The Chattanooga Market is ripe for picking this weekend. Aficionados literally can pick their day and their preferred time to pick out all the fresh fruits and vegetables and handmade items they like.

The Chattanooga River Market will be offered as usual on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza, but it will extend to 9 p.m. and coincide with festivities surrounding the 20th anniversary of the Tennessee Aquarium (see story on Page 18).

"It will be more of a street party," said Melissa Siragusa, public relations and marketing manager of the market.

Chattanooga Market purists can spend their leisurely Sunday afternoon in the usual setting of the First Tennessee Pavilion.

This week's market -- coming off the season-opening weekend, which produced record-breaking vendor sales -- will spotlight a variety of organizations that have supported victims of the tornadoes that devastated the area one year ago today.

The idea, according to officials, is to offer further support to victims and focus on preparedness.

The organizations, according to Siragusa, are encouraged to have an activity that stimulates added participation. Ringgold High School, for instance, will have student art on display and for sale. The school's art wing was ravaged in last year's storm.

Among the other groups that will be on hand are Georgia Recovery Project, Walker County COAD (Community Organization Active in Disaster), Dade COAD, Hamilton County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, Catoosa County Community Emergency Response Team, Salvation Army, Samaritan Center and Catholic Charities.

Walgreens will offer Midland Weather Radios for sale for $29.95, and members of the WTVC NewsChannel 9 staff will be on hand to program the devices. A portion of sales from the radios will be donated to charities such as the Red Cross, Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, United Way of Greater Chattanooga and Santa for All Seasons.

In June, market lovers in North Georgia will have a closer-to-home place for locally grown and produced foods.

The expansion market will be held at the Catoosa County Courthouse in Ringgold on Saturday mornings from 8 to 11.

"They were looking to offer a local market (to rebuild pedestrian traffic downtown), and it will help expand our base of vendors," Siragusa said. "It's a nice tie-in with the Ringgold [tornado] connection this weekend."

ON THE EPB STAGE

• 12:30 p.m. Indie-pop singer Megan Light

• 2 p.m. Alternative folk singer/songwriter Lydia Walker