8 Ways to Meet New People in BHAM
Even with all of Birmingham's Southern hospitality, meeting new people can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, The Magic City has some tricks up its sleeve. Outside of dating apps and professional networking events, we're sharing some fun ways to get into the mix! Image: Facebook / Golden Age Wine
Whether you’re new in town or a lifelong Birmingham resident, let’s face it — it can be difficult to make new friends as an adult. Our fast-paced digital world makes good old-fashioned face-to-face interaction a little less common, and sometimes, a little more daunting. If you’re looking to expand your social circle, here are some fun ways to meet new people in Birmingham!
Hike, Bike, Pickle, or Stroll
Make good on all your health and wellness goals through Birmingham’s many community activity groups. If you want to level up your step count while making new friends, the BHAM Babes Walking Club is an informal group of all ages and fitness levels. With meet-ups all over town, you’re sure to find one near you!
Hike Birmingham hosts monthly hikes along the area’s most beautiful trails, and Birmingham Track Club offers free group runs (with varying distances) on Saturdays in Homewood. For a walking group with a bonus, check out City Walk‘s twice-monthly pickleball social mixers!
If you prefer two wheels over your own two feet, Birmingham has a lively, welcoming cycling scene! Join the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP) club and enjoy top-ranked trails across the city while meeting fellow mountain bikers.
Hit the road with Redemptive Cycles for their weekly Trample group rides happening every Thursday evening downtown. Both groups are open to riders of all skill levels and aim to connect riders with the cycling community.
Join a Book Club
Love to read? You’re in luck! Birmingham has tons of thriving book clubs for every interest — and local independent bookstores are great places to start. Thank You Books hosts genre-specific clubs ranging from nonfiction to fantasy, as well as a “chaos fiction” category. Or try Little Professor, where you’ll find seasonal and monthly book clubs covering new releases, historical fiction, and more.
The Magic City is also home to community-led book clubs for every type of bookworm. The BHAM Babes Walking Club hosts a Babes Book Club that meets at different locations throughout the city. If you’re a romantic at heart, check out Birmingham Book Club‘s Liberty Park meet-ups for all things romance, fantasy, and fiction.
Once Upon a Wine combines books with fun activities at their monthly get-together, while the Thyme to Read Book Club meets at Birmingham Botanical Gardens to talk about — you guessed it — books with a gardening focus. (SB Tip: Your local library is a great resource for finding the right book club for you.)
Make a New Friend While Making Something New
Learning a new hobby is even more fun with new friends, and Birmingham has plenty of ways to connect both with your creativity and your community. The monthly pop-ups at Birmingham Craft Club are a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow crafters and collaborate on projects.
Homewood has two crafting HQs to check out: The Craft Room, which welcomes makers to its open crafting space and events, and Do It Yourself Crafts, which offers wheel-throwing classes for pottery lovers.
Aspiring knitters, mark your calendar for the next Birmingham Knit Club meeting, or sign up for a class with Knit B’ham in Forest Park. Learn the basics of 3D printing or woodturning with classes at Red Mountain Makers, or make some art while making friends at the ceramics and screen printing classes offered at MAKEbhm.
Get Cookin’
Food and community go hand-in-hand, and a culinary class might be just the place to cook up a new friendship. Learn to throw pizza dough, make fresh mozzarella, or try your hand at Tiramisu at Vecchia Pizzeria and Mercato’s Italian-inspired classes.
For worldly cuisines, Habitat Cooking School at The Grand Bohemian Hotel offers an impressive menu of classes, and Birmingham Sushi Classes hosts events all over town that teach the art of assembling the perfect roll.
If you have a big sweet tooth, follow Elizabeth Moore Chocolates for info on their upcoming pastry classes, where you’ll learn tips and tricks from world-renowned pastry chef Susan Notter.
On a budget? Jones Valley Teaching Farm offers low-cost culinary and gardening workshops where you can learn how to grow and prepare your own food. Railroad Park also hosts free public cooking classes throughout the year, taught by local chefs.
Try a Fitness Class or Join a League
Birmingham is teeming with leagues and fitness classes that will fill your schedule with fun and friends. Hang out (literally) at an aerial yoga class at Aero Joe Pilates, sweat it out at a hot yoga class at Rise + Refine Hot Yoga, or move to a belly dancing class with Dala Dance.
Railroad Park offers a well-rounded mix of free, seasonal fitness classes, including Zumba, yoga, line dancing, hip-hop dancing, and kickboxing. They also offer a seniors class tailored for older adults.
If you’re caught up in the pickleball craze, meet fellow enthusiasts through leagues with Magic City Indoor Pickleball and Pickleball Kingdom, both in Homewood, and The Picklr in Vestavia Hills. Or indulge your inner “kid on the playground” with Birmingham’s kickball or ultimate frisbee leagues.
If sports aren’t your thing, join in on the mahjong madness. All About Mahj offers classes and open play nights to get you started. Once you’ve mastered the basics, move up to their casual clubs or competitive leagues and find your tribe along the way.
O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook also offers a free weekly Mahjong meetup for all skill levels, including those brand new to the game.
Connect Over Drinks Beyond the Bar
Birmingham’s bar scene is on point, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy a good drink, good vibes, and good people across town.
First, look for wine tastings at your local wine shops and restaurants. Golden Age Wine’s Terroir Tuesdays is a popular community wine tasting event where you can learn about the delicious wine you’re sampling while enjoying small bites and mingling with new folks.
If you’re more of a beer person, mark your calendar for the next Beermingham Babes’ meetup to enjoy a craft brew with a great crew.
Level up your libations game with a mixology or wine blending class. Dread River Distillery hosts Mixology 101 and 102 classes, where you’ll master a few cocktails while enjoying conversation and community. Or check out Habitat Cooking School’s wine blending classes for a unique experience with fellow wine enthusiasts.
Join a Coworking Space
If you love the flexibility of remote work but miss the daily water-cooler chit-chat, a coworking space is a great way to add a little human interaction to your daily grind. There are several coworking spaces around Birmingham that offer plenty of amenities, including workspace for creators at MAKEbhm and Red Mountain Makers. Other popular coworking spaces in The Magic City include CREED63 and Forge.
Find Your Cast of Characters in Birmingham’s Theater Scene
From Red Mountain Theatre to Sidewalk Cinema, the theater scene in the Magic City is thriving. If you want to dip your toes into the world of improv, Faraway Birmingham offers drop-in classes in addition to Improv 101, stand-up, and clown classes.
Chaotic Good Improv hosts improv game meetups and classes, along with scene work and sketch comedy writing. Check out Red Mountain Theatre’s menu of performing arts classes, including tap, theater dance, acting, and hip-hop. It also hosts a “Seasoned Performers” group for older adults at no cost.
If you’re more of a cinephile, mark your calendars for Sidewalk Cinema’s free movie trivia nights, held on the third Thursday of the month. The evening begins with a Filmmaker Networking Night at the cinema bar, and then it’s “game on” as you challenge your cinematic acumen.
Get out there and find your people, Birmingham!
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Katie Leigh Matthews
A Birmingham native, Katie is a lifelong waterfall chaser and is passionate about the outdoors. She also loves connecting with remarkable women in the Birmingham community and bringing their stories to life. Katie has been writing professionally for over six years; you can find more of her work at Moms.com and Islands.com.