This weekend's events include the Chattanooga Outdoor Festival and the Hot Slaw and Art Y'all Festival in Cleveland. Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors and Hamilton County Parks and Recreation both have weekend festivities, and there's going to be several art and vendor markets in the area. Here's the chronology.
ARTS
— Photographic Society of Chattanooga continues its spring show at the Gallery at Blackwell, 71 Eastgate Loop. Society members will have their work displayed, and prints will be available for purchase. Gallery hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The exhibition will run through May 3. Learn more at chattanoogaphoto.org.
— Association for Visual Arts, 30 Frazier Ave., continues its exhibition, "Nature's Generosity: Wilderness Photography Foundation," featuring the works of 46 nature photographers that showcase the beauty and diversity of plant and animal life. Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, noon-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The exhibition will run through April 17. Learn more at avarts.org.
— University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Art and the Institute of Contemporary Art continue the 2024 Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Thesis Exhibition through April 20 in the institute's gallery inside the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St. Half of the exhibition's 28 student artists will have their works displayed through Saturday, while the second half will have artist talks and an opening reception April 12, with their works on view from April 12-20. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Learn more at icachatt.org.
— In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave., will host an opening reception for its exhibition, "Folksy Fish," from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. The exhibition features the ceramic fish sculptures created by McCallie's eighth grade art students. The sculptures were inspired by the work of North Carolina Appalachian folk artists. The reception will include music by the McCallie String Quartet and appetizers and olive oil tastings from Zi Olive. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The exhibition will run through April 27. Learn more at intowngallery.com.
— Area 61 Gallery, 721 Broad St., Suite 100, will host an opening reception for its exhibition, "Perfect Pairing," from 6-8 p.m. Thursday. The exhibition features the works of artists Mark and Melissa Gates, whose creations "juxtapose Mark's textural distortions with Melissa's steady-handed realism." The Gates' works will be on display through May 31. The gallery will have its First Friday open house 6-8 p.m. Friday, featuring mix and mingle opportunities with the gallery's local artists. Gallery hours are noon-6 p.m. Monday, Thursday-Sunday and by appointment Tuesday-Wednesday. Learn more at area61gallery.com.
— Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View, will host an "Art and Issues" session at 6 p.m. Thursday. The event will feature William Newlin and Gabrielle Chevalier of The Enterprise Center's Chattamatters civic storytelling initiative, who will explore a new media artwork from the museum's current exhibition, "Networked Nature," and discuss technology and the changing community. The event is free and open to all. Learn more at huntermuseum.org.
— Southern Adventist University School of Visual Art and Design will host an opening reception for its student exhibition, "Insignificance," at 6 p.m. Thursday in the John C. Williams Art Gallery on the second floor of Brock Hall on the university's campus, 4881 Taylor Circle. The exhibition features the works of Sydney Bischoff, a senior fine art major, focusing on smaller moments in life. The exhibition will run through April 16. Learn more at southern.edu/artgallery.
— ClearStory Arts, 1673 S. Holtzclaw Ave., will host an opening reception for its exhibition,"Green: A Spring Showcase," from 6-8 p.m. Friday. Works in the exhibition encompass a variety of mediums and focus on the color and meaning of green. The exhibition will run through April 27. Also from 6-8 p.m. Friday, the gallery will have its First Friday open house, featuring open studios, a mini market, live demonstrations and more. From 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, the gallery will host its Spring Chicken Art Market, featuring local artists, food and drinks, live music and more. Learn more at clearstoryarts.com.
— Hixson Wildcats Fine Arts Fest will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Hixson High School, 5705 Middle Valley Road, Hixson. The event will be a display of artistry and talent, featuring a maker's market, community arts organizations, competitions, a silent auction, performances, food and more. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for students; children 5 and under get in free. The event supports the school's fine arts programming. Learn more at hixsonhightn.memberhub.com.
DANCE
— Chattanooga Ballet will present "Sleeping Beauty" and a new work by Dwight Rhoden at 6 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St. Tickets cost $20-$40. Learn more at chaballet.org.
MUSIC
— Barrelhouse Ballroom, 1501 Long St., will have multiple shows going into next week. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Steely Dead, a "sonic fusion of Steely Dan and Grateful Dead," will perform; tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 the day of show. At 9 p.m. Thursday, Marauda will perform; tickets cost $30-$40. At 6 p.m. Friday, Pickleball Project will present Folk Around, Find Out; a free event. At 9 p.m. Friday, Sam Holt Band will perform and tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 the day of show. At 9 p.m. Saturday, Peachtree Entertainment will present Zach Top with Elijah Wise; tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 the day of show. At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Ayla Nereo with Biko Casini and The New Quintet will perform, tickets cost $35 in advance or $40 the day of show. Children 10 and under get in free. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Pickleball Project will present Et Cetera. That event is free. Learn more at barrelhouseballroom.com.
— The Signal, 21 Choo Choo Ave., will have two shows going into the weekend. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Flipturn with Richy Mitch and The Coal Miners will perform; tickets cost $37-$59. At 8 p.m. Friday, Thunderstruck, an AC/DC tribute band, will perform; tickets cost $28-$59. Learn more at thesignaltn.com.
— The Woodshop Listening Room, 5500 St. Elmo Ave., will have two shows this weekend. At 8 p.m. Friday, Celtic group The Tannahill Weavers will perform; tickets cost $25 in advance or $31 the day of show. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Anya Hinkle with Finn Magill will perform with a $10 suggested donation. Learn more at thewoodshoplisteningroom.com.
— UTC student and composer Katherine Fair will debut her original works for winds, strings and percussion at a free chamber concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the university's Cadek Hall, 725 Oak St. The concert will feature local Chattanooga talent and fellow students. For more information, contact Fair at katherinegfair@gmail.com.
— Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga will host "Broadway Cabaret at the J" from 5-7 p.m. Sunday at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. The cabaret will feature solo, duet and group performances of songs from 16 musicals, with accompaniment by pianist and composer Michael Huseman. Tickets cost $15 per person and include wine, beer, other drinks and food. Learn more at jewishchattanooga.com.
— Southern Adventist University School of Music will host a spring choral concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Ackerman Auditorium of Mabel Wood Hall on the university's campus, 4881 Taylor Circle. Directed by Gennevieve Brown-Kibble and featuring the Bel Canto, Die Meistersinger and I Cantori ensembles, the concert will showcase excerpts from musical theater, including "Les Miserables," "South Pacific" and "The Sound of Music." The free concert will also be livestreamed. Learn more at southern.edu/musicevents.
— Soprano Janelle Wagoner and pianist Ethan McGrath will have a Chattanooga Art Song Series performance at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 400 Glenwood Drive. The duo will perform a selection of American art songs, including Aaron Copland's "Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson," Samuel Barber's "Hermit Songs" and Alice Parker's "On Recollecting." There will be champagne following the performance. There is a suggested donation of $20. Additional dates for the song series are May 14 and June 18. Learn more at ethanmcgrath.com/artsong.
OUT & ABOUT
— Dalton State College faculty members will host a panel and community discussion with local author and attorney McCracken Poston from 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesday in Room 105 of Brown Hall on the college's campus, 650 College Drive in Dalton. Poston will discuss his recent book, "Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom," which focuses on a notorious Ringgold murder trial. For more information, contact Jacqueline Boals at jboals@daltonstate.edu.
— Northside Neighborhood House will continue celebrating its 100th anniversary by hosting a fashion show from 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall, 890 Riverfront Parkway. The show will feature clothing items from the nonprofit's thrift stores that represent the different decades of the organization's existence; local models will walk the runway, representing each decade. Drinks and heavy hors d'oeuvres will be provided. Tickets cost $50 per person. Learn more at nnhouse.org/events.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Visitors enjoy Rock the Riverfront on the Chattanooga Green on March 17. Rock the Riverfront continues with this weekend's theme, "Retro Rewind," from 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday. The event features "Loop," an interactive work that plays short flip-book-style movies inspired by Quebec literature.— Rock the Riverfront continues with this weekend's theme, "Retro Rewind," from 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday at the Chattanooga Green, 140 Riverfront Parkway. The event features "Loop," an interactive work that plays short flip-book-style movies inspired by Quebec literature; live performances; food trucks; artist vendors; and more. On Saturday, there will be a tai chi class at 10 a.m., a soul aerobic line dancing class at 2 p.m. and a concert by the Choo Choo Chorus at 5 p.m. Rock the Riverfront is a free event and will continue through April 14. Learn more at rivercitycompany.com/rock.
— Walden's Ridge Civic League will host "Tell It on the Mountain" at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the league's auditorium, 2501 Fairmount Pike, Walden. The storytelling event, featuring six renowned storytellers in a round-robin program, will begin with concessions of hot dogs and bratwurst at 4:30 p.m., and storytelling will begin at 5:30 p.m. Learn more at waldensridgecivicleague.org.
— Chattanooga Men's Health Summit, hosted by Tennessee Men's Health Network, Mt. Canaan Baptist Church and Purpose Point Community Health, will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Canaan, 4801 Highway 58. The 2024 summit will feature health discussions, screenings, various vendors and door prizes. The Tennessee Men's Health Network is an affiliate of the Men's Health Network in Washington, D.C. For more information, contact the network at info@menshealthnetwork.org or visit mtcanaan.org/events.
— Lula Lake Land Trust will have its bimonthly open gate days from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at its core preserve, 5000 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain. Visitors can view Lula Lake, the 110-foot Lula Falls and a bluff overlook. Entry costs $16; a guided hike is also available for $40, which includes entry to the preserve. Registration is required. Learn more at lulalake.org.
Staff file photo / A pair of sinking graves are seen at Pleasant Garden Cemetery in 2012. Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors will host a Hike through History event at the cemetery on Saturday.— Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors will have two events this weekend. At 10 a.m. Saturday, there will be a Hike through History event at Pleasant Garden Cemetery, 308 Rowe Road. Join Parks and Outdoors and the African American Cemetery Preservation Fund for a low-impact walk through the cemetery to learn about its history and notable figures. The event is free, but registration is required. At 6 p.m. Saturday, there will be a Movie in a Park screening of "Space Jam" at Miller Park, 928 Market St.; the event is free and will feature food trucks, music and games before the movie starts at dusk. Learn more on Parks and Outdoors' Facebook page.
— Hamilton County Parks and Recreation will host "Swing into Spring" from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at McDonald Farm, 16705 Coulterville Road, Sale Creek. The event will feature live music, food trucks, an egg hunt, a petting zoo, face painting and more. Parking and admission are free. Learn more on Parks and Recreation's Facebook page.
— Chattanooga River Market will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza, 1 Broad St. The market features a variety of vendors, selling handmade art, crafts and food. The river market will be open Saturdays only through October. Learn more at chattanoogamarket.com.
— Friends of the Gordon-Lee Mansion will host tours from noon-2 p.m. Saturday at the mansion, 217 Cove Road, Chickamauga. Additional tours will take place April 13 and May 4, 11, 18, 19 and 25 in support of the Tennessee Valley Railroad's Chickamauga Turn visitors. Admission costs $5 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under; proceeds benefit the group's efforts to improve and enhance the mansion. Learn more at friendsofthegordonleemansion.org.
— Chattanooga Outdoor Festival will be from noon-7 p.m. Saturday at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens, 1400 Market St. The festival will feature a variety of outdoor vendors, live music, activities, beer and food. Admission is free. Learn more at outshineadventures.com or eventbrite.com.
— Hot Slaw and Art Y'all Festival will be from noon-8 p.m. Saturday in downtown Cleveland. The festival will celebrate Cleveland's heritage as the home of hot slaw with food vendors, a hot slaw contest and a hot-slaw-dog eating contest. There will also be live music, a variety of art vendors, pop-up street performances and more. Learn more at hotslawfestival.com.
— Dread Hollow, 321 Browns Ferry Road, will host a "Scream Break" haunted experience from 8-10 p.m. Saturday. Escape room experiences are also available. Tickets cost $15 per person for either experience. Learn more at dreadhollow.com.
— Green Thumb Garden Club of Collegedale/Ooltewah will host its April meeting at 6:45 p.m. Monday in Chestnut Hall at the Commons, 4950 Swinyar Drive, Collegedale. The meeting will feature a presentation by master gardener Skeeter Gallagher, whose topic is "Tennessee Smart Yards." There will be refreshments and door prizes at the meeting. Meeting attendance is free for first-time visitors.
SPORTS
— Southern Adventist University School of Health and Kinesiology will host home show performances by the Gym-Masters acrobatic team at 9 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Iles P.E. Center, 4870 University Drive. The show theme is "A Night at the Movies." Through the use of acrobatic and gymnastic routines, the Gym-Masters' message emphasizes the importance of healthy living, commitment, dedication, teamwork and trust. Tickets are $5 per person and will be available at the front desk of Hulsey Wellness Center, adjacent to Iles P.E. Center. For more information, contact the school at 423-236-2593.
THEATER
— Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St., will conclude its production of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The show is rated PG-13. Tickets cost $20-$30, including fees. Learn more at theatrecentre.com.
— Theatrico will present "The Last Five Years" at 7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. The musical follows two New Yorkers who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The production is rated PG-13. Tickets cost $25-$35. Learn more at barkinglegs.org.
Find more events, and add your own, at timesfreepress.com/cnevents.
Contact Sam Still at sstill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6579.
Staff file photo / Chattanooga Theatre Centre will conclude its production of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.