LISA DENTON: Yikes. Sorry about that whack upside your head, Barry. I'm getting my party favors ready for New Year's Eve over here, and I didn't know when I blew out my noisemaker just how far it would unfurl.
BARRY COURTER: You have to be careful with those things. They can cause blindness.
It is the season for noisemakers, isn't it? And in addition to the usual celebrations at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, Chattanooga Convention Center and Creative Discovery Museum, we have two new events in town this year. Ice on the Landing will have special hours and some extras on New Year's Eve. It'll be open from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Just around the corner, the DoubleTree hotel is hosting ChattaNew Year, an outdoor block party for the whole family.
LISA: They all sound like fun. And they all offer something different. New Year's Rockin' Eve at the Choo Choo has music by The Beaters. (I love to dance.) The Creative Discovery Museum, which does New Year's at Noon for kids, has bubble-wrap fireworks. (I love bubble wrap.) Ice on the Landing will serve cupcakes at midnight. (I love cupcakes.) And ChattaNew Year will have a Coca-Cola bottle drop. (This is brand-new, but I'm sure I'll love it, too. I'm in a generous mood.)
BARRY: You're a giver, to be sure.
There are a few other things to do this week, of course. First-day hikes are planned at Cloudland Canyon State Park in Rising Fawn, Ga., Fort Mountain State Park in Chatsworth, Ga., and James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park in Summerville, Ga.; DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne, Ala.; and all Tennessee state parks, so those who need to can walk off their partying of the night before.
Barking Legs Theater is hosting a Wide Open Floor on Friday. These are kind of like an open-mike night, but for dancers, poets, musicians, professionals, amateurs and just about anyone who wants to perform.
Gene Watson, the guy who gave us "Farewell Party," "Love in the Hot Afternoon" and "Paper Rosie," is at the Tivoli the next night. Great voice and an interesting guy. He's old-school country and proud of it. No songs about girls in trucks under the moon and the sun ... at the same time. I haven't figured out how that works.
LISA: That means he has the perfect opening act in Robby Hopkins, who has a song called "Country'er Than Me," about a guy who finds a girl who likes to hunt and fish.
Hopkins was born near Spencer, Tenn., and has opened for Watson before, along with Alan Jackson at the 2011 Riverbend Festival plus Randy Houser, Lauren Alaina, Craig Morgan and Aaron Tippin.
Get event updates every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.