Calendar of Events: June 25-July 1, 2015

June 25

50/50/50 to Fight Childhood Obesity
The Iron Cowboy is doing 50 Ironmans in 50 days in 50 states to fight childhood obesity. He’ll be in Fairhope and will finish up his Alabama ironman with a media event/social at the Windmill Market. The Iron Cowboy invites folks to join him on each segment, with participants doing as much or as little of each segment as they like. The events start at 6 a.m. at Fairhope Municipal Pier. Course Maps and more info can be found at ironcowboy.com/calendar/alabama and on the Alabama Iron Cowboy Facebook page.

Air Race Classic Hanger Party
H.L. “Sonny” Callahan Airport (8600 County Road 32), 99s Emerald Angels of the Gulf Coast Chapter, and Continental Motors Group, an AVIC International Holding Corporation company, welcome the all-women Air Race Classic to Fairhope June 24-27 for the terminus of its annual transcontinental race. There are 54 teams with 118 female pilots registered to compete for this year’s championship. The community is encouraged to come to the airport on Thursday, June 25, to watch and welcome the racers as they arrive. You can also follow the race teams at airraceclassic.org. Continental Motors Services is hosting the traditional hangar party at the close of the race from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the airport. Please join the racers for a celebratory dinner and dancing, including barbecue and side provided by Georgia Roussos, wine/beer and live entertainment provided by the band Mid-Life Crisis LA. For more information or tickets call 251-753-0237.

Free HIV Testing
Free, rapid HIV testing will be available at the Walgreens at the Loop, 2050 Government St., in Mobile Thursday and Friday, June 25-26, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m., and Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., in support of National HIV Testing Day. For more information please call 251-690-8818.

58th DYW National Finals
Join us for the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) Preliminary Competitions on Thursday (7 p.m.) and Friday (7 p.m.) at the Mobile Civic Center Theater, 401 Civic Center Drive, as the Class of 2015 competes in fitness, talent and self-expression. On Thursday, awards will be presented for community-supported cash scholarships and on Friday, for the DYW competition categories. Tickets for the DYW Preliminaries and National Finals on Saturday, June 27 are $82.50 for all three nights. Daily tickets are also available. For more information call Valerie at 251-438-3621.

Uncorked!
Join the Eastern Shore Art Center (ESAC) at 401 Oak St. in Fairhope for a night of pizza, painting and fun. The painting session begins at 5:30 p.m. Come early to enjoy a free chair massage by Bayside Chiropractic Rehab & Laser Therapy. The session is $40 and includes the canvas. For more information on ESAC events, please visit us online www.esartcenter.com, call 251-928-2228, ext. 107, or like us on Facebook.

Art Talk by Ronan Peterson
Join us at the Mobile Museum of Art for an talk with ceramicist Ronan Peterson about the trials and tribulations of making it as a professional artist. Peterson now tours and teaches pottery workshops around the United States and his earthenware is featured in galleries around the nation. The talk will begin at 7 p.m. at MMofA, 4850 Museum Drive.

Campo Santo Summer Concert Series
Come enjoy live music in Cathedral Square from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays through July 16. Local and regional bands will perform. This installment features songwriter Emerge. The concert series is sponsored by the Downtown Mobile Alliance, the city of Mobile Office of Special Events and Blue Moon Brewing.

Kids’ Day in Bienville
Bring the kids to Bienville Square from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. today for summertime fun and enjoy live entertainment, arts and crafts, and visits with representatives of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, the Mobile Police and Fire-Rescue departments and much more! If you have questions, please call 251-208-1550.

Summer Outdoor Market
The city of Fairhope will host a Summer Outdoor Farmer’s Market from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursday evenings through July 9. The market will be set up behind the Fairhope Public Library on Bancroft Street downtown and will feature local farmers, bakers, fresh Baldwin County produce, fresh-cut flowers, local honey, plants, baked goods and more. The Fairhope Public Library will hold story times and children’s activities at 4 p.m. each Thursday at the market. For general information or for information about becoming a vendor, call 251-929-1466.

Market on the Hill
An outdoor market of locally grown produce, seafood and soaps is being held at Lavretta Park (Old Shell Road and Parkway Street West) every Thursday through July 30. The Market on the Hill runs from 3 to 6 p.m. For more information, please call 251-208-1550.

Thursdays at the Museum
Every Thursday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. the Mobile Museum of Art offers free admission to all visitors. Join MMofA each week to experience the museum in new and exciting ways throughout the year. No reservations are necessary. MMofA is at 4850 Museum Drive.

June 26

Mobile Botanical Gardens Yard Sale
Mobile Botanical Gardens will host its first annual yard sale Friday and Saturday, June 26-27, from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 5151 Museum Drive. If you have extra stuff you’d like to get rid of, now is your chance! A list of appropriate items can be found at mobilebotanicalgardens.org. Newspapers (without ad inserts), plastic grocery bags and medium to small boxes are also needed. Items can be dropped off anytime at the MBG Office. Volunteers are needed to help sort and price items before the sale, to be checkers, help customers on the floor, load items and serve as holding-area attendants. If you’re interested in being a volunteer or have questions concerning items to donate, contact Mobile Botanical Gardens at 251-342-0555.

Last Friday Art Night
Dauphin Island Heritage and Art Gallery is where it’s happening on the island on the last Friday of each month. “Last Friday Art Night” features shopping for local art, art demonstrations, food, drink and music. Dauphin Island Heritage and Art Gallery is located at 1008 Alabama Ave. For more information call 251-861-3300.

Historic Ghost Tour
Mobile Mystery Mystics present a historic ghost tour of Mobile and the Richards DAR House, complete with a tour and ghost stories of the historic home. Before the tour everyone will gather at Azalea Manor, 751 Dauphin St., for an open bar from 6:30-7 p.m. before boarding a bus for the tour. Tickets are $50 per person. Reservations are required. For more information and to make reservations, call 251-479-9970.

Free HIV Testing
Free, rapid HIV testing will be available at the Walgreens at the Loop, 2050 Government St., in Mobile Thursday and Friday, June 25-26, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m., and Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., in support of National HIV Testing Day. For more information please call 251-690-8818.

Ark of India
“Ark of India: An Alabama Artist Explores Southern Asia” is an exhibit about personal discovery and exploration. It’s an account of late 19th and early 20th century India as seen by Alabama artist Roderick D. MacKenzie, using his paintings, drawings, sculptures and, most importantly, photographs and writings. The exhibition is organized by the History Museum of Mobile, 111 S. Royal St. On view until Sept. 1. Admission is free.

Hatching the Past: The Great Dinosaur Egg Hunt
“Hatching the Past” features 100 real dinosaur eggs and 100 replica eggs at The Exploreum. The multimedia experience for all ages invites visitors to touch real dinosaur bones and reconstructed nests, dig for eggs, experience hands-on exploration stations and view animated video presentations featuring well-known dinosaur experts. The Exploreum, 65 Government St., is open daily. For more information visit www.exploreum.com.

June 27

Slide the City
Slide the City is a family-friendly slip-and-slide water party event. There will be live music, food, drinks, water and, of course, the longest slip-and-slide ever to hit asphalt. Make sure to bring your water buckets, floaties and water guns (non-realistic, of course) to squirt, spray, splash and get everyone attending soaked. Slide the City Mobile will be held at the Spanish Fort Town Center, Town Center Drive, near Bass Pro Shops in Spanish Fort. For tickets and more information visit slidethecity.com/events/mobile/.

Swift-Coles Historic Home Picnic Day
Bring your blanket or lawn chairs, sit under beautiful live oak trees and enjoy a picnic lunch while listening to Dixieland Jazz and Ragtime music. You can play lawn games and stroll around to see antique Ford Model T and Model A cars and people in vintage clothing. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12, free to children under 6. Admission includes lunch. For more information call 251-949-5550 or visit www.SwiftColesHistoricHome.com. The home is located at 17424 Swift-Coles Lane in Bon Secour.

58th DYW National Finals
On Saturday at 7 p.m., help us celebrate 58 years of inspiring young women during the Distinguished Young Women National Finals at the Civic Center Theater, 401 Civic Center Drive. Check out the 10 finalists as they compete in fitness, talent and self-expression and enjoy performances from Brooke Rucker, Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2014. At the end of the night, one young woman will be named Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2015. Tickets for the DYW preliminaries (the preceding two nights) and national finals are $82.50 for all three nights. Individual night tickets are also available. To purchase tickets, please contact Valerie at the DYW National Office, 251-438-3621.

Free HIV Testing
Free, rapid HIV testing will be available at the Walgreens at the Loop, 2050 Government St., in Mobile from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in support of National HIV Testing Day. For more information please call 251-690-8818.

Olaf Summer Tea Party
Experience an unforgettable, entertaining and fun mother/daughter event at our Summer Tea Party! Join us for a spectacular performance by Olaf, sing to your heart’s content to some of the most cherished princess songs, acquire the knowledge you need on how to be a princess, receive an exciting makeover for your daughter from your two favorite Snow Sisters, and let’s not forget … yummy food! So come interact with the delightful, huggable Olaf and converse with the two royal Snow Sisters at Spot of Tea, 310 Dauphin St. The party starts at 11 a.m. To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.snowflakeentertainment.com.

Market on the Square
Shop for the freshest crops every Saturday through July 25 at Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile. This time of year is our favorite because you can buy locally grown tomatoes, potatoes, sweet corn, cantaloupes, watermelons, plants and flowers as well as seafood, baked goods, pastas, casseroles, pies, handcrafted goods and much more. Stay for live music on the green. Please note there will be no market on Independence Day, July 4. For more information, call 251-208-1550.

June 28

Sunday Matinee at 5 Rivers
Every Sunday throughout the day, take a step inside 5 Rivers Tensaw Theater and catch a free film. This week’s movie is “Nature: Saving Otter 501.” For more information call 251-625-0814.

Open Studio
Come enjoy complimentary mimosas as artists work at the Cathedral Square Gallery, 612 Dauphin St. Works by more than 60 area artists also will be on display. For more information call 251-694-0278.

June 29

“The Moonlit Garden” lecture and book signing
Join Scott Ogden, author, horticulturist and garden designer, as he demonstrates how to create a garden under the stars. His moonlit gardens feature mixed plantings of scented flowers for light-reflecting foliage, exotic fragrances of tropical plants and shimmering water gardens. The lecture will begin at10:30 a.m. at Bellingrath Gardens, 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road. For more information, visit www.bellingrath.org or call 251-973-2217.

Top Cats Toastmasters
Are you terrified at the idea of public speaking? We were. We got over it. Top Cats Toastmasters invites you to join us. We meet every Monday from noon to 1 p.m. at the Red Lobster near the southeast corner of Airport Boulevard and Azalea Road in Mobile. You can practice your speaking and listening skills and learn to think on your feet in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Dues are $43 twice a year, and lunch must be purchased. Toastmasters International is a worldwide organization. For further information, contact 251-344-2938.

June 30

Addiction Counseling
Narconon would like to remind families that the use of addicting drugs is on the rise. Take steps to protect your family from drug use. If you know anyone who is struggling with drug addiction, get them the help they need. Call for a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all drugs. Narconon also offers free screenings and referrals. Call 1-800-431-1754 or visit DrugAbuseSolution.com.

Teen Tech Tutor Program
The Baldwin County Library Cooperative recently implemented a Teen Tech Tutor program at the Robertsdale Library. This program is designed to match high-school-age students who have strong technological skills with adults and seniors who are unfamiliar with basic laptop computer technology. The free program is available Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 18301 Pennsylvania St., Robertsdale. An appointment is required; call the library at 251-970-4010.  

July 1

Kayak Fishing Clinic
This brief introduction to kayak fishing will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wind and Water Learning Center, 26233 Canal Road, Orange Beach. This technique-focused clinic will cover maneuvering in a fishing kayak, using and detaching an anchor trolley, casting techniques specific to being on a kayak and the importance of staying visible. Fees are $70 for a three-hour class and all equipment is included (kayak, paddle, rod/reel, tackle, PFD), no fishing license necessary. Students must be at least 13 years old. In case of inclement weather, the instructor will contact you to reschedule or issue a refund. For more information visit windandwaterlearning.com.

Bellingrath’s Wonderful Wednesdays
We are pleased to welcome Steve Bender, garden editor for Southern Living Magazine, to Bellingrath for an entertaining and enlightening talk about gardening in the south. Steve will present “The Disturbingly Dissed Dozen — 12 great plants that nobody is growing” and will also sign copies of the new Southern Living Gardening book after his talk. This event is part of Bellingrath’s Wonderful Wednesdays series in June and July. Time: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Admission is $12.50 for adults, $7 for children ages 5-12; and free to Bellingrath members and to ages 4 and younger. Visit www.Bellingrath.org to see the full schedule and register for your favorites. Bellingrath Gardens is located at 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road, Mobile.

Downtown Toastmasters
Are you interested in gaining more confidence in your public speaking ability? The Downtown Mobile Toastmasters Club 2815 invites you to join us for our weekly educational lunch meeting at T.P. Crockmiers, 261 Dauphin St., from noon until 1 p.m. Practice your speaking, listening and leadership skills in a relaxed, friendly environment. Lunch must be purchased. Our dues are $42 twice yearly. Toastmasters International is a worldwide organization. For more information, call 251-404-3924.

Little Discoveries at the Exploreum
Little Discoveries is a weekly series in the Exploreum’s Wharf of Wonder for children 6 and under. Lessons will fuse science, technology, engineering and math with creativity, art and reading. Each session will begin with a story reading that will serve as the launching pad for the day’s hands-on activities. Wednesdays 10 to 11 a.m. and Thursdays 2 to 3 p.m. at Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, 65 Government St. For more information, call Josh Holland at 251-208-6893 or email [email protected].