All of Sidewalk's screening venues and hot spots are within walking distance from each other. It's one of the many aspects of Sidewalk that visitors love. Below are the confirmed venues for 2009. Many of these have been Sidewalk staples for years, while some are relatively new.
1.) Alabama Theatre [1817 Third Avenue North]
The Alabama Theatre was built in 1927 by Paramount Studios as an Alabama showcase for Paramount films. It was used primarily as a movie palace for 55 years. It now hosts many live events, as well as films. Each year the Theatre hosts over 300 events attended by a half million Birmingham area citizens. In 1998, the Theatre underwent a complete front door to back door restoration. The work was done by EverGreene Studios from New York City. In 8 months, the theatre went from its look of faded grandeur to a sparkling 1927 look with all the gold leaf paint either replaced or cleaned. In addition to the restoration, new carpet was installed in the ladies lounge and new drapes were installed on the stage and organ chambers. (Capacity: 2,176)
2.) Birmingham Museum of Art [2000 8th Ave N]
The museum's Steiner Auditorium is an ideal location for lectures, concerts, films, Powerpoint and video presentation, seminars and workshops. State-of-the-art audio/visual equipment is provided with the rental. A professional A/V technician to operate this equipment can be provided for a nominal fee. (Capacity: 300)
3.) Carver Theatre [1631 Fourth Avenue North]
The Carver Theatre is located in the historic 4th Avenue Business District and has become a popular venue not only for local jazz artists, but for the local comedy and spoken word scene as well. We have played host to jazz legends such as Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Hosting events from theatrical performances to jazz jam sessions to swing dance classes, the Carver Theatre opens its doors to the very best in entertainment. (Capacity: 508)
4.) Alabama Power Theatre [600 18th Street North]
The Alabama Power theatre has been a favorite menu amongst festival goers with it's two-tired seating arrangement, comfortable chairs, and superb sound. Alabama Power is generous enough to let us use their venue, which is conveniently on the foot path of the festival. (Capacity: 250)
5.) Branch Life Church [2013 Second Ave North]
Located in the Meelheim Building, the Branch Life Church has graciously allowed Sidewalk to use its main meeting space. A congregation rich in diversity, BLC has been drawing in worshippers from all over Birmingham, including those who live downtown. One of their missions is to revitalize the city on the inside and out, and donating their space for Sidewalk is one example of their love for this city, it's cultural life, and the historic downtown area. (Capacity: 80)
6.) McWane Science Center [200 19th Street North]
The 108-seat Rushton Science Theater is a state-of-the-art multimedia science learning environment capable of hosting any type of program imaginable. Home to McWane's largest presentations like Combustion, Lightning Strikes, and Body of Knowledge, the Rushton Science Theater is frequent home to extraordinary fires and huge bolts of lightning. It is also home to McWane's Tesla Coil and a Van de Graaff Generator. McWane kindly turns off the extra electricity for Sidewalk weekend, allowing us to use their big screen and projector. (Capacity: 108)
7.) Birmingham Civil Rights Institute [520 Sixteenth Street North]
The BCRI is nestled in the newly revitalized Civil Rights District. BCRI's Permanent Exhibitions offer a self-directed journey through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s on to the human rights struggles of today. It currently has four traveling exhibitions and offers numerous educational outreach programs. Since 2007, the BCRI has partnered with Sidewalk to bring you the Life & Liberty Sidebar. It is home to documentaries, features, and short films that portray human and civil rights issues. (Capacity: 60)
8.) Young & Vann Building [1731 First Avenue North, Ste. 120 ]
The Young & Vann Building is the home of the Birmingham-Jefferson History Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2004 to develop a general history museum for Birmingham and Jefferson County. Jefferson County was founded in 1819. Birmingham, the state's most populous city, founded in 1871, has an abundance of historical sites, societies and museums – but no central museum to tell the varied stories of all its people. The organization currently owns 412 separate collections, containing 8,200 artifacts. (Capacity: 60)
