Birmingham Events Calendar: August 12th - 19th

Well, we’ve got about 1 more week left of summer vacation for most families. Lots of meet the teachers and back to school shopping going on, but how will you spend your last week of summer fun?

Libraries are taking a break on storytimes but we still came up with several things to keep you busy this week, we’ve even thrown in a couple of things that would be great ideas for a date night or a night out with your best Mommy friends.

Have a great week!

Sunday August 12th

CDF – Community Fest
Get out of the heat and join us in our Community Arts Center for CDF Community Fest! – a free event with creative activities and performances for the entire family to enjoy, including an interactive drum circle led by John Scalici, kids’ craft zone, face-painting, outdoor moonwalk, dancing and dance performances, food and drinks and a silent auction full of family fun.
2pm – 5pm

Saturday Studio: Design a Miniature Museum – Birmingham Museum of Art
What would your dream museum look like? Would it be modern or more traditional? What art would you put in it and where? Imagine and build your own miniature museum in a box. During the first day, we will brainstorm ideas and design the look of your museum. You will create miniature art for your museum, add final touches on the second day and install it in your very own miniature museum. Ages 7-11.
1pm – 3pm

Bart’s Art Cart, Warhol Inspired Sports Car – Birmingham Museum of Art
Stop by in August to design your own sports car inspired by Andy Warhol and the Warhol and Cars: American Icons exhibit!

Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to explore great art and create some of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month will highlight a different gallery and feature a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child. Stop by and make art with Bart!
1pm

$5 Fun Day at the Birmingham Zoo
Guests will enjoy $5 admission!
Have you ever seen a tiger tear open a piñata? Or a sea lion solve a water jug feeder puzzle? AZA-accredited zoos use exciting enrichment activities like these to provide a stimulating and challenging environment for the animals and help keep them mentally and physically fit. Guests can see animals in action while learning how the Zoo uses enrichment programs to encourage the animals to exhibit natural behaviors they display in the wild. Enjoy enrichment demonstrations, keeper talks, activities for kids and much more throughout the event. You won’t want to miss the Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter, Sea Lion Splash Show and Wildlife Show, as well as exciting activities such as the Boma Encounter and Predator Zone. Come feed the giraffes and lorikeets, watch keepers feed the alligator and pelicans, and much more. Come enjoy all the Zoo has to offer until 7pm each day.
Make sure to also take advantage of $1 hotdogs at the Safari Café and Kudzoo Café!
For a detailed $5 Fun Days schedule, please visit www.birminghamzoo.com

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Monday August 13th:

Holy Inappropriateness! We couldn’t find any special events happening in the ‘Ham today. Make sure to check our list below for fun exhibits happening daily at our local attractions.

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Tuesday August 14th:

Holy Inappropriateness! We couldn’t find any special events happening in the ‘Ham today. Make sure to check our list below for fun exhibits happening daily at our local attractions.

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Wednesday August 15th:

Birmingham Restaurant Week Kickoff Party – Vulcan Park and Museum
The third annual Birmingham Restaurant Week (BRW) presented by Regions Bank will celebrate its launch at the BRW 2012 Preview Party sponsored by Alagasco and the City of Birmingham. Chefs from more than 10 participating restaurants will serve samples of their most popular menu items at the event, which will benefit Vulcan Park and Museum/Vulcan…
Individual – $25 in advance/$30 at the door
Couple – $35 in advance/$40 at the door
5:30pm – 8:30pm

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us for Storytime as we read Baby Bear Sees Blue. We will see what a baby bear will find when he goes outside. We will make a craft and have a treat from the Cafe.
11am

Family Story Time with Mr Mac – North Shelby Library
Storyteller Extraordinaire – Come join Mr Mac and his musical storytime complete with puppets! All Ages, no registration required.
10:45am

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Thursday August 16th:

Back to School Bash – Adamsville Library
Come join us at the library as we help get ready for back to school with our “Back to School Bash”
We will have games, prizes, and light refreshments. Win school supplies and more.
2pm – 4pm

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Friday August 17th:

Outer Space – Kliutz Style – Barnes and Noble Summit
Parents and children ages 4 and up are invited to the Klutz Explore the Galaxy Hands-On Learning event. Kids will have fun designing and coloring stickers for decorating the night sky and space-themed scenes.
10:30am

Art of the Rocks – Birmingham Museum of Art
Join us this summer as we continue the popular summer series of Art on The Rocks. This summer it’s all about Warhol. Participate in gallery led tours, art activities, scavenger hunts, and listen to music in the Garden.

Members of the Junior Patrons are invited to enjoy an exclusive VIP tent in the middle of all of the action at Art on The Rocks! JP members get prime seating near the band on the upper plaza, complimentary food, and two complimentary drinks inside the tent. If non-members join the Junior Patrons beginning on June 1st, they will receive complimentary ticket(s) to Art on The Rocks and admission into the VIP tent!
$10 for members and $20 for non-members.
5pm – 10pm

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Saturday August 18th:

Stokin’ The Fire BBQ Competition – Sloss Furnace
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark will host the 8th annual Stokin’ the Fire BBQ Festival at the historic Sloss Furnaces. At the cornerstone of the event is a world class BBQ competition. The competition will consist of all amateur teams, allowing for over 80 local BBQ teams to compete for the braggin’ rights to the best Q in Birmingham. Grill masters compete in two divisions: backyard grillers (graded by Volunteer & KCBS judges), and the People’s Choice competition (judged by the bellies of the public). In addition to the BBQ battles, the festival includes art demonstrations by Sloss Furnaces metal arts staff, popular musicians, Cajun dancing demonstrations, barbecue sampling and a kid’s zone.
11am – 8pm

Things that Go Bump in the Night – Oak Mountain State Park
Have you ever wondered about what the animals do after we go to sleep? Here’s your chance to find out. Come take a look & listen to what the animals are doing at night. You can learn what type of animal it is by the color of its eyes or by the sounds it makes. The animal world comes alive at night. Hike to find some of these guys. Meet at 7:30p.m. at the Campground Pavilion (B-side). Bring a flashlight for the hike. Free after admission to Oak Mountain State Park.
7:30pm

Bart’s Books – Birmingham Museum of Art
Bart selects one book each month about art that he thinks 4–7 year olds will enjoy. This month’s selection is Uncle Andy’s: A Faabbuulous Visit with Andy Warhol by James Warhola.
11am

Free Kids Yoga Classes – Villager Yoga
Come check out our kids classes as we prepare to start our Fall yoga series. Free classes for kids ages 3-5, 5-8, 9-12 and teens, plus a free Family Yoga class.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM (Familty Yoga 2yrs+)

Back to School Saturday Bash – Shops of Grand River
Join The Outlet Shops of Grand River and TEEN VOGUE for the biggest Back to School event in Alabama!

Valleydale Art Festival – Faith Presbyterian Church
Join us for the first annual Valleydale Art Festival, hosted by Valleydale Farmers’ Market. View and purchase works by local artists and craftsmen, participate in the silent auction benefiting Faith Presbyterian Church’s Adoption Fund, and vote for your favorite for the People’s Choice Award! Artists and craftsmen will receive cash and gift prizes!
8am – 4pm

Cars by the Creek – Orr Park, Montevallo
Bring the family and enjoy food, music and more. Prizes awarded for top 20 cars and top 10 trucks.

Free admission
Car Registration 8am-11am
Presentations at 2pm

Saturday Market – Pepper Place
Re-open again for the season! Pepper Place Saturday Market brings the best local growers, food producers and artisans to you each Saturday morning. Rain or shine!
7am – Noon

Yard Sale and Market –
Yard Sale, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Baked Goods, Local Arts and Fun Children’s Activities. For more information please contact the Norwood Resource Center at 205.322.7361.
Norwood Community @ 15th Avenue and 32nd Street North on Norwood Community Blvd.
10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Family Storytime – Emmet O’Neal Library
Bring the entire family and join Mr. Mac for stories and music each Saturday morning.
10:30 a.m.

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us for Storytime as we read Dragons Love Tacos. Find out what happens when you give dragons tacos and why it’s not a good idea to give them anything spicy. We will make something fun and have a delicious treat from the Cafe.
11am

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Sunday August 19th:

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

IMAX
McWane Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater puts you in the center of the action by projecting breathtaking quality images onto the 5-story-tall dome screen and delivering intense surround sound through almost 3 tons of speakers and subwoofers.
Now Showing: Born to Be Wild, & Flying Monsters.

The Tornadoes of April 27th – Looking Back — Moving Forward, a new exhibit at McWane Science Center, reflects on the experiences of the April 27th, 2011 storms. The exhibit shares personal stories from those who experienced the devastation of the storms firsthand, while emphasizing the importance of tornado preparedness and explaining the science behind tornadoes.

Photos and stories from The Birmingham News help tell the story of the storms and the affect they had on survivors, volunteers, and the community as a whole. Students from Daniel Payne Middle School also help tell the story of their school and community through photos and artifacts from the storm for the exhibit. UAB students worked with the children from Daniel Payne Middle School to create short documentaries that can be seen in the exhibit as well.

In addition to sharing the personal stories from that day, the goal of this exhibit is to inform the community about how to prepare for extreme weather conditions, explaining the science of tornadoes and stressing awareness.

With vivid displays, the exhibit allows visitors the opportunity to learn about the scientific side of tornadoes. Graphics within the exhibit illustrate tornado formation and anatomy, educating visitors on how such extreme weather conditions develop. Additionally, the exhibit displays statistics and disputes common myths concerning the destructive storms.

Guests can watch live video from the storms that rolled across our state on April 27th, 2011, including the
weather forecasts from that day and actual images of the tornado as it made its way through our area provided by FOX6 WBRC. The exhibit is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum this summer.

Be Ready Alabama Exhibit Presented by:
The Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
www.readyalabama.org

Dora and Diego, Let’s Explore Exhibit
Get ready for adventure with Dora and Diego at McWane Science Center in the new exhibit Dora & Diego—Let’s Explore! The exhibit features beloved characters Dora and Diego from Nickelodeon’s hit preschool series Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!, along with their friends Boots, Map, Backpack, Isa, Tico, and of course Swiper, now in their own exhibit for children to explore as they learn and play along.

This new, interactive traveling exhibit, was created by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in partnership with Nickelodeon, and presented by the WellPoint Foundation.

Birmingham Zoo:

Lorikeet Aviary – Our Lorikeet Aviary has more birds than ever! Zoo guests can feed these exotic birds every day. You and your family will see these birds’ behavior as they eat nectar out of your hand.
Weekends 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

PELICAN FEEDING – A great way to see our pelicans in action is to witness them eating their favorite treats near the pelican boardwalk.

RHINO ENCOUNTER – Embark on an African adventure and experience one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, the Southern White Rhino. Watch from only feet away as our zookeepers engage in hands-on interaction with the animals inside their African-themed exhibit. Don’t miss this exciting encounter with one of the largest mammals on the planet!
Weekdays: 3pm – 3:30pm
Weekends: 11:30am – Noon & 3pm – 3:30 pm

GIRAFFE FEEDING – This up close and personal animal encounter is a memory you and your family will have for a lifetime.
Weekday: 11am – Noon
Weekends: 10am – 11am & 2pm – 3pm

Vulcan Park and Museum:

Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue; made of 100,000 pounds of iron and 56 feet tall, he stands at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city of Birmingham. But, Vulcan is more than a statue. Vulcan Park and Museum features spectacular views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham’s story, and a beautiful public park for visitors and locals to enjoy. With an official information center that is operated by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Vulcan Park and Museum serves as the first stop for visitors to the Birmingham area!

Railroad Park:

Railroad Park is a 19 acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as “Birmingham’s Living Room,” Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.

Southern Museum of Flight:

Earn Your Wings – Bring your little pilot and soar above the clouds in our little pilots room. Kids enjoy building aircrafts, flying kites, and more.
Museum Open Tuesday – Thursday
9:30am – 4:30pm

Do you have or know of an event you would like to have added to our weekly calendar? Please email us at contact@birminghammommy.com, subject line “Events Calendar” – We would love to hear from you!

** All information listed on our calendar is subject to change without notice to us or you… We do our best to keep the information accurate and will always update as soon as we learn that something has changed. It’s always best to double check with the event via their website or a quick call, especially when weather can impact the event.