Bards & Brews Goes on the Road to Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest, July 8

For the second straight month, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)'s Bards & Brews poetry performance/beer tasting series is going on the road. On Friday, July 8, Bards & Brews will hold an open mic performance at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest. On June 3, the popular spoken word event was held at the Avondale Regional Branch Library.

The Vestavia Hills Bards & Brews will feature free craft beer sampling courtesy of Grayton Beer Company. The J. Clyde will handle the pouring. The festivities start at 6:30 p.m. with live music from The Murder of Jane Crow, beer tasting, and light refreshments. The poetry begins to flow at 7:00 p.m. with Brian "Voice Porter" Hawkins serving as host.

On August 5, Bards & Brews will return to its regular location, the Central Library at 2100 Park Place in downtown Birmingham, with an open mic performance.

The event is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Admission is free and open to the public; however, attendees must be at least 18 to enter and 21 to sample beer—ID is required.

For more information, call 205-226-3670, e-mail hm@bham.lib.al.us, or visit the Bards & Brews Facebook page, or www.bplonline.org/programs/BardsBrews.aspx.

If you are interested in learning the art of spoken word poetry, the Central Library will host a free poetry workshop, Gifts of a Wordsmith, on Tuesday, July 5, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., in the conference room on the first floor. No experience is necessary. For details, call Haruyo Miyagawa at (205) 226-3670 or e-mail hm@bham.lib.al.us.