Young artists with VSA Alabama paint soup bowls in preparation for the Acoustic Soup
fund-raiser in January.

Time to break our your new calendars! Here’s a rundown of some of the city’s biggest food events in the coming year.

January

• Jan. 26: Acoustic Soup, WorkPlay, Lakeview. Sample soups from local chefs and restaurants, and take home a hand-painted bowl made by an artist from VSA Alabama, a nonprofit organization promoting arts education for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
• Jan. 28: FoodBlogSouth, Old Car Heaven, Avondale. This food blogging conference brings writers, chefs and photographers from around the South to learn how to become better bloggers, writers, photographers and marketers. The keynote speaker is Kat Kinsman of CNN’s Eatocracy. (Note: The author is a co-organizer of this event.) (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)

March

• March 3: Exceptional Chili Cookoff, Homewood Park. Dozens of teams, professional and amateur, serve up their finest in this fund-raiser for the Exceptional Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides social and recreational activities for people with mental disabilities. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• March 31: Birmingham Asian Cultures and Food Festival [Facebook event], Cedars Club, Glen Iris. Food is just one aspect of this festival, which includes a bazaar, dance performances and children’s activities. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)

April

• April 20-21: Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival, St. Elias Maronite Church, Glen Iris. Gorge on Middle Eastern pastries, kibbee, stuffed grape leaves and more, plus enjoy traditional dancing, music and crafts. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• April 28: Dining Out for Life. An array of local restaurants will donate 25 percent or more of the day’s proceeds to AIDS Alabama, a nonprofit organization that assists people with HIV/AIDS.
• April 28-29: Corks and Chefs, Linn Park, downtown. Part of Magic City Art Connection, this annual event offers samples of fine wines and dishes from noted Birmingham chefs. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)

June

• June 1-2: Magic City Brewfest, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. The annual fund-raiser for Free the Hops brings hundreds of beers from dozens of breweries to town, many of them hard-to-find, seasonal specialties or varieties never before seen in Alabama. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• June 23: Gumbo Gala, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Local Cajun restaurants, Louisiana-born Birmingham cooks and other contenders vie for the best gumbo while New Orleans music plays. The event benefits Episcopal Place, a nonprofit organization that provides low-income housing for elderly residents and people with physical disabilities.

Birmingham Restaurant Week kicks off with a preview party, allowing attendees
to sample dishes from restaurants across Birmingham.

August

• Aug. 17-26: Birmingham Restaurant Week, various locations. Restaurants all around the area offer special three-course prix-fixe menus, plus other food and drink events. (Read our past coverage.)
• Aug. 18: Stokin’ the Fire BBQ and Music Festival, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. No dates announced yet. Birmingham’s largest barbecue competition also features live music, Cajun dancing and children’s activities. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)

September

• Greek Food Festival, Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Southside. No dates announced yet. The hugely popular food festival draws big crowds for souvlakia, dolmades, pastitsio, gyros and lots more. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• Birmingham Oktoberfest, Das Haus, downtown. No dates announced yet. Enjoy beer, bratwurst and polka at the traditional German fall festival.

October

• Oct. 14: Break ’n Bread, Railroad Park, downtown. Members of the Birmingham Originals group of restaurants share food, wine and beer samples, plus live music. Organizers haven’t released the guest-chef list for 2012 yet, but they say it’s “absolutely amazing.” (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• St. George Middle Eastern Food Festival, St. George Melkite Catholic Church, Glen Iris. No dates announced yet. Right on the heels of the Greek Food Festival, move a bit further east for this celebration of kibbee, falafel, zalabieh and more.
• Kick’n Chick’n Wing Fest, downtown Homewood. No date announced yet. From traditional fiery hot to unique original creations, try the best chicken wings local restaurants can muster. Fund-raiser for Magic Moments, a nonprofit group that fulfills wishes of chronically ill Alabama children.

November

• Fall FestivAle. No date announced yet. Beer tastings and a keepsake glass in a new fund-raiser for Free the Hops. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• Friedman Family LJCC Jewish Food Festival, Levite Jewish Community Center, Mountain Brook. No date announced yet. Brisket, corned beef and kugel … oh my, even a matzah ball-eating contest. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)
• St. Nicholas Russian/Slavic Food Festival, St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, Brookside. No dates announced yet. Enjoy holupki, piroshki, borsht, blini and more in the historic small town northwest of Birmingham. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)

December

• Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama Tamale Sale. No dates announced yet. Order a few dozen of the traditional Mexican Christmas treat. An annual fund-raiser for HICA, a nonprofit organization that assists the Latino community. (Read more about it in our 2011 feature story.)

• More Jason Horn at The Messy Epicure

• MCers: Did we miss anything? Tell us in the comments!

---