Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
BARRY COURTER: Lisa, I know it's still spring, but it seems like summer to me when Nightfall and the Chattanooga Market are both officially open. Nightfall started last Friday and the market the Sunday before.
Friday's headliner is The Suffers, who hail from Houston and play a mix of soul and rock. And, of course, Sunday at the market is the Mother's Day Celebration, which means you can take mom and treat her to a glass of wine, or champagne or even a delicious Bloody Mary. Or two.
It wasn't that long ago that just having those two things on the calendar was a pretty good week.
LISA DENTON: Spring is jam-packed with events, all right. We've already had several festivals, and there's still the Tennessee Strawberry Festival in Dayton this weekend. I have a hard time passing up anything with strawberries in it.
And if you want to drive all the way to Harriman, you can check out the Tennessee Medieval Festival the next three weekends. You can go all medieval while you're there, of course, and just walk around munching on turkey legs, but if you need a suggestion for dinner, my favorite Mexican restaurant happens to be in Harriman, Los Primos, on South Roane Street at the I-40 interchange.
BARRY: I've not been, but I have heard of that restaurant. You know I have an app on my phone that constantly scans for new places to eat. I'm just kidding, but it's a good idea if one of the creative-development types over at Lamp Post wants to create one.
UnCorked is Saturday at Renaissance Park. This is a fundraising event for the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera and, more importantly, it involves wine. Or did I get the order of importance out of whack?
LISA: No, I think you called it correctly.
Ogya World Music Band will perform, and 20 restaurants will provide bites - everything from white chocolate bread pudding from Bluewater Grille to Hog Smackers from Tremont Tavern. Hog Smackers - that would be a good name for a bluegrass band.
BARRY: Hog Smackers is a great band name. Or a biker club.
And don't forget that the first of the new Second Saturdays on Station Street is this weekend. They'll be closing off the street and having live music from Barefoot Nellie, Mountain Cove Bluegrass and The Dismembered Tennesseans. Most of the restaurants at the Choo Choo and in the neighborhood will be doing something special. It takes place from 2 to 7 p.m. so you can check it out still get out for dinner and a show.
LISA: And ventriloquist Todd Oliver will be at the Palace Theatre in Crossville, Tenn., on Thursday with his talking dog, Irvin.
Did I ever tell you about the cat I had that could sing? It was just the one song, really. The Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing." We used to duet on the way to the mailbox. I'd walk down the sidewalk singing, "You should be dancing " and Sweetie would come running after me, meowing "Yeah" in time and in tune.
BARRY: Lawd, you should sell tickets to your house, what with the singing cat, the trapeze in your living room (not giving away secrets; you've mentioned it before) and your talents on the kazoo.
Happy Mother's Day, by the way.
Get event details every Thursday in Chattanooga Now or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.