Early March brings a landmark zoo opening, a chili showdown, living history on Dauphin Island and a full slate of arts events across South Alabama. Here is what’s on the calendar.
The Little Zoo That Could Opens Its New Home
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo — famous as “The Little Zoo That Could” — opens to the public at its new Gulf Shores location, 20499 Oak Road East, on Tuesday, March 11, finally moving the menagerie out of the flood zone that forced three evacuations of its old site.
Food, Fundraisers and History
The American Cancer Society’s Chili Cook-off fires up Mardi Gras Park on Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with competing teams, live music and proceeds funding cancer research and patient support. Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island hosts a WWII Living History Event the same day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with drills, period camping and blacksmithing in the fort’s original shop. Historic Blakeley State Park pairs local bluegrass band String Farm with storyteller Donnie Barrett, longtime director of the Fairhope Museum of History, for a bonfire evening Friday, March 6. Downtown Fairhope’s Art Walk also runs that evening, and Operation Clean Sweep offers Mobile County residents free dumping at the Irvington Landfill on March 7.
Arts and Letters
Autism2Ability brings Roman Street, authors Winston Groom, John Sledge and Watt Key, and art exhibits to the Daphne Civic Center Wednesday, March 11, with tickets from $55 to $65. The USA Symphony Band gives its winter concert Thursday, March 5, at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. The Mobile Symphony presents “Vivace” at the Saenger Theatre March 7-8 featuring teenage cello prodigy Sujari Britt, while Mobile Ballet artistic director Katia Garza appears with her limited-release film at Ben May Main Library on March 7-8. Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee” closes at the Crescent Theater on March 8, and “Seussical Jr.” plays Bellingrath Gardens’ Great Lawn on Friday, March 6.
Races and More
The Funky Monkey 5K starts at USA’s Matriarch Bell Tower on Saturday, March 14, and Children’s of Alabama’s Tee Off Fore a Cure golf benefit spans March 6-7 at Lakewood Golf Club, marking its 15th year. Ongoing museum exhibits include “Ancient Rome: The Empire That Shaped the World” at the History Museum of Mobile through April 5 and “Dinosaurs Around the World” at the Exploreum through May 10; the Mobile Museum of Art continues free Thursday admission for county residents.