protective Stadium.
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons will face the Mississippi Braves through Sunday, Aug. 28 at Regions Field in Birmingham. Follow this link for the complete schedule, updates, promotions and giveaways. Regions Field is a cashless facility. Credit and debit cards will be accepted at the Joe Drake Ticket Office, the Barons Sports Depot and concession stands at Regions Field. Get tickets online.
Birmingham Folk Festival
The Birmingham Folk Festival is a family-friendly outdoor festival coming to Avondale Park on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a day of music, community and art, with live performances of gospel, blues, cosmic country, bluegrass, West African drumming, jazz and dance. Featured performers include Sarah Lee Langford, Daniel “José” Carr, Clarence “Bluesman” Davis and Jock Webb, the Mountain Grass Unit, Ruth Black and the Harmonettes, Sahi On Ko Djony, The Whistlebees and the Crestwood Community Band. To learn more about the performers, link here. The event is sponsored by Cahaba Brewing Company, Mom’s Basement, Friends of Avondale Park and other music lovers and community partners. The Rose Garden will feature an array of interactive dance, music lessons, arts and crafts and yoga. Follow along on Facebook. Admission is free. The Avondale Amphitheater is at 4101 Fifth Ave. S.
The music lineup:
- 10:30 a.m.: Crestwood Community Band.
- 11:15 a.m.: Sahi On Ko Djony.
- Noon: The Whistlebees.
- 1 p.m.: Ruth Black and the Harmonettes.
- 2 p.m.: The Mountain Grass Unit.
- 3 p.m.: Sarah Lee Langford.
- 4 p.m.: Clarence “Bluesman” Davis and Jock Webb.
- 5 p.m.: Daniel “José” Carr Jazz Jam Session.
For more information, email bhamfolkfestival@gmail.com.
Red Mountain Entertainment
Upcoming shows include:
- Aug. 27 – The Dirty Guv’nahs with the Stews, Avondale Brewing in Birmingham.
- Aug. 27 – Jack White, The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville.
- Aug. 28 – The Black Keys with Band of Horses and Early James, The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville.
- Aug. 28 – Oliver Tree with Jawny and Huddy, Avondale Brewing Company in Birmingham.
- Aug. 29 – Lany with Surfaces and Annika Bennett, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Tuscaloosa.
- Aug. 31 – One Republic and Needtobreathe, Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham.
For more shows, visit redmountainentertainment.
