See downtown Chattanooga from a new perspective Saturday night, Sept. 30, when GreenSpaces hosts its annual Rooftop Hop - five parties atop five buildings within five hours.
"This is our sixth year, and Rooftop Hop has sold out all six years," says Dawn Hjelseth, GreenSpaces director of development. GreenSpaces promotes sustainable living, working and building in Chattanooga.
Hjelseth says the purpose of Rooftop Hop is "to give people a new perspective on the beauty of Chattanooga."
"When you are up high, you see the mountains, the river and everything below you downtown. It gives you a new look at how beautiful our city is and why we need to keep it that way."
The five-part party raises funds for GreenSpace programs. This Rooftop Hop will benefit the program that helps low-income residents save money on utility bills.
Ryan Oyer's Rooftop Hop gig will be at The Edney building, 1100 Market St."We teach them low-cost and no-cost ways to save money," says Hjelseth.
Each party has its own distinctive vibe created by its location in combination with the band, catering and beverages found there. Parties located on The Edney, Mayfield Annex, CitiPark Garage and RootsRated will be open from 6 to 10 p.m., closing an hour early before the CARTA giveaway hour. Only the party at CARTA North/The Block will extend an additional hour to 11 p.m.
Hjelseth says hoppers have the option to visit all five or as many of the five between 6 and 11 p.m. as they want. They may also start at any of the five locations they wish. To make it easier to get around, transportation between rooftops will be provided by Bike Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Ducks.
Tickets are $60 GreenSpaces members, $75 nonmembers. Guests must be 21 or older to attend.
Just 300 tickets will be sold for Saturday's benefit. They can be purchased online at www.therooftophop.com.
ROOFTOP HOP SITES
1. The Edney
1100 Market St., corner of Market and 11th streets
Theme: Innovation
The Venue: The Edney building is in the heart of the Innovation District, with views of all of downtown.
Restaurants: Dish T'Pass, Chatter Box Cafe
Music: Ryan Oyer
2. Mayfield Annex
123 E. Seventh St.
Theme: Sustainable Design
The Venue: Get the first sneak peek at one of the newest locations in town. Make your way down the ally and knock three times for admittance into this speak-easy-feeling location. A Duck will drop you off at the right alley.
Restaurants: Embargo 62, Terra Mae
Music: Gino Fanelli
3. CitiPark Garage
201 W. M.L. King Blvd.
The Theme: Reduce & Reuse
The Venue: CitiPark Garage is in the center of the 800 Block revitalization. Check out the beautiful new additions to this area.
Restaurants: Kozy Cooking, Peet's Coffee, Hutton & Smith
Music: Magic Birds
4. The Block/CARTA Garage
215 Broad St.
The Theme: Smart & Efficient
The Venue: One of the largest rooftops on the route, you can see seven projects GreenSpaces has supported from here, including BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, three solar arrays and four LEED buildings. At this stop, guests will see how energy efficiency and solar use help reduce bills while supporting the environment.
Restaurants: Moe's Original BBQ, Ovalle's, Lee Towery
Band: DJ Flux 308
5. RootsRated
1269 Market St.
Theme: Green Living
The Venue: RootsRated is a media platform that connects users with outdoor experiences, handpicked by local outdoor retailers and their networks of local experts. It is not a website of crowd-sourced trail reviews.
Restaurants: Frothy Monkey, Puckett's
Music: Rick Rushing
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.