Homewood Centennial 2026: A Local’s Guide to the 100th
Homewood, AL · Centennial Guide
In 1926, Homewood was a brand-new town at the base of Red Mountain, just south of Birmingham, AL. A hundred years later, its famous Pink House is still standing, 18th Street is packed with patios, and the whole city is throwing itself a birthday party for the Homewood Centennial 2026 that runs all October.
This is the kind of celebration you'll be glad you didn't miss. The city was incorporated on October 29, 1926, and the celebration has been building all year toward a film night in the park, a 1926-style gala, a citywide picnic, and a time capsule. Some of it is ticketed and some of it just asks you to show up. This is our local's guide to the dates, the details, and where to eat around each one.
01 — Start HereHomewood Centennial 2026
The City of Homewood's Centennial page is the official source, and it's worth bookmarking because the city keeps adding details as dates get closer. The big picture is simple. There's one Sunday film night in early October, a three-day Centennial Weekend from October 15 to 17, and the official birthday on October 29. If you can only make one, make it Saturday, October 17. That's the big community picnic, and it's the one built for bringing a group.
02 — October 4Film night in the park
Centennial Film Festival
The celebration opens with Homewood stories on screen. The evening features films and stories connected to the city, and the program teases the Pink House, the landmark that's just over 100 years old and still one of Homewood's most recognizable buildings. Bring a blanket and a couple of folding chairs, and plan on the early-October evening cooling off quickly once the sun drops.
03 — October 15–16Gala and brunch
Centennial Gala
The dressiest night of the year in Homewood. The gala takes its cue from 1926, with a red carpet welcome, music from the Homewood Pops, stories from the city's past, Homewood memorabilia, and a live auction. Mayor Jennifer Andress and Chris Cooper emcee. Tickets are on sale now through the city's Centennial page, and every dollar raised goes to Sims Garden, the teaching garden Catherine Anville Sims envisioned for the community.
Friday, October 16, brings a Centennial Brunch at the Homewood Rec Center that honors the city's former living mayors and City Council members. The city says more details are coming, so check the Centennial page the week of.
04 — October 17The Centennial Picnic
Centennial Picnic
This is the one to circle. The whole city spills into Central Park for an afternoon of performances from the Homewood High School Band and Show Choir, live entertainment, food trucks, and activities throughout the afternoon. 3 On a String takes the stage at 5 p.m., right as the light starts turning gold.
The morning has its own event. A Centennial cake decorating contest takes entries from bakers of all ages between 10 a.m. and noon, and the winners get announced at the picnic at 2:15 p.m. The categories include Best 12 and Under, Best Centennial Themed, Best Decorated, Best Tasting, and a Grand Champion. Mayor Andress and School Superintendent Justin Heffner are among the judges. Registration is linked from the city's Centennial page.
"A hundred years in, Homewood still feels like the neighborhood where everybody knows the barista's name and the band director's too."
05 — October 29The official birthday
Homewood's actual 100th birthday lands on a Thursday, and the city is marking it with a time capsule burial at the Homewood Public Library. It's a quieter moment than the picnic, and that's the charm of it. If you've got kids in Homewood schools, this is the one they'll remember when somebody digs the capsule up.
While you're in the centennial mood, pull up the city's interactive map of Homewood's 100-year-old houses. It's linked from the Centennial page, and it makes a surprisingly good self-guided stroll through the older streets on a cool fall afternoon. Residents can even submit their own century-old home for the map.
06 — Where to EatA local's table map
Every Centennial outing needs a meal around it, and Homewood makes that easy. Here's the quick version. For the full morning rundown, see our Homewood brunch guide.
SoHo Square. SoHo Standard at 1830 29th Ave S serves weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with bottomless tapas and complimentary mimosas, and it takes reservations, which matters on picnic Saturday. Next door, Social Taco at 1831 28th Ave S keeps brunch going until 4 on Saturdays.
18th Street and 28th Avenue. Salem's Diner at 2913 18th St S is the old-school Saturday breakfast, open until 3. Around the corner, Demetri's at 1901 28th Ave S has been in the same spot since 1973. Big Bad Breakfast at 1926 29th Ave S is open every day from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Edgewood and West Row. Frothy Monkey at 930 Oxmoor Rd is the all-day café with a kids' menu, and Ruby Sunshine at 1017 Oxmoor Rd does New Orleans-style brunch on a waitlist system. Out at West Row, El Barrio at 195 Oxmoor Rd serves Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., which pairs neatly with the film night on October 4.
07 — Bonus WeekendFall Festival
Got little ones? The week after the picnic, Homewood Parks' Fall Festival brings inflatables, a costume contest, a DJ, and food trucks back to Central Park on Sunday, October 25, from 2 to 5 p.m. With the Centennial picnic a week earlier and the birthday four days later, the last two weeks of October are about as Homewood as it gets.
08 — Picnic SaturdayHour by hour
Here's how we'd run October 17 for a group of friends or a couple of families.
- 9:30 a.m. Pickup in Birmingham. Over Red Mountain and into Homewood in minutes.
- 10:00 a.m. Drop the bakers and their cake for the contest, then head to brunch.
- 10:15 a.m. Brunch at SoHo Standard, which started serving at 10. Claim the patio and settle in.
- 12:30 p.m. Walk off brunch along 18th Street and the SoHo shops.
- 2:00 p.m. The Centennial Picnic opens at Central Park.
- 2:15 p.m. Cake contest winners announced. Cheer loud for the under-12 bakers.
- 5:00 p.m. 3 On a String takes the stage.
- 7:00 p.m. The picnic wraps, and everyone rides home together.
09 — Make It EffortlessLeave the car at home
Every big Homewood event runs into the same problem: a lot of people, a lot of cars, and not much parking near the park. The Van Go Luxe Sprinter seats up to ten, so your whole crew gets dropped near the action and picked up when the music ends, with no hunt for a spot and no one stuck as designated driver on gala night. Take the keys yourself or add a chauffeur. Centennial weekend will book up, so check your dates and reserve early.
When is Homewood's 100th birthday?
Homewood was incorporated on October 29, 1926, so its official 100th birthday is Thursday, October 29, 2026. The city is marking the day with a time capsule burial at the Homewood Public Library.
What happens at the Homewood Centennial Picnic?
The Centennial Picnic runs Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Central Park. It includes the Homewood High School Band and Show Choir, food trucks, activities, the cake decorating contest winners at 2:15 p.m., and 3 On a String at 5 p.m.
How do I get tickets to the Homewood Centennial Gala?
The Centennial Gala is Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 6 p.m. at City Hall Plaza and Rosewood Hall. Tickets and sponsorships are available through the City of Homewood's Centennial page, and proceeds benefit Sims Garden.
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