Boots, bolo ties and a splash of blue are the suggested dress code for Thursday's Barrel & Blues: An Elevated Southern Evening, a free fundraiser blending a Southern supper, live music and a spirits tasting at a Vestavia Hills senior living community. The event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at 3171 Highway 280, with proceeds benefiting the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
The gathering takes place at Overture Tributary, a 173-unit active adult community for residents 55 and older that opened in 2023 and is managed by global real estate firm Greystar, according to Vestavia Voice. Greystar has expanded its active adult housing portfolio nationwide in recent years to meet demand for maintenance-free senior living without on-site healthcare services, according to Senior Housing News. The property is at 3171 Highway 280 in Vestavia Hills, per ApartmentRatings.
Southern Supper, Spirits Tasting And A Night Of Two-Stepping
Guests will dig into a Southern supper catered by Saw's BBQ alongside a spirits tasting fundraiser presented with Patina, Pages & Pours and signature cocktails, per the same account. Musician Carl Hoss is set to provide live music spanning country, blues, Southern rock and classic favorites, and organizers say guests may dance, line dance or two-step throughout the evening. Organizers are encouraging a western cocktail theme with something blue, suggesting polished evening wear accented by boots, bolo ties, denim, hats or touches of blue, the report notes. Admission is free, but seating is limited and an RSVP is encouraged. More information is available at overturetributary.com or by calling 205-905-6000.
Saw's BBQ traces back to 2009, when former Cooking Light test-kitchen chef Mike Wilson opened the Homewood restaurant, building a Carolina-style pulled pork and Alabama white sauce menu that grew into a recognized local brand, according to Saw's BBQ. Wilson, known by the high school nickname that inspired the restaurant's name, died unexpectedly in September 2020 at age 47. His children, Tuc and Reese Wilson, took over ownership of the brand and the flagship Homewood location, which went on to win Alabama's Retailer of the Year award in November 2023, per the Alabama Retail Association. Franchise partners now operate additional Saw's locations in Hoover, Leeds and Southside. The restaurant also recently took part in Taste of Hoover at Aldridge Gardens, according to Hoodline's coverage of that food festival.
A Beverage Partner Joins The Bill
Patina, Pages & Pours is the beverage partner for the evening's spirits tasting.
Funds Support The Greater Birmingham Humane Society
The event benefits the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, founded in 1883 by Birmingham school superintendent Dr. John Herbert Phillips and recognized as the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Alabama, according to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. The organization was originally established as the Birmingham Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Animals.
The shelter's workload has stayed heavy in recent weeks. Hoodline recently reported that the organization took in 22 dogs rescued from a hoarding and neglect case requiring urgent medical care. Earlier this month, it also coordinated an emergency airlift of 30 rescue dogs to Massachusetts shelters through the MSPCA-Angell program to clear local kennel space amid severe weather threats, as Hoodline detailed in its report on dogs fleeing Hurricane Isaias for new lives up north.
Part Of A Busy Fall Calendar In Vestavia Hills
Barrel & Blues also lands amid Vestavia Hills' autumn events calendar. The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce has an event scheduled for Oct. 22, 2026.
