Out & About calendar - July 10-16

LEISURE

BACKPACKING TRIP -- Desoto State Park, 7104 Desoto Parkway, Fort Payne, Ala. 256-997-5025. One World Backpacking Series, July 19-20. Learn how to make good backpacking food, how to make and use tripods and cooking stands. $110 per person with all meals and equipment, $85 for meals and camper provides own equipment, $65 instruction only. Registration required: 256-634-8370.

BARREL RACES -- Doug Yates Farm, Highway 151, Ringgold, Ga. Nooga Barrel Racing Club sponsors races for every age and ability, 2-10 p.m. Saturday, July 12. Running starts at 4 p.m., barrels start at 6 p.m. Free admission. Negative Coggins test required for horses; concession and tack vendors on-site. 423-619-4467.

BENEFIT BARBECUE -- American Legion Post 81, 227 James Asbury Lane, Cleveland, Tenn. Pulled pork, sweet potato fries, beans and coleslaw sold for $8 a plate to benefit Alvin C. York Veterans Medical Center and Veterans Day Room Activities, 6-8:30 p.m. July 17. Under 18 can attend until 8:30 p.m., entertainment follows until midnight. 423-476-4451.

BRIDAL SHOW -- Chattanooga Convention Center, 1100 Carter St. The Pink Bride offers variety of bridal industry vendors in one location, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. July 20. $8 online, $10 at door. www.ThePinkBride.com.

CHATTANOOGA GHOST TOURS -- The Little Curiosity Shoppe, 138 Market St. Walking tours through downtown, ghost hunts through University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Citizens Cemetery, 7:30 nightly. $15 adults, $10 ages 12 and younger. 423-821-7125.

CHATTANOOGA SIDEWALK TOURS -- Choice of two tours daily. Dynamo of Dixie Tour departs from Sheraton Read House, corner of Broad Street and M.L. King Boulevard, 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Bluffs and Bridges Tour begins at south end of Walnut Street Bridge; 4 and 6 p.m. $15 adults, $7 children 12 and under. Reservations required. 423-228-0448, www.chattanoogasidewalktours.com.

CHATTANOOGA STAMP CLUB -- Hickory Valley Christian Church, 6605 Shallowford Road. Program on disposing of an inherited collection, 7:30 p.m. today, July 10; doors open at 6:30 p.m. APS sales books available to choose stamps for purchase. 423-344-7849.

COTTAGE TOUR AND BAZAAR -- Monteagle Sunday School Assembly, 1 Assembly Ave., Montagle, Tenn. Six privately owned homes plus collection of fairy houses on Hummingbird Hill created by children of all ages open for tours, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. July 18; bazaar hours 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; demonstrations by nationally known florist Ralph Null, 1-2 p.m. (all times Central). Sponsored by MSSA Women's Association. $15 in advance, $20 day of; box lunches $15 with reservations (other meal options available). 931-924-2286, mssa1882.net.

FISH FRY -- American Legion Post 81, 227 James Asbury Lane, Cleveland, Tenn. Choose fried catfish or shrimp dinner with hushpuppies, fries and slaw to raise funds for Tennessee Fisher House, where families of veterans or active-duty military stay while loved one receives medical treatment, 6-8:30 p.m. Friday, July 11. Catfish $10 plate, shrimp $13 plate. 423-476-4451.

HIKES -- Led by Soddy-Daisy Hiking Club. Bring water and snack. Carpool locations given for those who want to meet group. 423-842-3619.

Saturday, July 12: Jones Gap Road to Steps with cable and back, strenuous 10 miles, meet at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy-Daisy at 8 a.m.

Tuesday, July 15: Enterprise South, easy 4 miles, meet in Highway 153 Target parking lot at 8 a.m.

Saturday, July 19: Savage Gulf, moderate-to-strenuous 10 miles, meet at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy-Daisy at 8 a.m. Bring a lunch.

HOME EDUCATION EXPO -- Camp Jordan Arena, 323 Camp Jordan Parkway, East Ridge. Annual resource expo for home-schooling families includes 85 exhibitors and 65 workshops, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. July 18; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 19. Free admission for Chattanooga Southeast Tennessee Home Education Association members, $8 per nonmember family for two-day admission. 423-266-HOME.

PADDLE LOOKOUT CREEK -- Directions to launch site will be given with reservation confirmation. Join Outdoor Chattanooga and National Park Service ranger for free, one-hour, family-friendly canoe trip on creek while learning Civil War history about "The Battle Above the Clouds," 6 or 7:30 p.m. today, July 10. Children must be at least 6 years old to participate; one adult age 18 or older must be in each boat, participants must know how to swim. Reservations required: 423-643-6888.

PAWS FOR THE CAUSE -- Stratton Hall, 3146 Broad St. Live and silent auctions, music, food and dog runway show to benefit Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga, 6 p.m. July 17. $60 individual, $500 table of eight. 423-624-5302.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF CHATTANOOGA -- St. John United Methodist Church gymnasium, 3921 Murray Hills Road. Boot camp on shutter speeds, lens and tripod use and post-production sharpening at 6 p.m. July 17. Program at 7 p.m. by NASA photographer Chuck Rogers of Atlanta. 423-344-5643.

REFLECTION RIDING ARBORETUM AND NATURE CENTER-- 400 Garden Road. Regular admission: $10 adults, $7 ages 4-11. All events require registration: 423-821-1160. Two programs July 19: Guided tour of grounds to see deer, turkey, beaver, birds and red wolf pens, 10 a.m. Guided canoe trip on Lookout Creek to see wildlife and learn about area history, noon-2 p.m.; free for members $15 nonmembers.

RIVER CANYON ADVENTURES -- 21726 River Canyon Road. Explore the scenic Tennessee River Gorge with daily three-hour adventures. Sunset cruise at 6 p.m. Upriver to Williams Island, $35. Downriver into Tennessee River Gorge, $49.95. Appointments required: 423-987-1711, 423-488-1345, www.rivercanyonadventure.com.

RUBY FALLS LANTERN TOURS -- Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scenic Highway. Ride the 260-foot elevator down into Lookout Mountain and experience the cavern tour in a new light, 8:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays through September. Tour size limited; reservations required. $24.95. 423-821-2544.

TRAIN RIDES -- Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, 4119 Cromwell Road. 423-894-8028. Check www.tvrail.com for designated weekend train rides such as Chickamauga Turn, Dinner on the Diner and Hiwassee River Rail Adventure. Missionary Ridge Local is six-mile, 55-minute ride through East Chattanooga to TVRM's repair shop, departing daily in July at 10:40 a.m., 12:05, 1:15, 2:25 and 3:35 p.m. $17 adults, $11 ages 3-12.

ZIPSTREAM AERIAL ADVENTURES -- Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scenic Highway. Courses for children, teens and adults through a series of increasingly challenging tree-to-tree activities, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $19.95-$34.95. 423-821-2544.

CHILDREN/TEENS

CHATTANOOGA PUBLIC LIBRARY -- 1001 Broad St. (main library) plus branches at Eastgate, Northgate and South Chattanooga. 423-757-5310, www.chattlibrary.org.

Today, July 10: Adventure Club, 4 p.m., Northgate branch, for ages 5-11.

Today, July 10: Rehabilitative Engineering Workshop, 10 a.m.-noon, downtown branch. First of four weekly Thursday workshops during July focused on creating specialized devices to help solve real challenges. Registration required; use the registration link attached to the library's online event calendar listing for this program.

Friday, July 11: Sew What, 3-5 p.m., downtown branch, make fabric boa.

Saturday, July 12: Basic computer class for adults, 2-3:30 p.m., free, downtown branch.

Saturday, July 12: Yarn Bomb the Library, 1 p.m. downtown branch, learn how to make yarn bombs.

Saturday, July 12: Screenprinting class for ages 8-18, 2 p.m., downtown branch, bring something made of fabric to print, leave with wearable art.

Tuesday, July 15: Literacy, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics workshop for tweens, 1:30-3:30 p.m., downtown branch, registration required.

Wednesday, July 16: Makeanooga, 5 p.m., downtown branch, program for ages 8-11 to try 3-D printing, button making, movie making, music. Space limited to 20 per class; register by phone.

Saturday, July 19: Sensory Storytime, 9:30 a.m., downtown branch. Interactive program for school-age children with special needs and their families; caregiver participation required.

KIDS CRAFTS -- Michaels Arts and Crafts, 2200 Hamilton Place Blvd. and 600 Northgate Mall. In-store summer crafting program for children ages 5-12, 10 a.m.-noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Seats 12, first-come, first-served, or register in advance in the store. $2 per child. www.Michaels.com/passport.

KIDS TIME AT THE RIVERPARK -- Tennessee Riverpark Shelter 4, Amnicola Highway. Free series of 10 a.m. Thursday activities for children sponsored by Hamilton County Parks and Recreation. Adult must accompany child. Registration: 423-842-6748.

Today, July 10: Scenic Cities Beautiful program on creative critter pots.

Thursday, July 17: Hamilton County Parks and Recreation leads "NSI: Nature Detectives."

YOUNG EXPLORERS -- Enterprise South Nature Park, 8015 Volkswagen Drive. Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department sponsors weekly program for children in preschool through fifth grade, 10-11 a.m. Tuesdays. July 15 program on reptiles led by Chattanooga Zoo staff. Adult supervision of attending children required. Closed-toed shoes required; hats, sunscreen and bug repellent recommended. $3 per child. Registration required: 432-893-3500.

DANCES

SINGLES -- First-Centenary United Methodist Church, Mohney Hall, corner of Houston and Oak streets. Dance, 7-10 p.m. Saturday, July 12. $8, bring snacks to share. 423-756-2021.

USA BALLROOM -- Brainerd United Methodist Church gymnasium, 4315 Brainerd Road. Dance, 7-10:30 p.m. Friday, July 11. $5 first-time guests, $6 members, $10 nonmembers. 423-645-4888.

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