GWEN DERU
TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**RANKY TANKY with LISA FISCHER at Alys Stephens Center.
**DAMNED TO EARTH with PUDWICH and WITCHDIGGER at the Nick.
**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.
**MOVIES EVERY THURSDAY at Sidewalk 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.
**FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR-Every 3rd Thursday, at Sidewalk Film Fest. Meet with other filmmakers and discuss your newest projects.
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.
**CD RELEASE TOUR with GINO ROSARIO at Perfect Note.
**SUNNY SO BRITE with THE RUGS & JODY NELSON at The Nick
**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.
**COLONY HOUSE, 7 p.m. at Iron City.
SATURDAY…
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**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!!
**DANIEL MASON ( of Hank III) SOLO with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.
**The Juke Joint featuring HASAH GREEN AND KUNTRY SOUL at Perfect Note.
SUNDAY…
**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.
**FIRST ANNUAL GENE GILYARD DAY, 12 p.m., is the First Annual Gene Gilyard Day Mixed Doubles Tennis Challenge. For more call 205-215-1712 or 205-746-2438.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**SUNDAY/HAPPY HOUR, 2-5 p.m. at Sidewalk Film Fest.
**BARBERSHOP, 4-6 p.m. at Trim Salon & Grooming Lounge, 2200 2nd Avenue N. Free food, vaccinations and health screenings.
**NOTINEE DARSHAN DANCE PERFORMANCE, 2 – 4 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY with TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at the Nick.
MONDAY…
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at the Nick.
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
TUESDAY…
**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.
**DIAPER GIVEAWAY every Tuesday, 10 a.m. at the Titusville Library.
**TAKE AN ARTPLAY CLASS at Alys Stephen Center.
**EVERY TUESDAY – TRUE STORY BREWING JAZZ SESSIONS, 7- 10 p.m., 5510 Crestwood Blvd.
**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.
**EVERY TUESDAY LIT AND JAZZ with DAVID TALLEY AND FRIENDS, 7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 518 Rev. Abraham Woods Blvd.
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**WORKOUT WEDNESDAY at Five Points West Library at 10:30 a.m. for chair yoga and other chair exercises.
**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.
**WILL OVERMAN at The Nick.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**THE Q-TIP BANDITS with POST SEX NACHOS at the Nick.
**DAWES, 7 p.m. at Iron City.
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.
**FRIDAY NIGHT MARCH MADNESS with SAXOPHONIST DALEN MINNIFIELD at Perfect Note.
**ROYAL HORSES with THE FIXINS at The Nick.
**BROTHER CANE, 7 p.m. at Iron City.
IT’S 2023! NEWS TO USE…
IN FEBRUARY…
**LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS WITH CUSTOMER FOCUSED MARKETING, TODAY, 6 p.m. at the Birmingham Urban League, Inc.
2023 BLACK LENS FILM WEEK:
**CROOKLYN (1994), Friday, 7 – 9:15 p.m., at Sidewalk Film.
**KING (1969) Saturday, 7:30 – 10:15 p.m. at Sidewalk Film.
**BLACK LENS TRIVIA (FREE), Saturday, 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11:30 p.m. at Sidewalk Film.
IN MARCH….ST. PATRICK’S DAY…
**LILLIE’S CUP AFTERNOON TEA, March 5, 2 p.m. at Arlington Historic House & Gardens.
**HAND-HELD: THE FOUR SEASONS IN CHINESE PAINTING through March 5 at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
**TASTE OF BIRMINGHAM FOOD TRUCKS, March 5, 1 p.m. at Avondale Brewing Company.
**HOLI: A FESTIVAL OF COLORS, March 11, 11 a.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
**NEW EDITION, KEITH SWEAT AND GUY, March 11, 8-11 p.m., Legacy Arena at the BJCC.
**FIVE FARMS IRISH CREAM TASTING, March 16, 5-7 p.m. at LeNell’s Beverage Boutique.
**HOME OWNERSHIP SEMINAR, March 18, 9 a.m. at the Birmingham Urban League.
**BIRMINGHAM OPERA MARCH OPERA SHOTS, March 21, 6 p.m. at Ferus Artisan Ales (Trussville) FREE.
IN APRIL…
**CITY WIDE EASTER CELEBRATION AND FAMILY FAIR, Sunday, April 9, at the Birmingham Crossplex with a powerful word from DR. THOMAS BEAVERS. Starts at 10:30 a.m. with Pre-Celebration live with DJ CHRIS COLEMAN, 11:30 a.m. Celebration Service and 1-4 p.m. Post Celebration with fun rides, food trucks, and games including Mind Winder, Pirates Revenge, Reckless, Wacky Dome and more. Dress down, this is an outside event after service is over. Register at www.beatme2thestar.net.
FOR OUTDOOOR LOVERS…
**SATURDAY DAYHIKE – Southeastern Outings Dayhike, Sipsey Wilderness, Bankhead National Forest – DETAILS: This is a moderately strenuous four-mile hike in a highly scenic location, Upper Quillan Creek Forest Area. Most of the hike is off trail, there are lots of ups and downs, and several rock-hopping crossings are required across small creeks. Walk along two creeks and on an old road. At a beautiful waterfall we’ll visit the site of an old mill. On this hike, see several small waterfalls on side creeks and tributaries to Quillan Creek. Visit at least three very pretty waterfalls on Quillan Creek itself along the way. See a minimum of a total of 12 lovely waterfalls on this trip. Bring a picnic lunch and water for the day. Expect to finish about 4 p.m. Optional dinner after. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 9 and over able to walk four miles off trail without complaining are welcome. Reservations Required: If you wish to participate in this outing, you are required to call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email your reservation to southeasternoutings@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on TODAY. Leave either your phone number or email address. If you aren’t coming after making a reservation, please notify Dan. Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com, or 205-631-4680.
AT OPERA BIRMINGHAM…
**OPERA SHOTS AND ANNUAL STREET PARTY – Opera Shots are Opera Birmingham’s annual series of casual pop-up concerts throughout the community, held in unexpected places and designed to break down the stereotypes of opera. Opera Shots concerts feature members of the Opera Birmingham Chorus and surprise guest artists presenting an open-mic-style concert of the greatest hits of opera and musical theater. -MAY OPERA SHOTS STREET PARTY is May 7, 5 p.m. on Second Avenue North in front of The Collins Bar. FREE.
**HANSEL & GRETEL is April 21, 7:30 p.m. and April 23, 2:30 p.m. at Dorothy Jemison Day Theater. Enter a fantastical world full of magic, where fairies and angels appear, and an enchanted forest leads two lost children to a candy house where they must escape from a wicked witch. Composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairytale opera, Hansel & Gretel, based on the classic story from Brothers Grimm, is perfect for all ages! Featuring a wonderful cast of rising opera stars along with the Opera Birmingham Chorus, accompanied by members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Hansel & Gretel is sung in German with projected English translations. The performance length is approximately two hours with one intermission.
FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…
**BIRMINGHAM URBAN LEAGUE IS HOSTING THE PRATT CITY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION INTEREST MEETING. The March 14 meeting is 6-7 p.m. at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church of North Pratt, 1330 Beall Street. If you are looking for support and to be involved with a team that protects your business, the Pratt City Business Association is preparing to form a board of dedicated individuals with your best business interest at heart.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS…
**LITTLE BIG TOWN: FRIENDS OF MINE TOUR – The tour will kick off in Birmingham at the BJCC Concert Hall on April 13 with Emmy Award-winning group, Little Big Town consisting of members KAREN FAIRCHILD, PHILLIP SWEET, KIMBERLY SCHLAPMAN and JIMI WESTBROOK.
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.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS…
AT BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…
**WAYS OF SEEING: SPORTS AND GAMES through May 21.
**WALL-TO-WALL: RICO GATSON through July.
**LOVE OF ART – The Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) is calling on art lovers across the city to pay a visit to its galleries during the month of February with its ‘I Heart Art’ campaign. NOW through February 28, visitors may pick up paper hearts at both Museum entrances and leave them by their favorite works of art while they walk around the galleries. In an Instagram experiment, visitors will be able to see which pieces are the most beloved as art accumulate ‘likes.’ BMA is one of the few art museums of its kind in the country to offer free admission to the general public with objects dating back 5,000 years to the present day. Its global collection offers the opportunity to explore the world through art made in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The galleries are refreshed with different rotations and exhibitions that focus on compelling themes or genres.
EXHIBITIONS include: Light Play, Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen, Ways of Seeing: Sports and Games, and Wall to Wall: Rico Gatson. While at the BMA check out the Museum Shop and then come to the Wednesdays at the BMA.
AT ALYS STEPHENS CENTER…
**MARCH 19 – PATTI LABELLE.
**THROUGH MARCH 25 – DONTE K. HAYES – OBJECTS OF TOMORROW.
FOR FILM LOVERS…
AT SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL…
**25th SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL is AUGUST 21-27 in the Downtown Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District.
**COMING SOON!!!…Look for SLOSS.TECH – JUNE 9, 2023!
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.
