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!
The weekend has rolled around again with lots of exciting events happening around the city. Friday kicks the weekend off with Live At The Plaza at Government Plaza downtown, and Hank Williams Jr. at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Saturday is Hogwarts Day at CHOM. Bring all of your young witches and wizard for a day they will for sure enjoy. On Saturday night enjoy a concert benefitting The Actor’s Charitable Theatre. Also, on Saturday head to The Lookout Rooftop Bar and enjoy a night supporting Equality On The River!
Live at the Plaza 🎶
The very popular fifth annual Live At The Plaza FREE summer concert series is back to rock you in 2019! This Friday, Chaquis Maliq (6:00-7:15 p.m.) and Jus Gruv (7:30-9:00 p.m.) will be featured in the family-friendly atmosphere of the Government Plaza, adjacent to the downtown Intermodal Facility parking deck behind City Hall. Enjoy great music every Friday night in June and July from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Bring your quilts, lawn chairs, kids, and dogs.
Hank Williams Jr. 🎤🤠
Hank Williams Jr. is the next act up in the Coca-Cola Concert Series at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater this Friday, June 14th.The show starts at 7:30 p.m. What better way to spend a Friday night than with friends at the Amphitheater? For more information visit https://www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com/
Hogwarts Day at CHOM! 🧙♂️
If your family loves the Harry Potter series this event is for you. Hogwarts Day is Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Attend classes, design a wand, try magical sweets, and more. All activities are included with admission. For more information you may visit http://www.chomonline.org
The Actor’s Charitable Theatre Concert Series 🎭
Join local musicians Royce Garrison and Maggie Butler for a concert benefiting the Actor’s Charitable Theatre (ACT). ACT is a community theatre that depends upon partnerships and events like this one. Admission will help the ACT meet operating costs to support its mission. The concert starts at 7:00 p.m., at The ACT Studio Theatre in Northport. For more information you may visit http://theactonline.com
Equality On The River 🌈
Join Druid City Pride as they celebrate equality in West Alabama. Admission is FREE, but you will want to purchase tickets and participate in the silent auction-style raffle! There will be light hors d’oeuvres, a full cash bar, and great entertainment. The event will be held at Hotel Indigo’s The Lookout Rooftop Bar starting at 6:00 p.m. For more information please visit https://www.druidcitypride.org.
Later this summer ☀️
The Mercedes-Benz Druid City Music Festival 🎶
Excited about the incredible lineup of Big Boi, Blackberry Smoke, Turkuaz, Break Science and others for the Druid City Music Festival? Purchase your tickets NOW! To read more about this exciting event as well as buy your tickets, please visit the website here.
Tuscaloosa is turning 200 and it’s time for a birthday bash! Head on over to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on Saturday, March 30th for this celebration like no other. The day is packed with live entertainment and fun for the whole family! Everyone’s invited and it’s absolutely free!
Concert
From start to finish the lineup is packed with fan favorites all day long! Featuring five artists on two different stages, we’ve got something planned for music lovers of all types.
● Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit is an American southern rock/ alt-country band based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and led by Jason Isbell, a former member of the Drive-By Truckers. The 400 Unit is Derry deBorja (keyboards), Jimbo Hart (bass) and Sadler Vaden (guitar). Chad Gamble (drums) rounds out this incredible group of musicians. Fun Fact: The band’s name comes from the 400 Unit, a colloquial name for the psychiatric ward of Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, Alabama.
● St. Paul & the Broken Bones
St. Paul & The Broken Bones formed in 2012, releasing their debut album Half the City in 2014 and its follow up, 2016’s Sea of Noise, to much acclaim. Janeway’s fearless showmanship, thoughtful lyrics, and dedication to his performance soon became the band’s calling card and paired with the inventive and skillful direction of co-band leader Jesse Phillips as well as a full eight-man roster comprised of some of the best young instrumentalists in the South, they soon became a must-see event.
● The Commodores
One of the greatest Motown and R&B / funk artists of all time, The Commodores’ Walter “Clyde” Orange, James Dean “JD” Nicholas and William “WAK” King have influenced both artists young and old and in all genres with their classic songs. The Commodores brand is bigger than ever as they continue to blaze trails all over the world. Don’t miss your chance to feature one of the most successful vocal groups of all time in 2018 and beyond as The Commodores continue to thrill audiences with their Greatest Hits Tour – Live!
● Moon Taxi
Fearlessly melding rock with pop hooks, clever synths and roots touchstones gleaned from their home in Music City, Moon Taxi’s forthcoming fifth record and first for RCA will find the five-piece doing what they do best: coming together and fighting for music that triumphs above all.
● Blind Boys of Alabama
Praised by NPR as “pioneers,” the group has transcended barriers of race and genre to become one of the most acclaimed and celebrated groups in modern music.
Join us starting at 1 p.m. for one or all of your favorite acts. And did we mention it’s one hundred percent free?
Kids Zone
When we say fun for the whole family, we mean it! Starting at 1 p.m. the kiddos can enjoy rides, inflatables, and hands on activities at the bicentennial bash kids zone. Children of all ages can enjoy this interactive area, absolutely free.
Fireworks
After the musical performances make sure to stick around for the grand finale! The firework show will begin at 9 p.m. and will be the candles on our birthday cake! You definitely do not want to miss this special event that has been two hundred years in the making!