Homewood's official birthday is Oct. 29, the incorporation date the city gives for 1926. The city itself began a month earlier, though. In September 1926, Rosedale, Edgewood and Grove Park held a vote and chose to incorporate under the name Homewood. Forty years later, on Dec. 13, 1966, a special election on annexation by Birmingham failed, with 65% of Homewood voters against it.
So Homewood exists because its neighbors kept choosing it, and the centennial calendar is built the same way. There's a 5K, a cake contest, a picnic, an auction set up as a friendly competition between wards, and a fundraiser for a public garden. Most of the events ask you to show up and pitch in.
A City That Voted Itself Into Being
The city's official history credits a local attorney, Charles Rice, with starting the 1926 movement to merge the small communities that had grown up around Birmingham. Edgewood had grown fastest. By 1911 it had an electric railway to downtown Birmingham, and by 1915 it had a man-made lake.
The map kept changing after that. The city of Hollywood was annexed in 1929, and Oak Grove followed in 1955. Voters turned down an annexation move by Birmingham in 1959. A 1964 vote that seemed to go the other way was tied up in court until Sept. 9, 1966, when the Alabama Supreme Court declared it null and void. That set up the December 1966 special election. In 1970, Homewood started its own school system, separate from Jefferson County.
That history explains why a 100th birthday here feels less like a plaque unveiling and more like a town meeting with food trucks.
The Centennial Calendar, Start to Finish
The City of Homewood's Centennial page is the official schedule, and the city updates it as plans change.
| Date | Event | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Oct. 4 | Centennial Film Festival | Homewood Senior Center | Moved indoors because of possible rain; films start around 6:30 p.m. |
| Thu., Oct. 15 | Centennial Gala | City Hall Plaza and Rosewood Hall | Plaza pre-party at 5 p.m., soirée at 6 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | Centennial Brunch | Homewood Rec Center | Honors living former mayors and City Council members; city says more details are coming |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | First Responder 5K | Starts and finishes at Trak Shak on 18th Street | Supports the Homewood Police Foundation and Homewood Fire Department |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Centennial Picnic | Central Park | Band, show choir, food trucks, Three on a String at 5 p.m. |
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Time Capsule Burial | Homewood Public Library | Marks the official birthday |
The film festival opens the month with local stories. The city describes it as films featuring stories connected to Homewood, and the lineup includes Salabama and Pink House. The popcorn is moving indoors along with everyone else.
Where the Gala Money Goes
The Oct. 15 gala is the biggest night of the month, and it's meant to feel like 1926. According to The Homewood Star, regular tickets include the 5 p.m. pre-party on the plaza, a red carpet with photo ops, Homewood's 100-year-old fire truck, Homewood's own DJ Chris Sarris, and a signature cocktail tasting from Redmont Vodka and Buffalo Rock. The 6 p.m. program includes dinner by Real & Rosemary, the Homewood Pops Community Band, emcees Mayor Jennifer Andress and Chris Cooper, and live and silent auctions run by auctioneer Christie King. The after-party is in the SoHo Social party room.
The money goes to the garden, with no monument involved. Gala proceeds will fund capital improvements at Miss Sims Garden Botanical Park. The plan addresses longstanding accessibility and stormwater problems and works toward Miss Sims' vision of a teaching garden, reworked as a demonstration garden for residential landscape design. The master plan is on the city's Sims Garden page.
You don't need a gala ticket to take part. The silent auction opened to everyone on Oct. 1 at misssimsgarden.cbo.io, and one item is Homewood artist Chip Ghigna's original watercolor of the centennial poster. According to the Star, people attending the gala get a print of the poster at no extra cost with every ticket, sponsorship, donation, or donated auction item. The organizers also say the auctions will spark "fun, friendly competition between wards." They're asking for donations of Homewood memorabilia, artwork, services, and experiences through [email protected].
Saturday, Oct. 17 Is the Day to Clear
The centennial's main public celebration comes on the last day of Centennial Weekend. The day includes the First Responder 5K, which starts and finishes at Trak Shak in Downtown Homewood. Registration supports the Homewood Police Foundation and the Homewood Fire Department.
Central Park hosts the Centennial Picnic that same afternoon. The city lists performances by the Homewood High School Band and Show Choir, live entertainment, food trucks, activities through the afternoon, and Three on a String at 5 p.m. The picnic hours depend on where you look. The city's page says 2 to 7 p.m., and The Homewood Star's October events guide says 1 to 6 p.m. Both put the music at 5 p.m., so that's a safe time to plan around. Check the city page before you pack the cooler.
The picnic also has a cake decorating contest that's open to all ages, with registration on the Centennial page. For a city that started with a vote, a cake contest for 100 years fits right in.
The Next Century Is Already Opening Its Doors
The centennial looks back, but 2026 has also been a big year for openings, and several come from Birmingham-area operators who already run other concepts. If you're hosting out-of-town family for Centennial Weekend, these are the newest places to take them.
- Foo Hai Handmade Noodles & Dumplings opened in August at 1903 29th Ave. S., Suite 101, in SoHo Square. It comes from Urban Hai founders Chef Hai Wang and Gary Lin and serves handmade noodles, dumplings, and Szechuan dishes.
- Salice, formerly Luca Lagotto, reopened at 1722 28th Ave. S. under a new ownership group made up of chef Rita Bernhardt, Little Donkey chef Joshua Gentry, and developer Mike Mouron.
- Full Circle Doughnuts opened May 14 at 1726 28th Ave. S., Bham Now reported. Founder Wil Drake also created New Shoes Soft Serve, which opened at 2856 18th St. S., Suite A.
- West Row at 195 Oxmoor Road brought El Barrio and Paramount to the former Econo Lodge site. The project won the Homewood Beautification Board's quarterly award in September.
- Bayt Al-Qahwah, a Yemeni-inspired coffee shop, opened earlier this year at 425 Green Springs Highway.
- Homewood Bagel Company and Goodies Toy Store are moving together into 2907 Central Ave., with the shared location scheduled to open Oct. 2. Goodies closed its old storefront at 3027 Central Ave. on Sept. 27.
A few openings are still in progress. Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux has announced it will take over the former Rodney Scott's BBQ space at 2701 18th St. S. The local team includes franchisee Matt Roth, John Parker Wilson, and Adam Baxter, but AL.com and Bham Now reported no opening date. Scoop City, from chef Nick Carpenter's Tuff Love Hospitality, is planned for The Edge at 815 Green Springs Highway, also with no date announced. The Piggly Wiggly at 3000 Independence Drive is in the middle of a $5.3 million expansion. As of July, it was expected to reopen sometime this fall.
More on the October Calendar
The rest of October is busy too, and several events share the centennial's Central Park and library venues.
- Oct. 16–17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The Homewood Public Library Friends Bookstore $7 bag sale at 1721 Oxmoor Road.
- Oct. 25, 2 to 5 p.m.: Homewood's Fall Festival at Central Park. The event guide still listed the Witches Ride time as TBA.
- Oct. 25, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.: The library's Mini-Con, with anime, manga, gaming, and a student Artists' Alley.
- Oct. 29: On the city's official birthday, CAIN's Live and In Worship Tour with guest Patrick Mayberry plays Samford's Wright Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7.
- Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.: Mixtape, an '80s tribute band, at The Edge. The show is 18+ and tickets start at $25.
- Oct. 31: A 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run takes place at Central Park.
The month ends where it started, with neighbors at the library. On Oct. 29, Homewood marks its official 100th birthday by burying a time capsule there.
I've spent more than 27 years in and around Homewood, and seeing this city celebrate itself is a real joy. If you'd like to compare notes on the gala auction, the new spots on 28th Avenue, or the best place to stand when Three on a String starts at Central Park, I'd love to hear from you. Stacy Flippen is always glad to talk Homewood. Let's Connect.
