Arlington House to Host Christmas Brunch as Part of its Harmony and Heritage Initiative

Arlington Historic House and Gardens in Birmingham, AL will host a Christmas brunch on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 from 10 a.m. to Noon to highlight Black history and several initiatives the venue will launch in 2025. Tickets are $20, and reservations must be made in advance.

Arlington House is located at 331 Cotton Ave. SW.  To RSVP, please use their Google doc here. If you are having trouble accessing the link, call Arlington at 205-780-5656. They open Tuesday – Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Dec. 14 event is part of the Harmony and Heritage Lunch series, which was launched in September 2024 as a way to provide a space for healing, wellness and Black history highlights while consuming a fulfilling meal. Past lunches have featured grilled salmon atop mashed potatoes, lemon rosemary herb chicken, homemade chicken pot pie, salads, desserts and more.

The Dec. 14 brunch will feature scrambled eggs, plain grits, cheese grits, shrimp and grits, French toast, blueberry syrup, orange juice, mint-infused orange juice, roasted root vegetables, turkey sausage, turkey bacon, Spanish rice, coffee cake, tea and coffee.

The effort was made possible through a partnership with Arlington House and Birmingham native and attorney Ashley Mann of the Sandpiper Advisory Group. She sees this is a chance for people to connect, talk and grow in history.

In the past, Arlington offered lunches on the first Thursday of the month as a way for the community to experience top-notch dining at a historic Birmingham landmark. Mann worked with Toby Richards, director of the Arlington House, to rebrand the monthly lunches to add more cultural aspects to it. They now call the monthly lunch series, Harmony and Heritage.

“This was part of Mayor Woodfin’s 2025 Vision, and part of that was to continue to make the city’s spaces a more inclusive Birmingham for our residents,” Richards said. “All of our spaces can be redefined and reimagined.”

“So far, the response from the public has overwhelming. Each lunch series sells out, which tells me that people want to see more of this,” Richards said.

The Harmony and Heritage Lunch Series has featured everything from homemade chicken pot pie to lemon rosemary chicken. The Dec. 14 brunch will feature shrimp and grits, French toast and more. (Photo by Chanda Temple)
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The Dec. 14 brunch will be the last one for 2024. They will return with the lunch series on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. The Thursday lunches will be from 12 to 1 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Reservations must be made in advance. Tickets are $15.

Arlington House Chef Matt Murphree does the meals. However, guest chefs from the community have collaborated with Murphree on some past events with the Harmony and Heritage series. Tablescapes have included rosemary and other herbs. They are unexpected and spark conversations.

“Harmony and Heritage is more than just a delicious meal. It’s a way to connect, learn and grow together.”

Plans for a new community garden at Arlington, juicing programs, a meal prep program and other developments will be announced soon.

Mann said that each program has been crafted to foster community bonding, deepen an understanding of heritage and showcase the healing power of shared experiences.

“Harmony and Heritage stands as a testament to the unifying and restorative impact that food, culture and community can have on healing,” Mann said.