More beautiful weather, more decisions to make on how you’re going to spend those days! It’s going to be a fun week at the McWane Science Center with Dinosaur Day and Weatherfest happening this week.
Railroad Park and Ruffner Mountain Nature Center will both be offering free movies and you can check out Cocktails in the Gardens if you can sneak a night out without the kids!
If you’re looking for Pumpkin Patches or more fall activities, make sure to check out our list of Fall Happenings.
It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!
Sunday October 9th:
Vulcan Aftertunes – Vulcan Park
enjoy cool tunes, fresh brews and sweet views on Sunday afternoons with your favorite cast iron statue, Vulcan. Chill out in Birmingham’s backyard and end your week with some of the area’s best music while witnessing spectacular views of Birmingham’s city skyline.
3pm
Break ‘n Bread – Railroad Park
Food and wine festival, will feature tastings from a number of premier Birmingham-based restaurants, including Hot n’ Hot Fish Club, Daniel George, Little Savannah, Silvertron, Nabeel’s, Ted’s, Cafe de Paris, Cantina, 26, Sol y Luna and Ocean to name a few. Additionally, a dedicated children’s area will be set up and will feature entertainment and a petting corner from the Birmingham Zoo, as well as pumpkin decorating, face painting with the clowns from the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, a Desert Island Supply Company writing workshop and a cooking demonstration just for kids by Campus Dining, Inc’s Chris Vizzina. American Idol winner and co-owner of ORE Bar & Grill Taylor Hicks is also confirmed as the headliner for the event, as well as Memphis-based singer/songwriter Eliot Morris.
Tickets are $35 for regular, $75 for VIP and children under 12 years old get in free. Tickets are available for purchase at www.birminghamoriginals.org
1:00pm – 5:00pm
Hot Strings, Birmingham’s Blazin’ Bluegrass Festival – The Preserve
Family friendly festival which features some of the best names in Bluegrass. Artists, great food, and a kid’s area.
12pm – 8pm
Boo at the Zoo –
Put on your favorite family-friendly costume and have a ghoulish time as you experience haunted attractions and make your way through safe candy villages organized by local non-profit organizations and child-centered business. Go round and round on the Scarousel*, attend Ghoul School at Grandma’s Back Porch, ride The Eerie Express*, cut a rug at the “Monster-Mash” Dance Party, monkey-around at the Planet of the Apes Experience*, attend a Wildlife Show and much, much more!
5pm – 9pm
Admission: $8 (Members & Non-Members), tax included
Barts Art Cart – Sculpture
October is Bart’s favorite month! Come out to create your own Bart the Art Bat Sculpture.
Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to explore great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child. Stop by and make art with Bart!
11am
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Monday October 10th:
Dinosaur Day – McWane Science Center
A prehistoric party all day! Join us for dino-mite programs in the museum designed for all ages programs range from fossil making to learning about rare finds in McWane Science Center’s natural history collection.
Guests who dress up in dinosaur clothes will get a surprise!
Included in cost of admission, FREE for members
Visit their site for a schedule of special events happening throughout the day
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Tuesday October 11th:
Family Night – Emmett O’Neal Library
The Reluctant Dragon – David Stephens’ All Hands Productions brings you a puppet special, “The Reluctant Dragon,” Dinner at 5:30, show at 6:00. All ages. No registration required.
Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Join us for the fun of it! All ages welcome. For larger groups, a call is nice but not necessary.
10:30am
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Wednesday October 12th:
After School Special – Emmet O’Neal Library
“JACK AND THE BEANSTALK”
David Stephens’ All Hands Productions brings you a puppet presentation of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” 3:30. Ages 3 and up. No registration required.
Wonderful Wednesday Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Lets hunt for a big, beautiful pumpkin with everyone’s favorite friends, Duck and Goose. Hear as they search through the leaves, in a log and even under water for the perfect pumpkin. Sip on a treat from Cafe and draw us your best pumpkin too.
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 October 13th:
Cocktails in the Garden – Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Live local music, delicious hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails at Birmingham’s most scenic happy hour. Bands, menus and ticket info will be announced in the summer, so stay tuned!
http://www.bbgardens.org/cocktails.php
Sunset Cinemas – Railroad Park
Back to the Future– 7pm
George’s Boxcar Cafe and Jim ‘N Nick’s Barbecue will be selling food and drink during the movies! George’s Boxcar Cafe will have all of your movie favorites, including popcorn, nachos, and candy; PLUS they will be serving cocktails! Jim ‘N Nick’s will be grilling their famous barbecue and will have other delectable Southern treats, including their famous cheese biscuits!
What to bring: a blanket or lawn chair and cash or credit card to so that you can purchase delicious food and beverages from George’s Boxcar Cafe and Jim N Nick’s!
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Friday October 14th:
Boo at the Zoo –
Put on your favorite family-friendly costume and have a ghoulish time as you experience haunted attractions and make your way through safe candy villages organized by local non-profit organizations and child-centered business. Go round and round on the Scarousel*, attend Ghoul School at Grandma’s Back Porch, ride The Eerie Express*, cut a rug at the “Monster-Mash” Dance Party, monkey-around at the Planet of the Apes Experience*, attend a Wildlife Show and much, much more!
5pm – 9pm
Admission: $8 (Members & Non-Members), tax included
Barts Art Cart – Sculpture
October is Bart’s favorite month! Come out to create your own Bart the Art Bat Sculpture.
Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to explore great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child. Stop by and make art with Bart!
1pm
Story Day with Nene – Whole Foods
stories, songs, and snacks as Mrs. Renee Schmidt leads the fun.
10am
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Saturday October 15th:
Weatherfest – McWane Science Center
FREE activities on plaza, $5 OFF Museum admission all day
Join the National Weather Association for the first ever WeatherFest at McWane Science Center from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Weather enthusiasts of all ages are invited for a rare chance to meet meteorologists from all over the country. Learn about the science of meteorology and meet weather personalities from The Weather Channel, FOX6, ABC 33/40, NBC 13, CBS 42 and many others. Check out weather equipment on the plaza including a Doppler on Wheels, a mobile wind profiler and more. You’ll also have an opportunity to get your NOAA radio programmed. Outdoor activities will be free and open to the public.
Visitors receive $5 off museum admission on October 15.
Tornado Alley will also be showing in McWane’s IMAX® Dome Theater – the largest movie screen in Birmingham.
For more information, visit www.mcwane.org. To learn more about the National Weather Association Annual Meeting in Birmingham, go to www.NWA2011.com.
Mt Laurel Harvest Festival
Farmer’s Market & Craft Fair, Inflatables, Hay Rides, Music, Face Painting, Festival Concessions, Doggie Dress-up
10am – 3pm
Boo at the Zoo –
Put on your favorite family-friendly costume and have a ghoulish time as you experience haunted attractions and make your way through safe candy villages organized by local non-profit organizations and child-centered business. Go round and round on the Scarousel*, attend Ghoul School at Grandma’s Back Porch, ride The Eerie Express*, cut a rug at the “Monster-Mash” Dance Party, monkey-around at the Planet of the Apes Experience*, attend a Wildlife Show and much, much more!
5pm – 9pm
Admission: $8 (Members & Non-Members), tax included
Barts Art Cart – Sculpture
October is Bart’s favorite month! Come out to create your own Bart the Art Bat Sculpture.
Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to explore great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child. Stop by and make art with Bart!
11am
Saturday Market – Pepper Place
7am – Noon
Saturday Storytime– Barnes and Noble Summit
Our favorite trouble making dog is back in Trick or Treat, Marley. Find out how Marley helps his family throw a big Halloween party and what a mess he makes while doing it. Play in our Toys & Games and color your favorite picture.
11am
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Sunday October 16th:
Boo at the Zoo –
Put on your favorite family-friendly costume and have a ghoulish time as you experience haunted attractions and make your way through safe candy villages organized by local non-profit organizations and child-centered business. Go round and round on the Scarousel*, attend Ghoul School at Grandma’s Back Porch, ride The Eerie Express*, cut a rug at the “Monster-Mash” Dance Party, monkey-around at the Planet of the Apes Experience*, attend a Wildlife Show and much, much more!
5pm – 9pm
Admission: $8 (Members & Non-Members), tax included
Barts Art Cart – Sculpture
October is Bart’s favorite month! Come out to create your own Bart the Art Bat Sculpture.
Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to explore great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child. Stop by and make art with Bart!
11am
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Local Attractions Open Daily!
McWane Science Center:
Eat Well, Play Well Exhibit:
What is in the food we eat? Are fruits and vegetables important? Can everyday activities burn calories? Visitors will find the answers to these questions by exploring nutrition and fitness in this summer’s traveling exhibit called Eat Well, Play Well. This highly-interactive exhibit encourage healthy living by teaching the science of making healthy-food choices and helping children and adults discover that there are many fun and interesting ways to stay active. Visitors will discover what an appropriate serving size looks like, see first hand what it takes to burn off calories, test their flexibility and balance, review the latest clinical research and realize that they can reduce their risk of disease with healthy choices that are within their reach.
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: Tornado Ally, Born to Be Wild, and Wild Ocean.
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.
