Birmingham Events Calendar: August 26th - September 2nd

Just in case you aren’t busy enough with back to school and starting your after school activities, we’re going to give you a few more options of things to do around town this week!

Check out the Alabama State Fair going on all week out at the Oak Mountain Amphitheater, and Dora and Diego will be hanging out at the McWane Science Center next weekend for the wrap up of that great exhibit we’ve had over the summer.

Make plans to join us this Thursday at Swaddle in Homewood for Brookwood Medical Center’s What to Expect Event. This will be great for Moms-To-Be!

Story times at the local libraries will be back after Labor Day and we can’t wait to add those back onto our calendar!

Have a great week and make sure to keep on eye on the weather. Some events may be cancelled based on the storm, watch our Facebook page for up to date info.

It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!

Sunday August 26th

Sidewalk Film Festival – Downtown Birmingham
The 14th annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, a celebration of new independent cinema in downtown Birmingham, is set to take place August 24-26, 2012. Since its debut in 1999, filmmakers from across the country and around the world have come to Birmingham to screen their work at Sidewalk and have been thrilled to discover fresh, enthusiastic crowds eager to devour new independent cinema.

With nine venues located within Birmingham’s historic Theatre District (featuring the newly restored Alabama Theatre, a 2,200 seat movie palace built by Paramount in 1927), spontaneity rules the schedule of Sidewalk attendees. Low-priced weekend passes provide easy access to Sidewalk venues, encouraging attendees to seek out new films and sample programming they may not otherwise see. The result is a crowd rich in diversity and united in a hunger for new film.
Ticket Prices Range from $10 to $275 Many Festival Events are FREE!

For more information on the films and venues, visit the Sidewalk Film Festival Website.

Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic –
Build and Grow Clinics are free to the public. Our DreamWorks Summer is coming to an end this week. Don’t miss the fun! You child will love this cool Onion Carriage featuring Shrek and Fiona!
2:00pm Register Here

UniverSoul Circus – Legion Field Stadium
An all-new show that delivers irresistible fun for the entire family!

Laugh, dance in the aisles, and be amazed by world-class acts from around the globe, including Chinese aerialists, pretzel twisting contortionist, pampered pooches, tigers that will have you roaring, and more!

$19.50 Ticket + $6.65 Fees = $26.15
$25.00 Ticket + $7.15 Fees = $32.15
$28.50 Ticket + $7.15 Fees = $35.65

Children 12 months and older MUST have a ticket. Children 11 months and younger are FREE but MUST sit on Adult’s Lap. No outside toys, strollers or car seats.
2:30pm & 5:30pm

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

Alabama State Fair – Oak Mountain Amphitheater
Come ride the rides, eat your favorite fair food, and see some fantastic shows. Vegas style thrill shows; Kids, bottle feed baby farm animals; Be part of the action with our interactive roaming circus; Exotic petting zoo; And monkeys riding dogs.
Admission Info:
Adult: $9.00
Kids ages 5-12: $6.00
Kids 4 & Under Free

Wristbands for Rides: $20.00 Ride all day. Cannot be purchased in advance or at the gates. Wristbands purchased at wristband booths on the grounds. Everyday is a Wristband Day at the Alabama State Fair.
Noon – 11pm

——-——————————————————————————

Monday August 27th:

Railroad Park’s Get Healthy Zumba
Zumba at Railroad Park, is a Latin inspired dance fitness class. It blends easy Latin dance moves with aerobic steps. The class is fun, energizing, and easy to follow.

GET HEALTHY participants will receive top-level instruction in popular workout regimens at no cost. To participate in classes, visitors simply sign in with the instructor of that day’s workout. Different GET HEALTHY classes will take place in various locations throughout Railroad Park Monday through Friday at 6pm.

Note: Get Healthy on the Railroad classes sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. Class instructors are subject to change based on availability; please check our Calendar of Events and Facebook site for timely updates.
6pm

—————————————————————————————

Tuesday August 28th:

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.

—————————————————————————————

Wednesday August 29th:

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us for Storytime as we read It’s Raining, It’s Pouring. Find out what happens when it rains and the kids decide to play inside. We will make a craft and have something cool 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

—————————————————————————————

Thursday August 30th:

What to Expect When Baby Comes Home – Swaddle Boutique in Homewood
Expecting? Know someone who is? Join us for the next “What to Expect” event by Brookwood Medical Center. We’ll have a group of Moms, a “baby whisperer” and Ob/Gyn on hand to answer your questions. Make sure to Register Here
6pm

—————————————————————————————

Friday August 31st:

—-———————————————————————————

Saturday September 1st:

Meet Dora and Diego at the McWane Science Center
Spend the day with Dora and Diego! Meet and greet the beloved Nickelodeon stars, then have a blast as you take on the many adventures of the Dora & Diego: Let’s Explore exhibit. This will be your last chance to see the exhibit at McWane so you won’t want to miss it. And don’t forget your camera—it is sure to be a day to remember.

Included in cost of admission to the museum, FREE for members
11:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 3 PM

Nature Crafts – Oak Mountain State Park
Let’s get creative and do some crafts. Let’s try to use some natural materials from the Earth around us. Meet at 10a.m. at the Oak Mountain State Park Campground Pavilion (B-side). Small donation requested to cover craft materials.
Admission Info:
$1 – $3 park admission

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Stop by in September to create a diorama (3-D scene) inspired by the Intimate Interiors exhibit!

Home Depot Kids Workshop
Goal Post Football Game
FREE hands-on workshop designed for children ages 5 – 12
9am – Noon

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

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 Dewey, There’s a Cat in the Library! We will find out what happens when a kitten is found in the book drop slot of the library. We will make a craft and have a treat from the Cafe.
11am

—————————————————————————————

Sunday September 2nd:

Included in cost of admission to the museum, FREE for members
1:00 PM and 3 PM

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Stop by in September to create a diorama (3-D scene) inspired by the Intimate Interiors exhibit!

—————————————————————————————

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: Rescue and The Last Reef

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.