Can’t Miss Alabama: Autumn’s arrival brings a bounty of community festivals
Alabamians will celebrate Fiesta at Birmingham’s Linn Park Sept. 28. (Fiesta Bham)
Fiesta Bham
Alabama’s largest Hispanic heritage festival, Fiesta, takes place at Birmingham’s Linn Park Saturday, Sept. 28. Enjoy a range of activities, from live music and storytelling to wrestling exhibitions. Performing and visual arts, cultural education, soccer, children’s activities, authentic Latin food, and community and health-related resources are all part of the event.
Fiesta’s Villages include:
- Cultural Village: Represents art and culture from more than 20 Caribbean, Latin American and European countries.
- Food Village: Taste the diversity of Latin and Hispanic cuisine.
- Health and Wellness Village: Explore health organizations serving Alabama.
- Community Village: Browse nonprofit organizations serving the community.
- Sponsor Village: Highlights for-profit business supporting Fiesta and the community.
- Stage: Spotlights local and international Latin artists.
To buy a ticket, click here. Children ages 12 and younger are admitted free. Donations to the Fiesta scholarship fund are encouraged. Alabama Power is among the festival’s supporting sponsors.
Fiesta at Birmingham’s Linn Park celebrates Hispanic art, music, food and dance. (Fiesta Bham)
Fiesta at Birmingham’s Linn Park celebrates Hispanic art, music, food and dance. (Fiesta Bham)
Rhythms of Color Art Festival and Student Competition
Blues Hall of Famer Aretta Woodruff will host the 18th annual Mr. Painterman Rhythms of Color Art Festival in Birmingham Saturday, Sept. 28, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The festival will feature live entertainment, student art competition, wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, original art, pottery, jewelry, apparel, accessories, purses, eyewear, soap, perfume and books.
Guest artists include:
- Brian Dagreat, Atlanta.
- Delores Gee, Dallas.
- Clarity Level, Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Toni North, New Orleans.
Admission is $20 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information, call 205-617-9164 or email Java Lewis at javalewis19540@gmail.com. The venue is the Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham.
The 18th annual Rhythms of Color Art Festival and Student Competition will take place at Birmingham’s Harbert Center Sept. 28. (contributed)
Renew Our Rivers cleanups
Renew Our Rivers (ROR) is a national award-winning campaign originated by Alabama Power in 2000. Since its start, more than 131,000 volunteers have removed more than 8,300 tons of trash and debris from rivers, lakes and creeks across four Southeastern states.
September cleanups:
- Sept. 26-28: Neely Henry Lake (Coosa River). Contact Lisa Dover at 256-549-0900.
- Sept. 28: Village Creek. Contact Marilyn Roberts at marilynvilcreek@bellsouth.net.
Cleanup supplies will be provided. For the complete ROR schedule, visit apcshorelines.com.
Homestead Hollow Arts and Crafts Festival
Springville is known for good food and entertainment at its annual arts and crafts festivals Sept. 27-29 and Nov. 8-10. Festivalgoers will enjoy demonstrations of wood carving, blacksmithing, wood stove cooking, quilting and whiskey making. Feast on barbecue, funnel cakes, fried pies, ice cream, beans, greens, footlong corn dogs and other items at the food court. Live music and children’s activities are included. For complete festival activities, visit homesteadhollow.com.
Springville is known for good food and entertainment at its annual fall arts and crafts festival. (contributed)
Winfield’s Mule Day
Winfield’s Mule Day is celebrating its 50th anniversary Sept. 27-28. Mule Day offers mule judging, flea market vendors, arts and crafts vendors, fireworks, live music and dance, food vendors, 5k run, parade, car show, antique tractors and a disc golf tournament. For more information, follow along on Facebook.
‘Ballet and the Beasts’
The Montgomery Ballet presents “Ballet and the Beasts” Friday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. under the stars at the Montgomery Zoo. It’s an enchanting evening of dance and music for families and dance lovers.
Performances include:
- Carnival of the Animals: Performed by Montgomery Ballet and the School of Montgomery Ballet, this whimsical piece features a poem by Ogden Nash set to music by Camille Saint-Saëns, with choreography by Danny Mitsios. The performance promises to captivate audiences of all ages with its portrayal of various animals.
- Animated Frescoes: From “The Little Humpbacked Horse,” this historic piece, choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon with music by Cesare Pugni, was first presented by the Imperial Ballet in 1864. As the first ballet based on a Russian story, it marks an important milestone in the history of Russian ballet.
- Paquita Pas de Trois: An elegant excerpt from the ballet “Paquita,” originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier with music by Édouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus, showcasing the technical prowess and artistry of Montgomery Ballet’s dancers.
Admission is free. The Montgomery Zoo is at 2301 Coliseum Parkway.
Ballet and the Beasts brings the community together under the stars at the Montgomery Zoo for a celebration of the arts Sept. 27. (Montgomery Ballet)
National Drive Electric Week
Join EV owners to showcase your electric vehicle. Come ready to share driving experiences, maintenance costs and more with potential owners.
- Birmingham National Drive Electric Week EVent, The Market at Pepper Place, 8 a.m. to noon. Register here.
- North Alabama (Huntsville) National Drive Electric Week EVent, MidCity District, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Huntsville. Register here.
- Bay Area National Drive Electric Week EVent, Tropic Falls at OWA, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Foley. Register here.
Admission to the electric events is free.
Maxwell in concert with Jazmine Sullivan
Maxwell has managed to transfix music lovers for more than two decades, releasing five studio albums, all anointed as classics. The singer redefined soul music in 1996 with his critically acclaimed debut on Columbia, “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.” His last album, “BLACKsummers’night,” the second installment of a musical trilogy, earned Maxwell his third Grammy, best R&B song for “Lake by the Ocean,” an NAACP Image Award for outstanding male artist and a Soul Train Award for best R&B/soul male artist. Maxwell: The Serenade Tour is at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Saturday, Sept. 28.
