Whew! We sure hope you all are finding fun ways to stay cool!
It’s 4th of July Week and there are lots of celebrations happening around Birmingham that will be fun for the whole family!!
If you’re looking for ways to beat the heat, now would be a great time to check out the Dora and Diego exhibit at the McWane Science Center, Bart’s Artventure at the Birmingham Museum of Art or one of the great programs happening at your local Library.
Splash Adventure Waterpark will be hosting Kidzpalooza this weekend, if you have to be out, you might as well be in the water!
We hope you have a great week!
It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!
Sunday July 1st:
Mamma Mia Sing a Long – Alabama Theatre
The story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father told using hit songs by the popular ’70s group ABBA.
Tickets will be available at the door one hour before showtime.
2pm
Cost is $8.00
Bart’s Art Cart, Artistic Flags – Birmingham Museum of Art
Come by in July to show your patriotism by creating an artistic flag!
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
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Monday July 2nd:
Celebrate the 4th at the Birmingham Zoo
Come to the Zoo this Fourth of July to visit the Zoo’s animals! You won’t want to miss the birthday celebration for the Zoo’s three Red River Hogs on July 4th at 1:30pm. Star, Spangle and Banner are sisters who were born on July 4, 2006. Come learn interesting facts about Red River Hogs during an educational keeper chat and see Star, Spangle and Banner receive patriotic enrichment birthday gifts. Enjoy all the Zoo has to offer during the holiday, such as exploring the Zoo’s newest exhibit, Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter, cooling off in one of the Zoo’s water features, Foam Zone and experiencing an up-close and personal look at the Sea Lion Splash Show.
In honor of our nation’s birthday, all active and retired military (20+ years) and their dependents get free admission to the Zoo on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th with valid military identification.
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Tuesday July 3rd:
Skip Cain the Magic Guy – Emmet O’Neal Library
Magic for the whole family.
10:30 and 3:30.
Hoop There is Is – Avondale Library
Did you know that hula hoops make dreamy dance partners? Be a member of the hula hooping craze as you listen to some tunes and learn how to move and groove with your hoop. The library is a circle of fun when the hoops are here.
24-hour advance registration required.
6:30pm
Walkabout Puppets – Hoover Public Library
Mr Blister’s Toy Circus – Madame MooMoo, Steenko the Strongman and more incredible performing toys bring laughter to the big top in The Library Theatre.
10:30am, 1:30pm and 6:30pm
Summer Science Studio – McWane Science Center
Join us for a summer of fun and learning in the new Summer Science Studio for early childhood education programs. Junior League of Birmingham volunteers will be guiding activities for children ages two to six in the studio that are designed to help children learn while they play. The Studio will offer a fun, hands-on educational environment that inspires creativity and exploration. Little ones are sure to have a blast using their imaginations to paint, make music, dress up in costumes, and more.
10am – 1pm
Celebrate the 4th at the Birmingham Zoo
Come to the Zoo this Fourth of July to visit the Zoo’s animals! You won’t want to miss the birthday celebration for the Zoo’s three Red River Hogs on July 4th at 1:30pm. Star, Spangle and Banner are sisters who were born on July 4, 2006. Come learn interesting facts about Red River Hogs during an educational keeper chat and see Star, Spangle and Banner receive patriotic enrichment birthday gifts. Enjoy all the Zoo has to offer during the holiday, such as exploring the Zoo’s newest exhibit, Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter, cooling off in one of the Zoo’s water features, Foam Zone and experiencing an up-close and personal look at the Sea Lion Splash Show.
In honor of our nation’s birthday, all active and retired military (20+ years) and their dependents get free admission to the Zoo on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th with valid military identification.
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Wednesday July 4th:
Happy 4th of July!!
4th of July Flag Making and Parade – Oak Mountain State Park
Let’s celebrate our freedom and those that have given us the opportunity to have that freedom. Come make a flag or other patriotic craft, then parade through the campground showing off our flags. Meet at 10a.m. at the Oak Mountain State Park Campground Pavilion (B-side). Free after admission to Park, but donations accepted to cover cost of craft materials.
10am
Celebrate the 4th at the Birmingham Zoo
Come to the Zoo this Fourth of July to visit the Zoo’s animals! You won’t want to miss the birthday celebration for the Zoo’s three Red River Hogs on July 4th at 1:30pm. Star, Spangle and Banner are sisters who were born on July 4, 2006. Come learn interesting facts about Red River Hogs during an educational keeper chat and see Star, Spangle and Banner receive patriotic enrichment birthday gifts. Enjoy all the Zoo has to offer during the holiday, such as exploring the Zoo’s newest exhibit, Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter, cooling off in one of the Zoo’s water features, Foam Zone and experiencing an up-close and personal look at the Sea Lion Splash Show.
In honor of our nation’s birthday, all active and retired military (20+ years) and their dependents get free admission to the Zoo on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th with valid military identification.
Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us for Storytime as we read The Fourth of July Mice. Find out how the mice celebrate the Fourth of July. We will make something fun and have a treat from our 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 July 5th:
Liberty Park Outreach with Juggler Todd Key
Todd Key is a one man club throwing, ball spinning, ladder balancing, torch manipulating, comedy EXTRAVAGANZAPALOOZA! This exciting program will be at Liberty Park Middle School and is open to all patrons, but especially those in the Liberty Park and Cahaba Heights areas.
10:30am
Todd Key: The Flying Debris Extravaganza Juggle Palooza! – Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest
Todd Key is a one man club: throwing, ball spinning, ladder balancing, torch manipulating, comedy extravaganapalooza!
This event will be held in the Vestavia Hills Rec Center Gymnasium. Parking will be available at the Rec Center with a shuttle bus to take you to the library after the event.
3pm
Popcorn and a Movie – Emmet O’Neal Library
A sheltered chameleon accidentally winds up in the gritty, gun-slinging town of Dirt, where the townspeople are in need of a courageous sheriff.
10:30am.
Summer Science Studio – McWane Science Center
Join us for a summer of fun and learning in the new Summer Science Studio for early childhood education programs. Junior League of Birmingham volunteers will be guiding activities for children ages two to six in the studio that are designed to help children learn while they play. The Studio will offer a fun, hands-on educational environment that inspires creativity and exploration. Little ones are sure to have a blast using their imaginations to paint, make music, dress up in costumes, and more.
10am – 1pm
Summer Song Sing a Long – Homewood Public Library
Join us for a special music driven story time with Homewood Library’s very own Chris.
10:30am
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Friday July 6th:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire– Alabama Theatre
Harry finds himself selected as an underaged competitor in a dangerous multi-wizardary school competition.
We’re showing all of the Harry Potter movies this summer! Enjoy Butter Beer and Bertie Botts Beans from the concession stand.
Doors open at 6, come dressed up and enter the costume contest for some fun prizes! Movie starts at 7pm
Tickets will be $8 at the door. Passes to all 8 movies will be available for $40 at the door.
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Saturday July 7th:
Kidzpalooza – Splash Adventure Waterpark
Join us for a Meet & Greet with DORA THE EXPLORER & DIEGO, Inflatable Slides, and More!
Adult General Admission Ticket: $25.99 (42″ and above)
Junior General Admission Ticket: $19.99 (anyone under 42″).
Children 3 and under are FREE
Senior General Admission Ticket: $19.99
10am – 8pm
Summer Science Studio – McWane Science Center
Join us for a summer of fun and learning in the new Summer Science Studio for early childhood education programs. Junior League of Birmingham volunteers will be guiding activities for children ages two to six in the studio that are designed to help children learn while they play. The Studio will offer a fun, hands-on educational environment that inspires creativity and exploration. Little ones are sure to have a blast using their imaginations to paint, make music, dress up in costumes, and more.
10am – 4pm
Bart’s Art Cart, Artistic Flags – Birmingham Museum of Art
Come by in July to show your patriotism by creating an artistic flag!
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!
11am
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 Red Knit Cap Girl. We will find out what happens when a little girl wants to talk to the moon. There will be something fun to make and we will have a delicious treat from the Cafe.
11am
Family Picnic for Adoptive Families – Orr Park
This is a free picnic for families thinking about or involved in foster care, adoption, or orphan care. Bring your own lunch and enjoy meeting other families and making new friends.
Orr park has a wading creek, shaded playground and beautiful walking trails.
We’ll have door prizes to give away and more information about adoption for anyone who is interested.
10am – 2pm
Wetlands – Oak Mountain State Park
What is a wetland? Are wetlands beneficial to us? What can be found in a wetland? Come learn about wetlands. They are interesting ecosystems. Meet at 10a.m. at the Campground Pavilion (B-side). Free after admission to Oak Mountain State Park.
10am
Saturday Movie at Noon – Gardendale Public Library
Fun for the WHOLE family! Family friendly movies, free popcorn, and fun at your library.
Noon
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Sunday July 8th:
Kidzpalooza – Splash Adventure Waterpark
Join us for a Meet & Greet with DORA THE EXPLORER & DIEGO, Inflatable Slides, and More!
Adult General Admission Ticket: $25.99 (42″ and above)
Junior General Admission Ticket: $19.99 (anyone under 42″).
Children 3 and under are FREE
Senior General Admission Ticket: $19.99
11:30am -8pm
Bart’s Art Cart, Artistic Flags – Birmingham Museum of Art
Come by in July to show your patriotism by creating an artistic flag!
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
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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.
