Things to do in Tuscaloosa - Page 2 of 2

It’s another great weekend filled with exciting events in Tuscaloosa! Alabama football and basketball are in action, and there is live music and performances for those so inclined. The entertainment district downtown has gone so well that it has been extended. This Friday and Saturday you will be able to head downtown, grab a drink, and explore the wonderful shops and art galleries in the area so don’t miss out!

Alabama rolls into its last home game of the season with at least ten wins for the tenth straight season, but this team is hungry for more against a Mercer team that gave Auburn fits earlier this year. Saturday is senior day in Bryant-Denny Stadium, so come and support the seniors who have compiled an incredible career record of 50-4 with a chance to cement their legacy with these accomplishments: a 55-4 record, four straight SEC titles, and two national titles. Don’t miss a great opportunity to come cheer on JK Scott, Rashan Evans, Hootie Jones, Tony Brown, Da’Shawn Hand, Levi Wallace, and Shaun Dion Hamilton. The game kicks at 11:00 so come out and enjoy a nice day in Tuscaloosa afterward.

Green Bar does a great job of hosting great bands every weekend, and this Saturday night they present a three-piece homegrown Tuscaloosa band King’s German Legion that will blow your socks off. This blues-rock band puts you in the mind of the Black Keys with a heavy base and distorted, finger-blistering guitar work. Tickets are $5.00 at greenbarttown.com and the music starts at 10:30.

Moundville Archaeological Park and the Office of Archaeological Research are hosting an event this Saturday at Moundville Park! They invite you to come and help catalog and wash real artifacts that have been found recently at Moundville. You never know what you might get your hands on! The event runs from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday. There will be light snacks and water provided. The event is free with park admission ($8).

Wind your weekend down by taking in one of the most famous American plays of all time presented by UA Theatre and Dance. August: Osage County is a story about one of the most dysfunctional families you will ever encounter. It will hopefully make your own family seem tame by comparison when you are sitting around the Thanksgiving table arguing about politics next week, and you’ll be glad to have the perspective. The show begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Marian Gallaway Theatre on Alabama’s campus. You can get tickets here: https://theatre.ua.edu/productions/august-osage-county/

Alabama has rocketed off to a 2-0 start with wins over Memphis and Lipscomb. The Tide’s young freshmen look as good as advertised and could lead the Tide to a special season in 2017-2018. The next opponent in their way on their journey to the top is Alabama A&M. Collin Sexton and John Petty are two players you have to see to believe, and your next chance is this Friday night at 7:00. Don’t miss the best basketball squad Alabama has had in 13 years!

There are always fun events going on around town, so visit our event calendar at visittuscaloosa.xyz/events for a complete list.

LSU weekend is always a special weekend in Tuscaloosa, and this year is no different. There are tons of exciting things to do beginning on Friday at 5:30 with Tuscaloosa’s First Friday Art Walk. Due to the success of the entertainment district the past few weekends, it will once again be in effect on Friday and Saturday from 9am-10pm each day. So get out, grab a drink, and explore the shops and art galleries that Tuscaloosa has to offer while you’re in town for the game.

Tuscaloosa’s local art scene comes alive on Friday night for the First Friday Art Walk. Experience the vibrant Tuscaloosa downtown area with drink-in-hand as you visit Harrison Galleries, the Paul R. Jones Gallery, O’Connor Art Studio and more! Check out the First Friday website and map your personalized art crawl. You may even stumble on an original Salvador Dali like we did!

Alabama has its biggest home game of the season on Saturday night when the 19th-ranked LSU Tigers come to town. Alabama is a 21-point favorite, but this is a rivalry where truly anything can happen. Alabama has beaten LSU six games in a row –including the national title game in 2011 – and LSU will once again be looking for revenge under the lights of Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m. and will be televised by CBS.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to brew your own beer? Join Band of Brothers Brewing on November 4th at 1: 00 p.m. when The American Homebrew Association will be on site for Homebrew day! Learn to Homebrew Day brings together thousands of people from all over the world, and we encourage anyone who enjoys beer—from brewing beginners and hobbyists to professionals, to get involved,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association.

The Children’s Hands-On Museum always has something for the kids on Saturday, and this weekend is no different. Join them for River Discovery Days Saturday, November 4, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as “Riverboat John” Ferguson performs with songs and stories about life on the River! Kids will learn about careers on the river, how to be a Captain, Navigator, Deckhand and more as they trace U.S. rivers, learning and having fun along the way.

Alabama football isn’t the only sport in action this weekend. Come cheer on the Alabama volleyball team as they take on Georgia Sunday at noon. The Tide are looking to bounce back from a loss to Auburn against a good Georgia team that they’ve already beaten once this season, so it’s a good opportunity to get their mojo back. The match will be in historic Foster Auditorium which is a great venue to watch Crimson Tide volleyball.

We have tons going on during the upcoming holiday season, so make sure to check out our great upcoming events and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
Also, check out our Gameday Fashion Blog for some great places around town to pick up your perfect gameday outfit.

Alabama football has a bye week and the weekend off, but the fun never stops in the one and only Tuscaloosa! There will be plenty of music, entertainment, and thrills for the kids to fill your Halloween weekend. You do not have to travel to catch a Rocky Horror show, we have one here! On Friday night, the Dexateens will be back in Tuscaloosa to bring the workingman’s blues consisting of high decibels of classic country, garage punk, and mainline folk. Furthermore, due to the success of the entertainment district over the course of the year, it will once again be in effect on Friday and Saturday from 9am-10pm each day. So get out, grab a drink, and explore the shops and art galleries Tuscaloosa has to offer!

On Friday night, Green Bar will host the triumphant return of Alabama rock-n-roll collective, the Dexateens. This “super group” has spanned Alabama’s punk and rock scenes over the last two decades while managing to maintain their own unique sound. The Dexateens are exactly what rock and roll has been missing, back to stake a claim on what they helped begin. These Tuscaloosa natives have returned to fill the void, gladly taking one city at a time, one venue at a time, one fan at a time. Make sure you do not miss this wholly Tuscaloosa band as they kick off an exciting weekend! Doors open at 8 p.m. and music starts around 10:30.

The Children’s Hands-On Museum always has something for the youngsters on Saturday, and this weekend is no different. In the spirit of Halloween children will be able to go on a Monster Walk Scavenger Hunt from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Children of all ages will have a blast following the clues to win the prize at the end!

Don’t worry, Saturdays are for the adults too. Do you like to run? Do you like to drink beer? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, then we have an event for you! Run The Breweries will be taking place on Saturday, October 28th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. The event begins at Wagner’s Runwalk footwear store where they will be doing giveaways prior to the start of the run. Participants will begin by running to Band of Brothers Brewing Co. to sample some tasty craft brews. After spending some time at Band of Brothers, the run will continue on to Druid City Brewing Co. and eventually end at Black Warrior Brewing Co. If you are unable to make the start of the run you are more than welcome to join in at any of the participating brewery locations. Following the conclusion of the event, participants are welcome to hang around at Black Warrior — they have several dining options available for delivery. It is important you have your ID and coordinate a proper ride home for when you leave Black Warrior. Friday is National American Beer Day, what better way to celebrate than with the first official Brew Run in Tuscaloosa!

Another event happening on the night of the 28th is Pink Box Burlesque’s Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Bama Theatre. This will be their ninth year presenting the show, so it’s safe to say they have gotten pretty good at it. You won’t want to miss their tenth installment this Saturday night. Doors open at 7 p.m, so come dressed as Frank, Rocky, Janet, Magenta, or your favorite character for a costume contest at 8:30. The show starts at 9, which we’ll give you plenty of time to build up your antici….pation.

We have tons going on during the holiday season, make sure to check out our great upcoming events and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!

Written by: Will Wyatt

We’re gearing up for another great weekend in Tuscaloosa! Start your weekend early tonight across the river at Kentuck Art Center! Kentuck is hosting their monthly Art Night! This month will feature the opening reception of “The Seven Deadly Sins” and artist talk with fiber artist Yvonne Wells in the Museum Gallery! You can lose yourself to dance as a band plays throughout the night, eat a cob oven pizza, and then top it off by learning more about Charlie Lucas as he discusses his art and answer questions!

It wouldn’t be a complete weekend in Tuscaloosa without a great artist coming through town! Clint Black will be performing at the Bama Theatre Friday night! You can enjoy a rare, intimate evening with the man who has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Raised in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, Clint Black is the youngest of four brothers. He began performing with brother, Kevin at the family’s backyard barbecues. After high school, he worked construction for a year and spent 10 years on the local nightclub circuit. He auditioned for a Nashville recording contract in 1988 and has been playing nationally ever since!

Crimson Tide football is back in Tuscaloosa this Saturday as Alabama takes on Fresno State! After a big win in Atlanta against Florida State, Alabama will be looking for a tune up before getting into SEC play. Alabama football, which was inaugurated in 1892, ranks as one of 10 winningest programs in US history and they don’t plan on changing that anytime soon. You can also enjoy events like the Elephant Stomp, the Walk of Champions, and check out the Bryant Museum or grab a drink at Gallettes while you’re in town for the game!

Finish your weekend off at the 5th Street Vintage Market! 5th Street Vintage Market is now held four times a year, rain or shine. Markets are Sundays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free and concessions are available on site. Curated by This Ol’ Thing Vintage, Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy, and DJ Tom Kat Kitten, 5th Street Vintage Market brings a one of a kind shopping experience to the area. We will feature many dealers from the region who specialize in vintage and handmade items, artworks and vinyl records! Prices for market goods can range from a few dollars to several hundred. While some vendors can accept credit cards, most require cash payments.

We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!

There are great events all over Tuscaloosa this weekend! You can start your weekend early by heading to Green Bar tonight! Exit 27 comes all the way from South Carolina to deliver some Rock to Tuscaloosa! Of course, Green Bar not only brings in great bands but also has a great atmosphere and drink menu. Located right next to Wilhagans, it is the perfect place to ease into a great weekend!

The month of September starts this Friday and with it comes the First Friday Art Walk! Local galleries, businesses, and restaurants are open in the evening for the community to experience what downtown has to offer! Venture into local galleries and businesses like the Canterbury Episcopal Chapel, and others to see their currently running exhibits like “Faces And Places Of Rabbit Holes” or “Small Curious Wonders” at University Medical Center. Take note that Art Night at Kentuck Art Center will take place next week on the 7th. As a part of their Art Night, Kentuck will be opening an exhibition by Kathryn Mayo titled “We are Selma: The Selma Portrait Project by Kathryn Mayo”.

Crimson Tide football is back this Saturday and with it comes all of the exciting festivities! The Children’s Hands-On Museum is hosting a Kid’s Tailgate Party where they can make mascot faces, spirit cookies, and will even have a concession stand! The unique museum in downtown is tailor made for the little ones, to introduce them to arts, crafts, and exciting exhibits in an interactive and exploring way! It provides fun for kids of all ages and they will never ever get the idea of calling a museum boring afterward!

You can wrap up your weekend Sunday evening at Black Warrior Brewing Company. Not only are they now pouring the One & Only Pale Ale, but they’re also hosting Jerry Robbins for some live smooth jazz and blues! There is no better way to put a bow on the perfect weekend than with smooth jazz and a One & Only beer!

Tuscaloosa’s coolest ongoing summer event is back! Live at the Plaza is an annual concert series that features amazing acts in live concerts on a stage at Government Plaza. Up and coming regional bands, as well as solo artists will rock the stage from April 28th through July 28th. Some changes have been made since last year’s series, but it is still an absolute must-do for your summer in the one and only Tuscaloosa! Here are our top 5 reasons why:

1. Local Musicians
Tuscaloosa loves art in every way, and so it loves music! It is a special pleasure to host some up and coming bands from the region and even from Tuscaloosa itself. Let bands like the Nashville-based country/rock trio Campbell Station or the soul and funk of Lamont Landers Band from Alabama impress you with amazing homemade music. Or enjoy our friendly neighborhood country singer Matt Jones from Tuscaloosa, whose concerts capture the soul of the City! More acts will be announced soon, but this is already an amazing start!

2. Entertainment District
New this year is the entertainment district around Government Plaza. As it is not allowed to bring your own alcoholic beverages into the festival anymore, the district was made to be the perfect alternative. You can get your favorite adult beverages in approved go-cups and so can take them to the concerts and anywhere else within the district! Food and soft drinks are also available in the entertainment district. Participating local businesses are, for example, Alcove, Monarch, Black Warrior Brewery, and many others. The entertainment district opens each Friday at 4 pm!

3. Pet Friendly
A special plus about Live at the Plaza is that it is totally pet-friendly! Located on the meadow of the Plaza, the concerts are the perfect place to bring your furry friends. For sure they will love to spend a fun night out with their owners and meet new friends, human and pet alike! And of course, all dog moms and dads enjoy having their puppies around so take them out for the concerts! Other visitors will be delighted by some puppy love, too – promise!

4. Kick Back After a Hard Week
Held every Friday night from 6 pm to 9 pm, Live at the Plaza is THE perfect event to relax after a long week of work! You can make yourself just as comfortable as in your own living room: You’re welcome to bring picnic blankets, pillows, lawn chairs and anything else you need to enjoy a leisure evening with your colleagues, friends or family. If somebody already made dinner at home – no problem! Bring them AND the food to the concert. As always, you are welcome to bring your own food, snacks, and soft drinks!

5. It’s Free!
Let’s sum up, with Live at the Plaza you can: Have a fantastic night outside. Listen to great live music from regional artists. Bring your whole family, including dogs. Bring your own food and soft drinks. Buy food and drinks from local restaurants and bars. Let down a hard week of work.
And now comes the final, the ultimate reason to not miss this event: It’s absolutely free! You enjoy all these amazing things for free admission!
See you at the Plaza!

This weekend is packed with fine arts in the One and Only Tuscaloosa! Tonight you can head across the river to Kentuck for their Art Night! This event will serve as the official opening reception for Chris CHUB Hubbard’s show “20 Years of Heaven and Hell: Current Works and a Look Back”! Not only that, but there will be pop-up shops for local artists, demonstrations, cob oven pizza, and live music! Art Night has been a staple for the first Thursday night of each month!

On Friday, it’s downtown Tuscaloosa’s turn with the First Friday Art Crawl! Galleries, studios, and businesses across downtown will be open and participating in the art crawl including Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, Harrison Galleries, and Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy. First Friday is completely free to everyone and is filled with excitement! There will be live music at different venues and some incredible works of art!

On Saturday morning you can swing by the Tuscaloosa River Market for the Farmer’s Market! Vendors set up ripe red tomatoes and famous Chilton County peaches. Musicians sit propped up against the door, playing guitars as you walk in, and local Food Trucks, bakers, artists, and craftsmen gather here to sell their gourmet grub, fresh-baked yeast rolls, homemade jams and jellies and hand-carved cutting boards.

If you’re more of a music person, head over to Government Plaza for the concert series “Live at the Plaza” where the Matt Jones Trio will be playing! Matt Jones is a local artist who beautifully paints pictures with words through melody over the landscape of his southern roots. With an arsenal of original and cover music, he’s surely an act you won’t want to miss!

Finally, wrap up your night by heading to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater for Soundgarden! Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart and yielded the Grammy Award-winning singles “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman”. As if you need another reason to attend, VH1 ranked Soundgarden at number 14 in their 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock!

Written By: Barrett Elder – Digital Media Specialist

We have a lot going on in the One and Only Tuscaloosa this weekend! Friday night will play host to the anxiously awaited reinstatement of Live at the Plaza! This event has been a hit every year during the summer months and is starting back again this Friday with a new entertainment district! Magic City Smooth Jazz are kicking off the season with their laid back vibes. Grab a blanket and find yourself a seat on the lawn because Live at the Plaza is back!

If you’re not too keen on the great outdoors, we’ve got you covered. Right down the road, the Mojo Trio Band are playing at Band of Brothers Brewing Co.! The Tuscaloosa band has been around for nearly a decade and will be playing all of your favorite rock, country, funk, and other songs. It gets even more exciting as Band of Brothers will be hosting a Crawfish Boil! Bring your appetite for this delicious event because it doesn’t get any better than craft beer and crawfish!

All weekend long you can enjoy a softball tournament as University of Alabama graduate Haylie McCleney returns to Tuscaloosa to play fastpitch at Bowers Park! She will be donating the funds from the tournament to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Ultimate Fastpitch Experience is a tournament series designed to promote and showcase the individual brands of professional fastpitch players through the vehicle of amateur fastpitch tournaments!

Saturday is just as exciting as Friday and is kicked off by the One and Only Tuscaloosa Mayor’s Cup! Whether you run, walk, or ride in a stroller, everyone wins in this cup! Now in its 11^th year, the 5k has raised more than $211,000 for the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative. While Mayor Maddox won’t be running this year, that just opens up the opportunity to root on the runners with him from the sidelines! This event is always a hit each year and we expect it to be even better this year!

Wrap up your Saturday by heading to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater for their second show of the season! The amphitheater will be featuring American R&B singer and former rapper, Jaheim! Jaheim has been constantly on the top of the R&B charts since his debut album “Ghetto Love” and the second effort “Still Ghetto” both hit platinum! He will follow after his openers: Leela James, Eric Benet, & Daley. It’s sure to be an incredible concert so don’t miss out!

Written By: Barrett Elder – Digital Media Specialist

This weekend is overflowing with events in the One and Only Tuscaloosa! Starting tonight and lasting all weekend long, you can catch some incredible artists at Druid City Music Hall! Starting with Elephante on Thursday, you can catch him, CBDB, and Muscatine Bloodline each night following!

On Friday, you can catch the American Shakespeare Center at the Bama Theatre while they’re on tour presenting “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare! While they’re in Tuscaloosa, you can also catch one of their showings of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”!

If theater makes you hungry, you’re in luck! Saturday is the 11th Annual Great Tuscaloosa Chili Cookoff! You can enter a chili heaven as 35 teams compete for coveted trophies for Best Chili and Best Costume, Booth, and Showmanship. Chili sampling, live music by Angela Hamiter & the Able Brothers and Robert Morgan, children’s activities, free cheese biscuits and free ice cream, and valuable drawing prizes including a large HDTV will all be on the chopping block for this incredible event!

If a Chili Cookoff isn’t enough to warrant an incredible Saturday, Rhythm & Brews is hosting the Alabama State Arm Wrestling Championship! After you eat your chili you can wash it down with a cold brew as you watch the strongest men and women in Alabama battle it out for the arm wrestling title!

Finally, have some fun with the kids as the Children’s Hands-On Museum hosts the Mad Hatter’s “Southern” Tea Party on Saturday. You never know who you’ll run into in Wonderland! The children can sample southern treats, knave of hearts tarts and tea sandwiches! Try not to lose your head while playing flamingo croquet with the Queen of Hearts and craft your own “Mad Hatter” hat!

The Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum

Along the Jack Warner Parkway, directly across from the library rests a charming art deco museum. The Transportation Museum offers interactive and unique displays that showcase the history of the city through the growth of transportation in Tuscaloosa. While the round room may easily guide the flow from each display, this wasn’t the original purpose of the space. Built in 1943, The Queen City Pool was built by architect Don Buel Schuyler. He was an apprentice for Frank Lloyd Wright and was commissioned to build a bathhouse for a public wading pool. The public pool featured a classic art deco fountain that still stands today. The Warner family brought the Pool and its bathhouse to the city after they tragically lost their son David when he drowned. The city of Tuscaloosa had two public works built pools, the Gulf States Pool, and Queen City. The pool closed in 1966 when desegregation was mandated, and the Queen City was a former whites-only pool. Eventually, the pool was filled in and remained vacant for several years. It wasn’t until 2005 that the city announced the bathhouse would be converted into a local museum. The renovation was completed and on December 13th, 2011 the bathhouse officially opened. Today the museum is owned and operated by the City of Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama Museums. Find out more here.

Top Five Reasons to See The Nutcracker

This holiday season, come to the Bama Theatre to see our community stage the classic ballet of the Nutcracker at 7pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with shows at 10 am Saturday and 2pm Sunday.

Warm up with some Russian culture

Composed in the late 1890s in Russia, this classic holiday ballet has been celebrated around the world as a treasure since the 1960s. The elaborate storytelling and focus on the wilds of a child’s imagination can be a welcomed break from the continuing colder winds blowing into town.

A great reason to escape to the Bama

There’s hardly a local landmark with a perfect blend of history and modern style. the grand dame of theater for Tuscaloosa has an atmospheric theater set in a Spanish courtyard with its original twinkling star lights. You can rest either in the main seats or cozy up in the balcony on the second floor, with a treat from the concession bar.

See our community showcase their talent

While it’s fun to go see some experienced professionals in big cities knock out another in a thousand of performances, there’s nothing that beats the excitement of seeing people you know show off their hidden talents. This production features locally sourced artists with talent to spare.

Not far from great food

Going to see a show can mean making a night of it with a great dinner, and exploring your own hometown. Being at the Bama means you’re a simple walk away from some of the best one and only eateries in town.

Break out those formal clothes

While it’s far from required at these shows to be dressed to the nines, there’s something about the magic of ballet in a grand theater that can be so well suited with a step in clothes. Not to mention these colder days mean it’s time to layer up, and with our warm fall, we haven’t had the chance to show off our winter gear.

No matter what your reasons, you’re guaranteed a great night out with some festive ballet, local talent, and culture in the one&only Tuscaloosa. Find out more information here