Summertime in Homewood: What to do and where to go

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This summer, there are no shortages of opportunities to get out of the house and mingle with other Homewood residents.

With school out and parents looking for family-friendly activities, The Homewood Star has organized a guide to events, library activities and outdoor opportunities throughout the city.

Homewood Parks and Recreation

From Streetfest to the Back to School Bash, there are events, swimming and more available through Homewood Parks and Recreation.

There will also be a July 4th celebration, beginning at 5 p.m. There will be rides, inflatables and a DJ, said Rusty Holley, superintendent of parks and recreation. The money raised from the event benefits the high school band for their upcoming trip to Dublin. The event ends when the Thunder on the Mountain fireworks show begins, Holley said.

The Back to School Bash will be held Aug. 26 at Patriot Park and will allow children and parents to enjoy a fun time together before the new school year begins, Holley said.

Streetfest will be held June 3. For more on that event, see the separate story in this month’s paper.

One of the most enjoyable and popular things to do over the summer is swim, and Homewood residents have two pools: the Central Park pool and the pool at Patriot Park. There are various memberships that will grant access to the pools. For membership information, visit homewoodparks.com/memberships.

There are also sports offerings this summer. Homewood City Schools is allowing residents to use the tennis courts at Homewood Middle School for daytime play, and there are plans to eventually turn the tennis courts at Central Park into pickleball courts, Holley said. Other groups will play badminton and floorball as well, he said. For more information on sports, visit homewoodparks.com/athletics.

For those wanting to get outdoors, there are a handful of parks available to residents.

  • Central Park: 1632 Oxmoor Road. Holley said Central Park has five pavilions to rent, trees with hammock attachments set up, tennis courts, green space, bathrooms, sidewalks and the city’s largest playground.
  • Patriot Park: 710 Oak Grove Road. Patriot Park has sidewalks, a sand volleyball court, a playground with artificial turf, bathrooms and two pavilions to rent.
  • Overton Park: 1920 Mayfair Drive. Overton Park has a wooded area with a small playground, but does not have bathrooms.
  • Woodland Park: 429 Woodland Drive. Woodland Park does not have a playground or dedicated parking and is mainly used for Scout groups and a garden club, but there is a walking path. There is also a raised seating area with four Adirondack chairs.
  • Spring Park: 2525 Central Ave. Spring Park has a pavilion for rent, bathrooms, a small playground and green space with a sidewalk.

Meredith Drennen, director of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber will host the Sidewalk Sale on 18th Street South on the last Saturday in July. Each business puts their merchandise on display and has sales as they clear inventory for fall, Drennen said.

Library Events

Homewood Public Library Director Judith Wright said there are plenty of events taking place this summer at the library.

Summer reading began May 22 and finishes Aug. 6, Wright said. There are programs for all ages to encourage residents to read this summer, she said. For every three books children check out, they will be entered into a weekly prize and the grand prize.

On June 24, there will be a free self-defense class for teen girls, Wright said.

Throughout the summer, there will be “Destination Science Camps” held throughout Homewood, at the library, Lee Community Center and the West Homewood Senior Center. While the city of Homewood is not very large, Wright said it can take some time to get across to the library, so the staff wanted to offer the camps in multiple areas.

There is also a new book drop at the senior center, Wright said. Patrons can drop books off there for any library in Jefferson County and it will be picked up twice a week. Books will be backdated, so patrons who drop off books before the due date need not worry if they are not picked up until after that date, Wright said.

There will also be a series of talks given about historic theaters in the area, including the Alabama Theatre, the Lyric Theatre and Red Mountain Theatre. Wright said the library is also bringing back ghost tours on July 7 and 8.

The library will host a block party Aug. 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., which serves as the largest fundraiser for the Homewood Library Foundation. There will be beer, wine and more. Tickets are $10 for those ages 4 through 20, and those 21 years of age and older get in for $25, which includes alcohol, Wright said.

At all Jefferson County libraries this summer, there is fine forgiveness for up to $50 if a patron signs up for summer reading, Wright said.

West Homewood Farmers Market

The West Homewood Farmers Market takes place every Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. during June, July, and the first Tuesday of August. Located at 160 Oxmoor Road in West Homewood, the market brings together local and sustainable food, fostering community through environmental stewardship. A variety of fresh produce, meats, eggs, baked goods, and handmade crafts are available for purchase. Kids can enjoy activities including the Balloon Man and a sprinkler to cool off. There's also live music, local restaurants, food trucks and more. This is a special Homewood community events where we’re creating a sustainable and vibrant neighborhood together. For more information, visit westhomewood.com.

If you know of an event that you don’t see here, email The Homewood Star at nembry@starnesmedia.com so we can add it online and to our calendar.