2023 Birmingham Festivals & Events

The variety of annual events nourishes the Birmingham vibe.
Here are some of the festivals and events on the schedule for 2023.

Check festival websites for update.

O’Reilly World of Wheels Custom Auto Show–  February 3-5. Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. The O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels are indoor shows featuring Hot Rods, Race Cars, Antique Cars, Classic Cars, Custom Imports, and Motorcycles presented in creative displays.

Mercedes Marathon– February 10-12. Linn Park- Downtown Birmingham. We are excited to welcome runners back to Birmingham for our 20th anniversary celebration.

19th Annual MortgageBanc Chili Cook-Off– March 5. Brookwood Village. Join us on Saturday, March 4th, for live music, all you can eat chili, beverages, and a KidZone at the 19th Annual MortgageBanc Chili Cook-Off Benefiting The Exceptional Foundation!

Birmingham Legion FC– March-October. Legion FC is BHM’s first and only locally owned and operated professional soccer franchise currently plays at Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham. Hit the link to find the latest schedule, tickets, highlights, and more info!

Birmingham Barons AA Baseball– April 6-September 10. Regions Field. Exciting AA baseball action

Birmingham Stallions April 15-June 17 #Giddyup. The Birmingham Stallions are a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. Join Coach Skip Holtz as he coaches the 2022 championship team for a second season.

Gardendale Magnolia Festival– April  21-22. Gardendale Civic Center- A kid friendly event with face painting, inflatables, a rock wall and sensory-friendly stations. Enjoy a midway carnival, vendor booths, three stages of live entertainment, a pooch parade, a 5K run/fun run and much more.

Talladega GEICO 500– April 23. Talladega Superspeedway.  NASCAR‘s Most Competitive venue announced that select ticket options, including premium upgrade and NEW, modified fan experiences, are available. Fans are encouraged to act now as tickets are limited and pricing will increase on race week. Limited tickets available.

Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix of Alabama– April 28-30. Barber Motorsports Park. The only Indy Series event in the Deep South, this motorsports event draws tens of thousands of race fans every year.

Magic City Art Connection– April 28-30. Sloss Furnaces. Birmingham’s largest art festival spotlights 200 juried, fine artists from around the country in all mediums alongside Corks & Chefs: A Taste of Birmingham, Imagination Festival workshops for kids, two performance stages, a cafe’ and more.

Gumbo Gala–April 29. 18th Annual Gumbo Gala on Saturday,  at Cahaba Brewing Company!  This spicy event has grown into one of the city’s most popular cooking competitions. Proceeds benefit Episcopal Place, which provides affordable, independent living for seniors and disabled adults.

Bob Sykes BBQ and Blues Festival– April 29. Debardeleben Park, Bessemer. The event will combine the best of blues music and legendary Bob Sykes BBQ from 12-8pm. Gates open at 11am. Be sure to bring your chair or blanket and set-up your spot for the day to enjoy talented blues musicians.

Birmingham Taco Fest  May 7. Taco ‘bout a good time! Join Bare Hands, Inc. in celebrating the city’s top taco vendors and food trucks during the sixth annual Birmingham Taco Fest presented by Rubio Law Firm on Sunday, May 7, 2023 from noon to 5 p.m. at Sloss Furnaces.

Regions Tradition– May 10-14. Greystone Golf and Country Club. Annual PGA Golf Tournament benefitting local charities.

Homestead Hollow Arts & Crafts Festival–May 12-14. Springville. See wood carving, blacksmithing, wood stove cooking, quilting, whiskey making at our original working still, tour our original cabins as they were built by the early settlers. Enjoy great food, music and children’s activities.

Do Dah Day Festival– May 20. Cahaba Brewing Co. Benefitting animal rescue services, this is one of the city’s most wonderful and wacky events. Homemade floats and animals dressed in costume will remain stationary while the spectators “parade” past them.

SEC Baseball Championship– May 23-28. Hoover Met. The SEC Baseball Tournament features premier college baseball as the top twelve teams compete for the championship. Don’t miss your chance to see six days of the best college baseball at the Hoover Met Stadium.

Barber Small Bore– June 9-11. Barber Motorsports Park. The world’s largest small bore event is back at the 880 acre Barber Motorsports Park! Great routes, road racing, drag racing, stunt lot, parade laps, Moto-soccer, Creek Bottom Classic off-road racing, hill climbing, bike shows, swap meet, industry wide displays and support, games, demos, prizes, food, and the world’s largest motorcycle museum.

Juneteenth Celebration– June 19. Kelly Ingram Park. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is pleased to invite you to take part in our 2022 Juneteenth (Freedom Day) Celebration on Saturday, June 19th. We’ll host a series of exciting features for our community and members of  The Institute in this day-long jubilee from 10am until 6pm.

Caribbean Festival– June 10. DeBardeleben Park, Bessemer. A fun filled, family friendly celebration of Caribbean culture with food, music, dancing and a parade.

Thunder on the Mountain– July 4. Vulcan Park and Museum. The state’s largest 4^th of July celebration will again ignite the sky atop red mountain with an array of fireworks in honor of  the cities’ sesquicentennial.

Sidewalk Film Festival– August 21-27. Historical theatre district in downtown Birmingham. This showcase for independent film has gained wide notoriety in film and consumer publications for its tight organization, range of subject matter and good ol’ weekend fun.

Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival– August 26-27. Historic 4th Avenue Business District, downtown Birmingham. Enjoy live music, spoken word and vendors at this year’s Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival! Free and open to the public, this event runs Saturday 1:00pm – 10:00pm  and Sunday 2:00pm – 8:00pm.

Fiesta– September TBD. Linn Park. Alabama’s largest celebration of Hispanic culture is a colorful event in downtown Linn Park. Learn about the many Hispanic countries and their cultures through art, music food and dance. From tortas to tacos and jerk chicken to pupusas, this fest puts on the spread. Here, you’ll find Salvadorian, Caribbean, and Brazilian food, from warm plantains, tapiocas, and quesadillas, to tamales, and corn cups. You can almost smell the homemade tortillas cooking. Come hungry!

Furnace Fest– September 22-24. Furnace Fest returns! All the punk/emo/hardcore that you have been missing is coming to the Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama for this three-day event, Sept. 22-24. Head to furnacefest.us for full lineup, to get your tickets, and for more info!

Crappie Expo 2023– September 22-24. The Crappie Expo will consist of over 100 crappie related companies from all over the U.S.A displaying their latest and greatest crappie fishing products – including boat and tackle manufacturers, tackle dealers, fishing guides, seminar speakers, and music concerts. The Mr. Crappie Invitational on Logan Martin Lake at Lincoln’s Landing in Lincoln, Alabama will feature one hundred of the top crappie fishing teams in America will be competing for a “big chunk” of $300,000- the richest crappie tournament in the world! And, the Worlds Largest Crappie Fry will be held Sept 23, from 11AM to 2PM during the Expo at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Fried Crappie Fillets, Savannah Hushpuppies, and tater! If you love crappie, bring the whole family to the Crappie Expo. Don’t miss the World’s Largest Crappie Fry!

Homestead Hollow Arts & Crafts Festival– September 23-25. Springville.  See wood carving, blacksmithing, wood stove cooking, quilting, whiskey making at our original working still, tour our original cabins as they were built by the early settlers. Enjoy great food, music and children’s activities.

Annual Whistle Stop Festival– September 30. The Outlet Shops at Grand River, Leeds. Nothing makes us think “Alabama” better than fried green tomatoes. And if what you love about fried green tomatoes includes Fannie Flagg’s novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, well, then you might want to check out this local favorite held annually in the charming little downtown of Irondale just east of Birmingham.

YellaWood 500 at Talladega– October 1. The intensity of the NASCAR Playoffs returns to ‘Dega for the YELLAWOOD 500! Don’t miss this crucial middle race as NASCAR’s biggest stars continue their quest for the Bill France Cup.

BHM 26.2 Magic Moments Marathon– October 1. BHM26.2 is Alabama’s only fully charitable race series, benefiting Magic Moments, on Sunday, October 1 at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama. Comprised of a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5k and kid’s fun run, BHM26.2’s race weekend brings an exciting course to Birmingham, including a marathon course that has no repeats or loops.

Greek Food Festival– October 5-7. Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The Greek Festival, Birmingham’s oldest and most anticipated cultural events will be held in a drive-thru, walk-up/take-out, to-go format with an abundance of delicious authentic Greek cuisine.

The Alabama Butterbean Festival–  October 6 – 7. Pinson. This down-home gathering tempts you with butterbeans prepared in all sorts of ways, and then offers you one heck of a good time. In fact, if butterbeans aren’t your jam, you might want to come anyway for live music, carnival rides, food, petting zoos, pony rides, and who knows what else!

Annual Barber Vintage Festival– October 6-8. Barber Motorsports Park. It’s a motorcycle enthusiast’s dream! Enjoy three days of non-stop action and fun at Birmingham’s premier motorsports park!

Bluff Park Art Show– October 7. Bluff Park Community Center, Hoover AL. Some of the finest artists in the country show at this annual event in the Bluff Park neighborhood of Birmingham.

FOOD+ Culture Fest– This inaugural event, scheduled for October 12-15, 2023 at Pepper Place, Sloss Furnaces, and other venues around town, will feature 5 signature events and an amplified Saturday Market, over 4 days, plus 10+ dinners at restaurants all over the city, and more than 50 invited featured chefs, mixologists, brewers and more.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)– November 2. Sloss Furnaces. In the Mexican tradition, the festival commemorates the deaths of loved ones through music and dance.

Christmas Village Festival– November 1-5. Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Exhibition Halls. Mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends begin their holiday shopping by meeting in Birmingham the first weekend in November to enjoy an amazing variety of gift ideas- all under one roof.

Moss Rock Festival– November TBD. Moss Rock Preserve. This eco-creative festival in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover explores Nature, SmartLIVING, Art + Design and features 100 juried artists & makers, a smart living market & sweetery, hikes and outdoor activities, the Beer Garden craft tasting event, music, food, kids studios, and other special design features like tiny homes.

National Veterans Day Parade– November 11. Downtown Birmingham. Birmingham has the oldest and one of the largest Veterans Day celebrations in the country.

Homestead Hollow Arts & Crafts Festival– November 10-12. Springville. See wood carving, blacksmithing, wood stove cooking, quilting, whiskey making at our original working still, tour our original cabins as they were built by the early settlers. Enjoy great food, music and children’s activities.

Birmingham Squadron Basketball– November 2023-March, 2024. Legacy Arena. Great NBA G League action.

Birmingham Boat Show– January 18-21, 2024. Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. The show is now the Oldest and largest in the State of Alabama. With over 250,000 square feet, the show highlights the latest in boats, motors, fishing gear, guides, outfitters and related outdoor gear.