Sidewalk's Big Weekend Is Here

Good morning Birmingham!

So many things going on in our great city this week and weekend! You should expect heavier traffic all weekend long with UAB students coming back to campus and all the movies and concerts in the city. But at least it’s the last weekend before college football is back!

In this week’s edition, we have all the major events, some fun businesses and restaurants to check out, and one interesting idea to make our great city even better!

Let’s get to it.

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📽️ Sidewalk Film Festival

Get ready for the most explosive part of Birmingham's film celebration – the main weekend of the 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival is here, Saturday and Sunday, August 23-24th! Saturday night brings the spectacular "This Is Ballroom" as the Saturday Night Spotlight Film at the legendary Alabama Theatre, followed by the wildly fun Rainbow Popstar Rave featuring DJ Tony Rodio, rainbow glow sticks, specialty cocktails, and a Best Dressed contest where you can win ultimate SHOUT popstar swag. Sunday culminates with the awards ceremony at 9pm at the Lyric Theatre, where you'll discover which films captured hearts and minds throughout the festival week.

With over 250 films packed into these two power-packed days across Birmingham's gorgeous historic venues, plus filmmaker Q&As, Black Lens and SHOUT spotlight programming, and those magical coffee shop encounters with directors, this weekend transforms downtown Birmingham into the South's most electrifying film destination.

Whether you're diving into Alabama documentaries, international narratives, or animated shorts, nearly 40% featuring female directors and over 20% showcasing local talent, this main weekend delivers the perfect storm of world-class cinema and that irresistible Southern film festival energy. Don't miss this cinematic party where every screening feels like a discovery and every venue buzzes with creative electricity!

And don’t forget that tomorrow is the opening night pre party, opening night film featuring Stolen Kingdom, and after party all the 1800 block of 3rd Ave North! (link to full schedule).

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One of our Favorites

🍤 Magnolia Point
Talk about a delightful surprise! Magnolia Point brings the beach to Birmingham in the most charming way possible, housed in a gorgeous 1930s building at the edge of Five Points South, serving up Nick Pihakis's love letter to "those nostalgic fish camps found along the Gulf Coast that we all know and love."

The real showstopper is the intricate wood bartop crafted from a single felled magnolia tree by Alabama Sawyer, plus they nail the menu with house-made smoked tuna dip, po'boys made with authentic Leidenheimer bread from New Orleans, and specialty frozen cocktails that can be made with or without spirits. The back patio is a real gem with umbrellas, colorful seating, and lots of plants, plus there's plenty of free parking behind the restaurant – a Birmingham dining miracle!

Don't miss the mural by local artist Marcus Fetch depicting Willie J. Perry, the "Birmingham Batman," painted on the side wall – it's these thoughtful touches that make Magnolia Point feel like both a neighborhood gathering spot and a special destination rolled into one delicious package. (link)

Crestwood Pickers

Treasure Hunt Central: Crestwood Pickers

Step into a treasure hunting paradise at Crestwood Pickers, where over 300 vendors transform a massive 69,000-square-foot space in the Crestwood Festival Shopping Center into an antique lover's dream! This is the fourth "Pickers" location in the beloved family that includes Irondale Pickers, Gardendale Pickers, and Calhoun Pickers, specializing in antiques, artwork, and one-of-a-kind hard-to-find keepsakes.

Open seven days a week, this antique mall offers endless aisles of discoveries from hundreds of different vendors all under one roof – whether you're hunting for vintage furniture, unique collectibles, or that perfect conversation piece. With special events like their annual Spring Open House featuring free food, door prizes, and vendor discounts, this isn't just shopping – it's a community celebration of all things vintage and wonderful!

Get ready to lose track of time wandering through this antique wonderland where every turn reveals another fascinating find.

🏥 UAB Unveils Game-Changing Rehabilitation Pavilion!

UAB has officially cut the ribbon on its spectacular new rehabilitation pavilion, a $156 million state-of-the-art facility that's set to transform recovery for patients with stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and other conditions!

This incredible 134-bed facility is packed with amazing features including therapy gyms, private therapy rooms, speech therapy suites, and even a cutting-edge seizure monitoring unit that seamlessly integrates clinical care, research, and education. What makes this place truly special is its innovative design featuring a rooftop garden for mobility work, an outdoor terrain park with simulated city streetscapes for real-world practice, plus an in-clinic auto simulator and recreational spaces like a putting green and basketball court.

Each floor is thoughtfully designed for specific patient populations, allowing patients, families, and medical teams to stay together throughout the recovery journey. As UAB leaders emphasized, this pavilion represents "a promise to help patients rebuild their strength, regain their independence and reclaim their lives" – and Birmingham just got an incredible new beacon of hope and healing! (link)

🍔 Jack Brown's Birmingham CFO Leading the Charge in Smart Restaurant Growth!

Birmingham-based CFO Graham Davis is making waves in the restaurant industry by masterfully blending data-driven financial strategy with authentic brand culture at Jack Brown's Beer and Burger Joint, helping the Virginia-founded chain expand from a single location to over a dozen spots across the East Coast!

This Auburn University analytics graduate is proving that smart expansion isn't just about crunching numbers – it's about preserving the quirky, dive-bar vibe and impressive selection of over 100 global craft beers that makes Jack Brown's special. Davis has been strategically identifying prime expansion markets while using cutting-edge analytics tools to optimize operations and boost margins without losing the laid-back, community-focused spirit customers love.

His "stewardship" mindset of curating opportunities rather than chasing every chance for growth has industry peers taking notice as Jack Brown's continues to thrive with locations from Tennessee to right here in Birmingham. In an era where many restaurant chains lose their spark in pursuit of profits, Davis is proving that finance can be the secret sauce to preserving authenticity while driving sustainable success! (link)

🌟 Birmingham's Spring Street Canal: A Game-Changing Vision for Our City!

Get ready for an absolutely brilliant idea that could transform Birmingham into the South's next must-visit destination! A visionary proposal suggests creating a man-made canal running from the Hugh Kaul trail at 38th Street S all the way to Avondale Park, reconnecting with the historic King Spring that flowed this exact route before being paved over in the 1930s.

This Spring Street Canal would cost around $37.5 million (following Oklahoma City's successful Bricktown Canal model) and could be funded through innovative private-public partnerships, just like Huntsville's $65 million Pinhook Creek project that recently secured $47.3 million in federal funding. The economic impact could be absolutely incredible – Oklahoma City's canal helped double property values by $1.88 billion, added over 9,000 jobs, and increased downtown visitation from 6.5 million to 11 million annually!

With Avondale already buzzing as Birmingham's coolest entertainment district, this canal project could catapult our city into the big leagues alongside Memphis's Beale Street and New Orleans's Bourbon Street, creating endless possibilities for festivals, events, and making Birmingham the South's newest waterfront hotspot. (link)

📽️ Opening Night Pre Party | 1800 3rd Ave N | 08/22 | More
Come dressed as your favorite Disney character for Sidewalk fest’s opening night pre party!

🏓 Pickleball Party | Armor Gym | 08/22 | More
Come join this beginner friendly BYOB Pickleball party in Crestwood!

🧺 Pepper Place Farmer’s Market | Pepper Place | 08/23 | More
The most amazing local farmer’s market right in Pepper Place from 7am-12pm!

🎃 The Spirit of Halloweentown | Lyric Theatre | 08/24 | More
Get into the Halloween spirit early downtown this Sunday night at Lyric Theatre!

⚾️ Birmingham Barons | Regions Field | 08/21-08/24 | More
Hometown Barons against in-state rival, Rocket City Trash Pandas, for 4 straight days!

🎸 Dierks Bentley | Coca Cola Amphitheater | 08/22 | More
Grammy nominated country superstar headlining at the new downtown Amphitheater!

🎉 Opening Night After Party | 1800 3rd Ave N | 08/22 | More
A huge block party under the lights of the Alabama Theatre!

🎵 Molly Ringwalds | Iron City | 08/22 | More
The ultimate '80s cover band from New Orleans coming to Iron City this Friday night!

🎸 Ben Rector | Coca Cola Amphitheater | 08/23 | More
Nashville-based singer-songwriter bringing his indie-pop sound to the downtown Amphitheater!

🎨 Saturday Night Market | TrimTab Brewing Company | 08/23 | More
Supporting local vendors and artists at one of Birmingham’s favorite breweries!

🍺 Volunteer Appreciation Brews | TrimTab Brewing Company | 08/24 | More
A celebration of those who volunteered for any of the races by Finish Line Events, Southeastern Trail Runs, and Zombie Trail Races!

🐈️ Back to Schook Kitten Cuddles | Birmingham District Brewing | 08/24 | More
Grab a beer and cuddle with the cutest, adoption ready kittens this Sunday!

🍿 Popcorn Pop Up | Kelly Ingram Park | 08/26 | More
Free popcorn while learning about the upcoming Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads Trail!

🎸 311 | Avondale Brewing Company | 08/27 | More
311 bringing their unity tour to one of the top music venues in the city!

Looking Ahead

🎨 Birmingham Art Walk | 20th St N | 9/6-9/7 | More
Two day arts festival in the heart of downtown featuring hundreds of artists, live music, street performers, vendors, and kid’s activites!

🎸 Phish | Coca Cola Amphitheater | 09/13-09/14 | More
Grammy nominated country superstar headlining at the new downtown Amphitheater!

🍻 Oktoberfest | Cahaba Brewing | 09/20 | More
Festive day of Bavarian activities such as weiner dog races, keg toss, and of course drinking beer!

🇬🇷 Greek Food Festival | Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Cathedral | 10/02-10/04 | More
Opa! Fun filled weekend immersed in the sights, sounds, and spirit of Greece!

🧸 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert | BJCC Concert Hall | 10/10-10/12 | More
The 5th installment of Harry Potter live in concert with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra!

🏆 Parkinson’s Moving Day | Railroad Park | 10/25 | More
A wonderful community event honoring loved ones with Parkinson’s disease and supporting the Parkinson’s Foundation!