LEISURE
ALHAMBRA SHRINE CIRCUS – Camp Jordan Arena, 323 Camp Jordan Parkway, East Ridge. The 56th annual Alhambra Shrine Circus produced by Tarzan Zerbini. Tickets $15 ages 12 and older, $8 ages 6-11; all tickets $5 on Wednesday, Oct. 10, only. Show times 7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, Oct 10-12; noon, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13; 1 and 5 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 14. www.alhambra shriners.com.
BATTLEFIELD BICYCLE TOUR – Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Free, 2.5-hour bicycle tour through battlefield led by Outdoor Chattanooga with rangers providing history of park. Ride is 4 miles on moderately hilly terrain; appropriate for ages 8 and older, children must be accompanied by an adult. Everyone must wear a helmet. 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. 423-752-5213.
BIKE COMMUTING 101 – Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. Certified instructors teach rules of the road, safety and riding techniques to commute to work; followed by optional practice ride in good weather, bring helmet. 6-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15. Registration required: 423-643-6888.
BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM – Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. Free program on experiences of African-Americans in Chattanooga during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16. 423-752-5213.
Alicia Dominguez, a fourth-generation circus performer from Peru, whirls and twirls Hula Hoops during her precision act in the Alhambra Shrine Circus. The Tarzan Zerbini-produced circus is under way in Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge. Show times are 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 11-12; noon, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. Tickets are $15 ages 12 and up, $8 ages 6-11. Children ages 3 and younger are free if seated on an adult’s lap. For more information: www.alhambrashriners.com. (Tarzanzerbinicircus.com photo)BOO AT THE ZOO – Chattanooga Zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. Non-scary Halloween event with cartoon characters, trick-or-treat stations, costume contests, games, inflatables and pony rides; $10-$15. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday Oct. 19-20 and 26-27. 423-697-1322.
CHAUTAUQUA LECTURE – Chattanooga State Community College, Humanities Building auditorium, 4501 Amnicola Highway. “Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: The History of Witchcraft and Demonic Women in Literature, Media and Culture” is presented by Mindy Griffin and Mollee Shannon. 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. 423-697-2432
CHATTANOOGA GHOST TOURS – 57 E. Fifth St. Walking tours through downtown, ghost hunts through University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Citizens Cemetery. Adults $17.95 plus tax, ages 12 and under $11 plus tax. Tours 8:30 p.m. nightly by appointment. 423-800-5998.
CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK – Located near Trenton, Ga., on western side of Lookout Mountain, 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, Ga. Reservations required: 706-913-7170.
» Friday, Oct. 12: “Why Do Leaves Change Color?” 2 p.m., $3 plus $5 parking. Children meet at Interpretive Center to learn what makes vibrant colors appear on leaves followed by short laboratory experiment performed by all participants.
» Friday, Oct. 12: Night hike, 6:30 p.m., $10 plus $5 parking, 2-mile hike for ages 10 and up to learn geology and history of canyon.
» Saturday, Oct. 13: Fall foliage hike, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $5 parking, hike overlook trail along East Rim of canyon and learn tree identification.
» Sunday, Oct. 14: Sitton’s Gulch hike, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., $15 plus $5 parking, start at bottom of the gulch and hike to bottom of the falls, strenuous 6 miles.
DREAD HOLLOW – 321 Browns Ferry Road. Halloween haunted town with more than 20,000 square feet of horror and intense fear tactics. Not recommended for ages 12 and younger; $20-$35. 7-11 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays Oct. 11- 28 and Wednesday, Oct. 31. 423-821-2544.
FAMILY CAMPING – Enterprise South Nature Park, 8015 Volkswagen Drive. Bring the family to learn basics of tent set-up, campfire safety and cooking, guidelines of Leave No Trace; $15 for family of six or less. 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12-10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. Reservations: 423-710-0274.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY – Miller Park, 928 Market St. Food trucks parked around Miller Park, dance presented by Chattanooga Ballet. Free. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12.
HIKES, TENNESSEE – Led by Soddy-Daisy Hiking Club. Bring water and snack. Carpool locations given for those who want to meet group. For more information, 423-842-3619.
» Saturday, Oct. 13: Booker T. Washington to outer loop, easy 3.5 miles. Meet at the park near the swimming pool at 9 a.m.
» Tuesday, Oct. 16: Laurel Falls trail across the new bridge to the bluff, easy-to-moderate 5 miles round-trip. Meet at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy- Daisy at 9 a.m.
» Saturday, Oct. 20: Snow Falls, moderate-to-strenuous 10 miles. Meet at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy- Daisy at 9 a.m.
LEGENDS & LANTERNS – Raccoon Mountain, 319 West Hills Drive. Guided walking tour of cave, illuminated by lanterns, to learn history and legends about the caverns. Friday and Saturday nights through October. Adults $21.95, children ages 5-12 $16.95. Reservations: 423-821-9403, ext. 1.
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF CHATTANOOGA – St. John United Methodist Church, 3921 Murray Hills Drive. PCS holds annual open house with guest Mark Alberhasky, with program on “In Search of Critical Focus” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. Free and visitors welcome. 423-344-5643.
ROCKTOBERFEST – Rock City Gardens, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain. German music, food and dancing and photo-ops with Ik the Troll King and the fall fairy. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through October. 706-820-2531. Tickets $22.95 adults, $12.95 ages 3-12.
RUBY FALLS LANTERN TOURS – Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scenic Highway. Experience underground cavern with only lanterns to light the way; $29.95 adults. 8:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays through November. Reservations required: 706-820-2531.
SUNSET HIKE – Greenway Farms, 5051 Gann Store Road. Outdoor Chattanooga leads free, guided, 3-mile hike of trails starting at sunset and ending after dark; bring water and headlamp, wear sturdy shoes and clothes appropriate for the weather. For ages 10 and up; children must be accompanied by an adult. 7- 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17. 423-643-6888.
TIRE TRACK STREET SURVIVAL TEAM – Dade County High School, 300 Tradition Lane, Trenton, Ga. Teen driver safety program. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. 423-886-2950
TRAIL OF TEARS ANNIVER- SARY – Programs commemorate 180th anniversary of Trail of Tears, free, hosted by Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. 706-866-9241.
» Saturday, Oct. 13: Brainerd Mission Cemetery, off Brainerd Road at Eastgate Town Center, 10 a.m., 45-minute program on Brainerd Mission’s connection with Cherokee and its closure as a result of Indian removal.
» Saturday, Oct. 13: Meet at John B. Gordon Hall, off Highway 27, LaFayette, Ga., 2 p.m. “Under the Shadow of Fort Cumming” focuses on Cherokee who lived in North Georgia in the years leading up to the forced removal.
» Sunday, Oct. 14: Brown’s Ferry Road Trail, 707 Moccasin Bend Road, 2 p.m., 90-minute program with walk along one of the actual Indian removal routes.
TRAIN RIDES, CHATTANOOGA – Departing from Tennessee Valley Railroad, 4119 Cromwell Road. 423-894-8028. Check website for designated weekend train rides such as Chickamauga Turn, Dinner on the Diner and Hiwassee River Rail Adventure. www.tvrail.com.
» Missionary Ridge Local: Six-mile, 55-minute ride through East Chattanooga to TVRM’s repair shop. $17 adults, $11 ages 2-12. October schedule: Trains depart every Saturday and Sunday at 10:40 a.m., 12:05, 1:15, 2:25 and 3:35 p.m. Trains also depart on most Mondays through Fridays at 10:40 a.m., 12:05 and 1:15 p.m. Trains will not run on Mondays, Oct. 22 or 29. On Oct. 30 and 31, trains will depart at 10:40 a.m. and 12:05 p.m.
BOOKS/AUTHORS
BOOK LAUNCH – Star Line Books, 1467 Market St. Brian L. Tucker releases novella “Pokeweed.” 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. 423-777-5629.
BOOK LAUNCH – Barnes & Noble, 2100 Hamilton Blvd. Author David Coe releases new series “The Islevale Cycle” and signs copies of the first book, “Time’s Children.” 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. 423-893-0186.
BOOK SIGNING – Michael’s Fine Arts, 1325 Dug Gap Road, Dalton, Ga. Author Janie Dempsey Watts and illustrator Lyn Martin sign “Pap Pap Goes to Paris, and so Does Ricky.” 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19. 706-278-8840.
CHILDREN/TEENS
CHATTANOOGA PUBLIC LIBRARY – All locations of the Chattanooga Public Library system have preschool story time. The Downtown, Eastgate and Northgate libraries have Adventure Club for children ages 6 and up. The library’s teen center, Teen Stack, is located in the Downtown Library. For more information about all programming held in the Downtown, Eastgate, Northgate or South Chattanooga libraries, call 423-643-7700 or visit www.chattlibrary.org.
» Lego Clubs: Downtown branch, every Monday, 5-6 p.m., for ages 5-11, free; Northgate branch, first Saturday of each month, 2-3 p.m., for ages 3 and up, free. 423-643-7785.
» Toddler Time: Learning program for ages 18-36 months and parents/guardians, registration not required. Wednesdays: 10:30 a.m. Eastgate Library, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Northgate Library. Saturday: 11 a.m., downtown branch.
» Baby Bounce: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10-10:30 a.m., Eastgate branch, 423-643-7770. Finger play, songs and stories for infants up to 18 months and their parent/caregiver.
CHILDREN’S STORY HOUR – Barnes & Noble, 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd., 11 a.m. Saturday, storytime. 423-893-0186.
CREATIVE DISCOVERY MUSEUM – 321 Chestnut St. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day except Wednesday. $14.95 adults and children. 423-756-2738, www.cdmfun.org.
» New exhibit: “Hello From Japan.”
ROSSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY – 504 McFarland Ave., Rossville, Ga. Ready to Read story hour, crafts and songs for preschoolers. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays. 706-866-1368.
DANCES
BALLROOM – Ballroom Magic Dance Center, 4200 N. Access Road. $10 per person. 8:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays. 423-771-3646.
CONTRA DANCE – Brainerd United Methodist Church, 4315 Brainerd Road. Chattanooga Traditional Dance Society hosts dance with music by Girl Time and the Do-right Daddies, calling by Chrissy Davis Camp. $10 individuals, $7 students and senior adults. 7:30 contra lesson, 8-11 p.m. dance. Saturday, Oct. 13. 423-629-0333.
ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE – Heritage House at Heritage Park, 1428 Jenkins Road. Free introductory class for new dancers that teaches fundamental moves, then several dances from the historical repertoire. Bring soft-sole (sneakers or flats) shoes for dancing. No experience or partner needed. 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 16 and 30. 423-855-9474.
SHAG, BOP, SWING, JITTERBUG – Elks Lodge 91, 1067 Graysville Road at East Brainerd Road. $5 members, $7 guests. 7-10 p.m. Thursdays. www.choochooshagclub.com.
SINGLES DANCE – First-Centenary United Methodist Church, Mohney Hall, corner of Oak and Houston streets. Positive Christian Singles hosts Halloween dance, costumes optional; $8 and bring snacks to share. 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. 423-756-2021.
USA DANCE – Brainerd United Methodist Church, Lundy Hall, 4315 Brainerd Road. “RIP – Rumba in Peace” Halloween costume party with rumba lesson taught by Rachel Clark at 7:30 p.m., followed by general dancing 8:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12. USAD members and first-time guests, $5; nonmembers $10.