GWEN DERU
TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**THE STATE BALLET THEATRE OF UKRAINE’S “SLEEPING BEAUTY” at the Alabama Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
**BIG GORGEOUS with NASTY BOYS and THE LIE within CALLIE and DRAG PERFORMANCES from ANGEL FAZCE, TWHAT WEILAND and FAWN at the Nick.
**WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY at the Sidewalk Film Fest.
**ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED at the Sidewalk Film Fest
**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.
**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**TASTEMAKER THURSDAY – Every Thursday at Blaze Ultra Lounge, 228 Roebuck Plaza Drive, 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. with DJ Ace Twon (95.7 JAMZ) in the mix hosted by Audio Life and GMC Promo.
**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.
**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.
FRIDAY…
**NATURE AT NOON: Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**RYAN KEYS at Perfect Note.
**KIRKOS with FREE CANDY at The Nick.
**BAD MOVIE NIGHT at Sidewalk Film Fest, 8:30 p.m.
**BROKER, 2, 4:45 and 7:30 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film Fest.
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**AFRO CARIBBEAN NIGHTS (Every Friday Night) at Ash’s on 2nd, 7 p.m. until with Reggae, Afro Beats, Dancehall and Top 40 Hits.
**FIREBALL FRIDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**FRIDAY NIGHT RAP, Every 1st and 3rd Friday at Crescent Cultural Center, 1121 Tuscaloosa Avenue, W.
SATURDAY…
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**BROKER, 2, 4:45 and 7:30 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film Fest.
**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m.- 9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.
**MS. JOHNNIE AND THE JAMMERS Live After Five, 7-10 p.m. at Bistro on 19th located at 109 19th St. N., Bessemer. EVERY 2nd and 4th SATURDAY!!
**CIROC SATURDAYS at Blu Onyx.
**ALTERED SUN with THE HERO AND A MONSTER at The Nick.
**TRIBUTE TO GLADYS KNIGHT with DEDEE FRAZIER at Perfect Note.
**TREY LEWIS at Iron City.
SUNDAY…
**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.
**DRAG NIGHT at The Nick.
**THE JOEY HOUCK BAND at The Nick.
**BROKER, 2, 4:45 and 7:30 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film Fest.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**SOULFUL SUNDAY with SAXOPHONIST VES MARABLE at Perfect Note.
MONDAY…
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
TUESDAY…
**EVERY TUESDAY – TRUE STORY BREWING JAZZ SESSIONS, 7- 10 p.m., 5510 Crestwood Blvd.
**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.
**KARAOKE TUESDAY at the Nick.
**EVERY TUESDAY LIT AND JAZZ with DAVID TALLEY AND FRIENDS, 7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 518 Rev. Abraham Woods Blvd.
**FAT TUESDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**WEDNESDAYS WEEKLY JAZZ JAM, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd. Food until 9 p.m. Music until 10 p.m. and Drink until 11 p.m.
**EVERY 4th WEDNESDAY at FACE’S LOUNGE KARAOKE hosted by ARETTA, 6:30 p.m. at 7070 Aaron Aronov Dr. in Fairfield.
**KILLBOZBY at The Nick.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**BILLY BRONCO with PLAYTO at the Nick.
NEXT FRIDAY…
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**TRIBUTE TO LADIES OF THE ’80S with R&B DIVA DEIRDRE GADDIS at Perfect Note.
**PALM GHOSTS, HAPPY LEMMY and YEAR OF OCTOBER at The Nick.
**THE MOLLY RINGWALDS at Iron City.
IT’S 2023! NEWS TO USE…
**ALABAMA’S BLACKBELT BECOMES A NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA – A bill to designate 14 counties in the Alabama Black Belt passed the House and the Senate and is on its way to President Biden’s Desk to be singed into law. The bill introduced by Congresswoman Terri Sewell will allow up to $1 million in federal funding each year to support the protection and preservation of our Black Belt Region.
AT SIXTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
…SEE YOU AT THE SIXTH …
**EVERY MONDAY MORNING MEDITATION WITH PASTOR CANTELOW, 7:15 a.m. Contact the church at (205) 321-1136 or (205) 321-1137.
**WINTER REVIVAL, January 23rd-25th, 7 p.m. with Dr. Bruce Williams, Guest Pastor, Bates Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.
FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…
**ALABAMA STATE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – The Fairfield Area Chamber Quarterly Meeting is TODAY, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Goudy Entertainment, 4501 Gary Avenue, Fairfield, AL 35064. For more info: info@fairfieldareachanber.org.
FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…
**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.
**TOP 40 UNDER 40 – Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) is honoring up and coming individuals who will be the leaders in Birmingham’s economy on February 16, 5-7:30 p.m. For more go to the BBJ website to register your suggestions.
CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR’S BIRTHDAY…
**54th ANNUAL MLK COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE – The King Center will host the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service at Ebenezer’s Horizon Sanctuary, on Monday, 10 a.m. Reverend Natosha Reid Rice and Pastor Sam Collier will preside over the event. Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, King Center CEO will give the Call to Commemoration. Keynote Speaker is BRYAN STEVENSON, lawyer, social justice activist, law professor at New York University School of Law and founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). U.S. Senator and Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Raphael G. Warnock and Atlanta Mayor, Honorable Andre Dickens will give pastoral and city greetings. Special guests giving tributes include: Leo Smith, Rick West, Renee Montgomery, Pastor Dennis Rouse and Veronica Maldonado-Torres. Somalia Gilliard will give a special tribute to Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Musical Performances are by Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Justin Schultz, Minister Angella Christie, Ashling Cole, Dr. Uzee Brown and Bishop William Murphy. The Commemorative Service Choir will perform accompanied by The Covington Regional Ballet. And there will be an international musical performance by the Far East Broadcasting Company Korea Children’s Choir.
FOR MOTORSPORTS LOVERS…
**TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA DONATES $5,000 TO VET TIX FOR TICKETS TO 2023 GEICO 500 – Tito’s Handmade Vodka, a partner of Talladega Superspeedway and the Talladega Garage Experience, is giving $5,000 to Vet Tix to bring veterans to the track’s GEICO 500 on Sunday, April 23. The Tito’s Lemonade Lounge, which debuted in October of 2019 during the grand opening of the Talladega Garage Experience, offers fans the chance to relax and refuel with refreshing Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails without missing a second of the on-track action. The Tito’s Lemonade Lounge is near BIG BILL’S Open Air Club, a mammoth 35,000-square-foot building that is lined on both sides by two garages that house the top 22 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. Fans with a Garage Experience admission receive exclusive access inside all of the premier series’ garage bays via an “up-close” fan viewing walkway where they will be just feet away from the drivers and teams as they prepare the cars during race weekend. In addition to the Tito’s Lemonade Lounge, the Talladega Garage Experience offers fans free Wi-Fi, incredible $4 or less value-priced concessions, a Kids Zone, a Game Zone, the Fr8Auctions entertainment stage (for local music, driver Q&A’s and other interviews), social areas, Ruoff Mortgage Victory Lane celebrations, Sunday pre-race ceremonies, and much more! Talladega’s next event weekend is set for April 22-23 with a tripleheader featuring the General Tire 200 (ARCA Menards Series), the Ag-Pro 300 (NASCAR Xfinity Series) and the GEICO 500 for the NASCAR Cup Series. For more information or tickets, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.
FOR LOVERS OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS…
**WELLNESS WEDNESDAY – Here is a list of organizations that need volunteers, your help and can, also, assist with the food struggle in Alabama: Alabama Childhood Food Solutions in Birmingham and Sylacauga, Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, Community Kitchens of Birmingham, Hoover Helps, Downtown Jimmie Hale Mission Birmingham, Jones Valley Teaching Farm Birmingham, Magic City Harvest Birmingham, Mothers Milk Bank of Alabama, Oak Mountain Missions-Pelham, P.E.E.R. (Promoting Empowerment & Enrichment Resources)-Birmingham, Woodlawn Community Table, RIVER REGION: Montgomery Area Food Bank, SOUTH ALABAMA: Feeding the Gulf Coast-Mobile, The Cookery Project-Mobile, STATEWIDE: Auburn University, College of Human Sciences, Hunger Solutions Institute (Double Up Alabama Program), Society of St. Andrew Alabama, TUSCALOOSA: Tuscaloosa Community Soup Bowl. Learn more about ways to stay healthy with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.
**WORKOUT WEDNESDAY – Meet all of your 2023 fitness goals at Five Points West Library. So…if you are looking for a joint-safe, low-impact workout, head to the library every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. for chair yoga and other chair exercises.
**THE DANIEL FAST – Sixth Avenue Baptist Church family is devoting 21 Days to Spiritual Preparation for 2023. It is modeled after the biblical figure that followed a similar pattern. A devotional guide – The Daniel Fast Devotional Guide was created to help the church members and others focus on material things to give up such as food. The guide is intended to help move through the days of fasting in an intentional manner. Suggestions: Ten minutes in the morning before you go to work, share during the evening around the dinner table with your family, meet with a friend or two on the phone or by email and/or share verses, phrases or your own thoughts with others through Facebook or Twitter. Their purpose in fasting is to join hearts together. The devotional guide is a suggestion for you. It has a fasting diet, foods to avoid, snacks, scriptures, and recipes for breakfast, lunch, sides, salads, vegan, smoothies, soups, and even scriptures to read during the fast, as well as additional information about fasting. If you are interested in getting more information or knowing where to get a copy of the devotional guide, contact Sixth Avenue Baptist Church Office.
**UAB WELLNESS SCREENING, January 31, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Five Points West Library.
FOR GARDENERS…
**COMMUNITY SEED SWAP, January 21, 8 a.m. at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**NATURE AT NOON SERIES 2023 for short nature breaks in Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Walk and look for winter birds on the lush sixty-seven-acre park housing thirty separate garden installations, water features and an array of native plants. Call for info and to register. Hosted by Alabama Audubon.
FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS…
**DESOTO FALLS, AN ALABAMA WATERFALL – Alabama has many beautiful waterfalls. One that requires no strenuous hike is DeSoto Falls, part of the DeSoto State Park. It is located atop Lookout Mountain in the tiny town is Mentone. It is one of Alabama’s tallest waterfalls and plunges 104 feet. You can view the upper waterfall by following a paved path from the parking lot. It is one of the South’s most recognizable waterfalls and flows year-round. To view the main waterfall, using caution, walk down a set of steps and head to the overlook area.
FOR ART LOVERS…
AT BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…
**EXPANDING SARSHAN: MANJARI SHARMA, TO SEE AND BE SEEN through January 15.
**LIGHT PLAY through January 29.
**HAND-HELD: THE FOUR SEASONS IN CHINESE PAINTING through March 5.
**WAYS OF SEEING: SPORTS AND GAMES through May 21.
**NOTINEE DARSHAN DANCE PERFORMANCE, February 26, 2 – 4 p.m.
**WALL TO WALL: RICO GATSON through July.
FOR FILM LOVERS…
AT SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL…
**MOVIES EVERY THURSDAY – SUNDAY/HAPPY HOUR, 2-5 p.m.
**25th SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL is AUGUST 21-27 in the Downtown Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District.
*Filmmaker Happy Hour – Every 3rd Thursday with other filmmakers and discuss your newest projects.
FOR MUSIC AND COMEDY LOVERS…
**MAGIC CITY BLUES SOCIETY BIRTHDAY BASH, January 29, 4 p.m. at Ranelli’s Deli & Café.
**WANDA SYKES, January 29, 7 p.m. at the Lyric Fine Arts Theatre
**FACE’S LOUNGE KARAOKE hosted by ARETTA, EVERY 4th Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at 7070 Aaron Aronov Dr. in Fairfield.
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send events, your things of interest and more to my emails: gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.
