The Birmingham law firm of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt is sponsoring this week’s Bards & Brews in honor of William Shakespeare—”The Original Bard”—on Friday, April 7, 2017, at the Avondale Regional Branch Library.

It will be the third monthly Bards & Brews held this year to help raise funds to keep BPL’s poetry event alive. The event, which combines spoken word with craft beer, is in need of extra money to offset the costs after a grant that provided funding the past six years expired. Poet Lee Green and longtime host Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins are among a dedicated group of community supporters working with BPL staff to save Bards & Brews 

Like the Bards & Brews held at the Central Library the first Fridays in February and March, the April 7 one at the Avondale Library will also be a “pay as you can” event with donations accepted at the door. Entertainment will be provided at 6:30 p.m. by Etc. Bham with poetry beginning at 7:00 p.m. Craft beer will be provided by the Avondale Brewing Co. The J. Clyde will be pouring the beer. Kim West of Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt said her firm “takes a lively interest in the cultural life of Birmingham, and is proud to promote poetry and spoken word performances at the Birmingham Public Library during April, Shakespeare’s birthday month.”

Birmingham Public Library Development Director Olivia Alison said she appreciates the law firm stepping up to sponsor this Friday’s Bards & Brews. “Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt also sponsored our April 2016 Bards & Brews tribute marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. We are delighted to partner with the firm again this year.”

Any other organization or individual interested in becoming a sponsor of Bards & Brews or other BPL programs can contact Olivia Alison at 205-226-3613 or oalison@bham.lib.al.us. You may also make donations at www.bplonline.org/about/contributions/ or send donations to Birmingham Public Library, Development Department, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203.

For more information about Bards & Brews, call Brandon C. Smith of the Eastwood Branch Library at 205-591-4944 or email him at bcsmith@bham.lib.al.us. Follow Bards & Brews on Facebook and look for more news on fundraising efforts on the BPL website at www.bplonline.org.