Enjoy Hoover Podcast BG Podcast Network

Calendar of events

 

School is out and summer is in full swing. The SEC Baseball Tournament just wrapped up, setting an attendance record with more than 180,000 fans and, amazingly, not a single drop of rain fell during the 17 games at the Hoover Met.

 

The local events calendar slows down a bit in the summer, but there is plenty to do around Hoover in June!

June 1: First Saturday Cruise In at Hoover Tactical Fire ArmsHosted by the Dixie Vintage Antique Automobile Club, the cruise in features antique and vintage cars in the Hoover Tactical Fire Arms parking lot on Highway 31. Talk with owners, listen to oldies music and sip complimentary coffee.June 4-5: Koo Koo at the Hoover Public Library TheatreExperience the dancing, comedy and singing of this popular high-energy duo. For times, go to events.hooverlibrary.org.June 11-12: Roger Day at Hoover Public Library TheatreSing, dance, jump and dream big with award-winning children's musician – and local elementary school favorite  - Roger Day. For times, go to events.hooverlibrary.org. June 14: Peach Day Farmer's Market at Ross Bridge from 4-8 p.m.Enjoy a special peach-themed treat at Ross Bridge's farmer's market on Peach Day. Shop local vendors, including farm fresh produce, food, and handmade goods. Then, grab dinner from one of several food trucks and listen to live music on the green space.June 15-16: Summertime Bham Craft & Vendor Fair at Riverchase Galleria Support local vendors and escape the summer heat at this indoor craft and vendor fair. Shoppers will find handmade crafts, home décor, clothing, art and more. The fair is open during the Galleria's regular business hours. June 21: Hydrangeas Under the Starts at Aldridge Gardens at 6:00 p.m. Come to the gardens for a summer evening filled with starlight and gorgeous hydrangeas. An indoor reception and silent auction will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner under the pavilion at 7:00 p.m. For more information about this premier fundraising event, go to aldridgegardens.com.June 21: Berry Day at Ross Bridge from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Enjoy a special berry-themed treat at Ross Bridge's farmer's market on Berry Day. Shop local vendors, including farm fresh produce, food, and handmade goods. Then, grab dinner from one of several food trucks and listen to live music on the green space.

 

 

Maker feature

For small business owner Jen Batson, celebrating alongside those she loves is one of the best things about being part of the Hoover community. “Clients will send me pictures or post them on social media, and I love knowing I was able to be part of the beauty of celebrating,” she said. Jen, who is 55, opened her home-based floral business, Garage Corsage, on January 1, 2024, after a conversation with a close friend about how they would spend the second half of their lives.

“We spent a lot of time talking about how people act like life is for those who are young, like those are the best years of your life,” Jen said. “But we fully believe that the best is yet to be, and God will still use us until the very end to bring Him glory!” From there, Jen’s lifelong love of fresh flowers began to blossom into a way for her to spread joy to friends and neighbors. She recalled a floral arranging workshop she attended a couple of years prior, where she learned new skills and “had an absolute blast.”

Jen enjoyed keeping fresh flowers in her Hoover home and quickly incorporated the tips and tricks she learned into her own personal bouquets. She began making floral arrangements more often, giving them away to friends and neighbors and creating them for her parties and friend’s celebrations. Soon, she realized her way of spreading joy, the beauty of the flowers, and the special moments she was able to be part of were her life’s new calling.  

As Garage Corsage grows in popularity, Jen’s business goals are growing, too. She says, “My first goal is to get a refrigerator for my garage so that I have

Calendar of events

 

Well, May-cember is here. Every year, it seems May gets busier, and it just feels like it’s as busy (or busier) than December! That’s a good thing, though. Hoover is a community with TONS going on for just about anyone.

May May 1: First Saturday Cruise In at Hoover Tactical Fire Arms from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Hosted by the Dixie Vintage Antique Automobile Club, the cruise in features antique and vintage cars in the Hoover Tactical Fire Arms parking lot on Highway 31. Talk with owners, listen to oldies music and sip complimentary coffee. May 4: Donor Dash for Life 5K at Veterans Park at 8:00 a.m. Presented by Donate Life Alabama, this 5th annual run benefits organ, eye and tissue donation awareness programs throughout the state. Register at donatelifealabama.org. May 6-8: Scholastic Book Fair at Hoover Public Library from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. A book lover's dream come true! Families are invited to shop the fair daily to find their new favorite summer read and more. May 7: Mayor's Prayer Breakfast at the Hyatt Regency at 7:30 a.m. Featuring guest speaker and Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze, the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast brings elected officials, religious leaders, business leaders and the community at large together for a faith-based event. Tickets and tables are available at thelibrarytheatre.com. May 7: Mother's Day Market at Brock's Gap Brewery from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Find the perfect gift for mom made by local vendors and artists. Enjoy drinks from the brewery and grab dinner from some of Hoover's favorite food trucks. May 8-12: Regions Tradition at Greystone Country ClubExperience PGA Championship history at the Regions Tradition. Now in its 35th year, this premier golf event features legends of golf as they compete in one of the Champions Tour’s majors. Find details on admission, times and more at regionstradition.com. May 17: Flower Market Farmer's Market at Ross Bridge from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Ross Bridge's first farmer's market of the summer season takes on a floral theme. Shop local vendors, including farm fresh produce, food, and handmade goods. Then, grab dinner from one of several food trucks and listen to live music on the green space. May 21-26: SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover MetThe road to Omaha begins in Hoover! The top 12 teams in the SEC will play for the title of SEC Champion at the Hoover Met. For game times and admission, go to secsports.com.May 24: Summer Reading Kickoff at Hoover Public Library from 1:00 p.m.– 4:00 p.m. The summer reading program offers incentives and prizes for avid young readers. Come to the official kickoff for games, snacks, crafts and mini-concerts with Roger Day every 30 minutes!

 

Restaurant feature

Have you recently been craving a perfectly-crafted sandwich with layers of yummy goodness? If so, you must familiarize yourself with The Electric. 

 

The Electric is a neighborhood watering hole and restaurant created by husband and wife team Ben and Laura Smith. The Smiths are service industry veterans and knew they wanted to provide the Bluff Park area with a great place to relax, have a great meal, and enjoy a cold beverage. 

 

Roughly seven years ago, Ben and Laura moved to Bluff Park. They love their community, and The Electric was born out of a desire to provide the neighbors with something unique and special. 

 

If you’ve never tried The Electric, schedule a visit for your next evening out. During the spring and summer seasons, you can catch live music by various musicians and grab one of their signature cocktails. You can keep up with current specials and the latest music schedule on Instagram at theelectricbp. 

Trivia lovers can find their own home at The Electric. Each Tuesday, trivia is hosted by brothers Will and Reed Lochamy (pronounced Lock-a-me), on a rotating basis. 

 

Does the sound of turkey, bacon, provolone,"205" mustard, lettuce, and tomato on locally-made sourdough excite you? Then

From the Enjoy Hoover Studios. This is the Enjoy Hoover Podcast, your monthly guide to news and exciting events, all with big city style. With a small town feel. Everyone is welcome here to our small, enticing piece of Alabama. So welcome you all to enjoy Hoover!

Hello and welcome to the Enjoy Hoover Podcast. My name is Melissa Carter and we're so glad you're here. I'm going to start with all the things going on this month because April is packed with incredible events in Hoover. Let's start with the Dixie Vintage Antique Automobile Club first Saturday cruise on April 6th. It goes from 7 a.m. until noon at Hoover Tactical Firearms. Now, vintage car lovers will enjoy checking out this family friendly event featuring the restored and preserved rise of Alabama's oldest car club. On April 8th, it's helping hands from 3 to 8 p.m. at Hoover Public Library. Teens and adults are invited to drop in on this monthly volunteer session to help roll newspapers for the local humane society. Please come to the nonfiction area to participate on April 20th. It's family art from 2 to 4 at the Hoover Public Library. Children and their grownups are invited to work together to create a collaborative art piece. This event will be held in the youth program room. On April 27th. Celebrate Hoover Day from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Veterans Park. This annual citywide celebration draws more than 10,000 residents from all ages for carnival rides, live entertainment and a petting zoo. Plus, you got a Kid Zone ice cream and the largest apple pie you have ever seen. And this event is free and open to the public. On April 27th, it's hope for autumn crawfish boil from 3 to 9 p.m. in Ross Bridge. Join more than 2000 attendees for this annual event, benefiting Alabama families that are battling childhood cancer. Admission includes all you can eat crawfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, non-alcoholic beverages, bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, and live entertainment. Tickets can be purchased at Hope for Autumn foundation.org, and on April 19th, it's denim and dining at 6 p.m. at Aldridge Gardens. This casual event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Hoover City Schools Foundation. It features local barbecue music and live and silent auctions. Proceeds support grants for special programs in the city's 17 schools, and tickets are available at Hoover csf.org/events. If you live and play in Bluff Park, you know it's a special community. GMC media is proud to announce its newest magazine, The Bluff Park Neighborhood Reader. This bimonthly magazine is full of community news, information, photos, stories, and more. Mailed every other month to homes and businesses in Bluff Park. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with all that's going on. On the bluff.

In 2008, friends and relatives gathered for a small backyard crawfish boil to raise money for the family of a little girl named Autumn, who is battling childhood leukemia. Autumn was among the 190 children who were diagnosed with cancer each year in Alabama. Understandably, a childhood cancer diagnosis is challenging for a multitude of reasons, but in addition to the newfound responsibility for caring for a sick child, families often face financial obstacles as well, losing up to 40% of their household income. If one parent needs to stop working in order to ensure their child has around the clock care. Over the years, community support grew for autumn and the families in similar situations. In 2012. Hope for Autumn Foundation was officially founded as a 501 C3 public charity to provide financial help to families, fund research and spread awareness. Today, the foundation is gearing up for its largest annual fundraiser, a family friendly, all you can eat crawfish boil held in a large green space on Grand Avenue in Ross Bridge, scheduled for April 27th from 3 to 9 p.m.. The hope for autumn crawfish boil is expected to raise around $200,000 for more than 2000 attendees and 60 sponsors. Amanda Neur, t

Welcome to the second episode of the "Enjoy Hoover" podcast.  This is a guide to some of the fun events and delicious restaurants Hoover, Alabama presents.  We will meet the Mayor of Hoover, Alabama, Frank Bercado and find out what exciting events and changes will be happening. 

 

From the Enjoy Hoover Studios. This is the Enjoy Hoover Podcast, your monthly guide to news and exciting events, all with big city style. With a small town feel. Everyone is welcome here to our small, enticing piece of Alabama. So welcome you all to enjoy Hoover!00:00:23S2Hello and welcome to the Enjoy Hoover podcast I'm Melissa Carter. Coming up we have an interview with mayor Frank Bernardo. But first let's check out what's happening in Hoover this month. From sporting tournaments to community celebrations, there's something for everyone now kicking off March, don't miss the indoor pickleball tournament at the Finley Center on March 2nd and third. Now we're going to talk about that more here soon. And on March 2nd, join the 25th annual Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens with tree giveaways, a formal ceremony, and fun activities for kids. It's a day to connect with nature. Looking to lend a hand will drop by the Helping Hands volunteer session at the Hoover Public Library on March 11th. Role. Newspapers for the local humane society and make a difference in your community. Plus, mark your calendars for the Spring Festival at Riverchase Baptist on March 16th. Egg hunts, games and food trucks await, making it a day of family fun. Now, if you want to learn about public safety, head to the Hoover Public Safety Night out on March 19th at the Riverchase Galleria. Meet local officers, enjoy activities and learn valuable tips for staying safe. Music lovers, don't miss Mac McAnally with Eric Darken at the Hoover Public Library on March 21st and 22nd. Get your tickets for an unforgettable evening of music, and finally, hop on over to Bluff Park United Methodist Church on March 23rd for a community Easter egg hunt with thousands of eggs, photos with the Easter Bunny, and more. It's an exciting event. Get it for the whole family and looking on to April if you're ready to run the high country. Five K in Bluff Park, hosted by Shades Crest Baptist Church, is on Saturday, April 6th. Register now to run or walk this annual race by visiting run Sign-Up. Com now let's talk pickleball, the quirky sport that's sweeping the nation originated in 1965 as a backyard pastime. It's now making waves as a beloved activity for all ages. And if you're curious to join the fun, mark your calendars for the indoor pickleball tournament happening at the Findlay Center on March 2nd and third. Now, whether you're a seasoned pro or a newbie, this event promises excitement for everyone. Lisa Fair, the event manager, underscores the inclusivity of the tournament, welcoming players of all skill levels. With men's and women's doubles kicking off Saturday morning at nine and mixed doubles following suit on Sunday. There's something for everyone. Plus, with a double elimination format and guaranteed three games per player, the tournament ensures a thrilling experience for participants and spectators alike. And with ample parking and easy access from I-4. 59 getting there is a breeze. Not to mention the added perk of an indoor venue offering shelter from unpredictable weather. Registration is open with fees covering entry, player gifts and even a catered 

Welcome to the first edition of the "Enjoy Hoover" podcast.  This is a guide to some of the fun events and delicious restaurants Hoover, Alabama presents.  We will meet the co-publisher of "Enjoy Hoover" and find out more about this wonderful southern town.

 

From the Enjoy Hoover Studios. This is the Enjoy Hoover Podcast, your monthly guide to news and exciting events, all with big city style. With a small town feel. Everyone is welcome here to our small, enticing piece of Alabama. So welcome you all to enjoy Hoover.

Welcome to the first edition of the Enjoy Hoover Podcast. Now we want to introduce you to one of the co publishers of Enjoy Hoover, Matthew Allen, and find out more about him and life in Hoover, Alabama. Hey Matthew. Now first off can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Yeah. Uh, my name is Matthew Allen. I have lived in Hoover for 20 years. I grew up in Georgia, went to the University of Georgia and studied journalism, and moved here to get married to my my wife of now 18 years. And my first job was at a newspaper in Shelby County. And prior to leaving that job, I helped start Hoover's magazine, which has been around for quite a while now. And then I worked at Starnes Media, which is another local publishing company, and helped start the Hoover Sun there. So I've kind of got a background of being involved with Publications and Hoover. But in 2019, I went to work for myself, and I bought a small magazine called Birmingham Family. And this coming April, we will be launching our fourth and fifth magazines here in the Birmingham market.

What was the inspiration for the Enjoy Hoover magazine and what do you want to get out of it?

So enjoy Hoover. Really the credit has to go to David Cohen. David is the owner of the whole scoop ice cream shop here in Hoover. And David's background is hospitality and food and beverage. And being a small business owner, he wanted to do something to help promote restaurants and entertainment and retail here in Hoover. So he launched Enjoy Hoover Comm a few years ago, and about two years ago, he approached me because he wanted to start a magazine to complement the website. And with my background in publishing, um, he and I have become good friends over the years, and he wanted me to help with that. And our third partner is Mitzi Baker, who, uh, has a background and content development and digital advertising and media. So the three of us set out to start enjoy Hoover. And, uh, it's been out almost two years now. So magazine is published every other month, and I'm very proud of it.

How does the magazine engage with the community?

So the title really explains what we're trying to do. So, uh, we want people to enjoy Hoover. You know, Hoover is no longer a suburb. It is really, uh, one of the largest cities in Alabama. We're close to 100,000 residents. There's a lot going on in Hoover. There's a lot of retail growth. There's a lot of new restaurants. There's a lot of entertainment. And we want enjoy Hoover to be a magazine that appeals not only to residents, people who live and work and spend most of their time in Hoover, but people who visit Hoover as well. And there's a lot of people coming to Hoover for a lot of, a lot of different reasons. So, you know, if you are in Hoover all the time or just for a few days, enjoy. Hoover is there to help you figure out the best places to eat, the best places to shop, and the, uh, fun things that are going on around town.

How do you see the podcast help getting the news out to the community?

The podcast is obviously, I think, going to be a big deal because people love to listen or listen to podcasts or watch videos. It's me includ

Welcome to the new "Enjoy Hoover" podcast.  We will be launching this new and exciting podcast on December 15th!
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