Can’t Miss Alabama: Must-see attractions include Magic Moments Magic Show, variety of concerts and shows
As seen on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us!” world class magician David Garrard brings his special brand of magic to Birmingham’s Historic Lyric Theatre Jan. 22. (contributed)
Gather with family and friends for a weekend full of excitement and surprises.
Magic Moments Magic Show
Have a fun-filled afternoon as world-class magician David Garrard brings his special brand of magic to Birmingham’s Lyric Theatre on Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. Entertainment includes face painting, up-close magic with Tommy Ellison and photo booths. The proceeds will benefit Magic Moments, the only wish-granting organization devoted exclusively to children in Alabama with chronic, life-threatening conditions. Tickets include pre-party entertainment, Magic Show general admission seating, chips, candy and drink ticket. Attendees must be age 21 or older to have beer and wine. Soft drinks will be available. Follow on Facebook. Purchase tickets at magicmoments.org/magic-show.
Sidewalk Film
Weekend shows include:
- Jan. 19-22: “Broker.” Purchase tickets here.
- Jan. 19-22: “The Whale.” Purchase tickets here.
- Jan. 20-22: “Ponyo” (2008). Purchase tickets here.
- Jan. 21: “Big Trouble in Little China” (1986). Purchase tickets here.
Visit sidewalkfest.com for upcoming shows and the schedule for the upcoming Sidewalk Film Festival, kicking off Aug. 21-27.
Alabama Shakespeare Festival presents ‘Jubilee’
Playwright and director Tazewell Thompson brings a heart-stirring score to life with this a cappella tribute inspired by real life. The world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers shattered racial barriers in the U.S. and abroad, entertaining kings and queens. For more than 150 years, the bold a cappella African American ensemble, born on the campus of Fisk University, one of the nation’s premier HBCUs, has blended rich voices to share a heritage of suffering, strength and endurance. Hear uplifting spirituals and hymns like “Wade in the Water” and “Ain’t That Good News.” Performances run through Sunday, Jan. 29. Recommended for audiences ages 12 and older. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is at 1 Festival Drive in Montgomery.
Performances of “Jubilee” are underway through Jan. 29 at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. (contributed)
Black Jacket Symphony
Black Jacket Symphony will perform Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” Saturday, Jan. 21 at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. Over the past 10 years, the Black Jacket Symphony has entertained more than 1 million music lovers nationwide. For a complete list of performances, follow this link. Follow along on Facebook.
Birmingham Boat Show
The Birmingham Boat Show was the first public event at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in 1972. The show is the oldest and largest in the state. With more than 250,000 square feet, the show highlights the latest in boats, motors, fishing gear, guides, outfitters and related outdoor gear. Show hours are Thursday and Friday from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Buy one adult ticket and get one adult ticket free. Children ages 12 and younger are admitted free with a paid adult. For more details, call 361-446-4040 or email BirminghamBoatShow@stx.rr.com.
See the latest in motors, fishing gear, guides, outfitters and related outdoor gear. (contributed)
Mobile Symphony Orchestra
The Mobile Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will celebrate new and exciting music with Symphonic Innovations, Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2:30 p.m., at Mobile’s historic Saenger Theatre. The MSO co-commissioned a new mandolin concerto by celebrated composer Jennifer Higdon to be performed by international sensation Avi Avital. The program also includes Joan Tower’s recent “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman.” Jennifer Higdon is one of the world’s most successful composers of contemporary classical music. Higdon won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for her violin concerto and three Grammy awards for best contemporary classical composition. Higdon’s “blue cathedral,” last performed by the MSO in 2019, is the world’s most performed contemporary orchestral work. Israeli-born Avi Avital is the best-known classical mandolinist performing today and is the first mandolin soloist nominated for a classical Grammy. Passionate and “explosively charismatic” (“New York Times”) in live performance, he is a driving force behind the reinvigoration of the mandolin repertory. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone at 251-432-2010 or at the symphony box office, 257 Dauphin Street. Through MSO’s Big Red Ticket program, sponsored by the Alabama Power Foundation, students in grades K-12 can attend any of the season’s classical Sunday performances for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Crystal Gayle and Lee Greenwood in concert
One of the most popular and widely recognized female country singers of her era, Crystal Gayle was inspired to follow her own musical path by the success of her older sister, Loretta Lynn. Gayle’s supple voice, a flair for ballads and cross-over-friendly country-pop style netted her several mainstream hits, beginning with her 1973 debut single, “I Cried the Blue (Right Out of My Eyes).” In 1976, “I’ll Get Over You” became the first of Gayle’s 22 No. 1 hits, a run of success that peaked with 1977’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” a No. 1 hit on the country, pop and worldwide charts that won Gayle a Grammy for Best Country Female Performance. Lee Greenwood, an artist who has bridged the gap between traditional and contemporary country music, is best known for his patriotic anthem “God Bless the USA.” The iconic song, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2013, went far beyond what Greenwood expected when he wrote it in 1983. “God Bless the USA” has been in the top five on the country singles charts three times, distinguishing it as the only song in any genre of music to achieve that feat. It was also No. 1 on the pop charts after Sept.11, 2001. Greenwood continues to tour across the country and performs for many charitable events, lending his time and name to numerous organizations, including Helping A Hero, of which he is the national ambassador. Link here to learn more. The performance is Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Gogue Performance Arts Center in Auburn. For more information, call 334-844-8497.
