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City of Birmingham’s 150th Summer Celebration to take place at Legion Field on July 16

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA — July 14, 2021 — The City of Birmingham’s 150th Summer Celebration will be held Friday, July 16 at Legion Field from 5 to 9 p.m. as part of the Magic City turning 150 this year.  There will be food trucks, Magic City Marketplace vendors, music, an appearance by Logan the Entertainer, a visit from the Birmingham Zoo, a visit from the Vulcan Park and Museum’s mascot and more. Attendees should be sure to bring their lawn chair. Admission is free. In case of rain, events will be held under the stadium.

Birmingham Park and Rec will provide 3-on-3 basketball for youth and adults. Also, the Birmingham Legion soccer league will present a 3-on-3 soccer tournament, open to soccer enthusiasts over the age of 18.  Visit https://bit.ly/3yA4Bh1 to register for free.

The Birmingham Police Department will host “Cupcakes with a Cop,” which will feature distributing cupcakes and goody bags to children and also taking photos and talking with residents. World Games, Coca-Cola, the Birmingham Public Library, Birmingham Negro Southern League Museum, the Birmingham Zoo, Vulcan Park and Museum, and several other community partners will also be present on Friday.

Friday’s event at Legion Field will also be a kickoff to the “Experience Birmingham Weekend,’’ where the public is encouraged to get out and discover or rediscover what various city venues have to offer.

The “Experience Birmingham Weekend,’’ which will take place July 16 – 18, will include:

  • The Birmingham Zoo offering $5 off all general admission July 16-18.
  • Vulcan Park and Museum offering a “buy one, get one free’’ admission for residents over the weekend.
  • Arlington House hosting Soul Food Saturday on July 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for in-person lunches or grab-and-go orders. People can call Arlington House at 205-780-5656 for orders.
  • The Birmingham High Hikers hosting a free hike up and down Ruffner Mountain at 7 a.m. on July 17. Hikers should meet at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, 1214 – 81st St. South.
  • The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute offering free walking tours of the Civil Rights District on July 16 and 17. Participants can check in at the BCRI’s ticket booth for an hour-long guided tour. Tours will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 16 and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on July 17.
  • BCRI continuing its outdoor classroom series, Who’s on the Wall, on July 17 when Dr. Tondra Loder-Jackson, from UAB’s School of Education, will offer information and context about the life and accomplishments of Birmingham native Dr. Angela Davis. Dr. Davis is featured on the mural on the center’s exterior wall. Dr. Davis will not be present. The event will take place at the Firehouse Community Arts Center in Avondale, 412 – 41st St. South. Tickets are $20 and are available at https://whosonthewall.swell.gives.
  • The Birmingham Public Library providing Grab and Go kits at all locations for children to create their own fun animal craft. Four BPL locations, Avondale, Central, Five Points West and Springville Road, will be open on July 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • The Birmingham Museum of Art, which houses a world-class collection of nearly 27,000 objects, welcomes visitors to explore art from throughout time and around the globe. In addition to its extensive collection of galleries, current special exhibitions include Ways of Seeing: The Art of Travel, Trade, and Transportation, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and Wall to Wall: Merritt Johnson. They are daily except for Mondays (Tues-Sat, 10-5; Sun, 12-5). They have onsite parking. For more information, see: https://www.artsbma.org/ . Admission is free.
  • Sloss Furnaces is offering guided tours, which includes the history of the Birmingham Industrial District. Admission is free.
  • In July, Birmingham native LaToya Jolly of Jolly Cakes named her red velvet cupcake the Magic City Velvet in honor of the 150th. She will be selling it the whole month. She will be one of several food truck vendors at the city’s Food Truck Friday on July 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside City Hall. To read more of her story, go here.
  • The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is open seven days a week. In bloom in July are the crape myrtles, day lilies, hydrangeas, roses and many other plants and flowers.
  • Free, evening exercise classes are offered at Railroad Park, Monday – Friday, now – Oct. 29. Go here for more info.

Visit www.birminghamal.gov/150 for more info about the city’s 150th anniversary. The state legislature declared Birmingham a city on Dec. 19, 1871. The city will be highlighting the anniversary throughout 2021.

In June, Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin announced several city initiatives to highlight the city’s 150th anniversary. They include a letter writing campaign for citizens to express their love for Birmingham and a Milestone Monday social media campaign to highlight significant milestones citizens, organizations and businesses in Birmingham are experiencing in 2021. People may submit their “I Love Birmingham Because…’’ letters to builttolast@birminghamal.gov. The letters will be stored at the Birmingham Public Library’s Archives Department. People celebrating major milestones in 2021 are also encouraged to submit nominations to builttolast@birminghamal.gov.