Dinner plans come with a friendly competition this month: BirminghamBURGER runs through October 31, 2026, and diners help choose the winning restaurant.

Participating downtown restaurants are serving special burger entries. Order one and rate its taste, presentation and creativity through the official event site.

The lineup includes Adachi, Hazel’s, Birmingham Pub, Market North End, Sal’s and Tallulah. Seafood fans have options, too: Streetside Seafood lists a Buffalo Shrimp Burger, while Rugby Grille at the Townsend Hotel contributes a salmon burger.

Make it a small dinner series with friends: choose a few contenders on separate evenings and compare favorites. These are suggestions for planning an outing, rather than reviews of burgers we have tasted. One dinner is enough to join in; you can rate additional entries on later visits without planning a single oversized food crawl.

Browse the official photographs and lineup before choosing, then confirm the event burger’s price, service hours and reservation arrangements with the restaurant. Order the competition entry specifically rather than assuming its regular burger is the same dish.

The event continues all month, so a weekday dinner works too. Municipal garages offer their first two hours free Monday through Saturday. Send a friend the lineup and let the dinner debate begin.

Bev’s Bagels is a Birmingham opening to watch. Detroit Metro Times reported September 1 that the Detroit sourdough bagel business planned a location at 283 Hamilton Row, with a projected September opening.

An exact opening date was not given in that report. As of October 4, the company’s official location page did not confirm a Birmingham address or operating hours, so we have not verified that the shop is open.

The existing Bev’s menu offers a glimpse of the concept: organic sourdough bagels, creative schmears and substantial breakfast sandwiches. Examples include za’atar bagels, chili crisp schmear and The Gambler, featuring egg, hash brown, ham and cheddar.

Those are examples from the general menu, rather than a confirmed Birmingham menu. The reported Hamilton Row expansion would give residents a potential downtown breakfast and lunch stop.

Watch the company’s official updates for a confirmed local opening, hours and ordering link before making a special trip. The accompanying counter photo shows the existing Detroit shop; the bagel photograph is illustrative.

Share this with your bagel-loving friend, but keep breakfast plans flexible until Birmingham service is confirmed. Once local hours and ordering details are posted, confirm that you have selected the Birmingham location before planning your first visit.

Birmingham has a Halloween weekend worth penciling into the family calendar: the Pumpkin Patch at Shain Park on Saturday, October 24, followed by the farmers market’s season finale on Sunday, October 25.

Current 2026 previews list the Pumpkin Patch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 270 West Merrill Street, with free admission. Oakland County Moms advertises pumpkin decorating, train rides, face painting, music, a magician and Baldwin Library storytime.

LittleGuide Detroit also lists the date and family attractions. Since the previews describe somewhat different activities, check with the City of Birmingham for the final program and any last-minute changes.

The daytime outing gives children a chance to wear costumes before Halloween night. Invite another family, choose a few activities and allow for outdoor October weather. Budget separately for purchases or food. A costume with room for a jacket can make the park visit easier, and families can choose their favorite activities without trying to visit every station.

Sunday’s Birmingham Farmers Market finale runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Public Parking Lot 6, 660 North Old Woodward Avenue. The organizer advertises Halloween-themed fun and lists Weekend Comeback on its music schedule.

Choose one event or make a weekend of it. Share the dates with friends and relatives who would enjoy a downtown autumn outing.