Things are buzzing here in Tuscaloosa! Spring has sprung, the flowers are blooming, and the events are poppin’! We have an eclectic lineup for this weekend so follow along so you can be sure to hit the hot spots!
The Buzz About Bees Exhibit
A new exhibit is flying to the Alabama Museum of Natural History! The Buzz about Bees is a collaborative exhibit with the Alabama Museum of Natural History, the West Alabama Beekeepers Association, and the UA Bee Club. The exhibit focuses on the honey bee and features a live beehive that gives visitors an inside look at the honey bees’ honey production and social structure. Head over to view the exhibit that opens Thursday, April 22nd, to get a chance to learn about these incredible creatures!
Stand Up Comedy at Half Shell
Stand Up Tuscaloosa is hosting their very first Comedy in a Half Shell show this Friday, April 23rd starting at 7:30 pm. Acts feature comic “Casio” Matt Mitchell from NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Jay Leno, MTV, and Rick and Bubba as “Casio Kid”. Birmingham’s Peter Davenport who is a cohost of the Goulash Podcast with Chris Ivey will also perform!
Step Into The Rainforest at CHOM
Step into the rainforest this Saturday, April 24th at the Children’s Hands-On Museum! You and your little one can learn how to make a terrarium, learn about venus fly traps, and rain forest animals! All activities are included in admission. For more information on location and hours, visit its website here.
A Rockin’ Radio Show
Love radio rock hits? Like a capella harmony? Then this is the event for you! The hits brought to you in a unique format, live on stage this Saturday, April 24th! The Dixie district chorus champions, present rock radio hits in 4 part harmony with a presentation that will remind you of the great days of radio. To top that off, the classic Bama Theatre is the backdrop for this one-time-only event. Get your tickets fast as seating is limited. You won’t want to miss this!
Piccolo Concert with Kim Scott
Here’s another live concert to get excited about! Amazing piccolo soloist Kim Scott will be attending her live concert this Sunday, April 25th, for a sure-to-be fantastic performance! She is so excited to have the chance to feel the energy of a crowd, and is hoping to see you at Government Plaza from 4 pm! Don’t forget this family-friendly event is also FREE to the public!
If you are looking for safe, socially distant events this weekend, Tuscaloosa has a few to offer! Events are trickling in slowly, but surely. As our city adapts to the new norms and you can find events for the whole family this weekend!
Thursday Concerts on the Rooftop Featuring Ronda Ray
Music is back at The Lookout! They are kicking it off with one of your favorites, too! Join The Lookout for Ronda Ray this Thursday. When singer/songwriter Ronda Ray takes the stage, it’s party time! Her authentic, gritty, cowgirl nature and love of rock ‘n’ roll contribute to her unique sound. Her style is inspired by the great rock bands of the 1970s, yet is current, fresh, singular, visionary, and uniquely her own. Head over early for Happy Hour from 5 pm – 7 pm featuring $2 domestics, $4 wells, and $5 house wines. Remember The Lookout is smoke-free and pet friendly so you don’t have to leave your best friend at home!
Tuscaloosa Farmers Market
Start your day off right with a cup of coffee and a basket of locally grown produce! The Tuscaloosa Farmers Market takes place on Saturday from 7 am until 12 pm. Featuring fresh, locally grown produce; grass-fed meats; unique artisan crafts; and an Alabama authenticity that cannot be replicated, the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market has something for everyone! Support your local farmers and artisans by shopping local.
Color Me Crazy at CHOM!
The Children’s Hands-On Museum is back at it again this weekend with another great event for your little ones! Color Me Crazy takes place from 9:30 am to 4 pm. If you have a little artist on your hands, they can grab a smock and some paintbrushes to decorate a snowflake, snowball painting, and more! CHOM offers three floors of fun with 26 unique exhibits to play in.
Tonight, Druid City Brewing Company will be hosting their 2020 Night Cap Livestream as a means for any and everybody to enjoy a night of live-performed music via social media! This event was pulled together as a safe way for music lovers to enjoy live music from the comfort and safety of their own via social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube). Although the event is free, viewers are encouraged to donate to the DCBC Moving fund to help the brewery in its plan to move across the parking lot to a larger space.
The brewery is currently one of the smaller taprooms in Tuscaloosa, but that is no indication of their popularity. DCBC has a fiercely loyal fan club and plays host to many patrons throughout the week, hosting comedy open mic nights, live music, and of course, trivia nights! The brewery has made plans to expand to this larger space as 2020 has made the smaller location difficult to accommodate all the well-loved regulars of Druid City. This live, virtual event is a means for the brewery to continue expanding while offering the incredible live music we have been craving since the beginning of all the COVID chaos!
Here are five reasons you should join in on the virtual fun tonight, December 18th from 7 pm to 1 am:
- Enjoy live performed music from the safety of your own home. The event is accessible via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube starting at 7 pm. While using these social media platforms, be sure to use every day social media etiquette when interacting with the performers or other viewers!
- Support the Druid City Brewing Company taproom in its goal to move to a larger space. DCBC is accepting donations via Venmo at @DCBC_moving and on CashApp and Paypal at @DCBCMoving. These donations will be going directly to the brewery to help with the cost of moving to a larger space where patrons can continue enjoying their favorite craft beers while staying safely distanced from one another!
- Discover the over 20 musical acts that will be performing. All acts have been laid out on the Facebook event page above and feature a range of different styles and genres. While there may be some names you recognize, there will be plenty of names that you will be excited to learn more about! This is an incredible opportunity to both support these bands with your ears and maybe discover a new favorite band to listen to.
- Get a tour of the future taproom location hosted by the bartenders themselves! Amidst the music and entertainment of the evening, there will be a guided tour of the new Druid City location just right across the parking lot from their previous location. This tour will be guided by your favorite DCBC bartenders and will give you a layout of what future evenings out will look like!
- In addition to the Friday night event, enjoy a 24-hour stream of the concert again on Christmas Day! Some may not be able to attend this Friday evening, so the crew over at Druid City will be using the Christmas holiday as a way to re-showcase all the incredible talented featured during the Night Cap. This live stream will be available via the same social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube) and start at midnight Christmas Eve to midnight on Christmas Night.
Log onto Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube on Friday night to enjoy an evening of music from all around! If you are not able to attend the live stream but still want to donate to the fundraiser, the brewery is also accepting donations now on Venmo: DCBC_moving and on CashApp and Paypal at DCBCMoving. So enjoy the night in, pour a glass of your favorite beverage – maybe even a Druid City Brewing Company brew – and relax to an evening of live-performed music.
Written by: Will Baggett