As the leaves begin to brighten to the fiery shades of fall and crisp breezes ring in the holiday season, our calendars quickly fill with fantastic celebratory events. Each weekend brings another terrific city-wide event, festival or fair that makes us love the Magic City even more. It is such an exciting time of year! Today, we have pulled together a list of 21 of the most wonderful Birmingham fall events. So grab your planner and start taking notes, because these are events you won’t want to miss!
Great Pumpkin Patch — Through November 1, 2015
288 Co. Road 45, Hayden
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m
There are plenty of activities for kids at the newly renovated Great Pumpkin Patch, including a totally new inflatable park with a Great Jumpin’ Pumpkin, incredible Super Slide and a Smaller Slide for those not quite ready for the challenge of the Super Slide. And those still young at heart can enjoy sitting under a shade tree listening to music, watching the kids or enjoying any of the wonderful food and sweets from the Red Barn Kitchen or famous Pie House. Admission is free; pay for the activities you choose.
Pumpkin Patch Express — Every Saturday and Sunday in October
Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
1919 9th St., Calera
Hours: October 3 – 24, 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.; October 21 10 a.m., 1 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m., 3 p.m
All aboard! The whole family will enjoy a beautiful fall hayride aboard the Pumpkin Patch Express at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera. Visit the pumpkin patch for a hayride, bounce house, cornstalk maze, coloring and fun tattoos. Pick your favorite pumpkin from the patch for an additional charge.
Atrox Factory — October 2-31, 2015
8404 Parkway Drive, Leeds
Hours: Friday and Saturday nights, 6:30 p.m. to midnight; Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, 6:30 to 10 p.m.
If mind-blowing terror and twisting turns with shocking surprises make your heart pound, come out to the Southeast’s largest haunted attraction, ATROX Factory! Located in Leeds this adventure is boasting 40,000-square-feet of mayhem! This event is not recommended for children under 12. Get your scare on!
Boo at the Zoo — October 3-4, 9-11, 16-18 & 23-31 , 2015
Birmingham Zoo
2630 Cahaba Road, Birmingham
Hours: 5 to 9 p.m.
Boo at the Zoo is one spooktacular event! This family-friendly, wear-your-costume event takes place weekends during the month of October. It’s a fun-filled way to enjoy the Halloween festivities, including trick-or-treating, the Eerie Express, Ghoul School, Haunted Hayride, Scarousel, the Spider Slide and Cajun Sadie’s Fortune Telling Adventure, plus many more spooky attractions! Fun for kids of all ages.
Homewood Witches Ride — October 30, 2015
Homewood Central Park
1632 Oxmoor Road, Homewood
Hours: 4:30 to 7 p.m.
The Homewood Witches Ride fundraiser celebrates the beautiful spirit of Paula Stringfellow Ford. The ride is a fun, two-mile bike ride through the streets of Homewood, where the women bike riders dress up as witches, ride their “brooms,” and throw candy to the little goblins and ghouls along the posted route. All children are welcome to come out and enjoy the free candy, benefitting the American Cancer Society.
Howls & Growls at Iron City — October 30, 2015
Iron City
513 22nd St. South, Birmingham
Hours: 7 p.m.
The day before Halloween at Iron City, come enjoy Howls & Growls, an event presented by the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, featuring the Black Jacket Symphony performing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” live in concert. The event benefits the mission and initiatives of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, so come support your furry friends with a little Halloween revelry!
Sloss Fright Furnace — Through November 2, 2015
Sloss Furnace
20 32nd St. North, Birmingham
Hours: Tickets sell from 6:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. on weeknights and until midnight on weekends.
Prepare to be frightened! Featured on dozens of paranormal shows and voted one of America’s top haunted places, Sloss Furnaces hosts Sloss Fright Furnace, a celebration of the furnace’s frightful history and the Halloween spirit. During Sloss Fright Night, the furnace is transformed into three different trails populated with zombies trained by an actual alumnus of AMC’s Walking Dead. Cash only once on-site, but tickets can be ordered online in advance with credit cards.
Birmingham Home and Garden’s Inspiration Home 2015 — November 12–December 6, 2015
Calton Hill, Mountain Brook
Hours: Open for the Holidays in November. Check the Birmingham Home and Garden website for details.
Come to the charming new enclave of gorgeous homes, Calton Hill, nestled in Mountain Brook and Birmingham to witness Birmingham Home and Garden‘s 2015 Inspiration Home. The home features elegant decor and stunning architecture by local architects and interior designers. Come take a tour of this fabulous home, and leave completely inspired!
Christmas Village Festival — November 4-8, 2015
Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center
2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Birmingham
Hours: Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
At the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center, this sprawling expo of Christmas-inspired arts, crafts, food, decor and more is a great way to kick off your shopping season. Come see this year’s holiday trends, do some early shopping and get great ideas for decorating your home for holidays!
TumTum Tree’s Annual Wine Auction — November 5-7, 2015
Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South, Birmingham
The Club, 1 Robert S. Smith Dr., Birmingham
Tuscaloosa tailgate location announced to ticket holders
Hours: See details for each night below and on the TumTum Tree Foundation website.
TumTum Tree’s Annual Wine Auction raises funds for Alabama children’s charities.
Thursday, November 5 takes place at at the Alys Stephens Center. There will be a wine tasting and silent auction followed by winemaker dinners at local restaurants, including Bottega, Cafe Dupont, Daniel George, FoodBar, GianMarco’s, OvenBird and Satterfield’s.
Friday, November 6 will be at The Club, where you can enjoy not only the breathtaking nighttime vista of the Magic City’s twinkling lights in black-tie glamour, but also partake in a live auction and dinner with guest co-chef Rob McDaniel of SpringHouse at Lake Martin.
Saturday, November 7 will be in Tuscaloosa. This gathering is a tailgate party for 100 lucky attendees, hosted by chef Chris Hastings, prior to the Alabama vs. LSU game, with game tickets being auctioned off on Friday night.
The Hangout Oyster Cook-Off & Craft Beer Weekend — November 6-7, 2015
The Hangout, Gulf Shores
101 East Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores
Hours: Check the Hangout Oyster Cook-Off & Craft Beer Weekend’s schedule.
Come to the sugar-white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, AL for a celebration of oysters, culinary artistry and craft-beer, featuring celebrity chefs doing cooking demos, an oyster recipe contest, a craft beer oasis, the North American Oyster Showcase with over 30 oyster growers, a bloody mary invitational with Southern mixologists, an oyster-shucking contest, tailgating tent with SEC football games, and live music with Lennon and Maisy of ABC’s Nashville performing on the Lagunitas stage! Don’t miss it!
Vulcan 10K Run — November 7, 2015
Boutwell Auditorium, Race Headquarters, 1930 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., Birmingham
Birmingham City Hall, Starting Line, 710 20th St. North, Birmingham
Hours: Race starts at 8 a.m.
Now in its 41st year, the Vulcan 10K is still running strong as one of the most popular races in the Southeast. The race begins at 8 a.m. at Birmingham City Hall on 19th Street North. Race headquarters are at Boutwell Auditorium, and there is a $35 race fee.
Moss Rock Festival — November 7-8, 2015
The Preserve, Hoover
616 Preserve Parkway
Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This festival celebrating artists and environmentally friendly ideas and innovations is set in the 350-acre Preserve in Hoover. There will be a stage for live music, a beer garden, the “Sweetery,” “WonderKid Studios” and “Planet Project” for kids, as well as hiking, biking and geocaching in the surrounding preserve. The amazing array of artisans and crafters will have their wares and fine art on display, and food trucks and tents will provide delicious eats! It’s a great day for the whole fam!
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church Food Festival — November 7-8, 2015
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, Brookside, Alabama
105 Park Ave., Brookside
Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Come taste the authentic flavors of Slovakia, delicious recipes made by the Sisterhood of St. Olga and passed doen frm generations of immigrants who came from Russia to Brookside, Alabama, home of the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church. The festival will feature real Russian folk music performed by the Atlanta Balalaika Orchestra! So enjoy the tastes and sounds of Russia and take a tour of the historic temple before you leave!
Veterans Day Parade — November 11, 2015
Downtown Birmingham Starts on 18th St. and 8th Ave. North
Hours: The parade begins at 1:30 p.m.
The National Veterans Day Parade is a great way to show your support for all those who have valiantly served our great nation. Click here for the parade route.
Homestead Hollow Arts & Crafts Festival — November 13-15, 2015
1161 Murphrees Valley Road, Springville
Hours: Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Homestead Hollow is an old-timey farmstead village in Springville, Alabama, where the original standing cabins were built by early settlers. There will be pioneer demonstrations of wood-carving, blacksmithing, wood-stove cooking, quilting and whiskey-making at the original working still, as well as live music, food and activities galore for the kiddos!
Alabama Designer Craftsmen Fine Crafts Show — November 14-15, 2015
2612 Lane Park Road, Mountain Brook
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This fine crafts show will feature handmade jewelry, ceramics, textiles, iron work, copper, wood, basketry, leatherwork, batik, painted and carved gourds, Pyansky eggs, wall quilts and flame-worked, fused and stained glass, among other fascinating crafts. The designers and craftsmen will be showcasing their works of art at the beautiful Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Junior League of Birmingham’s Market Noel — November 19-21, 2015
Cahaba Grand Conference Center
3660 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham
Hours: Thursday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 6 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Come shop the Junior League’s Market Noel, and cross off your holiday shopping to-dos while supporting the league’s year-round community programs throughout the city. In its 25th year, the event will be held at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center and will feature over 100 unique merchants.
Junior League Shop Save & Share — October 21 – November 1, 2015
For select retailers locations and hours, click here.
The Junior League of Birmingham is partnering with Birmingham’s finest retailers to offer shoppers the opportunity to both give and receive this fall. Purchase a Shop, Save & Share card for a $40 donation and receive a 20 percent discount at their exciting list of retail partners. Get an early start on your holiday shopping AND give back to those in need!
Magic City Half Marathon — November 22, 2015
Legion Field, 200 Graymont Ave. West, Birmingham
Railroad Park, 1600 1st Ave., Birmingham
Hours: 8 a.m.
Benefiting The Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts, the Magic City Half Marathon is more than just a run, offering a weekend of fun-filled activities, including live music, post-race craft beer and more!
2015 Cobb Lane Fall FestivAle — November 22, 2015
Historic Cobb Lane, Five Points South
Hours: 2 to 5 p.m.
Sample rare, seasonal and unique local beers, as well as some regional ones, at the fifth Annual Fall FestivAle. This event is for ages 21 and older. Held on picturesque Cobb Lane from 2 to 5 p.m., peruse local vendors’ wares and savor some delicious eats from the J. Clyde!
Get out and enjoy a holiday gathering in your town and have a great fall!
