By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times
ENJOY SUMMER AND THE COOL WEATHER!!!
…Now is the time to take ONE DAY – QUICK VACATIONS!!
TODAY, AUGUST 7…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**THE LAST RESPONDERS WITH FIEND WITHOUT A FACE @SKEPTIC? at The Nick.
**GLADYS IMPROV at Saturn.
**3rd THURSDAY at the Nick with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.
**JOSE CARR EVERY THURSDAY, 5-7 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, at 1631 4th Avenue North.
**FILMMAKER NETWORKING NIGHTS, 5 p.m. at 1821 2nd Avenue North
**EVERY THURSDAY- THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS, 7 p.m. at Platinum of Birmingham with DJ Slugga.
**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.
**FILM at Sidewalk Film.
**KARAOKE, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 8…
IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**Q DOT & JAXXXON + FRIENDS at The Nick.
**ANDREA REALLY – ZEITGEIST EP RELEASE SHOW at Saturn.
**BACK TO SCHOOL ROCK & RALLY w/ THE VELCRO PYGMIES at Avondale Brewing Co.
**GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD MUSIC WITH GOOD PEOPLE BREWING at Dave’s, 6 p.m. at Dave’s Pub.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9…
**PEPPERWOOD at The Nick.
**Y’ALL THINGS CONSIDERED at Saturn.
**T.U.B.S. 10th ANNUAL JERRY CELEBRATION at Avondale Brewing Co.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 10…
Magic City Smooth Jazz Launches New Series with Tribute to Founder
Jazz artists and professional dancers will take to the stage at Iron City on Sunday, September 7, to launch the new Magic City Smooth Jazz Legacy Series and pay tribute to organization’s founder, Bernard Lockhart.
Admission is free and tickets are required, but seating is limited. For tickets and information click here: www.mcsjazz.com. Reservations should be made by August 10.
With a mission rooted in fostering arts access across Birmingham, Lockhart established Magic City Smooth Jazz and its flagship event, Jazz in the Park, bringing smooth jazz into underserved neighborhoods and cultivating community spirit.
Lockhart, a native of Leeds, and longtime Birmingham-area resident, passed away in December 2020 at the age of 59. His wife, Jackie Crenshaw Lockhart as well as the MCSJ Board of Directors and children John, Rachel and Bernadette, have worked together to keep the legacy and spirit at the forefront in the local arts community.
Featured performers for the September event are bassist Julian Vaughn and the Daniel Jose Carr Jazz quartet. A master of groove, Vaughn brings melodic depth and vibrant energy, fusing classical technique with soulful improvisation—perfectly capturing the smooth jazz essence Bernard championed.
Bernard’s son and daughter – John and Rachel – will also take the stage in a heartfelt tribute, blending contemporary and jazz dance to celebrate their father’s passion and lifelong dedication to the arts.
**SINGO BINGO EVERY SUNDAY, 1 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company.
**JOSE CARR performing at JAZZ IN THE GARDEN SUNDAYS, Every 1st and 3rd Sunday, 5-8 p.m. at Denim on 7th, 2808 7th Avenue Suite105
**EASE BACK 4th SUNDAYS, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**LANCE LOPEZ at The Nick.
**2ND SUNDAY FREE SHOW with ZACH AUSTIN at The Nick.
**4th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick.
MONDAY, AUGUST 11…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 12…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**PODCASTING 101 at CREED63, EVERY TUESDAY at 5:45 p.m. Learn how to launch and create your own podcast at 1601 5th Avenue North, Birmingham 35203.
**JOSE CARR EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT at True Story Brewing.
**FREE – MR. MICROPHONE KARAOKE at Saturn.
**SUPERSTAR KARAOKE LATE NIGHT TUESDAYS at The Nick.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**REAL FUNNY COMEDY WEDNESDAYS at True Story Brewing. Sign up at 7:30 p.m.
**TRASHY ANNIE with MADAM RADAR at The Nick.
**FREE – MR. MICROPHONE KARAOKE at Saturn.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
** FREE – NATTY NIGHTS: CHAYSE PORTER & HIS PALACE DOORS with BITTER CALM and TIMBER at Saturn.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15….
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**WILLIAMSON BROTHERS ALBUM RELEASE at the Nick with BAAK GWAI, DRUNKEN PRAYER at The Nick.
**LATE NIGHT with BITTER ROUTE, COLD PROMISE and EVA LAVANTE at The Nick.
**COMEDIAN DON “D.C.” CURRY at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**BIT BRIGADE performs “MEGA MAN X” LIVE at Saturn.
SHOW OF THE MONTH
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time
Available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu and can also be found in DirectTV and FUBUTV.
This gripping documentary 5-episode series explores the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, tracing the chaos, courage, and resilience of those who faced the storm. Directed by Traci A. Curry and executive produced by Ryan Coogler (Sinners, Black Panther), through compelling eyewitness accounts, rare archival footage, and expert analysis, the series uncovers the urgent race against time to save lives and rebuild a city, shedding light on the social and political challenges that shaped one of America’s most harrowing disasters.
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
“Happy Land” by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a short story that explores the resilience and endurance of Black women in the face of adversity. Set in the late nineteenth century, the narrative follows a group of formerly enslaved women who are brought from the South to Iowa by a landowner promising freedom and a new start. However, the reality falls short of these promises, as the women face harsh living conditions, isolation, and the challenge of forging a community in an unfamiliar landscape.
Through richly drawn characters, Perkins-Valdez illuminates both the suffering and the hope that accompanies displacement. The women, despite their hardships, cultivate strength through communal bonds, memory, and faith. “Happy Land” becomes a meditation on the search for true freedom, belonging, and happiness, examining the ways in which these women attempt to reclaim agency and dignity in a world that has long denied them both. The story celebrates their perseverance, and the quiet heroism required to build a new life against the odds.
NEWS TO KNOW AND USE – PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS TO WATCH…
LOOKING AHEAD AND PLANNING SOMETHING TO DO…
FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS…
**KURT GRAY SPEAKS AT LEADERSHIP BIRMINGHAM – Author and Social Psychologist Kurt Gray will speak, August 25, 6 p.m. at the Red Mountain Theatre. The theme is Woven Together – Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground. Woven Together features national and local experts who explore longstanding systemic issues and identify solutions to address these challenges – elevating big ideas, sparking conversations and driving transformational change. This event is by Our Community Foundation, Leadership Birmingham and Alabama Humanities Alliance.
**LAWSON STATE LAUNCHES CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING – Alabama Power Foundation in partnership with Lawson is launching a new Customer Service Professionals Program September 2025 to help meet rising workforce demands for skilled customer service representatives.
**ADDICTION PREVENTION COALITION (Upcoming Events)
DATES include:
*August 8 – ADDICTION: ADDRESSING STIGMA IN MEDICINE with Bronwyn McInturff, 10 a.m. – Noon online.
*August 15 – Ruptures and Repairs: Family-Centered Approach for SUSs with Jack Sykstus, 10 a.m. – Noon online.
*August 16 – PADDLES FOR PREVENTION Pickleball Tournament, 2 -9:30 p.m. at Veterans Park – Alabaster Pickleball Courts. For more PB.Pickleball.al@gmail.com.
*September 26 – (SAVE THE DATE!!) MIND MATTERS: A CONVERSATION ON MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE & THE WORKPLACE at Jefferson State Community College. (Look for more.) For more, visit apcbham.org.
FOR MEN…
**SATURDAY – PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS – A health and wellness forum with a free breakfast hosted by John Ray, a Prostate Cancer survivor on Saturday, 9 – 11 a.m. at Golden Corral in Hoover on Lorna Road. For survivors and men over 40 year of age that are interested in information about Prostate Cancer. Call for more 205-224-4448 before Noon on Friday.
FOR OUR YOUTH…FOR STUDENTS – BACK TO SCHOOL…
**SATURDAY – CORNELL LEWIS 10th ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL RALLY, 2:30 – 6 p.m. at Helena Sports Complex, 110 Sports Complex Dr., Helena, Al 35080. For more, cornelllewisfoundation@gmail.com.
**SAFE HAVEN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS – This program begins August 11 with hours Monday -Thursday, 3:30 – 8 p.m. and Friday, 3:30 – 6 p.m. for Grades K-8. It will offer reading initiatives, chess club, homework assistance, creative writing, tutoring and more. This program is offered at the following parks: Central Park, Ensley, Fountain Heights, Hawkins, Inglenook, Memorial, M.L. King. For more info, contact 205-254-2391
**CITY CENTER ART (CCA) is Space One Eleven’s Afterschool program designed to help young artists in grades 2-12 build visual communication skills, foster creative thinking and have fun making art. Dates are in the Fall 2025 Semester (13 weeks) beginning September 2). Enrollment is open. For more or to register visit SpaceOneEleven.org. Call 205-328-0553.
**POOL HOURS EXTENDED SUMMER Open weekends ONLY until Monday, September 1, 2025.
**YOUTH VOLLEYBALL is September 15 – October 27 for 3rd – 8th Grade games on Mondays at 6 p.m. Registration August 4. Game location is Fountain Heights, 1101 15th Avenue North. Contact 205-335-0483 and 205-451-9895.
FOR FOOD LOVERS…
**SATURDAY – COOKOUT & CAR SHOW – Saturday is the day, 3-7 p.m. (across from Cottons) in Ensley for Free BBQ, Car Show, Kids Fun area, music by Deirdre Gaddis & Prodigy and more.
**SATURDAY – DISTRICT 6 SUMMER FARMERS MARKET – Head out, this Saturday, to Memorial Park, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for fruits and vegetables PLUS for free ice cream, free hamburgers, hotdogs and chips, a live chef Demo from Chef Amanda and $5 vouchers all while they last.
NEAR AND AROUND THE SOUTHEAST … IN ALABAMA, IN LOUISIANA AND FLORIDA!
**AUGUST 10 – DISTRICT 6 SUMMER FARMERS MARKET, 1:30 – 3:30 pm. at Memorial Park with free ice cream, free hamburgers, hotdogs and chips, live chef demo with Chef Amanda and $5 vouchers while they last.
**SEPTEMBER 18-21 – LOUISIANA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL is in Lake Charles, LA.
**NOVEMBER 7-9 – WHISKEY, WINE & WILDLIFE is in Vilano Beach, St. Augustine, FL.
**MAY 7 -10, 2026 – ST. AUGUSTINE FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL is in St. Augustine, FL.
FOR ART LOVERS…
LOVE DANCE, MUSIC, PERFORMING ARTS AND MORE? Then, here is something to check out! RIGHT NOW!!!
**SEASON AUDITIONS – Apply at Encore Theatre & Gallery through Sunday. Welcome to non-union performers of all races, body types, gender identities and experience levels. Some roles are paid and all are deeply rooted in collaborative storytelling and meaningful stage work for actors, vocalists, dancers, narrators, ensemble movers with featured roles and chorus opportunities available across several titles. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! Submit headshot/resume to: encorebham@gmail.com with a subject line: ‘Season Audition – (Your Name)’ For more: 205-202-4008.
**SOUTHERN ARTISTS PRIZE COMPETITION – Artists from Alabama and the southern states are eligible to participate in a prize competition. The deadline is extended until September 7!!! Submit for the ‘1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art’. There is a $10,000 CASH PRIZE from the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston. The winner will receive a cash prize. A work by the winning artist will be exhibited in the museum for a full year. The museum will also invite the winner to Charleston for the official unveiling of their artwork, part of a three-day celebration honoring the artist. Artists must reside, work in or be from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. More details about the submission process at: gibbesmuseum.org/1858-prize. (Applications are accepted exclusively through the museum’s website.)
FOR LOVERS OF BALLET…
There are things going on at Alabama Ballet that are important to many, especially ballet lovers… THINGS INCLUDE: *SEASON TICKETS are available now and the season included classics, featured works and a tribute to Roger VanFleteren. *INDIVIDUAL TICKETS go on sale August 11 which could include Legacy in Motion, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, at home: Mixtape, Sleeping Beauty and Unbound. *SCHOOL REGISTRATION is now open and you can register today. *FREE EVENT is August 16 – Family Day at the Ballet, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Alabama Ballet Center for Dance. *NUTCRACKET YOUTH CAST AUDITIONS registration is open for registration. LEGACY IN MOTION: CELEBRATING ROGER VANFLETEREN is a One-Night-Only Tribute in September. For more information, go to alabamaballet.org.
FOR MOVIE LOVERS…
AT THE SIDEWALK FILM FEST…
…DON’T MISS – AUGUST 18-24 – The 27th ANNUAL SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL!!
**TODAY – CATVIDEOFEST 2025, 2 p.m.
**TODAY – SOUNDTRACK KARAOKE: SUPERHERO NIGHT, FREE, 8 p.m.
**FRIDAY – BAD MOVIE NIGHT, FREE, 7 p.m.
**FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY – GODZILLAFEST 2025: GODZILLA (1954).
**FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY – GODZILLAFEST 2025: MOTHRA vs GODZILLA (1964).
**FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY – WEAPONS.
**SATURDAY and SUNDAY – PAJAMA PARTY – AN AMERICAN TAIL.
AT THE VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM…
**AUGUST 16 – MOVIES ON THE MOUNTAIN, Saturday with TOY STORY at Vulcan Park & Museum.
FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND FUN… LAUGHTER, FOOTBALL AND MUSIC…
**AUGUST 29 – WEEK ZERO CLASSIC COMEDY JAM featuring BILL BELLAMY, hosted by NEPHEW TOMMY with Special Guest MS. VEE at the Historic Boutwell Auditorium.
**AUGUST 30 – CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY vs VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY AND FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY vs UNIVERSITY of WEST ALABAMA at Legion Field.
**AUGUST 30 – BBQ FESTIVAL at Legion Field with live music and food.
**AUGUST 31 – LABOR DAY CONCERT – ONE NIGHT ONLY – A TRIBUTE TO LUTHER VANDROSS featuring JAY LAMBERT & THE BYRON THOMAS COLLECTIVE, 7 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Look for more right here, soon.
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send your questions, contact info with your events, your things of interest and more to: gwenderu@yahoo.com AND thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.
