Can’t Miss Alabama: Must-see attractions include Sidewalk Film Festival, Ludacris headlining KultureBall
The 25th annual Sidewalk Film Festival is Aug. 21-27 at multiple venues in downtown Birmingham’s historic theater district. (Sidewalk Film Festival)
Sidewalk Film Festival
The 25th annual Sidewalk Film Festival is set for Aug. 21-27 in Birmingham’s historic theater district. Festival venues include the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema, the Alabama Theatre, the Lyric Theatre, the Kress Building Ballroom, First Church Birmingham, the Alabama School of Fine Arts Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre, Lecture Hall and Black Box Theatre, the BJCC Theatre and the BJCC Forum Theater, as well as the Steiner Auditorium at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Alabama Power is among the event sponsors. Follow this link for tickets. For more about the festival, visit sidewalkfest.com/how-to-fest.
The 25th annual Sidewalk Film Festival is Aug. 21-27 at multiple venues in downtown Birmingham’s historic theater district. (Jaysen Michael)
Sweet Tea Festival
The inaugural Sweet Tea Festival will be held on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Enterprise. Food trucks, crafts, retail and produce vendors will be on site with items available for purchase. Take part in sweet tea tastings and contests with prizes. Nashville’s Sweet Tea Trio will perform live at 1 p.m. The event is sponsored by Milo’s Famous Sweet Tea and Hello Chonky. Enjoy the fun at the Enterprise Civic Center Festival Field.
KultureBall
The annual KultureBall is a star-studded event where celebrities and philanthropy walk hand in hand to promote acceptance and sensory inclusion and raise money for programs benefiting individuals with sensory needs and disabilities such as PTSD, autism, dementia and Down syndrome. On Friday, Aug. 18, the KultureBall VIP party will feature platinum recording artists X Ambassadors sponsored by Alabama Power. On Saturday, Aug. 19, the event will feature Grammy award-winning artist Ludacris. Learn more here.
Franklin County Watermelon Festival
Summer’s favorite fruit takes center stage in Russellville Aug. 18-19. The festival offers arts and crafts, watermelon contests, a car and truck show, food vendors, children’s activities, games, musical entertainment and watermelon samples. Friday’s performances include Tremayne and Velcro Pygmies, while Rewind of the Shoals, Austin Bohannon and Colt Ford are featured on Saturday. The festival will take place along Main Street (Jackson Avenue). Admission is free. See the website for the events schedule.
¡HICA!’s Birmingham Pig Roast
Bring a big appetite to ¡HICA!’s annual Latin-inspired pig roast Saturday, Aug. 19, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to the food, attendees can look forward to a vibrant atmosphere, engaging family activities, a lively DJ, local vendors, dancing and scholarship presentations. Lagerveza, a specialty beer brewed by Cahaba Brewing Company, will return this year. Proceeds from the sale of Lagerveza will support ¡HICA! initiatives. For more information, updates and ticket information, visit hicaalabama.org.
¡HICA! aims to bring together Latinos and all communities in the state through a lively and family-friendly celebration of the Latin tradition of roasting an entire pig. (Britt Allen)
‘The Art of Decatur Theatre’
The juried art exhibit at Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur will feature works from various aspects of the theatre including props, costumes, puppets, set pieces, sound design, video clips of performances, and photos of lighting and set design. Works from Bank Street Players, Calhoun Theatre, Athenian Players and Dream Weavers Theatre will be on display. The project continues a long-standing collaborative academic effort between Athens State University and Calhoun Community College, and serves as a model of academic institutional cooperation for the state. The show will be on display until Friday, Sept. 22. Admission is free.
Dragon Boat Race & Festival
Mitchell’s Place will have its annual Dragon Boat Race and Festival Saturday, Aug. 19, at East Lake Park near Ruffner Mountain in Birmingham. Enjoy a summer day filled with some friendly competition, a kids’ zone, food trucks, a merchant market and live music. Test your skills against local, corporate and community teams to raise awareness about early intervention and autism spectrum disorder. Fill your team boat of 20 paddlers (minimum of eight females per team) plus one drummer. Dynamic Dragon Boat Racing will provide dragon boats, gear and instructions. Learn more about how to take part in the festivities here. Alabama Power is supporting the event.
Afternoon of Praise
The 10th annual Afternoon of Praise (AOP) concert returns Aug. 19-20 at 2:30 p.m. each day. AOP is a worship ministry that takes place annually at the historic Ritz Theater in Talladega. The music features musicians and singers from central Alabama, as well as Tennessee and Georgia. The event benefits the Red Door Kitchen, the Samaritan House and the Talladega County Drug Task Force, and is sponsored by Talladega First Methodist in partnership with the Talladega region and beyond. Tickets are $20. The venue is at 115 Court Square North. Follow on Facebook.
Homewood Library Block Party
Everyone is invited to attend the eighth annual block party hosted by the Homewood Library Foundation. Enjoy live music by The Kensingtons, all of whom reside on Kensington Road in Homewood. Audiences will hear alternative, classic rock and rock ‘n roll ranging from The White Stripes to the Rolling Stones. The block party will have a silent auction, food and a chance to compete for a ride on a Homewood fire truck. Children will enjoy book-themed carnival games, clowns, a climbing wall and a moon bounce. The event is rain or shine. Children ages 4 and younger are admitted free with an adult ticket purchase. Tickets are also available at the door.
Homewood’s biggest block party will feature live music by The Kensingtons Aug. 19. Bandmates Bob Blalock, Chris Horwedel, Ben Leach, Sam Gentle and Ethan White live in Homewood on Kensington Road. (contributed)
Homewood’s biggest block party is Aug. 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (contributed)
Birmingham Barons baseball
The Birmingham Barons will face the Chattanooga Lookouts at Regions Field through Sunday, Aug. 20. Follow this link for the complete schedule, updates, promotions, giveaways and ticket information. Regions Field is a cashless facility.
Rocket City Blues and BBQ Festival
Celebrate the perfect blend of tasty Southern barbecue and live blues music at this outdoor festival highlighting Huntsville artists, vendors and businesses. The festival takes place at the Orion Amphitheater Saturday, Aug. 19, at 1 p.m. Tickets are on sale at theorionhuntsville.com.
Rocket City Blues and BBQ Festival is Aug. 19 at the Orion Amphitheater. (Josh Weichman)
