The Magic City Classic Parade is an annual event held in Birmingham, Alabama. It is a major highlight of the Magic City Classic, which is a college football game between Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University. The parade is known for its vibrant floats, marching bands, dance groups, and elaborate costumes. The Magic City Classic Parade 2022 is expected to be a grand celebration of the event's rich history and tradition. The parade will feature a variety of participants, including local high school bands, college marching bands, community organizations, and dance teams. Spectators can anticipate a lively and energetic atmosphere as the participants showcase their talent and creativity.
Location: Stadium Club at Protective Stadium, 1020 24th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203 (Stadium Club entry is located on 22nd Street North)
Classic Kickoff presented by McDonald s the official Thursday kickoff event hosted by the Magic City Classic will feature light bites, drinks and entertainment by DJ Traci Steele. WHAT There s no tailgate party in the country like the Coors Light Pregame Tailgate Party at the McDonald s Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola.
Spectators can anticipate a lively and energetic atmosphere as the participants showcase their talent and creativity. In addition to the traditional elements of the parade, such as marching bands and floats, there will also be special performances by renowned artists and entertainers. These performances will add an extra level of excitement and entertainment to the event, ensuring that spectators of all ages will have a memorable experience.
Magic City Classic Week 2022: Here’s where to learn, network, and party
The McDonald's Magic City Classic presented by Coca Cola returns to the historic Legion Field on October 29. 2022.
shares- Shauna Stuart | [email protected]
It’s officially Magic City Classic week. After an early start of events ringing in the largest HBCU football classic in the country, the countdown is on to Saturday, October 29 when Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University return to Birmingham’s Legion Field to face off in the 81st annual McDonald’s Magic City Classic, presented by Coca Cola.
And this week, like every Magic City Classic Week, is full of fervor.
“There is no better HBCU football classic,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said during the Magic City Spotlight podcast in August. “There’s a storied tradition here and it only gets better every year. We’re not satisfied where we are. The experience keeps getting better for everyone in attendance. It’s an experience. It’s not just a game, it’s an experience.”
Perren King, the Assistant Vice President for Bruno Event Team and the Executive Director of the Magic City Classic, echoed the same sentiments.
“When you talk about folks camped out. Grills smoking. Everything hot. And that fellowship starts Wednesday morning, before the 2:30 kickoff on ESPN on Saturday,” said King.
Day parties, concerts, pop up markets, barbeque cook offs, and empowerment summits have ushered in the start of this year’s Classic Week. Wednesday, in a sense, is the official Magic City Classic launch day. Move in day for tailgaters starts at 8 a.m. And the annual press conference kicks off the second half of the week’s events.
Think of this week as a mixture of business and pleasure marked with networking events, discussion panels, day parties, concerts, and evening festivities leading up to gameday. Some Classic favorites, such as Mayor Randall Woodfin’s popular Green Carpet Affair, sold out weeks ago (sorry y’all!).
This week also marks the return of two Magic City Classic traditions. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the annual Wednesday evening Battle of the Choirs will come home to Sardis Baptist Church. And Thursday morning, veteran broadcaster, Birmingham native, and Alabama State alum Rickey Smiley will return to Birmingham for the live broadcast of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show.
There’s a lot to take in, so we’ve compiled a running calendar of what to do and see during Magic City Classic Week. We’ll update this list throughout the week, so check back for updates.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26
Magic City Classic Issue Forum on Debt Cancellation
View this post on InstagramRep. Terri Sewell will host a forum to discuss the Biden Administration’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt. The event will feature a conversation with Alabama State University President Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. and Alabama A&M University President Dr. Daniel K. Wims about the state of HBCUs in Alabama. During the event, Sewell will also announce a total of $1,000,000 in federal funding for the two universities from the National Park Service (NPS) Historic Preservation Fund. Sewell will present a check for $500,000 to each university.
Location: Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) Medical Forum Building, Forum Theater, 950 22nd St N Birmingham, AL 35203
Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is free.
The Alabama Collective: All Access @ The Classic
For Classic Week, technology collaborative The Alabama Collective will host a networking event for professionals and students in the startup tech and innovation scene.
Location: Dread River Distilling Company, 2400 7th Ave S Birmingham, AL United States
Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is free. Registration is available on The Alabama Collective website.
Magic City Classic West End Day Party
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson will host the Magic City Classic West End Day Party at the Arlington Historic House and Gardens. The event will feature live music, food, and cooking demonstrations.
Location: Arlington Historic House and Gardens, 331 Cotton Ave SW Birmingham, AL 35211
Time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Admission is free. Guests can call the Arlington House at 205-325-5074 for more information.
11th Annual Battle of the Choirs
After a two-year hiatus, the Battle of the Choirs featuring the Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University choirs will return to Sardis Baptist Church.
Deacon Kelvin Datcher started the Battle of the Choirs almost decade ago. “The Classic game is great and the bands are amazing but there are so many talented students at those universities who are often overlooked,” Datcher told AL.com in 2019. “Many of the students in those choirs are from Birmingham. So, it’s a homecoming for them to have their friends and family brag about them like they brag about the football team.”
This year, high school choirs with Birmingham City Schools will be the opening act for Battle of the Choirs.
Location: Sardis Baptist Church, 1615 4th Ct W, Birmingham, AL 35208
Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Event begins at 6 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is free
Green Carpet Affair
View this post on InstagramThe Green Carpet Affair is an annual Classic Week event honoring Birmingham’s mayor Randal Woodfin. So far, the evening party is sold out, but we’ll update this list if more tickets become available.
Location: The Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203
Time: 6-10 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is free and all attendees must have a ticket. As of Oct. 23, tickets on Eventbrite are sold out.
Behind the Mask Women’s Empowerment Summit
A roundtable of women — political strategist Meredith Lilly; Kerri Pruitt of The Dannon Project; Wanda Evers, the niece of civil rights leader Medgar Evers; Fortune 500 consultant Jan Hargrave; and Dennis Winfrey, the president of the National Association of Commissioners; and actress/entrepreneur LisaRae McCoy— will appear at the 16th Street Baptist Church for a Women’s Empowerment Summit.
Location: 16th Street Baptist Church, 1530 6th Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Time: Doors open at 5 p.m. The event starts at 6 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is free. Seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Magic City Classic Alumni Block Party
Jazzi’s on 3rd will host the Magic City Classic Alumni Block Party, an outdoor concert on Third Avenue North between 17th Street North and 18th Street North. BT Collective with Jay Lambert will perform. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
Location: Jazzi’s on 3rd, 1725 3rd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Time: 7-10 p.m.
Admission: Admission is free
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27
The Rickey Smiley Morning Show LIVE
View this post on InstagramBirmingham native and Alabama State University alum Rickey Smiley will host The Rickey Smiley Morning Show live at the Boutwell Auditorium, presented by 98.7 KISS FM. Thursday’s show will include comedy from Rickey Smiley and his morning show team along with a live performance from national recording artists 8Ball and MJG, special appearances with celebrity guests, the presidents of Alabama A&M and Alabama State, and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.
Location: Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203
Time: Doors open at 4:30 a.m. The show will be from 5-9 a.m.
Tickets: Admission is free
Classic Kickoff Presented by McDonald’s
View this post on InstagramClassic Kickoff presented by McDonald’s—the official Thursday kickoff event hosted by the Magic City Classic—will feature light bites, drinks and entertainment by DJ Traci Steele.
Also on the roster: a McDonald’s 360° photo booth, giveaways and a special appearance by the AAMU and ASU cheerleaders.
Location: Stadium Club at Protective Stadium, 1020 24th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203 (Stadium Club entry is located on 22nd Street North)
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Magic City Classic Tailgate Festival
Railroad Park will host an outdoor concert featuring performances from artists including Stokley, Kelly Price, and Zapp Band. Food trucks will be on site at the park. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
Location: Railroad Park, 1600 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233
Time: Gates open at 5 p.m. The event will start at 6 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is free
Cocktails & Conversation: The Long Civil Rights Movement in STEM
View this post on InstagramContinuing its series of STEM education programs, The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will host a panel discussion called Classic STEM: Cocktails and Conversation— an examination of how the race to space in the 1960s coincided with the civil rights movement. Thursday’s panel will feature African Americans who grew up in Birmingham and pursued careers in the sciences, including:
- Dr. Matthew George, Jr., graduate of Ullman High School (’67) and Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Howard University
- Dr. Shirley Malcom, a graduate of Carver High School (’63) and now Senior Advisor and Director of SEA Change American Association for the Advancement of Sciences
- Dr. Willie May, graduate of Parker High School (’64) and now Vice President of Research and Economic Development at Morgan State University
- Dr. Tommy Wright, graduate of Ullman High School (’65) and now Chief of the Center for Statistical Research and Methodology for the U.S. Census Bureau.
Odessa Woolfolk, the founding president of BCRI, will provide opening remarks. Dr. Calvin Briggs, the founder of the Southern Center for Broadening Participation in STEM, will moderate the panel. Nabila Lovelace, the Magic City Poetry Festival 2022 Eco Poetry Fellow, will give a poetry reading. Dr. Brian Odom, Chief Historian for NASA and editor of “NASA and the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement,” will also lecture. Light hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be served. The program is a collaboration from the BCRI, NASA, the National Park Service, the Magic City Poetry Festival, the Southern Center for Broadening Participation in STEM, and the Birmingham Museum of Art.
Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The Magic City Classic Parade is not just a fun-filled event, but also a significant cultural celebration. It brings together people from different backgrounds and communities to appreciate and celebrate the rich African American heritage and history in the city. The parade serves as a platform to showcase the talents and achievements of local artists and performers, while also promoting unity and community spirit. Overall, the Magic City Classic Parade 2022 promises to be an unforgettable experience for both participants and spectators alike. It is a chance to witness the vibrant culture and diversity of Birmingham, Alabama, while enjoying the spectacle of marching bands, colorful floats, and captivating performances. Whether you are a fan of football, music, dance, or simply looking to have a great time, the Magic City Classic Parade is an event not to be missed..
Reviews for "The Magic City Classic Parade 2022: A Feast for the Senses"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Magic City Classic Parade 2022. The floats were lackluster, the performers seemed unenthusiastic, and the overall atmosphere was just plain boring. I was expecting an exciting and vibrant parade, but it fell flat. This event definitely did not live up to the hype and I wouldn't waste my time attending again.
2. John - 1 star - The Magic City Classic Parade 2022 was a complete letdown. The organization was terrible - the parade started late and there was no clear route or order for the floats. It felt like a disorganized mess. The music was also subpar, with the performers sounding off-key and out of sync. Overall, it was a disappointing experience and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to the Magic City Classic Parade 2022, but it did not meet my expectations. The floats were not as impressive as I had hoped, and there was a lack of creativity in the design. The parade route was also confusing and poorly marked, leading to difficulty finding a good viewing spot. I was hoping for a memorable and enjoyable experience, but unfortunately, it fell short.
4. Robert - 3 stars - As a long-time attendee of the Magic City Classic Parade, I have to say that this year's edition fell short. While it had some redeeming qualities, such as a few well-executed floats and a decent marching band, overall it lacked the excitement and energy that I have come to expect from this event. The selection of performers was lackluster, and I felt like I had seen similar acts in previous years. It was disappointing to see a decline in the overall quality of the parade.
5. Megan - 2 stars - I attended the Magic City Classic Parade 2022 and was not impressed. The floats lacked creativity and were clearly hastily put together. The performers seemed to be going through the motions and lacked enthusiasm. The parade route was also confusing, and it was difficult to find a good spot to watch from. Overall, it was a lackluster event that did not live up to the excitement and anticipation I had prior to attending.