Off the Couch: May begins with Nightfall, Running of the Chihuahuas

Running of the Chihuahuas poster
Running of the Chihuahuas poster

BARRY COURTER: Lisa, I guess it's officially time to put away the winter coats and get ready for all of the annual spring/summer things to do around here. You know, sneezing, coughing, gasping for air.

LISA DENTON: Yes, I am familiar with the drill - and the Benadryl.

BARRY: I meant the chicken plants, but the pollen is rough, too.

With those pleasantries do come some fun things, however. The Chattanooga Market opened this weekend. I wonder how many people showed up expecting to buy strawberries and tomatoes. It's kind of a sad reflection of things when we've forgotten that things grow in seasons.

LISA: Turn, turn, turn, said The Byrds - and Ecclesiastes before that. Just because you can get strawberries and tomatoes all year long at the grocery store doesn't mean they taste their best. The good ones are just-picked and fresh from the farm. And that only happens at certain times of the year. Thankfully, those times are coming up. Strawberries will be coming in soon and tomatoes later. And okra. I love me some okra.

photo Lisa Denton and Barry Courter

BARRY: Nightfall returns this Friday with Aaron Lee Tasjan as the headliner. He's got a cool Tom Petty thing going. Oweda is the opening act. The music will still be in Miller Plaza, but the newly renovated Miller Park will be utilized, as well with a new art market and some things for the kiddies.

LISA: Nothing against the Harleys, but it's nice to have something besides motorcycles to look at.

BARRY: With the road being closed, it'll be cool to have that much space.

And I know we are not here to encourage gambling, but one of the great sporting events in our city takes place on Saturday with the annual Running of the Chihuahuas. These athletes lay it all on the line.

Seriously, it's become a big deal that also includes live music starting at 3 p.m. In this year's lineup, in reverse order of appearance, are Madison Beer, Fletcher, Drax Project, Livvia, MKTO and NOTD.

LISA: I think the last band in that list (the first to play) should be called "Duly NOTD." It would give unhip people like me a clue how to pronounce it. I think with MKTO, you just pronounce the initials, which are taken from the names of the duo, Malcolm Kelley and Tony Oller. Although I may discover after I say it wrong a few hundred times that it's actually something like "McToo" or "Em Kato."

I like word games, don't get me wrong. My name is even sort of pronounceable backwards: Asil Notned. Which is a little easier than yours: Yrrab Retruoc. No offense, but that sounds like something a caveman would say.

BARRY: I'm still laughing at how I pronounced your first name backward. I'll just leave it at that.

LISA: It's one "s," wiseguy. But you are correct about the Chihuahuas. They are serious competitors.

BARRY: And you can just look in their faces and see that they race for the fun of it and not the glory or the prizes. Oh, and it's free.

Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow 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.

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