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The International Day of Birmingham celebrates the historic alliance between the original city of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, and the more than a dozen other Birminghams of North America,

Together this group of places make up the United States of Birmingham. Official Friendship Agreements, gathered by the Lord Mayor’s chosen ambassador Joe Harry Lycett, commit to a formal network and lasting friendship between all the Birminghams.

On this day, forever more, the good people of Birminghams all over the world will pause and recognize their collective Brummie-ness with a chant of ‘Alright Bab’.

How to Celebrate International Day of Birmingham

Learn Fun Facts About Birmingham

One of the most enjoyable ways to celebrate International Day of Birmingham might be to brush up on a few interesting bits of trivia about the original city in England that bears the name.

Check out a few of these to enjoy, talk about at work or even share on social media:

  • Birmingham has 35 miles of canals, which is more than Venice, Italy

  • In recent years, one claim to fame is that it is the youngest city in Europe, with 40% of its population falling under the age of 25

  • The birthplace of Heavy Metal music is here, with the Black Sabbath album released in 1970

  • Birmingham houses the first indoor city shopping mall built in the UK, the Bullring Centre, which was built in 1964

Visit a Town Called Birmingham

Certainly one of the best ways to celebrate this event would be to be sure to get to one of these towns or cities for a visit.

Some of them might be less-than-impressive, but still could be a delightful way to spend the day.

Make a Birmingham Bucket List

Perhaps it would be fun to make it a lifetime achievement to visit every one of the Birminghams in honor of International Day of Birmingham. Make it part of a bucket list, just for fun!

History of International Day of Birmingham

Evolving from being a tiny market town in the 7th century to the fastest growing city in the 19th century, Birmingham, UK is the original city that this entire day is founded upon.

But, fostered by the spread of the people settling and starting up cities and towns across the Atlantic, the beloved city of Birmingham ended up with quite a few namesakes.

Fourteen namesakes, to be exact – and all of them are in North America. Thirteen are in the United States and one in the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan. Many people know about what is probably the most famous US city by this name, located in Alabama.

But did you know that there are towns and cities by this name located in States scattered throughout the eastern half of the US? From Connecticut all the way to Kansas, there are different places who bear this name.

And even more confusing? Three states, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana, actually have two each! In fact, Ohio used to have three, but it is now part of Lafayette Township.

International Day of Birmingham is an opportunity to invite all of these unique and interesting towns and cities to embrace and celebrate the main thing they have in common – their name.

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