2025

2025 is the 154th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• January 31–February 2: World of Wheels Custom Auto Show at the BJCC.
• March 15: A major tornado outbreak struck central Alabama.
• March 25: University of Alabama doctoral researcher Alireza Doroudi was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• April 4: The 4-unit Cullom Flats apartments were damaged by fire.
• April 12–13: Sloss Drone Derby at Sloss Furnaces
• May 17: Birmingham Folk Festival at Avondale Park.
• October 3–5: Furnace Fest 2025 at Sloss Furnaces.
• October 11–12: Iron Hills Music Festival at Sloss Furnaces.
• October 18: Magic City Flow Fest at Legion Field.

Business

• January 3: President Joe Biden issued an executive order to prevent the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel of Tokyo, Japan.
• January 6: IHeartMedia's 103.1 The Vulcan switched from active rock to hip-hop and R&B as 103.1 The Beat.
• January: Proxsys Rx merged with Maxor National Pharmacy Services of Plano, Texas.
• January: Norton's Florist acquired Shirley's Flowers & Events in Trussville.
• February: Carole Griffin sold Continental Bakery and Chez Lulu to David Griner.
• February 5: Jared Briskin succeeded Mike Longo as CEO of Hibbett Sports.
• February: Finovifi acquired Modern Banking Systems of Omaha, Nebraska.
• February: Moe's Original BBQ reopened its Lakeview location after repairs.
• March 10: Harbert Management Corporation acquired the Hamakua Energy Plant in Honokaa, Hawai'i from Pacific Current LLC.
• April 1: Rock Helms opened Helms Healthcare in Vincent.

Establishments

• January 6: Yo' Mama's opened its new location at 2024 4th Avenue North.
• January: Tyesha Howard opened Alive & Well Counseling at the GreaterWorx Business & Creative Space in Five Points West.
• January: Naimah Alicia Elmore and Rashad "Roc" Harrell opened Alicia's Coffee in the A. G. Gaston Motel.
• February 7: Cousins Ketut Sukra, Kadek Sudarsana and Ketus Sutama opened Han'ei Kaya Sushi Grill at Edgewood Station in Homewood.
• February: Wil Jones opened Dobber's Five Points Pub in the Highland Point Plaza building.
• February: Theo Pettway opened Sparrow Salon in the Avondale Mills Shopping Center.
• February 15: Dennis Maple opened Sauce & Suds at 1035 20th Street South.
• February: Warren Webster opened Burning Tree Smokehouse on 3rd Avenue South.
• March 10: Rob and Emily McDaniel opened Bayonet on 3rd Avenue North.
• March 21: Whammy Coffee opened in the Denham Building.
• March 24: Capella Pizzeria opened at Uptown.
• March 25: Bruto opened at the Avondale Mills Shopping Center.
• March 29: Leafly Boba Bar opened at Urban Supply.
• May: Woodrow Washington III opened Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ in the former Rib-It-Up location on 1st Avenue North in Smithfield.
• The Painted Lady boutique hotel, in the Raden building on 22nd Street South.
• Harbor Freight opened a location of Academy Avenue in Bessemer.

Disestablishments

• January 3: Marty's PM closed.
• January 8: Nitto Inc. announced the closure if its manufacturing plant at Bevill Industrial Park in Jasper.
• January 8: Alabama Media Group shuttered its "Reckon" social media project.
• January: Ferus on 41st / Avondale Common House closed.
• February 1: East Pole Coffee Co. closed.
• February: Complete Health of Jacksonville, Florida acquired West Jefferson Internal Medicine.
• February: Oak Mountain Brewing Company closed.
• February: The original location of Alicia's Coffee in Vincent closed.
• February 20: Concourse Financial Group was split with its divisions acquired by Cetera Financial Group of San Diego, California and Simplicity Financial of Summit, New Jersey.
• February 23: Our Place Lounge closed.
• March 19: Walgreens at Western Hills Plaza in Midfield closed.
• March 23: The AMC CLASSIC Lee Branch 15 cinema closed.
• March: First Community Bank of Cullman was acquired by Legacy Community Federal Credit Union.
• 3rd/4th quarter: Southern States Bank of Anniston was acquired by FirstBank of Nashville, Tennessee

Education

• January 1: Alabama's CHOOSE Act went into effect.

Government

• January 6: The Birmingham Crime Commission report was released.
• January 7: The Birmingham City Council approved a $750,000 settlement to resolve "Hardin v. City of Birmingham."
• January 14: Randall Woodfin delivered his 2025 State of the City address.
• February 1: The Alabama Department of Workforce was established.
• February 5: The 2025 Alabama legislative session began.
• February 5: Garlan Gudger was elected president pro tem of the Alabama State Senate.
• March 4: 2025 Tuscaloosa municipal election
• March 20: The Jefferson County Commission approved the sale of the Hallmark Farm property to the Agriculture Exhibition Center Corporation for redevelopment as the Alabama Farm Center.
• April 1: Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin appointed interim Birmingham Police chief Michael Pickett to the permanent job.
• April 2: National Endowment for the Humanities funds for the Alabama Humanities Alliance were withdrawn.
• August 26: 2025 Jefferson County municipal elections
• November 1: The newly-established 5-member Homewood City Council was sworn in.

Religion

• Jennifer Sanders retired as pastor of Beloved Community Church

Sports

• January 19: The University of Alabama Co-Ed Cheer Squad won the Division IA Coed championship at the UCA College Nationals in Orlando, Florida.
• February 27–March 1: 2025 AHSAA Boys & Girls Basketball Championships at Legacy Arena
• March 22: 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championships at Legacy Arena
• March 22: Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship at Protective Stadium
• March 28–31: 2025 Women's Southeast regional Semifinals and finals at Legacy Arena
• April 9: Tom Soehn was fired as head coach of Birmingham Legion FC.
• May 2–4: 2025 Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park
• May 14–18: Regions Tradition at Greystone Golf and Country Club
• June 27–July 6: 2025 World Police and Fire Games

Professional teams

• 2025 Birmingham Barons (Minor League Baseball, Double-A South)
• 2025 Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship)
• 2025 Birmingham Squadron (NBA G League)
• 2025 Birmingham Stallions (UFL)

Individuals

• Rob Blalock succeeded Jim Gorrie as CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie.
• Mac Underwood succeeded Darryl Jones as general manager of the Birmingham Water Works.
• Meghann Bridgeman succeeded Kathy Faulk as director of the Alabama Film Office.
• Luke Allen was named CEO of OHD.
• Katherine Smith was named CEO of the Birmingham Association of Realtors.
• LaShundra Pinkard was made interim CEO of the Women's Foundation of Alabama.
• Thomas Boulware succeeded Jaye Loggins as chief of the Mountain Brook Police Department.
• Bucky McMillan was hired as head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team.
• Dan Pile retired as CEO of YMCA of Greater Birmingham.
• Brandan Lanman succeeded Amy Templeton as CEO of the McWane Science Center.

Awards

• Alabama Sports Hall of Fame: Roberta Baumgardner, Keith Butler, Otis Davis, Jason Dufner, Mark Ingram Jr, Mike Mitchell, Butch Moore, and Frank Warren
• January 5: Miss Alabama 2024 Abbie Stockard was crowned Miss America.

Retirements

• John Oros retired from the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau
• University of Alabama president Stuart Bell resigned.
• November: Mountain Brook city manager Sam Gaston retired.

Deaths

Bill Cabaniss

• January 5: Bob Veale, All-Star pitcher
• January 6: Mark Meadows, Irondale Police lieutenant
• February 2: Bill Cabaniss, former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic
• February 11: Annie Joe Edwards, actor
• February 13: Troy Perry Jr, Birmingham planning official
• March 8: Nadia Bajalieh, restaurateur
• March 16: Birdie Manning, civil rights figure
• March 19: Larry Barton, former Mayor of Talladega
• March 29: Alejandro "El Potrillo" Castillo Andrade, founder of La Chula 97.5
  • List of homicides in 2025

Works

• "Joe Lycett's United States of Birmingham" aired on Sky TV in the United Kingdom

Books

• Woodfin, Randall & Edward T. Bowser (2025) Son of Birmingham. Diversion Books
• Okeowo, Alexis (2025) Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama. Henry Holt and Co. ISBN 9781250206220
• Sutton, Marie A. (2025) All That Remains. Storehouse Voices

Buildings

Medical Properties Trust building

• 2441 International Park Place
• Birmingham Electrical Contractors headquarters on Cahaba Valley Road
• Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Druid Hills
• Cooper Green Clinic
• Courtyard by Marriott Residence Inn by Marriott Grandview
• Douglas Manufacturing idler plant
• Element Hotel (Brown Marx Building)
• A. G. Gaston Motel renovation
• Gorrie Hall at UAB
• Heardmont Estates
• Lakeview Marina multi-tenant building
• Medical Properties Trust building
• New Ramsay-McCormack building
• Samford University new residence hall
• Shoppes at District 31
• Pat Sullivan Field renovations at John Carroll Catholic High School
• The Tramont condominiums
• UAB Science & Engineering Complex
• Wald Park Pedestrian Bridge
• Westminster School Community Life Center
• January 9: Ground was broken for the McWane Economic Education Center.
• March 19: The Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing exhibit opened at the Birmingham Zoo.

Demolitions

• January: Lloyd's Restaurant on U.S. Highway 280
• Oak Mountain Amphitheater in Pelham
• Southern Bridge Co. building on 1st Avenue South
• Zula's on Highland Avenue
• Woodlawn Frostop building on 1st Avenue South
• Carraway Hospital Deck 3

Context

In 2025, Donald Trump began his second term as President of the United States, marked by mass layoffs across social service and regulatory agencies and breaks with diplomatic and trading partners, including steep tariffs on imports. KFC moved its offices to Plano, Texas.

Notable deaths in 2025 included those of actors Richard Chamberlain, Gene Hackman, and Val Kilmer; boxer George Foreman; director David Lynch, landscape architect M. Paul Friedberg; musician Roberta Flack; and novelist Tom Robbins.

2020s

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