Here are some fun upcoming summer events
Here are some of the summer fun, family-friendly events happening this week in and around the Madison area.
Thursday Concerts on the Patio
Thursday, July 11
Reoccurring every Thursday
6-7:30 pm
Madison Public Library
Free admission
Bring your picnic blanket or chairs and join the fun for live music on The Patio. There will be food vendors and lots of fun. Sponsored by the Madison Arts Council.
July 11 – 3Way Handshake
July 18 – Calypso Vision
July 25 – Good2Go
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Thursday, July 11
Starting: 7:30 PM
Von Braun Center Propst Arena
700 Monroe Street
Admission charged
Spend a special evening with the original Jersey Boy.
Huntsville Shakespeare’s Spirits to Enforce: A Staged Reading
July 10-11
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Theatre Annex Studio Theatre at UAH
4503 University Dr.
(256) 824-2360
Admission charged
www.huntsvilleshakespeare.com
Presented as a staged reading, Spirits to Enforce is a regional premiere: the superheroes of Fathom Town are in their submarine underneath Fathom Bay, doing a telethon to raise money for their production of The Tempest. In their conversations with the citizens of the town, the story of The Tempest re-emerges as their own and takes the audience to a new vision of an old play.
Space Authors Book Signing and Reception
July 11 and 18
Starting: 4:30 PM
U.S. Space & Rocket Center Saturn V Hall
One Tranquility Base
The Rocket City has inspired many authors to tell the stories of people and places involved in the Space Race and beyond. Some of them will be on hand to sell and sign space-related books at this Apollo 11 50th Anniversay event.
Friday Night Art Walk
Friday, July 12
Recurring monthly on the 2nd Friday
5-8 p.m.
Downtown Huntsville Square
100 Northside Square
No admission charged
Come walk around all four sides of the historic Downtown Square, check out art and artisan goods from over 60 local vendors, and enjoy live music, an open entertainment district, and world-class people and puppy watching! Grab a drink or stay for dinner at one of several spots throughout the district.
Summer Outdoor Movie Series
Friday, July 12
Reoccurring Fridays at 8 p.m
Madison Public Library
Free admission
Join the fun on the patio of the Madison Public Library for family movie nights this summer. Movies start at sunset. Popcorn will be provided. Don’t forget your picnic blanket or chair.
July 2: Cinderella
July 19 – Sweet Home Alabama
July 26 – Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse
August 2 – Into the Woods
Free Movie in Providence Park
Friday, July 12
8:35 p.m.
Village of Providence
7 Towne Center Drive
No admission charged
www.villageofprovidence.com/the-village-events
Gather for a showing of Spider-man into the Spider-Verse on the area’s largest outdoor screen. Bring chairs or blankets but please no outside food or drink. Visit one of the local restaurants, find a sweet treat or enjoy an adult beverage to-go in the Arts & Entertainment district.
Huntsville Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Through July 14
Recurring on Friday, Saturday
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Theatre Annex Studio Theatre at UAH
4503 University Dr.
(256) 824-2360
Admission charged
www.huntsvilleshakespeare.com
Set in the 1980s, this truly outrageous (truly truly, truly outrageous) group of actors begin their rehearsal for The Tempest. As the magical world of the play is constructed from set pieces found in storage, costume pieces on a rack, and 1980s music from someone’s walkman, a story of love, family, and reconciliation is told.
Mamma Mia! The Musical
July 12 – July 21
Fri 7:00 PM, Sat 2:00 and 7:00 PM, Sun 2:00 PM
Randolph Thurber Arts Center
4915 Garth Road
(256) 533-6606
Admission charged
www.thechorus.org
Enjoy Huntsville’s premier local production of the smash hit musical that brings these timeless songs of ABBA to an enchanting tale of love, laughter, friendship, and weddings. It’s the most fun you’ll have this summer!
TN Valley Hunting & Fishing Expo
July 12 – 14
Times: Fri 3-9 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Von Braun Center South Hall
700 Monroe Street
(256) 533-1953
Admission charged
www.vonbrauncenter.com
This weekend entertainment experience is designed for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. It’s a one-of-a-kind destination event for hunting, fishing and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as the top outdoor retailers and organizations. The expo will feature hands-on product demonstrations from a wide range of hunting and fishing venues.
Madison City Farmers Market
Saturday, July 13
8 a.m. – noon
Beside Trinity Baptist Church
1088 Hughes Road, Madison
www.madisoncityfarmersmarket.com
Madison City Farmers Market is Madison’s original local, producer-only farmers market, founded in 2007. Everything sold at the market is grown or crafted by local farmers and craftspeople. Madison City Farmers Market vendors provide a wide selection of the freshest local veggies, fruits, cheese, eggs, meats, milk, herbs, honey, jams, relishes, home-baked goods, plants and flowers.
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Celebration Car Show
Saturday, July 13
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
One Tranquility Base
No admission charged
www.rocketcenter.com/apollo50/carshow/nomination
The special car show is held for the public to witness the vehicles of the time owned by Redstone Arsenal/Marshall Space Flight Center rocket families. It will be limited to those cars built from the end of World War II through the Moon missions, 1945-1975. The star of the show will be the only functionally operational replica of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (Moon Buggy) provided by Polaris. Also featured are two Kellers manufactured by the Huntsville based Keller Motors and the Chrysler Aerospace – Huntsville designed Dodge Daytona Charger #71. In addition, cars owned and driven by key managers and engineers involved in the design and development of the Huntsville-based rockets can be seen. One of those is a 1954 Pontiac Star Chieftain. Astronauts and engineers will be in attendance for conversation at this exclusive car show.
Introduction to Indigo and Shibori with Aaron Sanders Head
Saturday, July 13
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment
2211 Seminole Drive
(256) 533-0399
Admission charged
www.lowemill.net
Join Aaron Sanders Head, Alabama-based visual artist, for an introduction to Indigo and Shibori Workshop. Participants will learn basics of shibori dyeing, with an emphasis on Itajime (shape resist) and Kumo (twist resist) techniques. Materials will be provided, and participants are highly encouraged to bring their own small, natural fiber items to dye if time allows. Students will leave with dyed cotton fabric, a dyed linen scarf, and a handout detailing the dye process. Check out his website www.aaronsandershead.com
Listen Local’s Listening Room Experience XIV
Saturday, July 13
Matinee 5 p.m., Evening 8 p.m.
Tangled String Studios
2211 Seminole Drive RR #7
Admission charged
Claire Carpenter, Wes Sheffield and Maiah Wynne of Gresham, OR (the winner of the International Music from the Moon Songwriting competition) will be hosted by Alan Little for an unforgettable listening room experience. John Schmitt will emcee.
Rocket City Burger Battle
Saturday, July 13
11 a.m.
Stone Event Center
2620 Clinton Avenue
(256) 519-6212
No admission charged. Food and drink for purchase.
www.campus805.com/burgerbattle
The Stone Event Center at Campus No. 805 is hosting its first annual Rocket City Burger Battle.
The Burger Battle will put local Huntsville restaurants head-to-head to compete for the title of Huntsville’s Best Burger. In addition to tasty burgers, the Stone Event Center will have a full bar equipped with local craft beer, wine, spirits and soda. There will be music, games and other local vendors serving other foods and crafts.
Skate Wars 2019 Roller Derby Bout
Saturday, July 13
4-9 p.m.
Insanity Complex
100 Skate Park Drive
Admission charged
www.facebook.com/events/796752364033124
The Rocket City Rebels bout starts at 4:30 pm followed by Dixie Derby Girls at 7. Star Wars prizes will be awarded in the costume contest. An after party will be at Rocket Republic Brewing, 289 Production Ave in Madison.
Summer Night Symphony
Saturday, July 13
Activities and food trucks at 5:30 p.m.,, performance at 7 p.m.
Cavalry Hill Community Center
2900 Fairbanks Street Northwest
Admission charged
www.hso.org/concerts/summer-night-symphony
It’s a family-friendly extravaganza and a truly unique concert event: you’ll thrill to Rossini’s William Tell Overture, hum along with Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever, and groove to the sounds of Stevie Wonder, all in the same evening. Family activities will take place before the performance and food trucks will be on hand.
Graze Huntsville
Sunday, July 14
5-8 p.m.
Campus No. 805 S.R. Butler Green
2620 Clinton Avenue
www.asanonline.org
Graze is a farm-to-fork picnic at which more than a dozen farmer-chef pairs will collaborate, each on a single dish, which they will serve in sample sizes to picnickers as they graze from booth to booth on the grassy lawn at S.R. Butler Green. Graze creates collaborations between area farmers and chefs, all committed to quality, craft, and to growing a rich, and locally rooted food system. What grows from these collaborations is nothing short of food alchemy! Add in a little live music, local beverages, good company, and Sunday afternoon vibes, and you’ve got a serious celebration.
MoonDreams
Sunday, July 14
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Von Braun Center
700 Monroe Street
(256) 337-9071
Admission charged
From Sputnik to Apollo 11, MOONDREAMS highlights North Alabama’s rocket legacy in a concert version of the Broadway style musical that premiered in Huntsville about Huntsville in 2000. IMPHuntsville and Huntsville Symphony Orchestra will join together for this 50th celebration of the Lunar Launch and Landing.
UAH Salmon Library Special Collections and Archives Apollo 50th Open House
Sunday, Starting July 14
Recurring daily
The University of Alabama in Huntsville Salmon Library
4700 Holmes Ave NW
(256) 824-6523
No admission charged
This exhibit highlights the roles of Huntsville and its inhabitants and their contributions to the early space race and the Apollo program. The majority of the materials on display are housed in UAH Special Collections and Archives.
Concerts in the Park
Monday, July 15
Recurring weekly on Monday
6:30 -8 p.m.
Big Spring Park
200 Church Street
No admission charged
www.artshuntsville.org/concerts-in-the-park
The 2019 series features great local and regional bands performing in beautiful Big Spring Park. Bring your own seating. Dogs on leashes are welcome.
Cineplanet 15 Summer Movies
Tuesday and Wednesday
10 a.m.
2100 Hughes Rd. Madison
Starting in June, Cineplanet 15 in Madison will show a G or PG rated movie every Tuesday and Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. for $1 per seat. A $3 kid-size popcorn and drink combo will also be offered.
July 16 & 17 – Minions
July 23 & 24 – Grinch
July 30 & 31 – How to Train Your Dragon the Hidden World
ONGOING EVENTS
Biergarten
Recurring weekly on Thursday
4:30 – 7:30 pm
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
One Tranquility Base
No admission charged. Food and drink for purchase.
www.rocketcenter.com/Biergarten
Greene Street Market at Nativity
Recurring weekly on Thursday
4 – 8 pm
Downtown Huntsville
Eustis Avenue from Greene Street to Southside Square
(256) 682-4429
No admission charged
Living Room Vinyl
Recurring weekly on Thursday
From: 6-8 p.m.
Stovehouse, 3414 Governors Drive
No admission charged. Food and drink for purchase.
www.stovehouse.com/events
On stage, two unlikely host DJs (who will be announced weekly) sit on an ugly green sofa spinning cuts from records they think you just gotta hear. Dancing be encouraged.
Walking Tours of Historic District
Through August 3
Recurring weekly on Saturday
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Alabama Constitution Hall Historic Park & Museum
109 Gates Avenue
No admission charged
Take a guided tour through the historic district to learn about Huntsville’s role in Alabama becoming a state and other contributions made by past residents. The park gift shop and Piper & Leaf will be open at 9 am.
Planetarium Show
Recurring weekly on Saturday
Doors open at 7 pm, program at 7:30 pm
Von Braun Astronomical Society Planetarium
Monte Sano State Park
(256) 539-0316
Admission charged
www.vbas.org
Greene Street Market at Nativity
Recurring weekly on Thursday
4 – 8 pm
Downtown Huntsville
Eustis Avenue from Greene Street to Southside Square
(256) 682-4429
No admission charged
Lumberyard Market
Recurring weekly on Sunday
12-4 p.m.
A.M. Booth’s Lumberyard
108 Cleveland Avenue
No admission charged
www.amboothslumberyard.com
Visit Downtown Huntsville’s backyard for fresh produce, creative art/craft items and unique treasures.
A New Moon Rises: Views from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera
Through August 11
Huntsville Museum of Art
300 Church Street
(256) 535-4350
Admission charged
www.hsvmuseum.org
As the 50th anniversary of man’s first step on the moon nears, get ready to see the moon like never before. A New Moon Rises features amazing, large-scale, high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface taken over the last decade. Captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), the images are stunning: from historic Apollo landing sites to towering mountains rising out of the darkness of the lunar poles. Special admission price on Thursdays after 5 pm.
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Celebration Moon Landing Reenactments
Through December 31
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
One Tranquility Base
Admission charged
Experience a live reenactment of the lunar landing daily at 2 p.m in the Davidson Center.
Apollo: When We Went to the Moon
Through December 31
Recurring daily
From: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
One Tranquility Base
Admission charged
www.rocketcenter.com
To celebrate the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary, this exhibit will highlight what was “the Great Space Race”.
Burritt Backpack Explorers
Through September 1
Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Tue-Sat 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sun 12-5 p.m.
Burritt on the Mountain
3101 Burritt Drive
Admission charged
www.burrittonthemountain.com
Just in time to celebrate Alabama’s Bicentennial, Burritt on the Mountain debuts its new and original discovery program for children and adults. Children ages 4-12 can choose one of 5 adventure backpacks filled with scavenger hunt clues for exploring nature trails, the historic park and barnyard plus Dr. Burritt’s marvelous mansion. A special keepsake is also included. Adults without children will enjoy Time Travel Trivia through 200 years of Alabama history.
Friday Night Live
Recurring weekly on Friday
From: 5-8 p.m.
Downtown Huntsville
Northside Square
No admission charged
www.downtownhuntsville.org
Come enjoy free music on the sidewalks and kick off your weekend right.
Making Alabama
Recurring daily
Huntsville Botanical Garden
4747 Bob Wallace Avenue
No admission charged
www.hsvbg.org
This free exhibit is a celebration of 200 years of statehood presented by the Alabama Humanities Foundation in partnership with the Alabama Department of Archives and History and the Alabama Bicentennial Commission. The exhibit showcases the decisions and turning points that shaped Alabama history, culture, and geography through artistic interactive displays and teaching resources.
Rockets on Parade
Through December 31
Recurring daily
www.rocketcenter.com
Have you spotted any of the miniature Space Launch System replicas displayed around town? In July 2019, the Rocket City will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s historic journey to the moon and look to the future of space exploration with a celebration of America’s Next Great Ship, NASA’s Space Launch System. Rockets on Parade is a way to note our city’s ongoing contributions to the American space program with designs specific to the Rocket City, the monumental achievements of the Apollo program, the future of space travel or through unique artistic expression. See how many you can find while exploring.
Space Craze: A Space-Age Journey Through Pop Culture
Recurring daily
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
One Tranquility Base
Admission charged
Space Craze explores the public fascination with all things space through the lens of popular culture as seen in everyday household items, toys and games, and popular entertainment. This nostalgic exhibit features touchstones across generations of artifacts from G.I. Joe to Snoopy to commemorative memorabilia. The exhibit is part of the yearlong celebration of the 50th Anniversary Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
www.rocketcenter.com
The Purdy Butterfly House
Through September 30
Recurring daily
Huntsville Botanical Garden
4747 Bob Wallace Avenue
Admission charged
www.hsvbg.org
This beautiful, soaring 9000 square foot natural stone and steel beam structure overlooking the entrance pond is home to thousands of native butterflies, tadpoles, frogs, button quail, turtles and other critters.
To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA
Through July 27
Recurring daily
Huntsville Public Library
915 Monroe Street
No admission charged
In partnership with the Greater Huntsville Humane Society (GHHS), this traveling exhibit is on display at the Downtown Huntsville Library from June 3-July 27. Visitors will see Snoopy’s trip to the moon in the March 1969 Peanuts strip series and learn about NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award program. Sponsored by the Huntsville Library Foundation and RUAG.
Vietnam: The Real War Photographs from the Associated Press
Through October 6
Huntsville Museum of Art
300 Church Street
(256) 535-4350
Admission charged
www.hsvmuseum.org
To cover the Vietnam War, The Associated Press gathered an extraordinary group of superb photojournalists in its Saigon bureau, creating one of the greatest photographic legacies of the 20th century. From Malcolm Browne’s photograph of the burning monk and Nick Ut’s picture of a 9-year-old running from a napalm attack to Eddie Adams’ photograph of the execution of a Viet Cong prisoner, Vietnam: The Real War contains images that both recorded and changed history. Special admission price on Thursdays after 5 pm.
We the People: Alabama’s Defining Documents
Through August 11
Huntsville Museum of Art
300 Church Street
Admission charged
www.hsvmuseum.org
In the summer of 1819, forty-four delegates met in Huntsville to draft Alabama’s first constitution, the defining document that provided the framework for the state’s government. Two-hundred years later, the Constitution of 1819 is returning to the city as part of a special exhibition curated by the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
For two centuries, Alabamians have been engaged in a civics conversation. Whose voice matters? What do we value? What is the role of state government? Who can vote? The people of Alabama have debated these issues through political conventions, referendums, and in the courts. And at crucial moments in history, these fundamental questions have been answered in the state’s principal governing documents: its constitutions. This exhibition will explore how these documents, some of the most important in state history, reflect their framers’ values, hopes, and fears.