WestJeff Magazine - June 2024

Hueytown’s signature event returns PAGE 18

The Jones family and their unbreakable bonds PAGE 14 Cityfest IS BACK

Taste of the Caribbean Cultural festival blossoms in Bessemer PAGE 22

THE TIES THAT Bind

Hueytown Cityfest

Popular festival continues to grow, attract big musical acts

Business

Local photography and videography company opens brick and mortar studio in Bessemer

Marvel City Caribbean Festival A taste of Caribbean life and culture in this fast growing annual event

On the Cover

Who We Are

WestJeff Magazine serves the communities and people of West Jefferson County. Published every month, the magazine is available for free at more than 100 locations in Bessemer, Hueytown, McCalla, Pleasant Grove, Concord, Oak Grove, Sylvan Springs, and other areas.

Subscriptions are available for $35 per year.

Email subscribe@jbmcmedia.com for details on how to subscribe or send a gift subscription.

Does your business want to connect with West Jefferson County residents? Email us: advertise@jbmcmedia.com, and let’s talk!

All content in this magazine remains the property of JBMC Media, LLC. Any requests to reprint or republish should be directed to matthew@jbmcmedia.com.

Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.

Matthew Allen Publisher (205) 617-9609

matthew@jbmcmedia.com

Michelle Salem Haynes Marketing Consultant (205) 381-1311 michelle@jbmcmedia.com

Photos by Brittney Fields | FIELDS PHOTO

Jesse Chambers Content Director jesse@jbmcmedia.com

Our feature story this month is on the Jones family, who live in and around the Oak Grove area. Randy and Amanda Jones, married for nearly 43 years, have a large (and busy) family, but they never lose sight of how it truly takes a village. Read their story on pages 14-16.

Shweta Bratina Graphic Designer

Anthony Bratina Graphic Designer

Emily VanderMey Listo Operations & Project Manager, Graphic Designer

Advertising Partners

It’s never easy asking businesses to invest in advertising, so we want to give a VERY special thank you to these businesses. Please, support them, and mention you saw their ad in WestJeff Magazine!

If you would like to support this magazine through advertising, contact Michelle Salem Haynes michelle@jbmcmedia.com.

Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure

American Pride Trophies & Awards

Buckmaster Property Group

Children’s of Alabama

Deo Gloria Wood Works First Financial Bank

Gaynell Hendricks - Jefferson County Tax Assessor

Hill’s Carpet & Floor Covering

Hueytown Chamber of Commerce

Jefferson County Commission

Jimmie Stephens, Jefferson County Commission

Parrot Structural Services

TherapySouth

UAB Medical West Hospital

Union State Bank

The West Beat

BY JESSE CHAMBERS

A Birmingham native, I’m all too familiar with that city’s up and down history.

Founded in 1871, Birmingham became an industrial boomtown and grew so rapidly it was dubbed “The Magic City.”

However, Birmingham was hammered by the Great Depression, with President Roosevelt calling it “the hardest-hit town in the country.”

The city also held itself back economically and culturally in the 1950s and early 1960s with a stubborn refusal to give up its strict system of racial segregation.

Beginning in the 1960s, it fell behind several other large Southern cities in population growth – first Atlanta, then Nashville and Charlotte.

Fortunately, the story doesn’t end there.

In the 21st century, Birmingham has remade itself as a center for banking, technology and medical research. It has also created a new, more positive national image – in part as a destination for foodies.

The long arc of Birmingham’s history actually reminds me of an important city on The West Beat – Bessemer. The two towns have a few things in common historically.

I’m thinking of Bessemer’s grand beginning in the late 19th century, the challenges it faced in the late 20th century and its recent strides in making an economic comeback.

Like Birmingham, Bessemer was a modern Southern city founded after the Civil War. It was also an industrial boomtown that would become a center for mining and iron and steel production.

In 1900, Bessemer was ranked as the eighth most populous city in Alabama and was served by five railroad lines, according to bhamwiki.com. Not surprisingly, Bessemer’s rapid growth earned it a moniker – “The Marvel City.”

Bessemer founder Henry DeBardeleben planned for the new city to surpass Birmingham as a center for iron and steel making,

bhamwiki.com says.

The highest hopes of some of The Marvel City’s early boosters were not all realized, but Bessemer remained a prosperous, growing city for many decades.

A huge economic challenge came in the 1980s and 1990s, as Bessemer lost a lot of its heavy manufacturing and saw high rates of unemployment.

Bessemer also began losing population and slipped behind Hoover and some other fast-growing Over the Mountain suburbs.

But as with Birmingham, Bessemer’s story doesn’t end here.

Bessemer and McCalla have greatly diversified their economies since the 1990s, and those efforts continue to bear fruit. That includes a lot of good economic news in Bessemer over the last decade or more.

The Marvel City has attracted large investments from such companies as Dollar General, Amazon, Milo’s Tea Company and BLOX.

McCalla is currently seeing the construction of the new UAB Medical West Hospital and a massive, $1.1 billion Smucker’s plant.

Bessemer also seems to possess its own distinct identity and pride and a sense of independence.

In addition, downtown Bessemer is historic and beautiful. Ongoing efforts to restore The Lincoln Theatre movie house in downtown Bessemer remind me of the campaign that restored The Lyric Theatre in downtown Birmingham as a performing arts venue.

Bessemer, it seems, already has some great energy and more chapters to add to its story.

It seems likely that Bessemer, McCalla and the rest of Western Jefferson County will continue to grow. At WestJeff Magazine, we’re eager to cover what happens next.

Let us know about news and stories on The West Beat. You can reach us at jesse@jbmcmedia.com.

Key Lime Pie Popsicles Recipe

Kathleen is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.

Summer is here! Let’s cool down with Key Lime Pie Popsicles. These are No Cook so that’s a bonus to not have to heat up the kitchen with the oven!

Ingredients

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice, bottled key lime juice (or you can use regular limes and lime juice)

1 1/2 cups Cool Whip, divided or Sweetened Whipped Cream

9 thin key lime slices (optional)

3 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

9 popsicle sticks

Instructions

Combine sweetened condensed milk and lime juice in a bowl; stir in 1/2 cup Cool Whip. Press one lime slice into the inside of each popsicle mold about halfway down. This is optional and is just for garnish. Spoon mixture into nine popsicle molds. The mixture will be a little thick so tap the molds on the counter slightly to remove any air pockets. Spoon about one tablespoon remaining whipped cream on top of lime mixture and

top with about one teaspoon graham cracker crumbs, pressing crumbs gently into the whipped cream mixture so they won’t fall off when unmolded. Press popsicle sticks down the middle of the mixture.

Freeze at least 3 hours or until completely frozen.

Lower popsicle molds down into a large bowl of very warm but not hot water for about 30 seconds. Gently rock the popsicle sticks back and forth while pulling up to remove the popsicles from the molds. Enjoy immediately! Don’t forget to remove the lime slice before eating.

The Senior Citizens of Shelby County

It was 7:34 a.m. when I arrived in Alabaster for the annual Shelby County Senior Adults Picnic. The parking lot of Thompson High School was already swarmed with cars.

“Why are all these people here so early?” I asked one of the volunteers at the check-in booth, who was holding back the throngs of senior citizens.

The volunteer looked at me and said flatly, “You know how punctual senior citizens can be.”

It’s true. I don’t mean to generalize here, but the older generations are far more punctual than the younger ones.

Take my mother. Whenever we schedule lunch at a restaurant, I choose a reasonable time. Say, noon. I usually arrive a little early and tell the hostess I’m meeting someone. The hostess will inevitably point to a lone older woman in the corner. My mother will already be sitting there, finishing her lunch alone.

“How long has she been here?” I’ll ask the hostess.

“Since we opened,” she will reply.

So, the picnic-going seniors were raring to go. They were ravenously ready for lunch, even though—technically—it wasn’t yet breakfast.

“We woulda been here earlier,” said one senior woman in line, who was carrying a lawn chair. “But Harold wanted to change the oil in the truck.”

When the gates opened, it was like one of those old Beatles movies. The people flooded the grounds of the high school in a frenzy.

The entertainment was soon underway. Onstage, a local country band named Rose Colored Glasses played classic country from the golden era. Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Hank Senior, Don Gibson. The whole place turned into the 1950s. The only thing missing were the “I Like Ike” stickers.

Nearly 1,000 elderly picnic goers meandered to and fro, laughing and carrying on. I mingled among them and made lots of friends.

Sometimes I’m afraid that our younger generations have forgotten our elders. I’m on a mission to change all that today.

I met a 97-year-old man, waiting in the food line. He used a walker and wore Velcro shoes.

“I’m NOT a senior citizen,” he said. “I refuse to call myself one. I don’t want the dang discount. I still swim every day for an hour, I still read the newspaper from front to back, and I play Wordle.”

“I don’t call myself a senior citizen, either,” added an elderly woman. “That’s why I signed up for aerobics class. You shoulda seen me, I bent and twisted, strained and gyrated, I jumped up and down, I sweated for a whole hour. And that was just while getting my leotard on.”

I met an 84-year-old man with a Santa beard. His leather vest was adorned with patches. His ballcap read: “VIETNAM.”

“Yes, I have pain just like anyone else. I’ve survived cancer twice, and I’ve lost my wife to cancer. But I still ride my motorcycle, I still drink my beer, and I still hang out with my friends. You don’t quit because you get old. You get old because you quit.”

Next, I meet a woman named Grace. She was bent at the waist, clutching an aluminum roller-walker. Her hair was cotton-white, her frame was frail. She had a feisty look in her eyes, you could tell she was a firecracker back in her day.

“Yeah, it’s tough getting older,” she said, taking my hand in hers. Her frail hand was like a little bird. “Getting old is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, actually, watching myself age in the mirror. I look at myself, and I still expect to see that 19-year-old girl looking at me. I don’t know when this old woman took over my life. Every day is a struggle. I can’t see my own coffee because of cataracts, I can’t turn my head because of arthritis in my neck, my blood pressure meds make me dizzy and I can’t stand up without falling, I forget my own name, I fall asleep unexpectedly, and I can’t hear anything. But you know what? I count my blessings, because at least I can still drive.”

A good time was had by all.

Illustration by Sean Dietrich

Bold young creatives open studio in downtown Bessemer

by JESSE CHAMBERS

Bold As a Lion Studios, a locally owned photography and videography company, recently opened its own brick-and-mortar studio at 1815 Third Ave N. in downtown Bessemer.

Co-founders Martez Nalls, a cinematographer, and his wife Genesis, a photographer, held a ribbon-cutting and grand opening at the facility in February.

“Opening our studio in Bessemer is a dream come true,” Martez Nalls told bhamnow.com.

He recently told WestJeff Magazine that he and the rest of his team are happy with the new space.

“We are very pleased with the studio,” he said. “Our contractor did an amazing job. We’re super excited.”

The Nalls love being located in downtown Bessemer.

“It’s a great location – right next door to City Hall and right near the courthouse, where we have a lot of foot traffic,” Nalls said. “We have a lot of small businesses in the area that we can cater to, so is this the perfect location for what we do.”

Bold as a Lion Studios does weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, events, commercials and corporate work.

“We want to be the best at what we do,” Nalls recently told Alabama News Center.

“We wanted to be unique and stand apart, so we invested a lot of money into things people weren’t investing in,” he told ANC, citing such gear as drones, gimbal stabilizers and effects software.

The company has stayed busy, doing corporate work for clients like Alabama Power and doing events like The World Games in Birmingham and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s wedding.

“We constantly have jobs coming in,” Nalls said. Bold as a Lion worked at the SEC-AAAE Annual Conference in Birmingham in March and flew to Washington, D.C., in early April to take part in the Just Economy Conference. They also flew to San Diego, Calif., to do a shoot for a cancer research facility and were scheduled to shoot concerts by musicians Rick Ross and Chris Brown.

The Bold as a Lion Studios team, including Isaz Fuller, Martez and Genesis Nalls, and

Fuller, cut the ribbon on their new Bessemer facility

In fact, as much as he loves the new studio, Nalls said that Bold As a Lion may outgrow it soon.

“We’re already thinking of expanding or trying to find a larger location, but the building is amazing,” he said.

As a way to give back to the community, Bold as a Lion has started a nonprofit, the Lion’s Den, which offers a 6-month videography and photography training program for students from ages 13-18. The students each deliver a final product – either photos or a promotional video – for a local small business or nonprofit.

and

Martez Nalls said he sees a lot of potential for the Birmingham area.

“We’re in such a wonderful space in Birmingham and Bessemer to the point where people are honest, understanding the power of media, and understanding how important it is to tell your own story and not let others dictate that,” he said. “I think that’s the beauty of what we do, and we are able to highlight the wonderful things going on in the city in a unique way.”

To learn more about, call 205-413-2394 or go to boldasalionstudios.com.

Photo courtesy of Bold as a Lion Studios.

Christie

Chavez

West Jeff businesses host grand openings, make moves

by JESSE CHAMBERS

At WestJeff Magazine, we seek to provide comprehensive coverage of business activity of all kinds in Western Jefferson County – and not just the big projects. We want to hear news and updates of all types about all of the businesses in the area, both large and small. We also report on real estate, construction and infrastructure projects. Please contact us with any tips, information or photos you have at jesse@jbmcmedia.com.

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Candlewood Suites hotel in Bessemer held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening in April with the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and Hueytown Chamber of Commerce.

Grand opening

Jessica Miller Buckmaster, a realtor with Keller Williams Metro South, has opened an office in Concord under the name of Buckmaster Property Group. She held a grand opening on April 3. The office, located at 3440 Warrior River Road, has more than 10 realtors serving Greater Birmingham and surrounding areas, with expertise in West Jefferson County. They specialize in residential, land and new construction, as well as investment portfolios.

State of the art

Oak Crest Health & Wellness, located at 325 Selma Road in Bessemer, recently completed an extensive, 4-month renovation of its clinical rehabilitation wing. The renovation includes a therapy gym with new equipment, rooms to care for up to 17 rehab patients and improvements to the common areas. The facility is also installing new technology to give residents and patients 24/7 access to telemedicine. 205-428-9383. arabellahcm.com

A new home

Cutting the ribbon

The dual-branded Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Candlewood Suites hotel – the first in the United States, according to operators IHG Hotels & Resorts – opened in Bessmer in March. On April 17, the hotel held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and Hueytown Chamber of Commerce. Located at 5430 Academy Way, the 141-room facility is designed to support the needs of both transient and extended-stay travelers. For example, guests can enjoy the “Express Start Breakfast” from Holiday Inn Express or take advantage of the fully equipped kitchens at Candlewood Suites. There are also shared amenities for guests, such as an indoor pool, fitness center, meeting spaces and outdoor common areas.

Lisa Brown SalonSpa celebrated the opening of its brand-new building in Bessemer with a ribbon cutting in early May. Located at 5776 Pocahontas Road, the salon offers hair services and a color bar, makeup, lashes and brows, as well as bridal packages, events and more. Lisa Brown Salon Spa is “rooted in family, education and a passion for making all women look and feel their best,” says the spa’s website. The stylists are trained by Brown to work with different textures of hair from straight and wavy to curly and coily, the site states. 205-477-1477. lisabrownsalonspa.com. Instagram and Facebook.

Celebration

My Bump Studio, a 3D/4D ultrasound clinic in Hueytown, celebrated its first anniversary in May. Owned by Alexis Pickens, the clinic – located at 2925 Allison-Bonnett Memorial Drive – offers 3D/4D non-diagnostic ultrasounds to all expecting mothers, as well as 8-week DNA gender blood testing. On the clinic’s website, Pickens – a sonographer with more than 10 years experience – says that she wishes to make the client’s “baby viewing experience as cozy and fun as possible.” The facility is “very intimate and well-equipped,” according to the site. 205-434-1274. mybumpstudio.com. Instagram and Facebook.

Photo courtesy of Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce

Family Ties

The Jones family tree has unbreakable roots

by JESSE CHAMBERS

photos by BRITTNEY FIELDS

Family is important in many ways. In our families, we receive – or should receive – unconditional love, support and encouragement.

Ideally, families also instill sound values in children and teach them to love and respect other people.

This is certainly true of a large Oak Grove family centered around Randy and Amanda Jones.

Oak Grove natives, the Jones have been married for nearly 43 years and have five children and 12 grandchildren.

The family, while not unique in the small, close-knit community of Oak Grove, has passed down a strong Christian faith from generation to generation. They seek to help others and make the world a better place. They stay close even during tough times. And they seem to truly love and support each other.

Randy and Amanda are grateful for their big, loving family, all of whom live in Oak Grove.

“I don’t think we understand exactly how much it means because we have never been in a situation where we didn’t have everyone close,” Amanda said. “It’s hard to imagine what it might

be like to not have everyone available when needed.”

Oak Grove – with its “small-town atmosphere” – is the perfect place for them, Randy said. “We go to school there. We go to church there. The great majority of our families are there. It’s just where we’re rooted.”

Randy retired as a surveyor in the coal mines for Jim Walter Resources. Amanda still works, serving as transportation facility manager for Eco Material Technologies.

Daughter Hannah and her husband Joe Kunath have five children. Their quadruplets – Randall, Abigail, Ruth, and Naomi are eight years old, and Miriam is three years old.

Daughter Sarah and her husband Bill Barnhill have three sons: Tyler, age 14; Will, age 10; and Zeke, age 9.

Daughter Lydia and her husband Josh Sebert have two children: Jones, age 4, and Jimmy, age 2.

Son Ben Jones and his wife, Greer, have two daughters: Lorelai, nearly three years old, and Millie, nearly one year old.

Son Matthew Turner, originally from Gadsden, was adopted by Randy and Amanda when he was about 12 after living at Big Oak Ranch in Springville for five years. He is very grateful to the

Continued on Page 15

Continued from Page 15

couple.

“I call them Mom and Pops, but they’re almost a little more than that,” Matthew said. “I’m just blessed to be there and blessed to have a good family.”

It’s a joy to be part of this big extended family, which includes lots of other relatives, as well.

“I can’t imagine us being any other way,” Lydia said. “It means so much to me for my kids to grow up close to their cousins just like we did.”

The family and their closeness took a little getting used to for Joe.

“At first it was overwhelming, because my family’s not close, but it’s very – I won’t say heartwarming – but you’re able to see how close a family can be.”

Ben’s wife Greer also feels right at home.

“This group cares about each other so much and it doesn’t matter if you were born into it or married in— you feel like you’ve belonged in it forever,” she said. “You never question if you’re accepted. You never question if you’re welcomed. You never question if you’re loved.”

The family members see each other four or five times a week, including little-league baseball and soccer games, Hannah said.

“We never miss anything,” she said. “In the fall, we get together and watch college football every Saturday. We eat brunch almost every Sunday.”

“For as long as I can remember we’ve had a close family,” Lydia said. “Both sets of my grandparents set an example of what a family should be like, and we’ve continued to follow it.”

Randy’s father, Wayne Jones, died three years ago, but his mother, Carolyn, is still

Continued on Page 16

Hannah and Joe Kunath have five children. Their quadruplets – Randall, Abigail, Ruth, and Naomi – are 8, and Miriam is 3.

Ben and Greer Jones have two daughters –Lorelai, nearly 3, and Millie, nearly 1.

Right: Sarah and Bill Barnhill have three sons – Tyler, 14; Will, 10; and Zeke, 9.

Above: Jones siblings, from left, Ben, Hannah, Sarah, Lydia, and Matthew Turner.

Right: Lydia and Josh Sebert have two children – Jones, 4, and Jimmy, 2.

living. Amanda’s mom, Mollie Trimm Clifton, died in 2004, but her father, William Carroll Clifton, is still living.

Greer calls Amanda and Randy – known by the grandchildren as Gaga and Papoo – “a huge reason” the family is so close.

“I believe they raised their children to believe the two most important things in life are God and family— and in turn, they raised kids who went on to raise their kids to believe the same,” she said.

““My parents created this closeness the way they raised us,” Sarah said. “We didn’t have cable or a lot of electronics, so we played together.”

The family strives to care for each other.

“We have a family text where if anyone has a need from a milk run or a sick child needing a ride we send a message, and someone volunteers to take care of it,” Amanda said.

“When I was in nursing school, my parents, Hannah, Lydia and Ben helped keep Tyler so I could attend clinicals and classes,” Sarah said. “We just do whatever is needed, and count it joy to be able to support each other.”

Randy is a big help to his children each weekday, Greer said.

“Every day, Randy heads up the ‘Papoo Bus’ – which is an old van he bought – and he meets each of the sisters along the way to pick up our kiddos to take them to daycare and school,” Greer said. “By the end of his pick-up, he has 8 of the 12 grandkids every morning.”

The family also sticks together in tough times. “They handle hard situations really well, “ Matthew said. “They’re very calm and collected.”

“We have had crises in our lives but all have been handled as a team,” Amanda said.

The family gave Hannah and Joe critical help when the quadruplets faced serious medical issues early in their lives.

In December 2017, Ruth and Naomi were hospitalized with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

gaps. They pick you up when you can’t stand alone.”

The family also rallied around Randy when he was badly hurt in a 2011 car wreck and when he survived a frightening bout with cancer nearly five years ago.

“This group never complains or fusses— instead they serve and care for each other in the biggest, most loving ways,” Greer said.

The family does more than help each other. They help other people they meet who need love and assistance.

“We try our best to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” Hannah said.

“We’re fortunate that both of us were raised by people with a servant’s heart,” Amanda said of her and Randy. “That’s something we’ve tried to emulate as well as instill in our children. There’s always a need to be met if you open your eyes to see them.”

“I can’t count the number of teas, showers and weddings that we’ve orchestrated for people we’ve barely met simply because my mom saw a need and filled it,” Lydia said. “The same goes for my dad. The amount of cars he’s fixed, yards he’s cut or houses he’s repaired is more than I can count.”

In December 2018, three of the children were hospitalized with paraflu. Abigail stayed for only a couple of days, but Randall stayed for a few weeks and Naomi “was intubated for 29 days,” Hannah said.

Naomi’s “first few days in the hospital were difficult,” Hannah said. “We weren’t sure if she was going to make it.”

Randy and Amanda took off the entire month of December from work. “Every hour of the day, seven days a week, one of them was with me,” Hannah said.

Long-time friends Jodi and Brian Barsanti helped pay for a hotel room for the family near the hospital. “Our family stayed up there 24/7 praying and helping Hannah and Joe carry the load,” Amanda said.

When Naomi was gravely ill, Hannah didn’t ask her siblings to help care for her other kids. She didn’t have to. “That’s just the kind of people they are,” Hannah said. “That’s just what they do.”

The family assistance “allowed us to focus on being at the hospital and know that all the other kids were being just as loved,” Joe said.

The family has also assisted Lydia and Josh, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a motorcycle accident 16 years ago.

“A spinal cord injury comes with a lifetime of medical needs, surgeries and challenges, and my family has always stepped up to fill the gaps when we’ve needed it,” Lydia said. “That’s exactly what family does – they stand in the

“There’s not a thing they won’t do, even for complete strangers, let alone other family members,” Joe said.

Randy expresses pride in his kids for the way they’ve adopted this Golden Rule ethos.

“They have a heart for service for others, and they do it with their time and work and their money, as well,” he said.

However, Randy said that his family is not an exception “but more of an illustration of the community that we live in,” referring to Oak Grove.

“I literally know scores of people who would be willing to help someone in need,” he said.

Faith is also critical for the family, almost all of whom attend Dogwood Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Adger.

“Faith is the basis for our family and our worldview,” Amanda said. “We have lost mothers, fathers, sisters, nieces and nephews from an extremely close family and it is hard to imagine being able to bear that loss without God’s comfort and without the comfort of knowing what their relationship was with God.”

“Without faith we wouldn’t make it,” Hannah said.

The challenges the family has faced may have contributed to their closeness.

“This family has experienced so much loss that it really reinforced the importance of being so close and spending so much time together,” Greer said. “We never know how much time we have left, so we should spend it together and love on each other as much as we can.”

Of course, family is also about having fun, and Randy, Amanda, the kids and grandkids and their other relatives really enjoy being together.

“I would much rather hang out with them than some of my friends, even though my friends are amazing,” Turner said. “Good cooking, good fellowship. There’s lots of fun activities. It’s never boring.”

“It’s truly so much fun,” Greer said. “There’s so many kids, but that makes it even more fun – and way louder.”

“It’s chaos, but the best kind of chaos,” Sarah said. “There is nowhere I would rather be than together with my family.”

“We don’t always get along, and we argue like all other families, but we love each other through our differences,” Lydia said.

“That family is unique,” Joe Kunath said. “They have love like no other. Even if you’ve done wrong they are still going to love you.”

ADGER / NORTH JOHNS

Kimbrel’s Grocery

North Johns Community Center

ALLIANCE / BIRMINGPORT

Buddy Vines Fish Camp

S&W Red Top Grocery

BESSEMER

Alex Barber & Style Shop

Bessemer Area Chamber

Bessemer City Hall

Bessemer Family Eye Care

Bessemer Hall of History

Bessemer Public Library

Bessemer Recreation Center

Bistro on 19th

Bob Sykes BBQ

Bright Star

Deb’s Hot Dogs

El Comal Mexican Restaurant

First Financial Bank

BESSEMER (CONT.)

Legacy YMCA

Los Sombreros Mexican

Restaurant

Pediatrics West

Roller Motion Skate Center

Simmons Sporting Goods

The Hangar Bar & Grill

Wagon Wheel Deli & Grill

BRIGHTON

Bre’s Gourmet Restaurant

Brighton Community School

CONCORD

Concord Community Center

Hill’s Carpet & Floor Coverings

Buckmaster Property Group - KW

Metro South

HUEYTOWN

American Pride Trophies & Awards

Cinco de Mayo Mexican Grill

HUEYTOWN (CONT.)

First Financial Bank

Food Giant

Highlander Foodland

Hueytown Area Chamber

Hueytown City Hall

Hueytown Hardware

Hueytown Public Library

Pharmacy Xpress

Piggly Wiggly

Speedy’s Mexican

The Leopard Lilly Boutique

Uncle Sam’s BBQ

Venue 3131

Virginia Mines Grocery

Weldon Pharmacy

McCALLA

Chick-fil-A

First Financial Bank

Pediatric Smiles

Pediatrics West

OAK GROVE

Warrior River Water Authority

PLEASANT GROVE

Dieguez Smiles Orthodontics

Hill’s Foodland

Jack’s Restaurant

Olipita Mediterranean Grill

Pleasant Grove Public Library

Union State Bank

Val’s Print and Copy Center

ROCK CREEK

All American Metal Components

Rock Creek Pharmacy

SYLVAN SPRINGS

Allstar Diner

Old Southern Feed and Hardware

Sylvan Springs Community Center

Sylvan Springs Town Hall Find

FMS Pharmacy

Hinkle Pharmacy

Day Dreams Boutique

Fast Pace Urgent Care

Piggly Wiggly

San Antonio Grill

MULGA

Mulga Town Hall

Cityfest brings positive attention to Hueytown

by JESSE CHAMBERS

Cities large and small in the United States have staged music and other cultural festivals to great effect for decades.

These events, if they are fun and well-managed, help cities create positive media attention, attract visitors, boost their economies and even develop a greater sense of community pride.

This is certainly true in Hueytown, which will soon host its biggest community celebration of the year.

The sixth annual Hueytown Cityfest will take place on Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., at New City Park, located at 104 Forest Road. The family-friendly event will feature live music, including Sister Hazel and Dalton Dover, as well as food, arts and crafts, and children’s activities. Best of all, admission to the event is free.

Cityfest has hosted some well-known local and regional acts before, such as American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and popular country singer and songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt. However, 2024 will be the festival’s “biggest year yet” with Dover and Sister Hazel as headliners, said Jake Ware, president of the Hueytown Arts Council, one of the producers of the event.

Continued on Page 19

Photo courtesy of Hueytown Arts Council.

In 2023, Cityfest in Hueytown drew about 5,000 attendees overall and organizers hope for a big crowd in 2024.

Photo courtesy of Dalton Dover. Rising country music star Dalton Dover is one of the headliners at the 2024 Cityfest.

Sister Hazel is an American alternative rock band from Gainesville, Florida, whose sound combines pop, folk, classic rock and Southern rock and are best known for their 1997 hit single, “All for You.” The band is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album in 1994.

A hot young name in country music, Dover is touring to support his recent album, “Take Me Home: Covers.” The album showcases his musical roots and the country songs that influenced him as a kid growing up in Georgia. The first single from the record is “Bury Me In This Bar.”

Dover has received all sorts of positive buzz from media outlets like MusicRow and Billboard, as well as recognition from Tidal, Pandora, Spotify and Amazon Music. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2022 and has performed at such events as the CMA Fest and the C2C: Country to Country festival in Europe.

Sister Hazel, Dover and Soul Tide, a Tuscaloosa-based funk and soul band, will perform during the evening session at the festival.

The day session will feature Logan The Entertainer, Motel Ice Machine, Tommy Crowder Band, Owen Griffice and 3 Generations. There will also be performers from TeriDona School of Dance and Let’s Cheer.

A Mississippi native, Logan the Entertainer graduated from Stillman College in 1997 and recorded his first album in Hueytown in 1999. He performs frequently throughout the Southeast. He has been the opening act for such famous performers as Ronald Isley of the Isley brothers, the O’Jays, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Peabo Bryson and Robin Thicke.

Motel Ice Machine is a local honkytonk band that blends Americana, country and rockabilly. The Alabama-based Tommy Crowder Band plays country and Southern rock. Griffice is a young musician from Oak Grove. 3 Generations is a local group mixing Christian music and pop.

In 2023, Cityfest drew about 5,000 attendees overall, with about 3,000 at the evening session, and organizers hope for a big crowd in 2024, Ware said.

“Due to the growing popularity of Cityfest, and our headlining talent, we expect the largest attendance we’ve had,” Ware said.

Word has spread rapidly about the quality of Cityfest, he said.

“People have been our best way of growth,” Ware said. “Partner that with social media – with all the positive feedback – and it’s made people want to attend and

Continued from Page 18

Photo courtesy of Hueytown Arts Council.

Cityfest has drawn positive attention to Hueytown, and city residents take great pride in the event, according to organizers.

Photo courtesy of Sister Hazel.

Popular alternative rock band Sister Hazel is one of the musical headliners for Cityfest in 2024.

Photo courtesy of Hueytown Arts Council. The Kid Zone at Cityfest will include a petting zoo starring Hank the Camel. Continued on Page 20

Continued from Page 19

become a part of this event.”

Cityfest offers more than just music, said Debbie Kiker, director of the Hueytown Chamber of Commerce.

“We have local businesses joining in to provide activities for everyone, including a variety of food options and sweets,” Kiker said. “We will also have 10 different food trucks, so families can come and make a day or evening of enjoying our music festival and different cuisines.”

The event will have vendors from across the Southeast, Ware said.

The Kid Zone will offer lots of fun activities for kids, including bounce houses, face painting, balloons and a petting zoo with goats, lambs and other animals. The petting zoo is headlined by Hank the Camel.

“Hank has become quite the celebrity in Hueytown and he brings a big variety of his barn animal friends for folks of all ages to enjoy,” Ware said.

Organizers began the event in 2017 as a part of Alabama’s Bicentennial celebration.

Continued from Page 21

Photos courtesy of Hueytown Arts Council.

Some of the performers on the main stage at the 2023 Cityfest.

Attendee at Cityfest holds a guitar adorned with the event logo.

Continued from Page 20

“It was a way to show Hueytown’s role in our state’s 200-year history,” Ware said. “We had local talent perform and we created a pop-up museum of Hueytown with artifacts from early settlers of Hueytown, The Alabama Gang, and even Jameis Winston’s Heisman Trophy. The event was such a success that people wanted CityFest to be an annual occurrence. Ever since, we have continued to grow and make this event bigger and bigger with vendors, food and entertainment.”

Cityfest has had a positive effect on Hueytown.

“The positive light that this event brings to our city is the best impact of all,” Ware said. “There are thousands of people that make their way to Hueytown now for this event, and I know our local businesses feel that, as well, because they make their own posts now to advertise for the event. There’s not a lot of events like this on the western side of Jefferson County, so it’s nice to provide a fun day of free, quality entertainment everyone can enjoy.”

Hueytown residents seem to take pride in the event.

“I think the fact that so many people show up is an example of the pride citizens take in the event,” Ware said. “When you see major music acts showing up in your own backyard it makes everyone feel proud. I spoke with people from Huntsville, Mobile, Tennessee and Louisiana that drove all the way to come to Hueytown for the event. That definitely makes you feel proud.”

Hueytown Mayor Steve Ware will kick off both the day and night sessions at Cityfest with ceremonies in which he will thank the event sponsors for supporting the event and allowing for free admission.

The presenting sponsors are McDonald’s, owned by Black Family Restaurants; Aux Home Services; American Mini-Storage; Auto Sales–Hueytown; Union State Bank; and Alabama Power Foundation.

There is ample parking for attendees, with designated parking areas at Hueytown Primary School, Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and Hueytown Intermediate School. The lot at Hueytown Intermediate School is VIP parking for $10 per car. A complimentary shuttle will be provided from parking locations.

Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets.

For more about Hueytown Cityfest, call 205-903-6312 or go to facebook.com/hueytowncityfest.

For more about the Hueytown Arts Council, go to hueytownarts.org.

Photos courtesy of Hueytown Arts Council.

Attendees, vendors and other participants in Cityfest.

Jeh Jeh Pruitt of WBRC-TV interviews Hueytown Mayor Steve Ware.

Caribbean Food and Music Festival brings ‘positive, uplifting’ vibe

by JESSE CHAMBERS

June is a popular time for festivals and other outdoor events, but Bessemer will again play host to a fun, interactive cultural festival that is unique in the Birmingham area.

The Marvel City Caribbean Food and Music Festival will return to DeBardeleben Park downtown on Saturday, June 8, 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. The festival is sponsored by the Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization (CACAO).

Attendees enjoy the lively rhythms of Caribbean music and dance to the beats of reggae, calypso and soca. Dubbed “the soul of calypso,” soca was created in the 1970s and blends calypso with African and East Indian rhythms

Organizers say the Caribbean Festival is family-friendly and designed to be fun and welcoming for all.

“The overall vibe is very positive, uplifting, inclusive and festive,” said Pauline Ford, the festival coordinator and the founder of CACAO.

Attendees at the festival enjoy many opportunities to get involved. For example, well-known local instructor Desi Keith will host a line dancing session “that is totally interactive,” Ford said.

The festival also features a costume parade and live music and “becomes a huge party for everyone,” she said.

Wayne Hall of The Wayne Hall Show, a radio show in Atlanta that plays Jamaican and Caribbean music, will appear at the festival.

The musical and dance performers at the festival will include Pansonics Steel Band; Imar Shephard, a reggae vocalist; the Revolution Reggae and Soca Band, featuring Kenne Blessing; DJ Trini Fresh; the T. Renee

Experience; and Heartbeat Dance Company.

There is no shortage of authentic Caribbean food among the vendors at the festival. The many items available will include jerk chicken, plantains and tropical drinks

The festival was held in Bessemer for the first time in 2019. It was held previously at Linn Park in Birmingham.

The move to Bessemer from Birmingham was a good one for the festival, Ford said. “We are absolutely thrilled.”

This is due in part to the good working relationship that festival organizers have with Bessemer City Hall.

The organizers appreciate the “warm welcome we’ve received from the mayor and his entire administration, including the City Council, Fire Department, Police Department and even the ladies in the revenue office,” Ford said. “The most important feature is how accessible everyone is.”

This rapport with the city has grown over time.

“I think the first year we were all a little hesitant because we didn’t know them, and they didn’t know us,” Ford said. “Thankfully, after we delivered a successful festival everyone was on board and looking forward to the next year. We are now just one big, happy family.”

DeBardeleben Park is an “ideal” physical location for the event, Ford said. “The attendees love it because of the trees, and June can be quite hot. We love it because of the abundance of parking and the ease of access.”

Attendance at the festival in 2023 was estimated to be about 5,000, Ford said

The event had 64 vendors in 2023 with a similar number anticipated this year.

“Many of our vendors are small businesses, so we’ve kept our registration fee

Photos courtesy of Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization. The Caribbean Food and Music Festival in Bessemer is a colorful event unique in the Birmingham area.

from Page 22

reasonable, which brings them back year after year,” Ford said. “There’s a variety of vendors offering Caribbean, Cuban and American food, as well as merchandise vendors, lemonade vendors and snow cone vendors.”

An annual costume parade from the Bessemer Hall of History to the park, under the guidance of CACAO President Gina Sealy, is a big part of the festival.

The parade. which features local officials, vintage cars and a variety of costumed performers, “has grown annually and is a crowd favorite,” Ford said.

The parade is also family friendly. In fact, Sealy has very strict rules on the costumes allowed for parade participants, Ford said.

“You will not see the more revealing costumes you’d see in other parades in other states, like New York and Miami,” she said. “We want the focus to be on the beautiful costumes and the participating groups.”

The parade incorporates local performers, dance groups and other organizations, including a vintage auto club and a riding group.

“We want the entire festival to be inclusive of our community,” Ford said.

In 2023, the festival hosted a Bahamian junkanoo band courtesy of the Consul General of Bahamas. “They will be returning this year,” Ford said.

CACAO, which is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2011, seeks to help students of Caribbean heritage who are attending college in Central Alabama. CACAO has awarded scholarships to Caribbean students each year since 2015.

The scholarship recipients from 2023 are Jasmine Jones (University of Alabama), Jhodi Webster (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Mariline Hilaire (Tuskegee University) and Trezerguet Lewis (Jefferson State Community College).Applications for the 2024 awards are open will not close until November, Ford said.

Ford believes the work CACAO does is important to the local Caribbean community.

“Most of the members of the Caribbean community in Central Alabama have lived here for many years, and have held very influential positions,” Ford said. “CACAO, the festival and the work we do is a way to share our history and culture by contributing to the rich diversity of the area.”

Admission is $12 for adults. Children ages 12 years and under are admitted free.

For more information, including the festival schedule, go to eventbrite.com and search “Marvel City Caribbean Food and Music Festival.”

For more about CACAO, call 205-683-5324 or go to cacaoonline.org.

Marvel City Caribbean Food and Music Festival

Saturday, June 8

DeBardeleben Park, Bessemer

All times are approximate. For updates to the lineup, go to eventbrite.com.

11 a.m. Welcome from Wayne Hall of the Wayne Hall Show in Atlanta

11:15 a.m. Desi Keith—Line Dancing Interactive

12 p.m. Wayne Hall/DJ Trini Fresh

1 p.m. Mayor’s welcome/Recognition of Sponsors/Special guests

1:15 p.m. Revolution Reggae and Soca Band, featuring Kenne Blessing

1:45 p.m. Junkanoo Band

2:15 p.m. Pansonics Steel Band

2:45 p.m. T. Renee Experience

3:30 p.m. Imar Shephard

4 p.m. — Artist TBA

4:30 p.m. Heartbeat Dance Company

5 p.m. Revolution Reggae and Soca Band, featuring Kenne Blessing

5:30 p.m. Jeremy Torres

6 p.m. Pansonics Steel Band

6:30 p.m. DJ/Dance Off

7 p.m. Imar Shephard

7:30 p.m. Artist TBA

8 p.m. DJ/Freestyle

8:30 p.m. Finale: Revolution Reggae and Soca Band with Kenne Blessing, Imar Shephard, Jeremy Torres, Junkanoo Band, T. Renee, Ulato Sam, Heartbeat Dance and winners of the dance contest.

Continued

The Caribbean Food and Music Festival is described as a fun, interactive, family-friendly event.

Former players and coaches from his time in Tuscaloosa gathered at the Bright Star to honor him and reminisce about their time together.

Pioneering strength and conditioning coach Al Miller celebrated

Former University of Alabama football players and coaches gathered on May 8 to honor former strength coach Al Miller. Miller is in the USA Strength & Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame, an inductee from the inaugural class in 2003. During his 30+ year career, he coached on the collegiate level at Mississippi State University, Northeast Louisiana University, and the University of Alabama under Bear Bryant (1982-85) and in the NFL alongside head coach Dan Reeves with the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Atlanta Falcons.

Photos courtesy of Mike White

LOCALLY MADE | LOCALLY SOURCED

cutting boards | Charcuterie trays

bathtub caddies | bed swings

stovetop covers | tables | planters

shelves | bookcases

custom orders accepted

facebook: @deogloriawoodworks

Instagram: @deogloriawoodworks

Enjoying The Color Run

The Color Run – inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi – has become a hugely popular fundraiser for schools and other nonprofits in the United States and around the world over the last decade. Event volunteers throw a wide variety of fun, bright colors at runners as they pass, making sure that the event has a festive, lighthearted vibe or feel. The kids at Oak Grove Elementary School got into the act with their own Color Run after school on April 25. The event was sponsored by the O.G.E.S. PTO. The money raised will go to projects sponsored by the PTO. This event was open to students in grades K through 5, according to Tasha Piper, the school’s assistant principal.

Get artsy this summer!

Registration is open for the Summer 2024 Art Camps at the Space One Eleven Arts Center in the Loft District in downtown Birmingham, according to the nonprofit’s website. Summer art camps are a perfect way for young people to learn a new art form or improve their existing skills. These camps give young artists plenty of time to work on their projects, make new friends and create finished works for the end-of-summer student and teaching artist exhibition to be held at the gallery on July 26 from 5:30-7 p.m. All camps are taught by professional artists. Space One Eleven is located at 2409 Second Ave. N. For more information, including tuition costs, call 205-328-0553 or go to spaceoneeleven.org.

Space One Eleven Arts Center Art Camps

Rising Grades 2 – 5

• I’m an Alabama Artist, too! A one-week camp, June 3-7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. or June 10-14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Rising Grades 6 – 12

• Printmaking Camp: June 17-21, 2024, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Photography Camp: June 17-21, 2024, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Digital Art Camp: A one-week camp, June 17-21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. or June 24-28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Drawing Camp: June 24-28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Clay Camp: A two-week camp, June 24-28 and July 8-12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Portfolio Development Camp: July 8-12, 2024, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Sew Cool Fashion Camp: A two-week camp, July 8-12 and July 15-19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Mural Camp: July 15-19, 2024, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Architecture Camp: July 15-19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Illustration Camp: July 22-26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hueytown Hight School Student Awarded Scholarship

Isaiah Njoku, a student at Hueytown High School, was awarded the Naomi H. Truman Scholarship by the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District. Named after Naomi Truman, the authority’s first female African-American to serve in the role of executive director, the scholarship is awarded to students who reside in one of the district’s housing developments. Since its inception in 2014, the scholarship fund has given out more than $100,000 in money to students. Pictured are Isaiah Njoku and Cardell Davis, HABD board member and past president of the Naomi H. Truman Scholarship Foundation.

Other summer camps

• The Alabama School of Fine Arts, located at 820 18th St. N. in downtown Birmingham, will host its S.T.E.A.M. (Science Technology Engineering Arts Math) Summer Camps from June 3-21. For more information, call 205-252-9241 or go to asfaschool.org/summer-camps.

• The Housing Authority of the City of Bessemer and the nonprofit Girls Inc. of Central Alabama will host a free summer mini-camp for rising fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade girls at the Southside Homes in Bessemer from July 15-19. Registration opens May 1. For more information about Girls Inc., call 205599-5555 or go to girlsinccentral-al.org. For more information about the Bessemer Housing Authority, call 205-481-4420 or go to besha.org.

Events Calendar

Western Area Events

June 5, 12, 19 & 26: West End Crocheters. 10-11:30 a.m. West End Branch Library,1348 Tuscaloosa Ave, Birmingham. Learn to crochet or work on a project of your own while enjoying snacks and making friends. Free admission. 205-226-4089. cobpl.org/ locations/branch/WestEnd.

June 6, 13, 20 & 27: District 8 Walking Group. Birmingham Crossplex, 2331 Bessemer Road. Each Thursday at 8 a.m., meet at the CrossPlex Starbucks for a coffee and a casual 1.5 mile loop. Walkers of all abilities and speeds are welcome. Sponsored by the Freshwater Land Trust. freshwaterlandtrust.org/get-involved/ events.

June 3: Fairfield City Council. 6-8 p.m. Fairfield City Hall, 4701 Gary Ave. The Fairfield City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-788-2492. cityoffairfieldal.org

June 3: Pleasant Grove City Council. 6 p.m. Pleasant Grove City Hall, 501 Park Road. The Pleasant Grove City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-744-1723. cityofpg. com.

June 4: Brighton City Council. 6 p.m. Brighton City Hall, 3700 Main Street. The Brighton City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. 205-428-9547

June 4: Bessemer City Council. 6 p.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council meets the first Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. 205-4244060. bessemeral.org

June 7: Bards and Brews: Voice Porter Tribute. 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Greenhouse, 602 19th St., Ensley. The Birmingham Public Library continues its long-popular spoken word and beer tasting series with this open mic performance in tribute to Porter. Event is for ages 18 and up. Must be 21 or up with I.D. to purchase alcohol. For more information, call 205-226-3690 or go to cobpl. org/calendar. For more about Bards and Brews, go to cobpl.org/ programs/BardsBrews.aspx

June 8: Marvel City Caribbean Food and Music Festival. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. DeBardeleben Park, 1623 Second Ave. N., Bessemer. This 11th annual festival in downtown Bessemer is a vibrant display of Caribbean culture. Hosted by the Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization, the festival offers live music, including reggae and steel bands; Caribbean food and a popular costume parade. There are also numerous food, merchandise and non-profit vendors and exhibitors. Admission is $12 for adults; children age 12 and under are admitted free. 205-683-5324. cacaoonline.org. For more about this event, read the feature story in this issue.

June 8: Hueytown Cityfest Music Festival. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. City Park, 104 Forest Road. This sixth annual. family-friendly music festival returns with headliners Sister Hazel and Dalton Dover, as well as Logan The Entertainer, Motel Ice Machine, Tommy Crowder Band, Owen Griffice and performers from the TeriDona School of Dance and Let’s Cheer. There will also be food and other activities. Free admission. 205-903-6312. hueytownarts.org. For more about this event, read the feature story in this issue.

June 10: Midfield City Council. 6 p.m. Midfield City Hall, 725 Bessemer Super Highway. The Midfield City Council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

June 11: Bessemer City Council. 9 a.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council holds a planning session on the second Tuesday of each month in the multi-purpose room on the first floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org

June 11: Hueytown City Council. Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road. The Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The pre-meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. 205-491-7010. hueytownal. gov.

June 17: Fairfield City Council. 6-8 p.m. Fairfield City Hall, 4701 Gary Ave. The Fairfield City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-788-2492. cityoffairfieldal.org

June 17: Pleasant Grove City Council. 6 p.m. Pleasant Grove City Hall, 501 Park Road. The Pleasant Grove City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-744-1723. cityofpg. com.

June 18: Brighton City Council. 6 p.m. Brighton City Hall, 3700 Main Street. The Brighton City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. 205-428-9547.

Continued on Page 30

Performers from the annual costume parade at the Marvel City Caribbean Food and Music Festival.

Legacy

in Bessemer presents all sorts of health and fitness classes.

June 18: Bessemer City Council. 9 a.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council meets the third Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org

June 24: Midfield City Council. 6 p.m. Midfield City Hall, 725 Bessemer Super Highway. The Midfield City Council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

June 25: Hueytown City Council. Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road. The Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The pre-meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. 205491-7010. hueytownal.gov.

Ongoing: Exercise classes. Legacy YMCA, 1501 Fourth Ave S.W., Bessemer. Legacy presents a wide variety of exercise classes for members year round, including swimming, aerobics, aquacise, yoga, cycling, Zumba and Power HITT. Legacy also offers lots of youth sports, camps and health and wellness programs. For details, call 205-426-1211 or go to legacyymca.org

Ongoing: Classes and workshops. Bessemer Public Library, 400 19th St. N. Bessemer. The library presents a wide range of classes, workshops and other activities for children, teens and adults. Adult classes include nutrition, computers and selfpublishing. Activities for children include a toddler playgroup and Pre-K storytimes. 205-428-7882. bessemerlibrary.com

Continued on Page 31

Photo courtesy of Legacy YMCA.

YMCA

Other Area Events

June 2: Vulcan’s Birthday Bash. Noon-4 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive. Grab your party hats and join a celebration of Birmingham’s iconic iron man’s 120th birthday. 205-933-1409. visitvulcan.com

June 3-7: Summer Sprouts: Revolting Children. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Red Mountain Theatre Art Campus, 1600 Third Ave. S. Sprouts is a preparatory education program at RMTfor young performers. Students will learn 3-5 production numbers to be performed at the end of the week for friends and family. Students also learn discipline and memorization skills that they can use in other school work. The cost is $350 but payment plans are available. 205324-2424. redmountaintheatre.org

June 7: Freedom Friday in the Park. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Avondale Park, 4101 Fifth Ave. S. Freedom Friday is a monthly multicultural event supporting women’s well-being. Presented by the nonprofit Women Under Construction Network, the event is designed to help women reduce work/life stress, mitigate health issues and promote exercise through dance. Vendors will be present with all sorts of information for women. Free admission. For more information, go to eventbrite.com and search “WUCNetwork Freedom Friday in the Park.”

June 8: Lauren Daigle. 7 p.m. Legacy Arena, BJCC, 1898 Ninth Ave N. Popular Christian music singer and songwriter Lauren Diagle has won two Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards and 10 GMA Dove Music Awards. For tickets and more information, go to bjcc.org/upcoming-events.

June 10-14: Urban Avenues Film Camp. 9-4 a.m. Alabama School of Fine Arts, 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. In this five-day summer camp, teenagers will learn the fundamentals of filmmaking from professionals. The event is for high school students and recent high school graduates in Greater Birmingham. Campers will be mentored by local professional producers, cinematographers, directors, editors, and sound specialists. Campers will create short films that will be featured at Friday’s final premiere. $300 for a five-day camp, but there are also some scholarships available for students. urbanavenues.com/urbanavenues-films

ABOVE: High school students and recent graduates learn the fundamentals of filmmaking at Urban Avenues Film Camp. Photo by Wikimedia user AiClassEland

LEFT: Christian music performer Lauren Diagle will appear at Legacy Arena in Birmingham on June 8. Photo by Jeremy Cowart

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