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Reshaping Woodlawn
Birmingham’s bounce back from tragic to magic: How did we get here, and what challenges lie ahead? 6
Former state Superintendent Tommy Bice brings ambitions to Goodrich Foundation. 26
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6 BOOMTOWN ONCE AGAIN: Birmingham's bounce back from 'tragic' to 'magic' and why you should care.
BUSINESS
HAPPENINGS
RESHAPING WOODLAWN: Former Alabama Superintendent Tommy Bice sets innovative sights on schools in need. 26
BREATH OF FRESH AIR: Developers: $16.5 million Waites Building project can link downtown, Lakeview. 10
B’HAM BIZARRE
STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE: Breweries now able to sell growlers, crowlers, six-packs on-site. 11
BRINGING BACK THE BIG TOP: The Happening offers enough creative chaos for both artists and the straightlaced alike. 28
SIPS & BITES
NECK OF THE WOODS ROCK MEETS MARKET: Punk Rock Flea Market lures creatives looking for edgier side to city. 14 A NEW TWIST: Alabama native Anna Foshee takes helm at Sanspointe Dance Company. 17
DINING IN DIFFERENTLY: Highland Park chef combines his favorite passions in Alloy Thai. 12
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EXPERIENCE BIRMINGHAM: Woodlawn Street Market picking up steam with more art and craft vendors, hip-hop dance competition. 32
FACES
FANCYING A NEW MISS FANCY: Save the Queen campaign works toward new water feature at Avondale Park. 34
BEYOND A BOND: Musicians Sharrif Simmons and son Omari Jazz Addae share artistic aspirations. 22
DISCOVER
THEIR NEW HOME: Firehouse Shelter hopes new site will be beacon of care, hope for homeless. 24
JUNE’S BEST BETS: Your quick guide to metro Birmingham music, events scheduled this month. 35
Publisher: Managing Editor: Contributing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Director of Digital Media: Video Editor: Copy Editor:
Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Jesse Chambers Kristin Williams Frank Couch Heather VacLav Cherie Olivier Louisa Jeffries
Community Reporters: Erica Techo Tara Massouleh Contributing Writer: Sarah Cook Page Designers: Cameron Tipton Shweta Gamble
Published by: Starnes Publishing LLC
Contact Information: Iron City Ink PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@ starnespublishing.com
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Legals: Iron City Ink is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Information in Iron City Ink is gathered from sources considered reliable, but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Iron City Ink. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.
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omeone who I respect very much recently said if you are content with the first version of something, then you waited too long to start it. Well, while I can say we definitely waited too long to start Iron City Ink, I’m also extremely proud of this publication’s first issue. Those who know me well might ask, “ What are you content with, Dan?” And that’s a fair question. Its answer is, my family. But the word "content" can’t begin to describe the feelings there. I’m not sure there is a big enough word. Take a glance at the photo above and maybe you’ll understand. But back to the new baby, Iron City Ink. This publication has been on my mind for more than two years. I’ve been thinking of it since long before I knew its name. I’ve received valuable input from friends and family, and of course from our superstar team members who made it a reality. But the reality is also that the makeup of the publication will change once we start to receive input. That’s the way we want it. We
want to hear from you, and we want you to tell us what you think it should be. Iron City Ink is a community publication for Birmingham. We won’t have any stories about the suburbs, other cities, other countries or anything else that isn’t Birmingham. In a market that’s underserved with local coverage, there are many more stories to tell than we can tell you. So, the one thing we can say for certain that will remain unchanged about this publication is that it will be about and for this city. We want your help. If you are reading this, we know you care about Birmingham and you are interested in community journalism. This publication is a work in progress, and it’s here to serve and entertain you. So put in your two cents. I can be reached at dan@ starnespublishing.com. Thanks,
FIND US Pick up the latest issue of Iron City Ink at the following locations: ► What's on Second 2323 1st Ave. N. ► Charm 2329 2nd Ave. N. ► Mamanoes Grocery Shop 2301 2nd Ave. N. ► Jim Reed Books 2021 3rd Ave. N. ► Five Points Market 1904 11th Ave. S. ► Crestwood Coffee Co. 5512 Crestwood Blvd. ► Woodlawn Cycle Cafe 5530 1st Ave. S. ► Birmingham Public Library Central Branch 2100 Park Place ► And more to come! Want to join our distribution list or get Iron City Ink mailed to your home? Contact Matthew Allen at matthew@ starnespublishing.com.
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“
The strength of Birmingham is its backbone — residents who have cared for their homes, schools and neighbors for decades, preserving the city for those who are newly interested in joining in the continuous creation of community.
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MELODIE ECHOLS
Birmingham’s bounce back from tragic to magic: How did we get here, and where are we going?
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By JESSE CHAMBERS
irmingham picked up the moniker “The Magic City” when it was a young, fast-growing industrial boomtown in the late 19th century — a city on the make. It later picked up some less flattering nicknames, including “The Tragic City,” for its failure — during decades of relative social and economic stagnation — to live up to its early promise. But it seems that Birmingham, despite serious remaining challenges, has become something of a “Magic City” once again.
After decades of decline, the city’s population appears to have stabilized. Some of the city’s struggling neighborhoods, including Norwood, Avondale and Woodlawn, are showing signs of rebirth. Long haunted by a terrible image forged in the crucible of racial conflict in the 1960s, Birmingham has recently
earned some positive national press, in part for its now-celebrated food and brewery culture. And nowhere is the city’s renewed vigor more obvious than in its downtown core, which is rapidly being rebuilt. In fact, that busy area is now replete with powerful visual signifiers of Birmingham’s rebirth.
On 14th Street South rises the elegant façade of Regions Field, home of minorleague baseball team the Birmingham Barons. The team made a real, but also heavily symbolic, return from the suburbs in 2013 and won a Southern League pennant in its new downtown home. Nearby, Railroad Park serves as a beautiful urban oasis, one that has been eagerly adopted by the city’s residents. On Third Avenue North, one finds the beautiful Lyric Theatre, a vaudeville palace recently restored after decades of persistent, grassroots efforts, mirroring the restoration of the city that surrounds it. There are dozens of other projects, too, both renovations and new construction — hotels, restaurants, apartment buildings, even a Publix supermarket. “You go from one construction site to another … and I love it,” said Michael Calvert, who served for 28 years as the head of Operation New Birmingham. All of this energy is almost intoxicating, and it made us at Starnes Publishing want to create Iron City Ink. After all, we want
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Above: Construction is underway in Lakeview on 29th Street. Photo by Frank Couch.
University of Alabama at Birmingham President Ray Watts talks with students on move-in day. Photo courtesy of UAB.
to be where the action is. We want to contribute to the city’s growth by telling the stories and sharing the voices of Birmingham residents of all ages, colors and types as they recreate the Magic City — not only downtown but also the neighborhoods — for the 21st century. We also want to explore — both today and in future issues — some of the deeper trends or factors driving Birmingham’s revival, examine the city’s serious problems and challenges and try to learn more about the kind of future the people of this city can claim for themselves. One thing seems certain: After decades of disappointment, the people of Birmingham — especially young people — seem to be reaching back and recovering, at least to an extent, the positive, can-do spirit of that early boomtown. And like them, we are excited to begin the journey.
REASONS FOR A TURNAROUND
► UAB: One factor in Birmingham’s recent downtown growth was economic: the end of the Great Recession. “There was pent-up demand until about 2013, 2014, and projects started then are nearing completion,” Calvert said. But there are deeper reasons, and the area’s biggest employer, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is probably the biggest factor in the city’s turnaround.
“The contribution of UAB to Birmingham is hard to overstate,” Calvert said. “If you imagine Birmingham without UAB, we would be a much smaller, much more boring place.” UAB has an annual economic impact exceeding $5 billion, sees a million patients a year in its clinics and hospitals and attracts about $500 million a year in extramural grant funding, school officials say. “I think our growth and prosperity has helped shore up the economy of Birmingham and [Jefferson County], and I think we have grown into good mutual partners,” said UAB President and Birmingham Business Alliance Chairman Ray Watts, who said the school added economic development as its fifth mission pillar several years ago. The school is also reshaping downtown. When it became an independent campus in 1969, UAB covered a few blocks. Now, the school — dubbed “The University that Ate Birmingham” — covers about 100 blocks. UAB is expanding beyond its traditional northern and southern boundaries, helping spur development in the area near Regions Field, according to Watts. “UAB is meeting downtown in Parkside,” he said. ► Diversifying economy: Birmingham, once called “The Pittsburgh of the South,” has diversified its economy during the past 30 years, moving away from a reliance on
manufacturing toward medicine and finance, a move that has helped feed its current vitality. UAB has played a role in this, drawing students, teachers and researchers from around the world. It also partnered with the City of Birmingham’s Entrepreneurial Center in 2007 to create downtown’s Innovation Depot business incubator, which nurtures at any given time about 100 high-tech startups. Watts cites the incubator’s “incredible energy,” including the on-site UAB Innovation Lab, or iLab. “These young people want to come to Birmingham, and more of them now, instead of leaving after they get a great education, want to stay here and start companies or join companies,” he said. Birmingham is also leaving its mark on other industries. For example, Southern Research in Southside works in everything from cancer cures to metals research. The city has two high-end motorcycle manufacturers: Confederate Motors and Motus Motorcycles. Integrated Medical Systems International, with an impressive campus in the Sloss Business District, is a growing surgical instrument and clinical consulting company. “Birmingham has done a pretty good job periodically in reinventing itself,” said Jim Baggett, head of the Department of Archives
and Manuscripts at the Birmingham Public Library and an avid student of the city’s history. “It started out as an industrial, mainly a steel town, and reinvented itself as a financial center and a medical center, which I think saved us from becoming Detroit.” ► Entrepreneurs: The revival of Birmingham’s downtown was driven in part by developers such as John Lauriello of Southpace Properties and Jeffrey Bayer of Bayer Properties, who had a “laser concentration” on saving and redeveloping “existing great buildings,” said Geoff Langdon, owner of Advantage Marketing on 20th Street North downtown. Bayer, for example, along with partner David Silverstein, recently began renovating the historic Pizitz department store building on Second Avenue North. Langdon also praises entrepreneurs, such as Jim Reed of Jim Reed Books and Andrew Collins of the old Lyric Hot Dogs & Grill, who “doggedly and, many times, hand-to-mouth, kept their unique businesses going.” Local chefs such as Frank Stitt III and Chris Hastings not only achieved national renown, but also kickstarted Birmingham’s blossoming food culture. Later arrivals, such as restaurateur Chris Dupont and Steve Gilmer, owner of the What’s on Second collectibles shop, also played a role, Langdon said. REV Birmingham CEO David Fleming said food “often leads the way to renovation” and cited such examples as Rogue Tavern and Urban Standard, which helped energize Fleming Second Avenue North. ► Fresh blood: Birmingham, long an insular place, has recently attracted outsiders, including entrepreneurs, who’ve given the city new life. “Lots of independent dreamers have individually and accidentally converged on the city to try to make their dreams come true,” Reed said. For example, Ohio natives Geoff Lockert and Brian Somershield started three downtown restaurants: El Barrio, Trattoria Centrale and Paramount. One of the city’s best galleries, Naked Art, is operated by Véronique Vanblaere from Belgium, who moved here in 1996. Sharrif Simmons, a New York native who appeared on HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam,” has lived in Birmingham for 12 years and left his mark as a poet, musician and storyteller. Reed added that city leaders had little to do with this “convergence.” “Instead of leaving the planning and dreaming and action to slow-moving bureaucrats, small entrepreneurs just went
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CONTINUED from page 7 ahead and did their thing,” Reed said. “There are great things happening here, and I have to attribute some of that to people coming here from other places who don’t have that Birmingham baggage and the sort of Birmingham sense of inferiority,” Baggett said. Langdon, a New York native, agreed: “Folks come here and see the beauty and potential with an enthusiasm that comes from an outsider’s point of view.” ► Generational and cultural shift: Birmingham’s efforts to revitalize the inner city and encourage downtown living have been greatly aided by a national trend in which many young people and empty-nester Boomers have left the suburbs and embraced urban living. “There has been a real shift,” Calvert said, adding a “shift in attitudes and lifestyle” seems to have begun in popular culture as early as the 1970s and came to the Magic City with the first downtown lofts in 1986. This cultural change was reflected in 1990s city-set TV sitcoms such as “Seinfeld” and “Friends” and even in fashion photography, where “the cool place was a grungy alley,” Calvert said. In addition, many people who grew up in the suburbs in the 1960s and 1970s found them “stifling and boring,” he said. Some of those same people “grew up seeing their parents struggle with traffic” and developed a desire to avoid long commutes, according to Calvert. Fleming said projects such as Railroad Park and Regions Field came to town at the right time and served as “catalysts that give people different ways to interact in urban space in positive ways.”
REMAINING PROBLEMS
All is not perfect in Birmingham, of course. Crime, including the sound of gunshots, is a day-to-day reality in far too many of Birmingham’s neighborhoods. Birmingham was named the fifth-worst large city in the country for violent crime, property crime and overall crime in statistics released by the FBI in September 2015. The city’s schools, with some exceptions, are inadequate. In fact, 18 of them — including five high schools — were recently included on the state’s list of failing schools. There’s also a public perception that the city is progressing in spite of, not because of, its political leadership. Mayor William Bell overwhelmingly won his last re-election bid; however, a persistent, and at times embarrassing, conflict between Bell and the City Council has created some unwanted national press for the city when it finally has other things — good things — to brag about. But one of the greatest problems the city faces, according to several officials, is a lack of unity and community purpose in the metro area. The Birmingham metro is, as Baggett
The Zyp BikeShare program, an initiative of REV Birmingham, launched across downtown in October 2015. The eye-catching green bicycles, seen above, await riders at a station in Lakeview. Photo by Frank Couch.
puts it, “Balkanized,” meaning there are dozens of municipalities that are not sufficiently cooperating to attack general concerns such as transit. In contrast, several Southern cities that have surpassed Birmingham in population, including Nashville, Tennessee, have created metro governments to boost cooperation and efficiency. “I would like to see us continue to break down siloes and work across lines to solve issues — not just transit, but transportation as a whole — and more things we can do together,” Fleming said. “The biggest thing holding us back is we have not come together as a community through the whole metro area,” Baggett added. “There are all these little fiefdoms, and these people with their little seats of power don’t want to give that up.” The metro needs greater cooperation to make real progress, Calvert agreed. “The leadership potential in the whole area is much greater than in any one place — Birmingham, Vestavia Hills, wherever,” he said. “If you have that whole pool of leadership, you can energize that and do common efforts and we could go a lot farther a lot quicker.” Calvert hopes for positive change, however, and said Bell “has the abilities to reach out and be well-received on a metropolitan level, and so I think we need to keep working in that direction.” But it’s not just an urban-suburban split, according to Baggett. “We’re so Balkanized within the city, too,” he said. “There’s a split … between the neighborhoods and downtown, and there are still racial issues.” “It’s not just suburban communities that want their independence,” Calvert added. “There are city districts and neighborhoods that like the power they have.” There has been a long-standing suspicion among some neighborhood residents that downtown gets more support than they do, something Calvert saw during his years running ONB.
“It’s easy to focus on downtown and even some of the close-in neighborhoods, like Crestwood, but there are still major challenges with many large areas of the city,” he said. There shouldn’t be “rivalry or tension” between downtown and the neighborhoods, according to Calvert. “The stronger downtown is, the stronger the neighborhoods and communities are,” he said. The 2012 merger of ONB with Main Street Birmingham to create REV Birmingham was a positive, according to Calvert. Unlike ONB, which only served downtown and Southside, REV has a mandate to help spur business in neighborhoods, he said. “We always need to be conscious of how we can get better so that each community can get what it needs,” Fleming said regarding REV. However, he stressed the organization focuses only on neighborhood commercial districts. “We are not set up to solve all of a community’s problems,” he said. There are “encouraging trends” in some city neighborhoods, according to Calvert, who said there is “a swath of strong neighborhoods” from Glen Iris through Southside, Forest Park, Avondale and Crestwood. “I think Birmingham’s best assets can be found in its neighborhoods, as well as its biggest challenges,” said Melodie Echols, executive director of the Norwood Resource Center. “The challenges are linked to the need for investment in infrastructure improvements and strategic repopulation. The strength of Birmingham is its backbone — residents who have cared for their homes, schools and neighbors for decades, preserving the city for those who are newly interested in joining in the continuous creation of community.” Echols also believes the city “could benefit from better PR about the good news in Birmingham neighborhoods” and that the “exciting things” in the downtown area get far more attention.
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Norwood — named one of the “Best Old House Neighborhoods” in the nation by This Old House magazine — has historic homes, lots of green space and is in close proximity to BirmingEchols ham-Shuttlesworth International Airport and downtown, Echols said. Numerous Birmingham nonprofits and foundations are working to help improve the city’s quality of life and address the various needs of struggling Birmingham neighborhoods. The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham seeks to help make the Birmingham area a healthier place to live, to make neighborhoods more livable and to help individuals and families become economically secure. Environmental group Freshwater Land Trust helped attract federal grants to begin building the huge Red Rock Ridge and Trail system of bike and walking trails. And the Woodlawn Foundation, Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation and other partners are working in Woodlawn to improve the lives of residents in terms of education, nutrition and housing. The Goodrich Foundation is taking what it calls a “holistic approach,” believing a community’s problems can’t be solved in isolation. “You have to work on housing and education and all those things that make communities healthy,” Executive Director Carol Butler said.
THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY
Whatever problems a city faces, it can usually solve them if it has good leadership and if its people are optimistic that positive change is possible. There are signs the people of Birmingham are becoming a little more optimistic, even confident, after some of the city’s recent successes. And there are good reasons — economic, cultural, even psychological — why the people of Birmingham were less than optimistic for several decades about their city and its ability to fulfill its destiny. According to Baggett, some of that pessimism was created by the strife of the Civil Rights era of the 1960s. “The Civil Rights Movement was scarring for a lot of people — African-Americans, for obvious reasons, but also a lot of adult whites from that period were terrified of not understanding how the world could be structured differently,” he said. It also took Birmingham quite a while to “come to terms with its racial history,” Baggett said. “There was a period of denial, especially among whites … but we reached a period where, not everyone, but a lot of people have embraced this history.” There are also economic factors that long pre-date the Civil Rights era, to the time when Birmingham was an industrial boomtown.
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ABOUT “We were essentially a colonial economy,” said Baggett, referring to the tremendous economic leverage wielded by U.S. Steel, which was based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “We’ve had that aspect of a colonial economy that held us back and held us down and kept us obsequious to these outside interests,” he said. Birmingham was also devastated by the Great Depression of the 1930s. The city was arguably “the worst-hit town in the county,” President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said. While the city and its factories recovered during the post-war boom of the 1950s and 1960s, it remained hostile to social innovation and had yet to confront its racial tensions. Atlanta, once the same size as Birmingham, surpassed it in growth in the 1960s with corporate headquarters, a huge airport, major-league sports and a fast-growing population. Cities such as Nashville and Charlotte, once smaller than Birmingham, surpassed it in population in the 1980s and 1990s. No wonder Birmingham no longer felt like such a “Magic City.” Perhaps now Birmingham, once on track to become a major American city at the time of the Crash of 1929, can finally forge its own identity.
“I’m optimistic, partially because the people here across the board are doing good things, and we are a city that has begun to turn a corner about its own attitude about itself,” Fleming said. “One of the most frustrating things for me in doing (development) work has not been that the city didn’t have potential but that we didn’t see it in ourselves. I think we are seeing it in ourselves now.” “Birmingham is becoming proud of itself again,” Watts added.
THE FUTURE
Despite its remaining problems, including the seemingly intractable challenge of fixing a transit system, it seems that Birmingham has turned a corner. But there are some cautionary notes, at least in terms of continuing the revival of the downtown area. The Alabama Legislature has not renewed the state Historical Rehabilitation Tax Credit that was instrumental in helping developers renovate some key properties downtown, including the Pizitz building and the Thomas Jefferson Hotel. Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, and other legislators delayed a proposed seven-year extension of the credit. It was never called up for a vote. “There is no question that [the tax credit] helped … deliver private-sector investment
into what might be perceived as a risky place or a risky project,” Fleming said. And Birmingham is still a “risky market,” Fleming said. “We still need that additional stimulus.” Reed cautioned that “top-down” planning by experts is not the best way to make downtown vital and healthy. “I dream of a day when city leadership will take a chance and actually plan for progress from the bottom up,” he said. “I suggest really listening to the street people, the merchants and professionals who ply their trade at ground level and have decades of hardcore, day-to-day experience, knowledge and wisdom to share with the planners. We are seldom asked.” However, Watts — a Magic City native and UAB graduate — is bullish. “I am more optimistic about UAB and Birmingham’s future than I have ever been in my life,” he said. “I look out my window and see Birmingham growing. If anyone wants to know what development looks like, just look around.” “Birmingham is on the verge of a renaissance,” Watts said. UAB and other large governmental and corporate entities are working to push the city forward, according to Watts. “In recent years, you see the best alignment that we’re ever had between our city and county government leaders, the BBA
and major corporate leaders, and community leaders and UAB,” he said. “We are partnering more than ever.” Watts also said UAB and numerous public- and private-sector partners “want to prepare Birmingham for an even bigger wave of growth around a new innovation district downtown.” The public will be hearing about this district, which will build on the success of Innovation Depot, in the “coming months,” according to Watts, who said the area will include a technology building for larger companies to obtain permanent homes. The UAB campus and the new technology district will also have “the fastest internet connections you can buy,” Watts said The BBA has also assembled a five-year plan for the area called Blueprint 2020, which Watts calls “a very analytical study” of Birmingham’s major opportunities and growth areas. “I think the city is going to grow,” Baggett said. “The population has already stopped declining, and I think people are coming back in the city, and as the city grows, we should get better leadership as more people to step into leadership roles.” Despite his optimism, Baggett doesn’t pretend to be a soothsayer. “I don’t know what Birmingham is going to look like in 50 years, but I think it’s going to be good.”
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An artist’s rendering of The Waites, a $16.5 million retail and residential project under construction at the corner of Seventh Avenue South and Richard Arrington Boulevard. Rendering courtesy of Retail Specialists.
$16.5M plan breathes fresh life into Waites Developers: Mixed-use project — slated to open in 2017 — could bridge downtown, Lakeview gap
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By JESSE CHAMBERS
he developers of The Waites, a $16.5 million retail and residential project under construction at Seventh Avenue South and Richard Arrington Boulevard, promise quality housing and upscale eateries oriented to UAB medical residents and graduate students. But the project will also pay homage to the site’s iconic past and may even help speed the arrival of the area’s walkable, urban future, according to Rodney Barstein, chief development officer at Birmingham’s Retail Specialists. Retail Specialists received approval for the project May 11 from the city’s Design Review Committee. Retailers should start opening in early spring 2017 with apartments available in May 2017, according to a recent news release from Retail Specialists. The Waites will have 16,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and 45 apartments — 31 one-bedroom units and 14 two-bedroom units. The location of the apartments, about two blocks from UAB Hospital, makes them “ideal for medical, dental and optometry students as well as medical residents and interns,” Barstein said in April. “We will be catering to people who get
off at 2 a.m. and want to be in bed at 2:05 a.m.,” Barstein said. “We are offering tremendous convenience for students who want to be that close to UAB Hospital.” Tenants announced so far are Farm Burger, a Georgia-based grass-fed burger joint; Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, billed as the country’s biggest build-your-own pizza chain; and Smoothie King. The developer is looking for additional restaurants that are unique or upscale, according to Barstein. “Farm Burger [is attractive] because they are a high-end organic-type product,” he said. “They will set the stage for the rest of the retail in the development. We have turned down other retailers or restaurants who don’t fit that mix, so to speak. Farm Burger, Blaze — there are certain types of co-tenants they want to be around because they feed off each other. You don’t see a Saks Fifth Avenue and a Dollar General in the same mall. We are trying to be cognizant of that.” The development’s name is an homage to the building’s history as Waite’s bakery, a Southside institution for about 60 years until it closed in 1988. The developer — working with architect Bill Segrest of Williams Blackstock Architects — is making every effort to preserve as much of the original character of the
Waites Building as possible, Barstein said. They will do so by using a sizeable portion of the original limestone façade. During demolition, workers “delicately” removed the limestone from the building, Barstein said. After the Design Review Committee meeting, he said about 75 percent of the limestone was in good shape and could be reclaimed, and of this portion, the builders were able to save about 95 percent for use in the new structure. Developers may put up some sort of plaque describing the building’s history and efforts to reuse some of the original materials, according to Barstein. Efforts to preserve the historical character of the building are personally important to Barstein. “I guess because of the memories it brings to people like me who remember the Waite’s bakery and Waites Building when they were kids,” he said. “It became kind of an iconic corner. Everybody knew where the Waites Building was. As we get older, we don’t want to let go of things from our childhood history.” Residents at The Waites should not lack places to eat, given the tenants in the building, as well as the numerous other establishments in the area, according to Barstein. “And with the new Publix supermarket four blocks away, that takes away the last
main objection for people who didn’t want to live downtown,” he said. While undergraduate students are welcome at The Waites, “the pricing and the upscale features will cater to the graduate student or professional,” according to the company’s news release, which also said the apartments will have features usually found in “upscale hotels and apartments, as well as the latest technology for the Millennial generation.” The project may have a long-term positive effect, one that contributes to making the whole area more walkable, according to Barstein. “Eventually, I think this project will help over time to bridge the gap between the Lakeview area and UAB,” he said. “If you keep going down Seventh Avenue, you get to Lakeview. I think eventually you will see some development fill in between. There may be more of a flow between the two areas. Maybe that street will become a more pedestrian street over time.” The retail component facing Seventh Avenue South will have outdoor covered dining for the various restaurants, and there will be parking provided for the retail and residential portions. More retail tenants are in the offing for The Waites, according to Barstein. “We’re working on two leases now (with) three spaces left of the eight total spaces.”
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Growlers, crowlers now available for sale straight from breweries By ERICA TECHO Craft breweries can now sell their beers straight from the tap in more than just a pint glass. As of June 1, Alabama craft breweries are able to sell beer in growlers, “crowlers” and six-packs for off-premise consumption in addition to in the taproom. “We started Cahaba years ago, and the tasting rooms were allowed and the higher gravity beers were allowed, but the thought that we would ever be able to sell growlers or package out of the brewery was just a dream,” said Cahaba Brewing Co. co-owner Eric Meyer. Gov. Robert Bentley signed HB176, also known as the Growler Bill, into law in March. The legislation removed restrictions on breweries and brewpubs and allows both types of businesses to sell up to 288 ounces of beer per customer per day for off-site consumption. The brewery will be able to fill growlers, glass or ceramic jugs, and crowlers, 32-ounce aluminum cans that are sealed on-site, for people to take out of the taproom. Breweries can also donate up to two kegs to charitable events, and the bill removes location restrictions that limited brewpubs to
opening in historic buildings or districts or in economically distressed areas. Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison, co-sponsored the Growler Bill in the senate and helped push it through the Legislature. Holtzclaw was previously involved in the Brewery Modernization Act and the Homebrew Act, and said the Growler Bill was a natural next step. “I’m a less government is better kind of guy in my belief system, and there’s no reason why we were limiting them [breweries] from being able to sell on premise for off-premise consumption,” Holzclaw said. The ability to sell growlers, crowlers and six-packs out of the taproom at a brewery opens a new way to connect with consumers, said Trim Tab CEO Harris Stewart. “It helps establish a relationship with the brewery, and being able to strengthen those relationships is what I’m most excited about,” Stewart said. People passing through Birmingham or calling in to ask about buying beer from the brewery previously had to be turned away due to the state’s three-tier system, which required beer to be sold from a brewery to a retailer through a licensed distributor. “I have people who call us from whole different regions of the country who don’t
Cahaba Brewing Co. assistant manager Will Fife demonstrates how their crowler machine works. Photo by Erica Techo.
understand the three-tier system that we have,” Stewart said. “It’s just disappointing for a lot of people, and it’s definitely hurt our business. People are excited about trying our beer.” Anyone who was not local was also limited with what they could purchase at stores. While breweries have small-batch beers on tap, the run is normally too small to sell through a distributor. “The other thing that’s going to make it good for us is the ability to do some oneoffs and do some really special beers that we will be able to sell out of the tasting
room itself,” Meyer said. Growlers provide customers the option to take home some of those limited release beers and open up a new line of revenue for the breweries. While breweries expect off-premise sales to help business, Stewart said overall, this legislation offers another way to connect with craft beer lovers and allow breweries to share their beer with a wider market. “It’s about growing our business. It’s about something that’s larger,” he said. “It’s about growing the lifestyle and culture of what we’re all about.”
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Josh Haynes prepares an authentic Thai dish inside a local apartment. Haynes, a 30-year-old Birmingham native, has been cooking for more than 20 years and worked several culinary jobs while living in Thailand. Photos courtesy of Dillon O’Hare.
DINING IN differently
Highland Park chef combines his favorite passions — Asian culture and cooking — in Alloy Thai
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By TARA MASSOULEH f you attend one of Josh Haynes’ Alloy Thai speakeasy dinners at his Highland Park apartment, there are some things you won’t find. You won’t find sushi. You won’t find crab Rangoon. And you definitely won’t find pad Thai — or at least not in the way you’ve had it before. But you will find yourself in a cozy living room surrounded by a Buddhist shrine, Asian décor and about 10 other guests, all who, like you, purchased a ticket to the dinner via alloythai.com. Each course will be presented and explained by the chef himself, peeking in and out of his small galley kitchen. In short, you’ll find yourself privy to an authentic, seven-course experience featuring Thai dishes unlike any in Birmingham and different still from those you’ll find in Bangkok. Where some other chefs shy away from making their food “too Asian” — choosing not to cook with pungent shrimp pastes or oddly textured jellyfish — Haynes has done the opposite. “I think people try it and find that it’s delicious and not what they think,” he said. “What we’re seeing in Birmingham is that people are getting more excited about authentic food experiences, so I think that really bodes well for me.” If Josh Haynes is cooking for you, you’ll dine on dishes such as Kaeng daeng nok phirap (red curry dove made with wild dove breast, young ginger, horapha basil, kaffir lime, coconut cream and handmade curry paste) and lon tao jiao (relish of salted soybeans simmered in coconut cream with
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green mango, wild betel leaves and fried quail egg). You might finish up your meal with at-tim bay toey (homemade pandan ice cream served with coconut sticky rice and peanuts). The kicker? The kaffir lime will have been freshly picked from the backyard of Haynes’s mom, same for the basil and betel leaves. The peanuts are from The Peanut Depot, and the dove and quail eggs also are sourced locally. In fact, the majority of the produce and herbs Haynes uses are either grown in his mom’s Eastwood backyard or grown at Fall Line Hills Farm in Morgan Springs, where Josh borrows a little bit of Shindigs Catering land to grow his ingredients.
LONG TIME IN THE MAKING
Haynes, a 30-year-old Birmingham native, has been cooking for more than 20 years. As the child of a single mom who had little time to cook and even less talent in it, he said he became the family cook at age 9. After graduating from UAB with a degree in international studies, he lived in Thailand, studied tea art in Japan and worked in a number of culinary jobs, including a Rick Bayless Project in Chicago and under Chris Hastings at Hot and Hot Fish Club. But now, Haynes has returned home with a plan. “I was lucky to grow up in Birmingham when I did, and I think it’s really lucky that I’ve come back when I have now that the food scene is growing and thriving as quickly as it is,” he said. “I felt like Birmingham was a place where I could do things that I couldn’t really do elsewhere.” For him, this meant hosting 20 to 30 speakeasy dinners and a number of curry and rice pop-ups at local breweries since he returned in March 2015. It also meant taking on catering jobs ranging from a last-minute Valentine’s dinner for two to a small plate array for last August’s Birmingham Restaurant Week Preview Party. And more recently, it has meant deciding to finally open a full-service restaurant in downtown Birmingham. Alloy Thai, location to be determined, will be the first of many Asian restaurants Haynes hopes to open in Birmingham. For Haynes, opening Alloy Thai has been a long time coming. From his elementary school days spent in the library with an unexplainable fascination with Asian culture, to his semesters studying in Bangkok at Thammasat University, Haynes said the idea for a restaurant has constantly resurfaced in his mind over the years. “I’ve always had the idea of a restaurant as a backup plan, which is nuts,” he said. “I think really I was just afraid to commit to it, because it was just a big challenging thing.” But now that he’s made up his mind, he said he’s really committed. “I’m currently wondering if I’ll be able to install a shower in the restaurant,” he said. Yet he readily admits that despite the hard work he’s put in and all the obstacles that still lie ahead, he couldn’t be happier. “It’s a hard lifestyle [being a chef]. When other people are relaxing at home or going out to dinner or seeing a play or spending time with their kids, you’re at work,” he said. “But just this past year, I have had no job security, no benefits, and I have had to create everything on my own initiative, but I feel so much more engaged and fulfilled and satisfied than I ever was doing anything else.”
Josh Haynes describes an upcoming course to guests. Haynes has hosted 20-to-30 speakeasy dinners and a number of curry and pop-ups at local breweries since he returned to Birmingham in March 2015.
contribute something, and with the restaurant and its commitment to local agriculture and sourcing sustainable local food, it kind of kills two birds.”
SUM OF ITS PARTS
He plans to seat about 60 diners in the restaurant that will be a fast-casual spot for lunch and a full-service dining room for dinner. Alloy Thai’s lunch menu will consist of about 10 noodle, stir-fry, rice and curry dishes. Dinner will be served in a shared small-plate format, similar to those of Babalu or Oven Bird, with prices ranging from $8 to $14. In addition, he said he plans to serve Thai street food such as fried pumpkin fritters and grilled sausages in the restaurant’s bar that will remain open between lunch and dinner hours. And just as with his speakeasy dinners, the dishes will change on a seasonal basis depending on what Haynes can source and grow locally. “A big component of it is the commitment to local development and growth, and that kind of ties in to why I wanted to do this in Birmingham,” he said. “I really like the idea of being able to make a success of myself and then
Though the location for a restaurant is still to be determined, Haynes isn’t letting it slow his progress. While he waits for the perfect property, he says he’ll be focusing on continuing to get the Alloy Thai name, one that has already been mentioned nationally by NPR, out, through pop-ups, catering and his signature speakeasy supper club dinners. For Haynes, Alloy Thai is the perfect fusion of two of his passions: Asian culture and cooking. His deep knowledge of and zeal for everything surrounding the food he prepares is one of the keys to success, he said. “To really understand a cuisine, to be able to share it, you can’t just know how to chop things or sear a piece of meat,” he said. “You have to understand the culture, understand the history, know how they developed and under what context.” It is with these complementary fusions in mind that Haynes decided to name his business and upcoming restaurant Alloy Thai. Alloy is named partially for one of his favorite curry shops in Bangkok, which was named after an unintentional mistranslation of the word “aroy,” which means “delicious.” The word serves as a double meaning in that Birmingham is a steel city, and a triple meaning in that alloy is a compound of two or more elements in which the individual elements become indistinguishable. “I thought that was an apt description of how Thai food is prepared,” he said. “If you think about curry, you’re taking disparate ingredients — kaffir lime peel, cilantro roots, shrimp paste and white peppercorns — and you’re fusing them together to create something that’s so complex and flavorful, that’s so much more than the sum of its parts.” For Haynes, starting Alloy Thai is just that, so much more than the sum of its parts. It’s about doing what he loves, and perhaps just as important, doing it where he loves to do it. With Thai food as his self-proclaimed home cuisine and Birmingham as his hometown, opening a restaurant here feels like nothing less than coming home.
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ROCK meets MARKET
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By SYDNEY CROMWELL
inally, all your taxidermy, handmade soap and record needs can be met in one place. OK, maybe those things don’t make it onto your normal shopping list. But they’re just a slice of what’s on tap at the Punk Rock Flea Market later this month. The Flea Market is the creation of Raquel Duplin, who moved to Birmingham in January after living in Pennsylvania for several years. Up north, that type of market for artists and musicians was common, and Duplin said if she can’t find something she enjoys when she moves someplace new, she’ll just create it. “It was a great opportunity for myself to meet people, as an artist, and when I came here I was like, ‘Where’s the flea markets? Where’s the vending opportunities?’” Duplin said. “I just decided to make one because there wasn’t one that existed.” Without many connections in Birmingham, Duplin started with a Facebook page and invited a small handful of people she knew. The idea came together quicker than she was expecting. Duplin locked down a venue — Saturn Birmingham — and sponsors, vendors and bands followed. Saturn was packed for the first Punk Rock Flea Market on March 6. “It was insane,” Duplin said. She describes the first market as “pretty perfect,” and as she plans the June 12 market, Duplin said a lot of it will be the same. Seasick Records, Left Hand Soap Co. and This Ol’ Thing Vintage are sponsoring the event, and Duplin said she will again have four bands and about 20 vendors. However, it won’t be the same old show. The June music lineup includes Bystander, King Magnum, Electric Sheep and GT. Duplin said she’s trying to tie the Flea Market into the Birmingham community with the inclusion of Beautiful Bodies of Birmingham, Ono Ice and the Fetch dog treat truck as vendors. Inside Saturn, Duplin said vendors will be selling everything from artwork and handmade crafts to shirts, records, vintage items, self-published zines and, of course, taxidermy. Some of the vendors are new, and some are returning, but Duplin said repeat vendors are required to bring new items. The hardest part, Duplin said, is narrowing down the list of sellers. She had to turn down a lot of applications. “That’s really disappointing because there’s a lot of talent in Birmingham, and the emails are coming through and I’m starting to slowly see how awesome this place is and how many people are here wanting to do something,” Duplin said. “I just want
Clockwise, from above: Shoppers browse through crafts, records and more at the first Punk Rock Flea Market. The market includes food trucks and vendors outside, plus music inside Saturn Birmingham. Bands booked for the market this month include GT, King Magnum, Electric Sheep and Bystander. Photos courtesy of Jaysen Michael.
Punk Rock Flea Market • WHEN: June 12, noon-5 p.m. • WHERE: Saturn Birmingham, 200 41st St. S. • WEB: punkrockflea.com
more people involved.” When she plans the next Punk Rock Flea Market in the fall, Duplin said she’d like to close off a side street and perhaps even make a second stage to include more
vendors and bands. The market gives vendors a chance for exposure and connections within Birmingham’s art community. Duplin wants everyone to get a chance to experience it. “It’s about exposing the artists who are involved, exposing just the creators and the collectors, the bands. The more people that get to see them, the happier I’ll be, because they’re all doing cool stuff. I really want people to see how cool Birmingham is and all the talent that’s here,” Duplin said. As an artist herself — Duplin paints and does screen printing — she said Birmingham also offers a much less competitive
place for artists than what she experienced in Pennsylvania. “Birmingham, everybody’s just open arms. ‘You’re working on this. I’m working on this. Instead of competing against each other, let’s kind of help each other out,’” Duplin said. The Flea Market is also a side of Birmingham that most shoppers wouldn’t see otherwise. “It’s not just punk rock. It’s called ‘punk rock,’ there’s rock ‘n rollers, some of the stuff is a little edgy, but there’s a lot more than that going on,” Duplin said. “I think it’s a really good way to experience Birmingham on a DIY, artsy level.”
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BY JESSE CHAMBERS
pace One Eleven in downtown Birmingham may be an art gallery, but it’s not a traditional commercial gallery. SOE is a nonprofit, artist-run space that prides itself on featuring cutting-edge work that is aesthetically, and sometimes socially, challenging, co-founder Peter Prinz said. “We are a conduit for artists to voice their concerns or address contemporary issues,” he said. SOE was founded in 1986 and moved to Second CEO and co-founder Peter Prinz and Cheryl Lewis, director of programs, inside a teaching studio at Space One Eleven, an artistAvenue in 1989. It provides professional opportunities run visual arts organization located on Second Avenue North. The studio runs several summer camps and yearlong programs that for artists, works to boost public appreciation of contemengage young artists. Photos by Frank Couch. porary art, and it offers arts education to youth, including at-risk or disadvantaged kids. That commitment to an educational mission will be on display during June and July when about 200 Birmingham-area children and teenagers are expected to take part in SOE’s annual series of summer art camps. Kids from second through 12th grade can join professional artists in SOE’s studios to draw, paint and create with clay and fabric arts. A student art show July 29 will cap off the camps. Some of the kids who take part in the classes may find they not only have fun and else, Prinz said, adding: “We encourage learn something about art but also make individuality.” new friends and unlock some of their own SOE staff members said they hope their potential and creativity, said SOE director of classes and other programs can help area programs Cheryl Lewis. children and teenagers, as well as adults, “It’s well documented that the visual arts become more engaged with the visual arts. are good for students across the curricu“You want to grow a public that is apprelum,” she said, adding that for some at-risk ciative of and knows about art,” Lewis said. or disadvantaged youth, the studio “is also a Prinz agreed. “Kids have to be exposed to place for them to shine.” art in order to appreciate it.” Some kids may find a new sense of Enrollment remains open, but it is subject belonging when they discover the world of to availability, and some classes may be full, art, Lewis said. “A lot of kids don’t know Art, above, and clay figures, right, created by students hang and dry in the storefront window. Lewis said. Tuition is based on a sliding what their thing is. They are not a football scale, and families may qualify for free or player or a sports person. This is their former Examiner of Art and Design in the For example, “Fired Up!” is clay workreduced tuition. thing.” Southeast for the International Baccalaureshop for grades 6-8 in which students will The summer art camps begin June 6 with A mother who had taken her son to the art ate Organization. have their pieces fired in the kilns at SOE. “I’m an Alabama Artist,” in which students camps told staff her son had “finally found Artwork will be displayed during the In “Fabric and Fiber Fun,” students in in grades 2-5 will experiment with a variety his tribe at Space One Eleven,” Lewis said. grades 9-12 will learn blend embroidery and annual Student and Teaching Artist Exhibiof media and make projects influenced by Students receive quality, personalized tion at the SOE galleries, 2409 Second Ave. collage in their own textile art. Alabama artists. instruction at SOE, according to Prinz and N., on July 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. In “Portfolio Development,” students Numerous specialized camps in a variety Lewis. “Our teaching artists are … truly For dates, times, tuition, instructors, class in grades 6-12 can work on their portfoof mediums — including painting, drawing, working artists, so the students do have registration or to find out more information lios — perhaps for use with applications photography and mixed media — will be models,” Lewis said. about SOE, visit spaceoneeleven.org or call to college art programs — and get recomoffered to middle- and high-school students And students in the classes are not forced 205-328-0553. mendations from Dr. Mary Ann Culotta, in June and July. to do the exact same project as everyone
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ANNA FOSHEE TAKES HELM AT SANSPOINTE DANCE COMPANY By RACHEL HELLWIG
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Courtesy of artsBHAM
niversity of Alabama graduate Anna Foshee is the new artistic director of Sanspointe Dance Company. She is a company member and becomes the sixth artistic director. Sanspointe was founded in 2003 by Michelle Knutson to present modern and contemporary dance performances in Birmingham. Foshee sat down with us to share her history as a dancer and choreographer, as well as her artistic vision for Sanspointe. Q: What are your ties to Alabama? A: I am originally from Alabama. I grew up in the small town of Kellyton, then moved to Montgomery after college to teach dance. I’ve been dancing in Birmingham for the past seven years, but I actually still live in Montgomery. In June, I will finally be moving to the Birmingham area along with my husband, Kyle, and 1-year-old son. Q: Tell us a little about your journey in dance. A: I started dancing at a young age but didn’t take my first real ballet class until I was 13. That’s what hooked me. I loved the discipline of it all. I remember feeling so behind but thought of it as a challenge. Every class was a new experience. I attended Southern Union State Community College on a dance scholarship and then went on to receive my bachelor of arts in dance at the University of Alabama. I joined Sanspointe in 2009 right after I graduated. Q: Who are your dance inspirations? A: I could list at least 10 dancers/choreographers, but, in the end, it’s usually how dancers do something in class: how they push through the space, how they transition into something, how improv can work like magic, a great connection between two dancers or 10, a moment of stillness. Simple things inspire me the most. Q: When did you begin choreographing? A: Not until college and, even then, I was not choreographing often enough. I think choreography takes a lot of confidence that I’ve had to find and grow into. For the last few years, all of my work has been for students or as a guest artist. Sanspointe’s most recent show, “Deconstruction Zone,” was actually my first time choreographing for the company. I’ve mainly focused on performing, but I’m
excited now to take on a different role. Q: How would you describe your style as a choreographer? A: I love movement that fills the layers in music and, if it doesn’t fill it, complements it. I like to think that’s my style, but it’s always, hopefully, evolving. Q: What are themes, concepts, processes or music that you’re interested in exploring in future choreography? A: I want to allow myself time. I tend to want it to be perfect immediately instead of exploring all of my options. On the other hand, I want to throw out a dance phrase and be able to roll with it. I think I’ve found the in-between of those, so now it’s time to study the extremes. Q: Tell us a little about the work you’ve done with Sanspointe so far. A: The reason I’ve loved working with this company so much is that you never know what you’re going to get. Every season is different. I’ve done theater performances and site-specific shows. I’ve danced outside, in a library and in museums. I’ve worn a paper dress, and I’ve worn overalls. I’ve danced to spoken word, and I’ve laughed like a crazy person in a reimagining of an old romantic ballet. I hope that as artistic director I can keep our dancers on their toes like that. Q: What are your goals and artistic vision for the company? A: This company was founded to “create, collaborate and connect.” Simply put: to get out there with modern and contemporary dance. I’ve been with the company through the direction of Shellie Chambers, Rhea Speights and Taryn Packheiser Brown. Each one used their own creativity to make that motto happen. Sanspointe has been a consistent voice in the Birmingham arts community and, with the help of Assistant Artistic Director Sara Wallace, I hope to continue that with my own twist. Q: If a dancer is interested in joining Sanspointe, what should he or she do? A: They can email me at sanspointe@
gmail.com for more information. Q: What’s coming up in Sanspointe’s 2016 season? A: We are rehearsing now for our summer tour “Moving Ground.” It will take place the week of June 6-10 in various cities in Alabama: Homewood, Huntsville, Gadsden and Tuscaloosa. A site-specific show is in the works for the fall to finish up our season. Q: What are some of your favorite things to do in Birmingham?
A: I look forward to being a part of the Alabama Dance Festival every [January]. There is a lot of dance in this city, and that is so refreshing. There are several strong companies in Birmingham putting out new work seasonally, and that’s exciting to be a part of. I also love Railroad Park and Church of the Highlands. And I appreciate a burger from Saw’s Soul Kitchen. Editor's note: This article was produced in partnership with artsBHAM. To learn more about them, visit artsbham.com.
Anna Foshee is the new artistic director of Sanspointe Dance Company. Photo courtesy of Clark Scott.
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From parking lot to whole block 5th annual SliceFest set to take over Lakeview district with food, fun and music
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By ERICA TECHO lice Pizza and Brewhouse co-owners and brothers Jeff, Chris and Jason Bajalieh held the first SliceFest in 2011 as a way to thank the community. It was intended to be a simple parking lot party, but about 2,000 people showed up to celebrate the restaurant’s first year. “It was a lot more than a parking lot party,” said Denise Koch, the event planner for SliceFest. Now in its fifth year, SliceFest has more than doubled in attendance and has grown too large for the restaurant’s parking lot. In 2015, the festival expanded to take over 29th Street in Lakeview. “It really made it more of a neighborhood festival than just Slice,” Koch said. At this year’s June 11 event, the road will once again be fenced off, and other Lakeview restaurants will join in on the festivities. Local and regional bands will perform at the festival, and restaurants often have specials for SliceFest attendees.
5th annual SliceFest
SliceFest, a music and food festival in Lakeview, will feature live performances by local and regional bands. Photos courtesy of Andi Rice.
At Slice Pizza and Brewhouse, SliceFest brings a chance to offer up a few nontraditional pizza options, such as figs or pork and
peaches as toppings. “You get to be a little adventurous for the day,” Jeff Bajalieh said.
• WHEN: June 11, noon to midnight • WHERE: Lakeview district (29th Street South) • TICKETS: Advance tickets: $25; At the gate: $35 • MUSIC LINEUP: The Revivalists The Soul Rebels Keller Williams The Weeks Vallejo Break Science Muddy Magnolias Riley Green Baily Ingle • WEB: slicefest.com
Slice chef Terrill Brazelton said choosing pizza options breaks down into three parts: One third is what people are expecting, one
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Deeper look: Suki Foundation
SliceFest has grown from a parking lot to all of 29th Street in Lakeview.
third is something new and off the wall, and one third is based off what is fresh and local. This year, one of the featured pizzas will be bacon, avocado and shrimp with a pesto base. “This is not a time to copy someone else,” Brazelton said. As much as SliceFest aims to build community spirit, Jeff Bajalieh said it is also a chance for the restaurant to give back. In the past four years, SliceFest has raised and donated more than $30,000 for Birmingham nonprofits. One of the main nonprofit beneficiaries is Suki Foundation, started in 2011 by the Bajalieh’s cousins Briana and Marie Bateh. In 2012, SliceFest started benefiting the Suki Foundation, which promotes research for and awareness of Rett Syndrome, a genetic neurological disorder that affects one in 10,000 girls. “They always have been and always will be
Brian and Marie Bateh established the Suki Foundation in 2011 after their fourth daughter, Sarah Katherine, also known as Suki, was diagnosed with Rett syndrome. About one in 10,000 girls are affected by Rett syndrome, and many people do not know about the disease, Marie Bateh said. “It’s a neurological disorder that has a genetic link,” Marie Bateh said. “So we know exactly what causes the syndrome, and it’s a protein that affects every single system in our body.” The disorder only affects girls, and it affects everything from breathing to eating to communicating. For a long time, people believed the girls affected by Rett’s were not cognitively aware because of their inability to communicate, Marie Bateh said. Through assistive technology, however, that has proven to be an incorrect assumption. Suki, for example, is able to communicate through a keyboard and is able to do math, read and understand concepts most 6-year-olds can understand. “The girls are just locked in a body that doesn’t work for them,” Marie Bateh said. Suki Foundation aims to bring awareness about Rett syndrome as well as bring education to families with daughters who are affected.
a really big part of it,” Koch said. During SliceFest, members of “Team Suki” help set up the event and hang out during the day to provide information about Rett Syndrome. “We just definitely want to thank Slice, because it really is a great opportunity for us to get our name out there and have the community just hear the words ‘Rett Syndrome,’” Marie Bateh said. Jeff Bajaleich said supporting efforts in Birmingham, from community members to nonprofits to other restaurants, is one of the biggest goals of SliceFest. “At the end of the day, it’s about supporting local,” he said. Tickets to the event are $25 in advance and $35 at the gate. Children 12 and younger are free. Tickets cover entry to the festival, and food and beer will be available separately.
“Throughout the year, we continuously do education for the medical professionals and then we do continuing education for the family,” Marie Bateh said. “We bring in Rett specialists and speech therapists.” Money raised through the Suki Foundation goes toward funding educational efforts as well as funding research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Long-term, the Suki Foundation hopes to raise enough money to establish Rett-specific research at UAB and help build a clinic dedicated to Rett syndrome at Children’s of Alabama. If they can raise $500,000, UAB will match that amount to go toward funding research. Once that is raised and established, an additional $500,000 would be matched to establish a clinic at Children’s, Marie Bateh said. For more information about the Suki Foundation, visit sukifoundation.org.
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Decade of drinks: Brewfest turns 10
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By ERICA TECHO ain or shine, there will be beer. On June 3 and 4, thousands of people are expected to gather at Sloss Furnaces for the 10th annual Magic City Brewfest. Breweries from around the state and country come together at the event, presented by Free the Hops, to offer a variety of beers and samples for attendees. For seven of the last nine years, the festival has sold out, meaning more than 2,500 tickets were sold per session, said event coordinator Nick Hudson. General admission tickets are $38 per session in advance and $45 at the gate. “For the price, it’s the best value to try a beer you may or may not have tried before,” Hudson said. This year’s event will have two sessions — Friday, June 3 from 7-11 p.m. and Saturday, June 4 from 4-8 p.m. — and tickets are available per session, meaning anyone who wants to attend both days would purchase two tickets. On Friday, the crowd is typically made up of younger attendees, Hudson said, while on Saturday there will be a more
Magic City Brewfest • WHERE: Sloss Furnaces • WHEN: June 3 (7-11 p.m.), June 4 (4-8 p.m.) • COST: $38 in advance; $45 at the gate • WEB: magiccitybrewfest.com
More than 200 beers will be available for sampling at this year’s Magic City Brewfest. Photo courtesy of Wes Frazier/Magic City Brewfest.
laid-back atmosphere and more families. At the festival, samples for more than 200 beers will be available. Because of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board regulations, the beer samples cannot be “free,” Hudson said, so there is a penny-a-pour charge. If someone dropped in a dollar at the
start of the session, that equates to 100 samples, and all money raised from the penny-apour cost is donated to charity. Beers are poured by Free the Hops volunteers, which Hudson said helps free up brewery and distributor representatives to talk with attendees about the beer they
are drinking. Instead of live music, Magic City Brewfest has partnered with Birmingham Mountain Radio, which will provide the entertainment for this year’s event. Another change at this year’s festival includes the Magic City Brewfest app. The app includes a list of all participating breweries and beers, a map of the event space and a wishlist feature, where attendees can build ahead of time a list of what they hope to try at Magic City Brewfest. “We tried to make the experience easier and more planned out,” Hudson said of this year’s tweaks. For more information, visit magiccitybrewfest.com.
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DO DAH DAY Photos by Patty Bradley Since its inception in 1979, Do Dah Day has been raising money for local charities including The Birmingham Zoo, The Alabama Theatre and The Avondale Library. The event has grown from a party and now includes a parade of animals and their human friends along Highland Avenue near Caldwell and Rhodes Parks. Vendors and live entertainment fill the afternoon as pets and owners mingle in the parks. According to the Do Dah Day website, more than $1.3 million has been raised for Jefferson County animal shelters since 1992.
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COVER STORY: Father-son relationship surpasses norms as kindred spirits share artistic aspirations
bond BEYOND A
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By JESSE CHAMBERS
Omari Jazz performs May 14 during the CukoRakko Music and Arts Festival. Photo by Ron Burkett.
hen Sharrif Simmons — poet, musician, storyteller and New Castle, New York, native — moved to Birmingham in 2004, he had very specific reasons. “I was a single parent … looking to leave New York City for a more affordable environment and a change of careers and a new perspective after my divorce,” he said. And Sharrif, who appeared on HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam” and at iconic Manhattan venues such as CBGB and the Nuyorican Poets Café, was not alone in his Alabama journey. He was accompanied by his then 9-year-old son, Omari Jazz Addae, who would be his partner in making a brand-new life. The move seems to have turned out well, as Iron City Ink discovered during a recent visit to the men’s East Lake home. Sharrif, 47, has continued to play, perform, teach and
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FACES stage events. Omari, now 21 and performing as Omari Jazz, earned a degree from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in 2013 and is a busy visual artist and electronic music producer. In addition, they have forged a strong bond, even friendship, despite the inevitable disagreements between fathers and sons. Sharrif has left his mark on the city’s entertainment landscape. He plays music and has taught at UAB’s ArtPlay, staged spoken-word events at the Birmingham Museum of Art and co-hosted a vaudeville showcase at the reopening of the Lyric Theatre in January, among other projects. Omari studied visual arts with an emphasis on multimedia and experimental work at ASFA and has performed his digital music — his father likes to call it “electronic soul” — at local venues such as Black Market Bar and The Syndicate Lounge. Father and son have also had “a professional working relationship,” Sharrif said. They have worked together on numerous projects, including “Mandela,” a multimedia theater piece about South African humanrights icon Nelson Mandela that premiered at the Red Mountain Theatre Company in 2015. But the two men have different artistic approaches. “I’m a poet and musician,” Sharrif said. “Omari’s more of a musician, producer and artist, so his particular form
is auditory and visual. Mine is auditory, as well, but the way they are delivered is different.” Omari is interested in “new media” and follows “an experimental trajectory,” he said, noting that his father is “more of an orator, and I’m in the studio changing volume levels.” The father and son have a good relationship overall, even as Omari has reached adulthood, according to both men. “It’s frustrating at times, for sure, like any normal father-son relationship, but we have fun,” Omari said. “It’s evolving,” Sharrif said, laughing. “Learning your role with an adult child is very different than a juvenile … but for the most part, it’s great, yeah.” There is a “long list” of reasons that Sharrif is proud of his son, he said. “What I’m proud of most is Omari’s … work ethic around his craft [and] his passion for his own art,” Sharrif said. He said he also appreciates his son’s “confidence in who he is and who he’s become.” “He’s a good storyteller,” Omari said of his father. “You have to have some charisma to be a good storyteller.” Omari is also grateful that his father allowed him to pursue his artistic side as he grew up. “I’m glad that he supports the arts, because it’s tough for kids with parents who have a sort of disconnect from creative
Sharrif Simmons and Omari Jazz Addae in their East Lake home. Photo and cover shot by Erica Techo.
personalities, so in my younger years, it was cool to have the space to not be judged or held back from my creative desires.” The two will likely collaborate again in the future. “As far as art, I’m sure something is bound to pop up,” Omari said. Sharrif has a more specific project in mind. “In a perfect world, we would put an album out together and speak to the
collaboration of generations and bringing in both of our experiences to a new audience,” he said. “That would be an ideal situation. And, of course, go on tour. Being able to extend my personal life into my professional life with my son is a goal of mine.” Sharrif has begun writing his memoirs, and Omari said to expect more “digital art and music” from him, most of it available at soundcloud.com/omarijazz or facebook. com/omarijazz.
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Doug Matmey, who has been consistently living at Firehouse Shelter for three months as of late April, calls the shelter a godsend. Matmey said he has found purpose in helping shelter staff and volunteers with everyday tasks, such as doing laundry and setting up chairs. Photos by Sarah Cook.
their new home
Firehouse Shelter hopes new site will be beacon of hope, care for homeless
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By SARAH COOK
The Firehouse Shelter, located on Third Avenue North, can house 50 men each night. During inclement weather, the space houses 75. Along with housing, the shelter assists the chronically homeless facing substance abuse, mental instability and employment barriers.
t wasn’t that long ago that Doug Matmey was holding a sign in Homewood that read: “Homeless, Vietnam vet, Katrina evacuee, need help.” Matmey muses if he hadn’t stumbled into a repurposed fire station on the corner of 15th Street and Third Avenue North, he might not be alive today to tell his story. Matmey, along with more than 50 other men battling chronic homelessness, is a resident at the Firehouse Shelter in the historic Firehouse No. 6 Building. He went there to get sober and find a home. The 66-year-old, who grew up in
Mansfield, Ohio, admitted he made plenty of poor choices throughout his life, choices that left him sleeping under bridges and wondering where he would get his next meal. After serving in the Vietnam War for 18 months, 5 days, 11 hours and 9 minutes — Matmey can recite his service time without pause — he settled in Gulfport, Mississippi. When Hurricane Katrina wiped out a large portion of the area in 2005, however, Matmey found himself with no more than $400 to his name and nowhere to live. He decided to move to Birmingham, and that’s when his troubles worsened. “I got to know Birmingham real good, and I got in a little trouble back then,” he said.
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FACES After a few brushes with the law and developing an intense alcohol dependency, Matmey said he knew he had to get sober and off the streets. He was sleeping in an abandoned restaurant downtown, and on more than one occasion was sent to the hospital for alcohol-related issues. Finding the Firehouse Shelter was akin to a miracle, he said. “This place is a godsend,” said Matmey, who has been living at the shelter for about three months. As of late April, he hasn’t had a drop of alcohol, either. “I stayed here on and off for a couple of months, and then stayed in another motel for a while,” he said. “I just wasn’t ready to give up the drinking.” Now, Matmey said, his days mostly consist of helping employees and volunteers at the shelter with everyday tasks, such as doing laundry and setting up and taking down chairs. These are jobs he takes great pride in. “I like being an asset around here,” he said.
A VITAL SERVICE
Matmey is one of nearly 4,000 local men, women and children who receive regular services from the Firehouse Shelter. Anne Wright, executive director of the shelter, said most Birmingham residents don’t realize how many services the shelter offers. “We’re the last house on the block,” Wright said. “Meaning, when you burn all your other bridges, you come here.” Along with one of the most basic human needs — shelter — the Firehouse Shelter also provides a long list of programs that help men overcome substance abuse, mental illness and financial barriers. Every day, men line the exterior brick walls of the building to receive food, housing, clothing and other supportive services. Without the shelter, Wright said, a significant number of men would be sleeping on the street. “Our main goal is to help the people who have slipped through the cracks,” said Wright, who is a Mountain Brook native and has worked in social services since she was 17. “We have one of the biggest street outreach teams in the area — that means sending people out to abandoned buildings, parked cars, places that are inhabitable.” Wright said sometimes it can take years of ministering before men even step foot in the shelter, which has been in operation since Dec. 21, 1983. Many clients, she said, are fearful of being placed in a system. Once they receive the shelter’s services, however, many clients find their footing and are able to regain strength physically, mentally and spiritually. “A lot of people think the Firehouse Shelter is just an addiction facility, but it’s more than that,” she said. “Our focus is on getting people into permanent housing in a way that will actually be sustainable.” With its many services and clients, Wright said the only obstacle standing in the shelter’s way of progress is its building, which is beginning to show its years.
A NEW SHELTER
In the shelter’s upstairs sleeping quarters, which boasts no more than a floor with mattresses piled high in the corner, insulation
Clockwise, from top left: Andy Tucker, a volunteer at the shelter, stands by a pile of mattresses that more than 50 homeless men use for bedding. A Bible and other reading material rests on a windowsill inside the shelter, which is faith-based and aims to offer more spiritual opportunities in its new facility. An artist’s rendering shows part of the proposed new location for Firehouse Shelter. Rendering courtesy of Poole and Co.
is beginning to cascade from the ceiling, and a humid breeze wafts from cracked windows where old Bibles are stacked atop windowsills. “The quality of the building doesn’t match the quality of the service,” Wright said. “It’s not fair to our staff, it’s not fair to our clients and it’s not fair to our volunteers.” In an effort to bring the shelter up to date, Firehouse Ministries recently purchased property at 626 Second Ave. N. — about nine blocks away from where the shelter currently sits. Wright said this property will hopefully become the new site of the Firehouse Shelter. It comes with a $7.8 million price tag, however, and a lot of planning. No ground has been broken yet. “Basically, the Firehouse Shelter has been looking to build a new facility for years and years,” she said. “Once the building reflects the compassionate care we offer, we’re going to see even more progress than what we see already.” Amenities included in the new building’s design are increased housing space, counseling areas, wet housing for men battling alcoholism and a place for clients to be
nurtured spiritually. A new lobby area, Wright said, will also allow clients to wait for shelter services in an enclosed area, instead of exposed to the elements outside. “What I wanted was a building that was made for the chronically homeless individual,” she said. “It had to have every space be multipurpose, and it had to be built to last.” Shelter coordinator Rob Davis said because the shelter provides such a long list of services, this new building will allow staff members and volunteers to better accommodate clients, thus making a difference in more lives. “Being homeless and on the street is a very traumatic experience,” Davis said, who works with the men every day. “We deal with not only meeting their immediate personal needs for a place to lay down, clothing, food, but also help them deal with the trauma that they’re experiencing.” And while the need for the new shelter is apparent, raising funds for its construction is easier said than done. Wright said the ministry still has a long way to go before the building will come to fruition. “Ideally, we would like to break ground
next year, then have it built within the next couple of years, but it just depends on if the community is truly willing to support the people that we serve,” Wright said. “It’s a lot easier to raise money for a homeless puppy than a homeless man.”
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Because so many men use the shelter daily, Wright said she hopes to see the new shelter become a reality soon. Many clients, just like Matmey, will benefit from a new, better-equipped facility. Considering the great progress he’s made in a short period of time, Matmey said the shelter is a vital service to Birmingham — and he’s thankful their doors were open when he needed help. He’s looking forward to having his own apartment soon and continuing to pave a new, positive path. “My future is looking good,” said Matmey, who has found steady work and will be in permanent housing soon, provided by the Firehouse Shelter. “I’m doing my best to stay busy.” For more information on the Firehouse Shelter, visit firehouseshelter.com.
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Reshaping Woodlawn Former Alabama Superintendent Tommy Bice sets innovative sights on schools in need
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By JESSE CHAMBERS
ommy Bice, formerly the Alabama Superintendent of Education, seems genuinely excited about his new position as education director for the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation in Birmingham, one of several nonprofits seeking to improve education — as well as housing, nutrition and other key factors — for children and families in the Woodlawn neighborhood and around the state. The new job, which Bice started April 18, will allow him to “pursue (his) passion of making opportunities a reality for kids, and not just in Birmingham, but in other areas of the state where the Goodrich Foundation can make an impact,” he said a few days after his start date. Tommy Bice announced his retirement March 1, drawing statewide media coverage, but he made it clear that he was not abandoning the field of education after 39 years as a teacher and administrator. “I will return to where my greatest passion lies — working with inner-city students, their teachers and leaders to transform not only educational opportunities for students, but the communities in which they live,” Bice, 61, said at the time of his retirement in a news release. The educator’s role with Goodrich will draw on his much-praised gift for innovation, as the organization — with Bice’s leadership — takes part in the Woodlawn Innovation Network (WIN), a Birmingham City Schools initiative at Woodlawn High School and its five “feeder” middle and elementary schools designed to help all students become college-ready Bice, who had served as Superintendent since November 2011, is a perfect fit, according to Carol Butler, the foundation’s executive director. “We are committed to trying to create better student outcomes and helping them achieve more in our public schools, and (Bice) has tremendous knowledge and experience in making that happen,” Butler said. Bice said his first responsibility regarding WIN will be to “operationalize” and “finalize” a waiver request for the network that the Birmingham City Board of Education, along with the Goodrich and Woodlawn foundations, filed with the state in 2014. The waiver is a request by the project partners for greater flexibility in hiring, administration and the awarding of course credits in order to make the ambitious program work. For example, students will be able to earn college credits — at UAB or Lawson State — while still in high school. “The goal is that every child at Woodlawn, by the time they graduate, is ready to go to college,” Bice said. “Once we make it work in that feeder pattern, it can be replicated in other feeder patterns (in the area) and around the state.” The state’s high-school graduation rate increased during Bice’s tenure as superintendent, and he received mostly praise when he announced his retirement, though his support of Common Core federal education standards was not popular with many Republican legislators. Bice’s stature around the state is a certainly an asset for the Goodrich Foundation, according to Butler. “He has a truly stellar reputation for caring about the children in the
Former Alabama Superintendent Tommy Bice said his first priority at Woodlawn Innovation Network will be to finalize a waiver request that will provide flexibility in hiring, administration and awarding course credits. Photo by Frank Couch.
(school) building,” she said. Bice wants to help combat the debilitating poverty that affects so many Alabama children and is “the core of why many kids are not successful in school or life,” he said. Poverty hurts kids in their early years because it brings with it “a lack of opportunity or exposure,” Bice said, citing as an example the lack of access to books experienced by many poor children. “When they show up in school in kindergarten, they are starting a zero when they should be starting at age five or six,” Bice said. “Opportunities for children … even before they come to kindergarten will be part of this work as well.” The students at an inner-city alternative school where Bice once served as director taught the Alexander City native what he calls a “profound” lesson about the gnawing effects of poverty on children in the classroom. “Kids tell us, ‘You want us to learn math? We are hungry. Get us something to eat and we’ll talk about math,’” Bice said.
“Sometimes as educators, we think that when kids show up to school they are ready to learn, but if we don’t address food and clothing and safety, they sometimes can’t learn,” he said. That’s why the Goodrich Foundation takes what it calls a “holistic” approach — addressing a wide range of issues, including parks, housing and small-business revitalization. “You have to work on … all those things that make communities healthy,” Butler said. Bice seems animated by one critical belief: All children matter and can succeed if given the chance. “Most of my career was spent working with students who had special needs or emotional or behavioral problems or who had been involved in the juvenile justice system, and what I learned is that they have just as much potential, academically and otherwise, as anyone else if they have a chance,’ Bice said. “We need all kids to be successful,” Bice said. “(The Goodrich Foundation) believes that, and that matches my belief system because I have truly seen it happen.”
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REVIVING THE BIG TOP A night at The Happening: Enough creative chaos to entertain artists and the straightlaced alike
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By SYDNEY CROMWELL
he circus is alive and well in Birmingham, but it doesn’t look like the threering acts you’re thinking of. It looks more like a group of friends coming together at a brewery to share their art and unusual talents. I first heard about The Happening, a roughly oncea-month event at Trim Tab Brewery, through friends. Billing itself as a “spark of collaborative expression,” The Happening’s Facebook page invited artists of every stripe — singers, painters, dancers, storytellers and more — to join them for an evening of shared, sometimes impromptu, creativity. Now, I’m nobody’s idea of an artist, but I was more than a little curious and it sounded like a good way to spend a Saturday night. Surprisingly, Trim Tab had everyone sign liability waivers before they could enter. That was a little daunting, but what’s a good evening without a little danger? At least, that’s what I told myself as I signed. I was expecting something fairly subdued, perhaps a series of local artists taking the stage to perform for a small crowd. Since The Happening was new to me, I assumed most other people in Birmingham hadn’t heard about it yet, either. Instead, The Happening was more like creative chaos. A crowd packed the brewery, their attention wandering between the beer, the art on the walls, passing performers and a DJ whose dancing was as entertaining as his music. Trim Tab’s warehouse played host to live musicians and a man creating a “painting” with strips of newspaper on wood. Vendors in the warehouse and the back patio sold everything from paintings and candles to henna and animal masks. And I haven’t forgotten the circus I promised you. Aerial silks and straps were hung from the warehouse ceiling for Leisha Knight, a former member of Cirque du Soleil, to perform several routines — costume changes and all — throughout the night. Another acrobat performed on a ring, called a lyra, suspended near the DJ. Jennifer Colvin, the owner of Vertically Fit, Clockwise, from left: Cozmic was one of several bands that performed at The Happening. gave demonstrations of her pole Collette Ellis walks around Trim Tab Brewery on stilts. Visitors enjoy food and crafts on fitness classes. the Trim Tab back patio. Photos by Sydney Cromwell. One of my particular favorites
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Clockwise, from above: Leisha Knight performs on aerial silks. Vendors sell artwork and crafts at The Happening. Jennifer Colvin demonstrates a pole routine. A henna artist works during The Happening.
was Collette Ellis, a stilt-walker from North Carolina. It was more than a little eye-catching to see a nine-foot-tall woman carefully striding through the crowd. “It’s always tricky to pose for pictures because I can’t stop moving,” she said as I made my third or fourth attempt to photograph her throughout the night. But she gamely posed for me, rocking back and forth to keep her balance, before ducking to avoid the exit sign over a doorway. Though I didn’t see them that night, I’m told that fire dancers and spinners have Know about something in brought their talents Birmingham you consider bizarre, to previous months’ eclectic or utterly original? Let Happenings. I did us know! Email information to get a small dose of sydney@starnespublishing.com. flammable fun with Incendia, a geometric dome with a ceiling that spouted fire to light up the couches underneath. Walking into The Happening, I felt out of place. I’m not artsy or acrobatic, and I had nothing to contribute to the collaboration. I forgot that feeling a few steps through the door. Everyone there was in love with what they were doing, and they wanted to share it with me and as many people as possible. Even my camera, which makes most people nervous, didn’t faze anyone. It was hard to feel like a stranger in a place with so much enthusiasm. There was no separation between the performers and the rest of us watching with our mouths hanging open. Since it started in October, The Happening seems to have found its groove and the night was unlike anything I’ve experienced in this city so far. If this is the modern face of the circus, I’ll take the brewery over the big top any day.
What’s going on?
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FOREST PARK
Movies at Avondale Park returns By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Although Pepper Place Farmers Market runs from April 9 to Dec. 10, the Maker’s Village will only be open from June 4 to Sept. 3. Photos courtesy of Wes Williams.
Pepper Place rolling out Maker’s Village Showcasing 20 hand-picked vendors across state, collection to offer demos, presentations
Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy seven different films this summer as Movies at Avondale Park returns. Marco Morosini, the owner of Silvertron Cafe in Forest Park, said he started Movies at Avondale Park five years ago to promote the park and local businesses. Since then, the movie nights have become more frequent, and new elements have been introduced. Live bands will start each evening, and there will be produce vendors on-site. Morosini said one of the highlights of the movie nights is giving children free fruit smoothies after teaching them how to make the smoothies. There are also different fitness groups to discuss topics that include hula hooping, yoga and bike safety before the movie. “I am always looking for new ways to strengthen our community,” he said. Area businesses sponsor the free movie nights through the Forest Park South Avondale Merchants Association and REV Birmingham. Live music begins at 7 p.m., and the movie begins at 8:15 p.m. For more information, visit moviesatavondalepark.com or find them on Facebook. This year’s schedule:
Photo courtesy of Marco Morosini.
AVONDALE PARK ► June 7: Inside Out (Avondale Park) ► June 14: Bottomless and Minions (Avondale Park) ► June 21: Mr Smith Goes to Washington (Avondale Park) ► June 28: Despicable Me (Avondale Park)
CRESTWOOD PARK ► July 12: Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark (Crestwood Park) ► July 19: The Incredibles (Avondale Park) ► July 26: Princess Bride (Crestwood Park)
By SYDNEY CROMWELL Building on the success of their existing farmers market and craft vendors, the organizers of Pepper Place Farmers Market are introducing a new concept this month. The Maker’s Village will be a collection of about 20 hand-picked vendors from across the state who “make stuff that is cool and authentic and rewarding,” said organizer Leigh Sloss-Corra. They will be joined by musicians, food vendors and “Maker Ambassadors,” who will speak each Saturday on their craft and give presentations, demonstrations or workshops. “It’s really about the people that are doing extraordinary work in Alabama with Alabama products,” Sloss-Corra said. While the whole market runs from April 9 to Dec. 10, the Maker’s Village will only be open from June 4 to Sept. 3. Each Saturday, the Village will be set up in the parking lot next to OvenBird from 8 a.m. to noon. The adjacent Scene Gallery will host each week’s speaker at 10 a.m. and possibly a second speaker at 11 a.m., SlossCorra said. The June 4 speaker will be Garlan Gudger of Southern Accents Architectural Antiques, located in Cullman. The speakers and vendors include some artisans who are internationally known, such as the quilters of Gee’s Bend, as well as locals such as Confederate Motors and
CENTRAL CITY
5K Pig Run aids Special Olympics By JESSE CHAMBERS
Great Bear Wax Co. Sloss-Corra said the vendors, chosen by a committee, will change each week “so people have plenty of opportunities to discover new people.” The Maker’s Village leads up to the Southern Makers Festival, which will be at Sloss Furnaces in September. For more information, visit pepperplacemarket.com.
The Birmingham Police Department will present the annual Alabama Law Enforcement 5K Pig Run — known formally as the Alabama Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Alabama — at Linn Park on Saturday, June 18, from 7-11 a.m. All proceeds from the Pig Run, now in its 18th year, will go to Special Olympics Alabama, according to Officer Tim Gardiner, the event’s organizer. “The money we raise supports our local athletes and allows them to compete on the state, national and international level,” he said. Gardiner said the work he does to support the Pig Run and Special Olympics Alabama is the “most rewarding experience” he’s had in nearly eight years with the Birmingham Police Department. “There is no greater feeling than knowing you are directly responsible for giving our athletes the opportunity to represent their communities,” he said. Working to help support the Special Olympics is “personal” for many Torch Run
volunteers, according to Gardiner. “Many of us have family members that are Special Olympics athletes or in some way have been touched by someone with special needs,” he said. Being involved in the fundraiser is also a lot of fun for police personnel, according to Gardiner. “Most of the participants have been involved for multiple years and some even continue after they leave the department,” he said in an email to Iron City Ink. The event recently began rotating between Birmingham and Homewood, allowing participants to run different routes, according to Gardiner. Gardiner has a lofty goal for the Pig Run the next couple of years — “to make it one of the most sought-after 5K runs in the metro area,” he said. Registration is $20 in advance at eventbrite.com. Registration the day of the event will be $25. For more information, contact Gardiner at 790-3596 or timothy.gardiner@birminghamal.gov.
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FIDO calling attention to a dirty job
Friends in Dog Ownership hosts Flaggin’ and Baggin’ Campaign to help clean up public parks By JESSE CHAMBERS Dog poop is not something people usually like to talk about. However, the Highland Park residents who are members of the volunteer group Friends in Dog Ownership (FIDO) believe their neighborhood needs to become more aware of the nuisance dog owners create when they don’t clean up after their pets. And when the group was founded in 2014, members found a fun, unorthodox way to draw attention to the issue. As part of a cleanup and education campaign called the Flaggin’ and Baggin’ Campaign, members marked piles of poops in Highland Park with hundreds of red flags bearing humorous but pointed messages about the problem of dog waste, such as “There is no poop fairy,” “Brown is not the new green” and “How would you like to step in this?” The campaign has continued since then. The Flaggin’ and Baggin’ Campaign was held this year from April 29 to May 10. On May 11, the members collected the flags and remaining poop. And on May 14, they took part in the annual dog-themed Do Dah Day parade in the Highland Park area.
FIDO members David Rikard, Teresa Moran, David Dinehart, Elizabeth Sanfelippo and pup Easel, Rick Lovelady and Suzanne Baker at the 2016 Flaggin’ and Baggin’ pickup day. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
The campaign is important because dog waste is more than just a nuisance, according to FIDO members. The poop can pollute wastewater, according to the EPA and Jefferson County Storm Water Management. It passes worms and other parasites between animals. And there is a Birmingham city ordinance — granted, one that is rarely enforced — that charges a $100 fine for people who fail to clean up after their dog. “The flagging and bagging and promotional work in the neighborhood is trying to create awareness in a fun way and to change the culture by making it fun but still make the
points about it being bad for the environment and wastewater and the water that goes into the sewer and all the bacteria,” FIDO member Suzanne Baker said. FIDO members use the pre-Do Dah Day cleanup as an opportunity to make the Highland Park neighborhood look as nice as possible, according to Baker. “We also pick up trash if we find it,” she said. “We are trying to get everything cleaned up so when people come to our neighborhood they see we care about it, so when they get here they are less likely to trash it.” As part of FIDO’s spring campaign in
2015, they worked with the neighborhood association and the city to install signs along Highland Avenue to inform residents of the dog-waste ordinance and fine and installed new pet waste cleanup stations in the three parks in the area. “The parks have gotten much cleaner since we reinstalled the [waste] stations and are filling them again with bags,” Baker said. The neighborhood association purchased the stations and a year’s supply of bags. Members believe that the dog poop situation has improved overall since 2014, according to Baker. “We have seen it get better,” she said. “When we first started, it was everywhere. Some side streets are problematic. I think people are more inclined to leave it when they are not on Highland Avenue.” FIDO is affiliated with the Highland Park Neighborhood Beautification Committee, and neighborhood President Alison Glasscock has been supportive of the group’s efforts, Baker said. For more information about the group and its efforts, contact highlandparkFIDO@ gmail.com and check out the Facebook page at “Highland Park FIDO.”
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‘Coming in to experience Birmingham’
Woodlawn Street Market picking up steam with more art and craft vendors, dance competition By JESSE CHAMBERS The historic Birmingham neighborhood of Woodlawn — after a steep social and economic decline that lasted more than 30 years — is rapidly coming back, with new businesses, new housing and a new, hopeful attitude. But according to Brian Gunn of economic development organization REV Birmingham, a lot of people in the city are unaware of these recent improvements. “One of the biggest challenges Woodlawn faces is a perception issue,” Gunn said. “Despite all these vibrant activities and businesses locating in Woodlawn, (some people) still think negatively of it,” he said. “Woodlawn a few years ago did have a bad rap, but a lot of that stuff is being turned around.” That turnaround will be put on vivid display at the next Woodlawn Street Market on Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 55th Place South. The market — sponsored by the Woodlawn Business Association and REV Birmingham — will feature about 55 local artists, crafters, retailers and food vendors.
The Woodlawn Street Market, along 55th Place South in the heart of the historic Woodlawn neighborhood, offers gifts, arts and crafts and food from local artists and restaurants. Photo by Frank Couch.
In addition to the vendors, the market will feature the “Take it to the Streets” hip-hop dance competition. The competition at the
April market featured dancers from Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans and other cities. “And all these people are coming in to
experience Birmingham,” Gunn said. This is the second quarterly market this year, and the sixth market to be held since the events began in 2014, Gunn said. “[Woodlawn] is becoming more vibrant, and the main reason for the street market was to show the people inside and outside the community that there are positive things going on there,” he said. Public response to the markets has been strong, according to Gunn, who said that the crowd in April “increased significantly” over the April 2015 market. “When we started at 10 a.m., the crowds were there and continued until 4 p.m.,” he said. There are also markets scheduled for Sept. 10 and Dec. 4, according to REV Birmingham. Community partners for the events include Communicating Vessels music studio, Woodlawn United, Dream Center, Imperial Formal Wear, 2threefive and One Stop Environmental. The deadline for vendors to sign up has passed, but spots are available for the next market in September, Gunn said. For information, contact Gunn at 595-0562 or bgunn@ revbirmingham.org.
Want to advertise? Email matthew@ starnespublishing.com for more information.
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Symphony in Summer sets dates
Community Band looking to grow
By JESSE CHAMBERS
By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Birmingham residents who love classical music, as well as those who just want to enjoy a family-friendly summer night under the stars, can find a special atmosphere at the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) Symphony in the Summer. This annual season-ending concert series at Railroad Park will be June 10-11 at 8 p.m. and June 12 at 6 p.m. Admission to the concerts is free. “When the weather cooperates, there is something truly magical about being entertained and inspired by beautiful symphonic music under the stars with the downtown Birmingham skyline on one side, Regions Park in the background,” said Curt Long, ASO president and executive director. Attendees this year will also be able to watch the concert on large video panels, Long added. Music Director Carlos Izcaray will lead the ASO in “A Symphonic Celebration” on June 10. The ASO — conducted by Christopher Confessore — will present “Tchaikovsky Under the Stars” on June 11. The symphony, again conducted by Confessore, will present “Family Fun Day” on June 12. The concerts were held at Railroad Park
The Crestwood Community Band doesn’t share many similarities with a typical band: Practices aren’t mandatory and they won’t be marching on a football field any time soon. Some members play regularly and some haven’t picked up an instrument in decades, or perhaps ever. But that doesn’t matter. The Community Band is more about enjoying music than playing like a professional. “If it’s any indication what kind of ‘band’ we are, I never played an instrument before and was only helping to organize the band,” organizer Stacey Gordon said. “They only had a few folks and no drummer and needed someone to keep time, so they gave me a cowbell to keep the beat.” Gordon said the band was dreamed up by Sherrie Hafley as a low-commitment way to share music and friendship with others in the community who have played or want to play in a marching or concert band. Gordon and Hafley had played in a similar band in Atlanta and wanted to bring the concept to Birmingham. Since it started in January 2015, Gordon said the band has grown to about 15 steady members. There are no
Photo courtesy of Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
for the first time in 2011 and, according to Long, attendance for the three-day weekends — as estimated by the city of Birmingham — has grown steadily, from about 8,000 the first year to about 18,000 in 2015. “I hope this will be a record crowd again this year,” Long said. The growing vitality of downtown should help boost attendance, according to Long, who said that “more and more people have moved into the city, there is more nightlife to enjoy, restaurants are staying open later (and) safety has been addressed with additional security all around the city.” For more information, go to alabamasymphony.org.
Photo courtesy of Stacey Gordon.
tryouts and no requirements other than to show up with an interest. Gordon said instruments include flute, piccolo, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, French horn, trombone, tuba, bass drum and snare drum. “Everyone is friendly, supportive and encouraging. Some are really talented musicians and some of us are just learning,” Gordon said. No one gets upset about a bad note or anyone that is struggling to learn a part. There’s no pressure.” The Crestwood Community Band meets Mondays from 6:15-8 p.m. at the Community Education South Building, 1220 50th St. South. For more information, contact Stacey Gordon at sgordon23@gmail.com or 215-4107.
EAST LAKE
‘Small and mighty’ farmers market returns to East Lake By SYDNEY CROMWELL While crowds fill Pepper Place to overflowing at each Saturday’s farmers market, the East Lake Market is staying intentionally small. Program coordinator Deb Wakefield said the East Lake Market, now in its 11th year, limits its vendors and aims for a slower shopping pace so it’s open to all shoppers. She described it as “small and mighty.” “We really pride ourselves on trying to be a place that’s accessible,” Wakefield said. “It’s small, but it’s the kind of thing where the small is good.” The East Lake Market includes some craft vendors, music, children’s activities, health booths and a nearby playground. However, Wakefield said the focus is on local produce vendors to fill a “need for better access to healthy, hearty food.” The number of vendors changes each week. The summer months see the largest markets, as more foods are in the growing season. The market isn’t just a place for grocery shopping, however. Wakefield said it is also a weekly way for East Lake residents to meet each other and enjoy their neighborhood. “It provides a safe, happy, welcoming space for the community,” Wakefield said. The East Lake Market opened in May and runs until October, each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. More information is available on the Market’s Facebook page.
A vendor sells fresh produce to East Lake Market shoppers. Photo courtesy of East Lake Market.
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Fancying a new Miss Fancy at the park
Save the Queen campaign fundraising to build bronze water feature celebrating iconic elephant By SYDNEY CROMWELL There are a few sights that define Birmingham: Vulcan statue, Sloss Furnaces and most recently the Rotary Trail sign. Bryan Council wants to add one more from the city’s past: Miss Fancy. Miss Fancy was an Indian elephant who lived in the Birmingham Zoo — where Avondale Park now stands — from 1913-34. A former circus elephant, Miss Fancy would participate in parades, perform tricks on command and was said to remember visitors who fed her treats. She was also known to wander the neighborhoods of Avondale, Woodlawn and Forest Park, either with or without her trainer. “It’s hard to imagine an elephant that would get out and about and roam the street, but there are people alive today that will tell you that was true,” said Council, who grew up in Avondale. The elephant was an icon of the city during her time, and a few reminders of her exist today, most notably in Avondale Brewery’s logo and the Fancy’s on Fifth restaurant. A small bronze statue of her was placed in Avondale Park during its revitalization in 2012, but Council said it was hit by a car and destroyed.
Left: Miss Fancy, the Indian elephant. Right: A sketch of the proposed bronze statue of Miss Fancy. Photos courtesy of Save the Queen Campaign.
This prompted his father, Ron, to begin a campaign for a life-sized, bronze statue, but he passed away early in the process. Bryan Council decided to carry the campaign forward in his father’s honor. So far, the Save the Queen campaign has raised over $30,000, mostly from small individual donations. Council plans to bring the campaign to local businesses and corporations next to reach the full fundraising goal of $250,000. It’s a steep price tag, but Council wants the statue to be sculpted by a local artist and to
spray water from its trunk, so children can play under it in the summer. The piping and drainage make Miss Fancy more expensive. There are still a few remnants of the former Birmingham Zoo in Avondale Park, but Council wants to place the bronze statue near the park entrance so it will be visible to people walking and driving on 41st Street South, and hopefully entice them to visit the park. “There’s no centerpiece [currently at the park], so to speak,” Council said. “It’s another potential iconic image for Birmingham.”
If the Save the Queen campaign can clear the dual hurdles of reaching their fundraising goal and getting approved by the design review committee, Council said he hopes to return Miss Fancy to Avondale by the end of 2016. “This is simply a public art project that needs to be supported by the community, not any one large donor. That’s my goal, at least, to have a bunch of donations from the neighborhood as well as commercial entities around the neighborhood,” Council said. Learn more at queenofavondale.com.
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PUT THESE IN JUNE’S BEST BETS
21ST ANNUAL RICKWOOD CLASSIC June 1, 12:30 p.m., Rickwood Field
The Birmingham Barons and The Friends of Rickwood will welcome baseball fans back to legendary Rickwood Field for the 21st annual Rickwood Classic presented by Levy’s Fine Jewelry. The game will showcase the Barons against defending Southern League champions Chattanooga Lookouts. Former MLB All-Star, Cy Young Award winner, Baseball Hall of Famer and former Birmingham A’s pitcher Rollie Fingers will be the special guest of honor and will be available for autographs during the game. The Barons will don uniforms worn by the 1967 Birmingham A’s. Tickets available 988-3200 or online at barons.com.
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10TH ANNUAL MAGIC CITY BREWFEST
June 3, 7-11 p.m.; June 4, 4-8 p.m., Sloss Furnaces
This will be the 10th anniversary of Magic City Brewfest, presented by Free the Hops. Magic City Brewfest is a weekend dedicated to learning about craft beer and sampling the best that Alabama has to offer. There will be more than 200 individual beers available including many rare, specialty and cask ales that have never been seen before in Alabama (and may never be seen again). Tickets are $38 in advance, $45 day of. Available at ticketmaster.com.
MAGIC CITY CON
June 10, 4 p.m. - midnight; June 11, 8 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.; June 12, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel
Magic City Con is a family-friendly fan convention that will have special guest appearances by Steve Valentine, Danny Shorago and Jennifer Hale, plus panels, vendors, authors, artists and a KidCon. There will be several tracks including sci-fi, gaming, cosplay, pop culture, anime/manga and more. Adult weekend pass $25 pre-registration; child weekend pass (ages 6-11) $15; military weekend pass $15 (ID required). For more information, visit magiccitycon. com or call 334-303-4396.
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See this? It means we think you ought to go!
CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL
June 11, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Linn Park
Presented by the Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization. Bring the whole family for a vibrant, fun-filled day of Caribbean culture, music, food and entertainment in beautiful Linn Park. There will be face painting, dance contests, performers and costumed dancers. Why stay home when you can come enjoy a visit to the islands in your own backyard? For more information, call 383-1726.
OFFICIAL BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL June 6: Birmingham City Council Public Safety, Transportation Committee meeting. 4:30 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, council chambers. June 7: Birmingham City Council meeting. 9:30 a.m. City Hall, third floor. June 13: Birmingham City Council Governmental Affairs Committee meeting. 2 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, Conference Rooms D and E. June 13: Birmingham City Council Economic Development, Budget and Finance Committee
meeting. 4 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, Conference Rooms D and E. June 14: Birmingham City Council Public Improvements and Beautification Committee meeting. 2 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, Conference Room A. June 14: Birmingham City Council meeting. 9:30 a.m. City Hall, third floor. June 20: Citizen Advisory Board. 7 p.m.. City Council Chambers, Birmingham City Hall, third floor. The Citizen Participation Program is designed to achieve improved communication, understanding, and cooperation between Birmingham citizens and city officials through
increased personal contact between City Hall and neighborhoods and communities throughout the city. The public is welcome to attend. June 20: Birmingham City Council Planning and Zoning Committee meeting. 4:30 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, Conference Room A. June 20: Birmingham City Council Public Safety, Transportation Committee meeting. 4:30 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, council chambers. June 21: Birmingham City Council meeting. 9:30 a.m. City Hall, third floor.
June 22: Birmingham City Council Committee of the Whole meeting. 4 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, Conference Rooms D and E. June 24: Birmingham City Council Administration/Technology Committee meeting. 1 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, Conference Rooms D and E. June 28: Birmingham City Council meeting. 9:30 a.m. City Hall, third floor. June 28: Birmingham City Council Education Committee meeting. 2 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, Conference Rooms D and E. June 28: Birmingham City Council Utilities
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Committee meeting. 4 p.m. Birmingham City Hall, third floor, Conference Rooms D and E.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS June 7: Forest Park/South Avondale Neighborhood Association meeting. 6:30 p.m. Avondale Library, 509 40th St. S. Visit forestparksouthavondale.com/ for more information. June 9: Roebuck Springs Neighborhood Association meeting. 7 p.m. South Roebuck Baptist/Community Church. Call President Frank Hamby at 222-2319 for more information. June 13: Woodlawn Neighborhood Association meeting. 5709 1st Ave N. Call President Brenda Pettaway at 593-4487 for more information. June 14: Highland Park Neighborhood Association meeting. 7 p.m. Upstairs meeting room of the Highland Park Golf Course clubhouse. Meeting notices are sent out to recipients of the Highland Park email list. If you wish to be included on this list, email President Alison Glascock at alisonglascock@gmail.com. June 21: Central City Neighborhood Association meeting: 6-7 p.m. Linn-Henley Library, Richard Arrington, Jr. Auditorium. Neighborhood social to follow at Tavern on 1st, 2320 1st Ave. N. June 23: Crestline Neighborhood Association meeting. 6:20 p.m. McElwain Church. June 27: Huffman Neighborhood Association meeting. 7 p.m. Cornerstone School, 959 Huffman Road. June 27: Five Points South Neighborhood Association meeting. 6-7:15 p.m. Southside Library, 1814 11th Ave. S. Visit fivepointsbham. com for more information.
Did we miss something? If you would like to have your neighborhood association meeting mentioned in next month’s calendar, email the meeting info to kwilliams@starnespublishing.com.
COMMUNITY May 27: The Friday Function. Workplay, 500 23rd St. S. 8 p.m.-midnight. Featuring Tank & the Bangas, LV & We Are Here, Love Moor and Eugenius. Tickets: $18 day of. May 28: Color Run. 2221 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd North. The start-line window will open at 8 a.m. with waves going every few minutes until 9 a.m. Make sure you plan your day with plenty of time. At The Color Run, the start line is its own pre-race party with music, dancing, warm-up
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free. For more information, call 833-8226.
May 28: 3D Printing Workshop – Introduction to 3D Printing. Red Mountain Makers, 5502 1st Ave. N. 8:30 a.m. This basic workshop will give you a full understanding of how 3D printers operate and much more. Learn to print on the Red Mountain Makers’ 3D printers. Cost: $60.
Mondays, June 1-30: Young Professionals Kiwanis Social Hour. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Carrigan’s Public House. By hosting some of Alabama’s preeminent business and civic leaders as speakers, this meeting gives Kiwanis members and guests a chance to dig deeper into community issues and, oftentimes, lead to new service project ideas for the club. Additionally, this is a time for Kiwanis members to network and vote on the business of the club. Hor d’oeuvres are provided by the club, and Carrigan’s typically has drink specials as well. Look for the Kiwanis sign to find us. Admission free. For more information, call 578-8467.
May 28: NPC Vulcan Classic. BirminghamJefferson Convention Complex Theatre. Prejudging begins at 9 a.m., Finals begin at 6 p.m. Bikini, Bodybuilding, Figure, Fitness, Physique and Classic Physique Championship. Tickets must be purchased through Ticketmaster. Prejudging: Adult $20, Child age 2-12 $10. Finals: Adult & Child VIP $40, Adult $30 (balcony), Child: $10 (balcony). May 31: Teens Engineer BHM / STEM-L. Birmingham Public Library Central Branch, 2100 Park Place. 3:30-5 p.m. Join us after school each Tuesday through the spring to work with UAB’s School of Engineering to start computer coding, work with Arduinos (microcomputers), program robots, and much more. This program is supported by a grant from the Best Buy Foundation & the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency, through the Library Service and Technology Act, as administered by the Alabama Public Library Service. Free. May 31: Basic Crochet Class. West End Branch Library (BPL), 1348 Tuscaloosa Ave SW. 10 a.m. If you are just learning how to crochet or need a refresher course, join in and learn all the basic techniques of crochet and have fun while you learn from instructor Joan Black. Free. June 1-30: Alabama Farmers Market. Open 24 hours but most vendors are open daily from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. 344 Finley Ave. W. Owned and managed by the Jefferson County Truck Growers Association, Alabama Farmers Market is both a wholesale and a farmers market. The Market houses more than 500 farmers and vendors on its 49 acres of land, 33 of which consist of only produce, making it the largest market in the state. Admission is free. For more information, call 251-8737. Saturdays, June 1-30: The Market at Pepper Place. 7 a.m. to noon. Rain or shine. The Market at Pepper Place brings the best Alabama growers, food producers and artisans to Birmingham. Bring your leashed four-legged friends and enjoy live entertainment. June 1-30: Jennys to Jets - Birmingham's Military Aviation History. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Southern Museum of Flight. Exhibition features art and artifacts that create a visual narrative paying tribute to 100 years of worldwide aviation service by the men and women of the Alabama (Air) National Guard. Tickets $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and students; active military and family and children younger than 3
June 3: Bards & Brews Open Mic. 6:30-9 p.m. Avondale Regional Library. Bards & Brews is a spoken word poetry performance/beer tasting event hosted by the Birmingham Public Library usually held on the first Friday of each month except December. Slams are held quarterly in January, April, July and October; the other sessions are open mic. The event is emceed by performance artist and poetry events director Voice Porter. Live musical performances are held before the poetry performances begin. Craft beer is donated by breweries from around the region. The staff from J. Clyde usually pours for the evening. You must be 18 or over to attend, and 21 or over to drink. Bring your ID. Come early, as these events are well attended. For more information, call 226-3671.
June 4: Woodlawn Street Market. One 55th Place MUST South. An urban street market SEE sponsored by REV Birmingham, featuring food, entertainment and local vendors. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Visit facebook.com/ woodlawnstreetmarket.
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June 4: Literary Vibes 2016. The Spring Street Firehouse, 412 41st Street South. A poetry slam and fundraiser to benefit a nonprofit that help Birmingham poets. 7-9 p.m. $8; college students with I.D. $5. June 4: Juneteenth Culture Fest. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Kelly Ingram Park. BCRI’s Annual Juneteenth Culture Fest takes place on the first Saturday in June at Kelly Ingram Park in the historic Civil Rights District. Join BCRI for this free, family-oriented event that features
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music, food vendors, contests, free admission to BCRI galleries and other special activities. For more information, call 328-9696, ext. 234. June 4: 30th annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Doors open at 10 a.m. The Harbert Center. Hosted by the MetroBirmingham Professional Women’s Association Plated luncheon, fashion show, door prizes and vendor sales available. Advanced tickets $35. June 4-5: 43rd annual Tannehill Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. This outdoor show is known throughout the Southeast as both a fun and a friendly show. Various geology and jewelry related groups have booths at the show. Park admission: $5 Adults (12 years and older) $4 Seniors (Ages 62 and older) $3 Children (Ages 6-11) ages 5 and under free. For more information, call 477-5711. June 4-12: Central Alabama PrideFest. The parade will be held on the evening of the 11th, and the actual festival will be at Sloss Furnaces on the 12th from noon-9 p.m. Jordin Sparks, who won American Idol in 2007, is the headline act during the week. For more information, visit centralalabamapride.org/. June 5-26: Super Summer Comic Book-to-Film Series. 2:30 p.m. every Sunday. Birmingham Public Library - Avondale Regional Library. For more information, call 226-4000. June 5: Vulcan’s 112th Birthday Bash. 12-4 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. Tickets $5. For more information, call 933-1409. June 5: Suicide Awareness and Prevention seminar. 2 p.m. Alabama Veterans Memorial Park. As a part of our continuing efforts to educate, inform and assist veterans, The Alabama Veterans Memorial Foundation is sponsoring and hosting a free Suicide Awareness and Prevention Seminar for veterans and their families and anyone of the general public with an interest. The seminar will be conducted by experienced counselors from The Vet Center, a subsidiary organization within/under the umbrella of the Department of Veterans Affairs. There will be free snacks and refreshments available to all who attend. For more information, call 305-6749. June 6: BAO BINGO. 7-9 p.m. BOA, 205 32nd St. S. Birmingham AIDS Outreach hosts a monthly BINGO game on the first Monday of every month. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game is from 7-9 p.m. You must be 19 to enter. Each month there are six games and each game includes a cash prize of $100 or more. The charge is $15 to play five games, $1 to play the final bonus game, and $1 for an ink dauber. Cash, check and credit/ debit cards are accepted. Each BAO BINGO night Silvertron Cafe stays open extra late for our BINGO patrons and offers fantastic pasta specials! Silvertron Cafe is located in Forest Park at 3813 Clairmont Avenue South next to Naked Art Gallery.
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DISCOVER June 10: Y’all Connect presented by Alabama Power. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. BJCC East Meeting Rooms. June 6: Summer Reading Kick-Off Jam. Avondale Y’all Connect Presented by Alabama Power is a Regional Library, 509 40th Street South. blogging and social media conference taking Birmingham Public Library presents a free place June 10, 2016, in Birmingham. The mission concert by George Griffin and The Firebirds. 6:30 is to give you practical takeaways in corporate p.m. Free. Visit bplonline.org. storytelling. Regular tickets $129, VIP tickets $199. For more information, call 724-9233. June 6: Steps to Starting Your Business: 12-1 p.m. Birmingham Public Library - Central Branch. June 10-11: 20th annual Down Home Psaltery Seminar presenters will be veteran mentors Festival. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks from the Birmingham chapter of SCORE, a Historical State Park. Morning workshops and national nonprofit comprised of volunteers lessons on playing the psaltery. Afternoon willing to share their business knowledge and performances by psaltery players, young and old, experience with prospective entrepreneurs and professional and amateurs. Park admission: $5 small business owners. For more information, Adults (12 years and older) $4 Seniors (Ages 62 please contact Jim Murray in the Central Library’s and older) $3 Children (Ages 6-11) ages 5 and Business, Science and Technology Department at under free. Fee to particpate in competition. For jmurray@bham.lib.al.us or call 226-3691. more information, call 424-6970. For more information, call 322-4197, ext. 107.
June 6: Teens Engineer BHM/STEM-L: 3:30-5 p.m. Birmingham Public Library - Central Branch. Join us after school each Tuesday through the spring to work with UAB’s School of Engineering to start computer coding, work with Arduinos (micro-computers), program robots, and much more. The program is held in the Youth Department Story Castle. Target audience: teens. For more information, call 226-3655.
June 11: Take the Reins 10K. 8-10 a.m. Good People Brewing Company. This open-course 10K is designed to celebrate our men and women in uniform and raise money for The Red Barn’s programs. The Red Barn’s “Take the Reins” program provides equine activities to veterans, active and inactive military personnel, and their families. The race begins and ends at Good People Brewing Co. and your registration fee includes a T-shirt and June 6-10: The Secret Life of Bugs. 9 a.m. - 1 ribbons for age group winners. Register at p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. For children https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Birmingham/ ages 4-5 years. A classic garden favorite TakeTheReins10K. returns! Explore The Gardens’ habitats along with a world of insects through “buggy” art/ June 11: Fourth annual Big Green Eggs in the nature projects and much more! Instructor: Lisa Ham. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Regions Field. Cooks sign Dolensky, AELG Credentialed and UA Graduate in and set up at 7 a.m. Lighting of the Egg kicks School of Education LWP Fellow. Tickets $160 off at 8 a.m. Food will be available all day. Just for members or $200 for nonmembers. For more walk around from Egg to Egg and don’t forget to information, call 414-3950. vote for your favorite! Enjoy the food and learn techniques/tips! Kids zone with Moonwalks, playground, face painting and games. Pack a picnic blanket and chairs. Ticket Information: Single Admission - $15 Couple’s Admission- $25. Purchase online or at the door.
Miss Alabama 2015, Meg McGuffin.
June 8-11: Miss Alabama Pageant. 7:30 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center - Samford University. This not-for-profit organization awards college scholarships to outstanding young women of our state, and its mission is more critical than ever in this time of inadequate funding for education in Alabama. Contestants are divided into three groups. Preliminary competitions in talent, evening wear, and swimsuit Wednesday-Friday. Final competition Saturday. For tickets, call the Wright Center/Samford University at 726-4069.
June 11: Shelby Show & Go antique and custom car event. 4-9 p.m. Mt Laurel Town Square. Benefiting SafeHouse of Shelby County, Show & Go will display classic and custom cars in downtown Mt Laurel during this family-friendly event. In addition to viewing some of central Alabama’s most fabulous classic and custom cars up close, attendees will also enjoy listening to live music, browsing retail shops and dining in local restaurants in Mt Laurel’s picturesque town center. Registered vehicle owners have the option to participate in vehicle judging. Should the event be postponed to its rain date of June 18, all registrations will be honored. Sorry, no refunds. Attendance is free to spectators. Car owners wishing to register must pay in advance or on the day of the event. For more information, call 669-1877. June 11: Fifth annual SliceFest. 1 p.m. midnight. Slice Pizza and Brew. If you love music, great food and brews, giving back and Birmingham, then you don’t want to miss
this festival. Slice Pizza & Brewhouse hosts the event MUST to celebrate the restaurant’s SEE anniversary and thank the Birmingham community for their continuous support. Over the past 4 years the event has grown to a fullblown festival bringing in local and regional music talent paired. Tickets can be purchased on Slicefest.com at the advanced rate or $25 or $35 at the gate. For more information, call 398-2301.
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June 15: Flicks Among the Flowers. 8-11 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Film TBA. For more information, call 414-3950. June 15: Books & Beads. 2 p.m. Birmingham Public Library at Avondale Regional Library. Each class will feature a simple hands-on project and instruction, with tools and materials provided. Even if you’ve never tried beading before, you can complete a wearable work of art to take home with you. Free, but class is size is limited so registration required. To register, call 226-4000. June 16: Magic City Chocolate Challenge presented by MUST Disability Rights and Resources. SEE 5-8 p.m. Old Car Heaven. Area bakers, chefs and caterers will get together for a friendly challenge to see who can create the best chocolate dish. Be a part of this signature event that benefits individuals with disabilities. This will be a fun event for everyone, featuring chefs creating their best chocolate dish. Entries will be judged in 2 categories: People’s Choice and Judges Panel. There will tastings, silent auction, music, food trucks, dancing, cash bar, plus viewing the wonderful vintage cars at Old Car Heaven. If you are interested in being a part of this event, or would like more information please email Jean.petties@drradvocates.org or call 205-815-6159.
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June 17: Call For Local Artists: 5-8 p.m. Forest Park and South Avondale. Every third Friday, the loos of Forest Park merchants are turned into art installations by local artists. We are looking for installations rather than a show of works, so it is creating a mood in a tiny room, filling its space with an occupation of items rather than putting art on the walls. To submit, email Vero titled “Tour de Loo” at mail@nakedartusa. com. State what you’ll be doing and send some pictures of your art. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/events/1423664134572838. For more information, call 595-3553. June 17: Eighth annual ACS Black-Out Cancer Party. 8 p.m. Iron City. Attendees are asked to dress up and wear all black. This event brings together people of all ages from across Birmingham to enjoy a night of dancing, silent auction bidding, and fighting cancer. Tickets $40-$65. For more information, contact the American Cancer Society at 930-8860 or online
at JEBBIRMINGHAM.org. June 18: Juneteenth. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Kelly Ingram Park. MUST Presented by Birmingham Civil SEE Rights Institute, this annual free, family-oriented event features music, contests, free admission to BCRI galleries and other special activities. For more information, call 328-9696, ext. 229.
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June 18: Zoo, Brews and Full Moon Barbecue. 5-9 p.m. Birmingham Zoo. 2630 Cahaba Road. 5 p.m. Enjoy food, beer and kids activities at this family-friendly event. Visit birminghamzoo.com. June 18-19: Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. The third weekend of each month, from March through November, shoppers and swappers come from far and near to Tannehill Trade Days in search of tools, clothing, jewelry, knives, furniture and other treasures. Please note: No pets or bicycles are allowed in the Trade Days Area. $5 Adults (12 years and older); $4 Seniors (Ages 62 and older); $3 Children (Ages 6-11) ages 5 and under free. For more information, call 477-5711. June 20-24: Junior Master Gardener: 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Participants will learn through the expert guidance of certified teachers and Master Gardeners, and will earn their JMG registered certification upon completion. Instructor: Julie Danley, BS in Elementary Education, M.Ed. Junior Master Gardener leader/instructor since 2008. For more information, call 414-3950. June 24-25: BAO’s Smith Lake Poker Run. 7-10 p.m. Smith Lake Poker Run is an annual event benefiting BAO. Guests pay $50 per person to participate and enjoy a registration party with food & beverage on Friday evening, as well as a day of fun and sun on Smith Lake followed by live music and catering at the After Party. Most guests register at The Barn At The Farm Party where cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted. Guests may also register online and skip the lines at the registration party on Friday evening. Weekend Schedule: Barn At The Farm Registration Party, Friday 24 June 7-10 p.m.; Smith Lake Poker Run, checkpoints open 11 a.m.; after party starts 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 322-4197. June 25: Contra Dance! presented by FOOTMAD. 7-10:30 p.m. Birmingham YMCA. Our more experienced dancers will gladly help you with all of our dances, and we love to have beginning dancers attend. Contra is traditional New England folk dancing. Admission: $10 for adults. Use one of our punch cards, and your 5th dance is free! $8 for college students; $4 for children aged 13-18; free for children 12 and under. Newcomers receive a coupon to attend their next dance for free. For more information, call 979-3237.
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BUSINESS
SIPS & BITES
HAPPENINGS
SIGHTS
IRON CITY INK
FACES
June 25: 2016 Aubie 5K Run and 1-mile fun run in memory of Meredith Leann Maddox. 8-9:30 a.m. Veterans Park. Refreshments, door prizes, activities for kids, and Auburn family networking. Balloons, moonwalk and play at the park. All pre-registered runners will receive a T-shirt. Availability on race day on a first come first serve basis. Contact Nick Hall at nahall@southernco.com or phone, 256298-1494 or Michael Lovett at 205-966-6776 or by email at michael.lovett@yahoo.com. Register at https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Hoover/ GreaterBirminghamAuburnClubAubie5K1Mile FunRun.
June 5: Harry Connick Jr. 8 p.m. Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Tickets available through Ticketmaster.
June 27 - July 1: Gross Out Day Camp. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It’s science, but please don’t tell the kids! Gross Out Camp provides a week of full-day hands-on biology and chemistry — from polar/ non-polar molecules to identifying skinks in the creek bed. Activities include hikes, creek stomping, crafts, journaling, and live animal demonstrations with reptiles and snakes! Camps run one week per camp, ages entering grades 1-4. Admission $225 for nonmembers; $200 for members; $25 for before and after care; $25 buddy discount available.
June 7: Frank Turner/Gogol Bordello. Doors open at 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Iron City. Tickets $30-$33. Purchase tickets at ironcitybham.com.
MUSIC Mondays, June 1-30: Buck Mulligan’s Karaoke Craic Night. 8-11 p.m. Buck Mulligans. DJ Boom Kitty will be spinning your favorite tunes and making you sound like a pro. Extensive music catalog. Admission free. For more information, call 933-3999. June 1-2: Preservation Hall Jazz Band. 7 p.m. Avondale Brewing Company. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band derives its name from Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. Tickets $25-$30.
June 6: The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Doors open at 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Iron City. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is touring in support of its latest release, Phosphorescent Harvest. Praised by Rolling Stone as “at once quirky, trippy, soulful and downright magnetic,” it’s the band’s third long-playing album for Silver Arrow Records. Tickets $22-$25. Purchase tickets at ironcitybham.com.
June 12: The Cathedral Choir in Concert Frederick Teardo director. 3-4 p.m. Cathedral Church of the Advent. The Cathedral Choir is an auditioned, semi-professional ensemble whose primary purpose is to provide music for worship at the Advent. The Cathedral Choir will present a concert of some of the most celebrated gems in the Anglican choral repertory. Admission free. For more information, call 226-3505. June 14: Brit Floyd: 8 p.m. BJCC. Following its hugely successful 146 concert date tour around the globe in 2015, Brit Floyd, The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Show, returns to North America in 2016 to continue its amazing journey through 50 years of Pink Floyd, and the vast and incredible catalog of music they have given us. As well as performing the favorite moments from The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall and The Division Bell... Brit Floyd will treat audiences to its show-stopping rendition of Echoes, in its entirety, from the landmark album Meddle, as well as a host of other Pink Floyd musical gems. Tickets start at $31.50. For more information, call 800-745-3000.
JUNE 2016
B’HAM BIZARRE
NECK OF THE WOODS
May 29: Slow Art Sunday. Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. 2-3 p.m. Unlock the secrets of works in the Museum’s collection by cultivating the art of looking slowly. Our docents ask and answer questions to help guide your slow art experience and foster conversation. This Sunday, Master Docent Marlene Wallace leads a discussion on “Reclining Nude” by Fernando Botero. Free. May 29: Sophie Tucker: Last of the Red Hot Mamas. Terrific New Theatre, 2821 2nd Avenue South. 2:30 p.m. Final performance. Tickets: $25. June 1-26: Haitian Flags from the Cargo Collection. Birmingham Museum of Art. 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. This superb collection of Haitian flags — symbols of identity, power, and authority — Is from the Robert Cargo Folk Art Collection. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays; noon-5 p.m., Sundays. Admission free. Visit artsbma.org. June 2: Birmingham Art Crawl: 5-9 p.m. Join the Birmingham Art Crawl every first Thursday from 5:00 - 9:00 pm, rain or shine, as downtown Birmingham, Alabama transforms into a walking art gallery full of artists, performers, food and fun. Art Crawl is a great way to meet local artists and performers, buy and appreciate their work, and be part of the rapidly growing art scene in Birmingham. You also get a chance to shop after-hours in some of downtown Birmingham’s most popular businesses. Venues stretch across the historic arts, loft, and theatre districts including galleries, restaurants and bars, downtown businesses and more. June 2: Art & Conversation: The Art of the Brand. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Birmingham Museum of Art. BMA Creative Director James Williams will discuss the steps involved in creating the Museum’s visual brand. Tickets $10 for members; $15 for non-members.
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call 800-745-3000. June 16-July 3: Damn Yankees. Times vary. Virginia Samford Theatre. Based on the novel “The Year The Yankees Lost The Pennant” by Douglass Wallop, DAMN YANKEES was a Broadway mega-hit and winner of 7 TONY Awards including Best Musical! A light, fastpaced, and devilishly clever romantic comedy, sure to please. Tickets start at $33. For more information, call 251-1206. June 16-July 3: Wicked, presented by The Theatre League. Times vary. BJCC. Back by popular demand. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. For more information, call 800-745-3000. June 27: Bring It! Live. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets start at $31.75. For more information, call 800-745-3000.
SPORTS June 3-5: Howard Hill Archery Southern Traditional Archery Classic. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Spectators are welcome for the price of park admission. Additional fee to participate in tournament. For more information, call 477-5711. June 10-12: Triumph Superbike Classic. Barber Motorsports Park, 6040 Barber Motorsports Parkway, Leeds. Some of the fastest motorcycle riders in North America will compete. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Adult admissions start at $10 (daily) and $55 (two-day package). Visit http://barbermotorsports.com.
BIRMINGHAM BARONS (HOME GAMES AT REGIONS FIELD)
June 2: vs. Chattanooga, 7 p.m. June 3: vs. Chattanooga, 7 p.m. June 24: Old Crow Medicine Show. Doors open June 4: vs. Chattanooga, 7 p.m. June 9-25: “The Explorer’s Club.” Theatre at 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Iron City. Purchase June 5: vs. Mobile, 6 p.m. tickets at ironcitybham.com Downtown, 2410 Fifth Ave. South. A play by Nell June 2-3: Galactic. 7 p.m. Avondale Brewing June 6: vs. Mobile, 11:30 a.m. Benjamin about the fi rst woman invited to join Company. Galactic is a collaborative band with June 7: vs. Mobile, 7 p.m. an all-male bastion in Victorian England. 8 p.m., June 25: Brantley Gilbert: Take It Outside Tour. a unique format. It’s a stable quintet that plays June 8: vs. Mobile, 11 a.m. 7 p.m. Oak Mountain Amphitheater. The country Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Adults $18; together with high musicianship. Tickets $25-30. June 9: vs. Mobile, 7 p.m. students $12. Visit theatredowntown.org. singer will be joined by special guests Justin For more information, call 777-5456. June 15: vs. Mississippi, 7 p.m. Moore and Colt Ford. Tickets start at $30.25. For June 16: vs. Mississippi, 7 p.m. more information, call 800-745-3000. June 11: Ira Glass in Three Acts, Two Dancers, June 2-4: Steel City Jazz Festival. Thursday June 17: vs. Mississippi, 7 p.m. One Radio Host. Bar and lobbies open at 7 and Friday, 5 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. Linn Park. June 18: vs. Mississippi, 6:30 p.m. p.m., doors open at 7:30 p.m. Alys Robinson With our phenomenal lineup, easy access Stephens Performing Arts Center. Ira Glass, host June 19: vs. Mississippi, 3 p.m. and discounted ticket prices, this festival June 29: vs. Biloxi, 7 p.m. of This American Life and Monica Bill Barnes experience is the ultimate value for Smooth June 30: vs. Biloxi, 7 p.m. & Company have been working together to Jazz enthusiasts from around the country. May 20-June 4: Vespertine by Tracie Noles Ross. combine two art forms that — as Ira puts it — Thursday night kick-off event featuring the “have no business being together — dance and BIRMINGHAM HAMMERS Grammy Nominated Alvin Garrett and Logan The Naked Art Gallery, 3831 Clairmont Ave. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. radio.” For more information, call 975-2787. Entertainer will be held at the Harbert Center. (HOME GAMES AT SICARD HOLLOW) Two-day passes start at $150. May 28: POV: Stories About Change in June 12: Weird Al Yankovic. 8 p.m. BJCC. “Weird May 28: vs. Georgia Revolution FC, 7 p.m. June 10: vs. Memphis City FC, 7 p.m. Perspective. Avon Theater, 2829 7th Ave. S. 7:30 Al” Yankovic will follow his 2015 world tour June 3-4: Me & The Party Hats. 7 p.m. Avondale p.m. Arc Light Stories features true stories told with a 78-date North American trek in support June 12: vs. Nashville FC, 5:30 p.m. Brewing Company. A totally out-there rock live in front of an audience by the people who of his 2014 Grammy-winning album, Mandatory June 22: vs. Knoxville Force, 7 p.m. ‘n’ roll cover band. Tickets $20-25. For more lived them. Admission: $10. Fun. Tickets start at $31. For more information, June 25: vs. New Orleans Jesters, 7 p.m. information, call 777-5456.
ARTS
JUNE 2016
IRON CITY INK
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DISCOVER
PLUGGED IN MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS Courtesy of artsBHAM
Classical, Broadway, rock and crossgenre music performances will fill Birmingham stages this month.
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra wraps up its Masterworks series June 3 and 4 with “Pictures at an Exhibition,” which highlights Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s work of the same name.
ALABAMA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MASTERWORKS: “PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION”
► Friday-Saturday, June 3-4, 8 p.m. ► Carlos Izcaray, conductor; Andrew Miller, tuba. Barber: “The School for Scandal Overture”; John Williams: Tuba Concerto; Ravel: “La Valse”; Mussorgsky/Ravel: “Pictures at an Exhibition.” ► Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave S. ► Tickets: $24-$72 ► alabamasymphony.org
June will also bring three shows to the recently restored Lyric Theatre. “When we were fundraising to reopen the Lyric, we promised Birmingham that we would bring in diverse acts so that everyone could find something they would enjoy,” said Cindy Mullins, who is in charge of booking and marketing at the theater. “Since reopening in January, we have already had 13 unique acts — some of them doing multiple shows — perform in our Live at the Lyric season. The Live at the Lyric shows we have scheduled for June are a great example of that diversity.”
THE WRITER’S SHARE: MARCIA RAMIREZ, ALISSA MORENO AND KACI BOLLS
age restrictions. ► workplay.com
SYMPHONY IN THE SUMMER: “A SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION” AT RAILROAD PARK
► Friday, June 10, 8 p.m. ► Carlos Izcaray, conductor Works by Dvořák, Wagner, Barber and Liszt. ► Railroad Park, 1600 First Ave. S. ► Free admission ► railroadpark.org Photo courtesy of Kelly Newport.
LIVE AT THE LYRIC: THE MAVERICKS
► Friday, June 3, 8 p.m. ► American band that combines “classic country, cow-punk and standards” (themavericksband.com) ► Lyric Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N. ► Tickets: $35-$49.50 ► lyricbham.com
HUKA ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS THE SHEEPDOGS
► Sunday, June 5, 8 p.m. ► Canadian rock band, the “first unsigned band to grace the cover of Rolling Stone.” (via The Sheepdogs website) ► WorkPlay Theatre, 500 23rd St. S. ► Tickets: $16; see website for more information about
► Thursday, June 16, 8 p.m. ► WorkPlay Theatre ► Tickets: $20; see website for more information about age restrictions. ► workplay.com
LIVE AT THE LYRIC: THE BIRD DOGS PRESENT THE EVERLY BROTHERS EXPERIENCE
SYMPHONY IN THE SUMMER: “TCHAIKOVSKY UNDER THE STARS” AT RAILROAD PARK
► Saturday, June 11, 8 p.m. ► Chris Confessore, conductor Works by Sibelius, Mussorgsky, Offenbach and Tchaikovsky. ► Railroad Park ► Free admission ► railroadpark.org
SYMPHONY IN THE SUMMER: “FAMILY FUN DAY” AT RAILROAD PARK
Photo courtesy of The Mavericks.
Cross-genre gospel/contemporary artist Kirk Franklin will appear June 14 at the Alabama Theatre. Performances on tap at WorkPlay Theatre include the Canadian rock band The Sheepdogs on June 5; Marcia Ramirez, Alissa Moreno and Kaci Bolls on June 16; Cowboy Mouth on June 24; and Joe Purdy on June 25, among others. The Alys Stephens Center’s VIVA Health Starlight Gala on June 12 stars Emmy and Tony award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth. Proceeds of the gala benefit Alys Stephens Center’s education and outreach initiatives.
► Sunday, June 12, 6 p.m. Sponsored by Protective Life ► Chris Confessore, conductor Works by Copland, Tchaikovsky, John Williams, Elgar and more. ► Railroad Park ► Free admission ► railroadpark.org
2016 VIVA HEALTH STARLIGHT GALA STARRING KRISTIN CHENOWETH
► Sunday, June 12, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. ► Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth performing with a 12-piece ensemble ► Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave S. ► Tickets: $150, includes a pre-performance cocktail reception, benefits go to the Alys Stephens Center’s education and outreach initiatives. ► alysstephens.org/gala-2016, 205-975-4012
KIRK FRANKLIN
► Tuesday, June 14, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. ► Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. N. ► Tickets: $34.50- $57.50 ► alabamatheatre.com
Photo courtesy of The Bird Dogs.
► Saturday, June 18, 8 p.m. ► “The Bird Dogs bring a genuine and youthful Everly Brothers experience to the stage. The Zmed brothers celebrate the genetic intimacy present in the harmonies created by Don and Phil [Everly.]” (via birddogsband.com) ► Lyric Theatre ► Tickets: $20-$30 ► lyricbham.com
COWBOY MOUTH
► Friday, June 24, 8 p.m. ► A “unique style of rock & roll gumbo, mixing a rowdy spirit reflective of the band’s hometown — New Orleans” (via cowboymouth.com) ► WorkPlay Theatre ► Tickets: $20; see website for more information about age restrictions. ► workplay.com
JOE PURDY, SINGER- SONGWRITER
► Saturday, June 25, 8 p.m. ► WorkPlay Theatre ► Tickets: $20; see website for more information about age restrictions. ► workplay.com
LIVE AT THE LYRIC: PAUL THORN
► Saturday, June 25, 8 p.m. ► A “roots-rock songwriter and performer.” (quoted from Paul Thorn’s website) ► Lyric Theatre ► Tickets: $22-$35 ► lyricbham.com
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