City Council president touts Legion Field as events venue

Birmingham City Council President William Parker would like to bring outdoor festivals to Legion Field, according to a council news release.

His vision is to market Legion Field as a location for music festivals and other large outdoor events, such as a food truck festival, in the coming months.

“We want organizers to know that Legion Field is open for business,” Parker said in the release. “It’s an amazing space for concerts and festivals, with plenty of room for multiple stages, vendors and everything you’d need to put on a great event.”

The 72,000-seat stadium sits on 100 acres and has ample space for social distancing, Parker said.

He notes the big turnout, including tailgaters, at the annual Magic City Classic football game between Alabama State and Alabama A&M.

“It’s easy to see something similar in terms of a music festival or food truck festival,” Parker said.

“We have so many great restaurants and food trucks here and we want to have local businesses come out and showcase all the amazing food Birmingham has to offer, in a way that is safe and in line with social distancing protocols,” Parker said. 

On Saturday, November 7, Legion Field will be the site of the 2020 Funk Fest, a music and entertainment festival that is expected to have an economic impact of up to $3 million. 

Parker said he is looking to possibly extend Funk Fest to a three-day event next year. 

 “It’s my goal to bring as many outdoor festivals to Legion Field as possible while we continue to redefine how we use one of the city’s most iconic venues,” he said. 

President Parker said he is also looking at ways to bring regular drive-in movies to McClendon Park, which surrounds Legion Field