The unveiling of a $25,000 community art project and the return of the Chattanooga Market are among upcoming events. Here's a look.
* The Glass Street Gateway will have its big unveiling 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, with a keynote speaker, live music, food truck, roller skating, public mural paintings and children's activities. The gateway was made possible by a $25,000 grant awarded to the city of Chattanooga and the Glass House Collective by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Chattanooga was one of only 16 cities out of 210 applicants to receive the award.
The gateway is along Crutchfield Street between Glass Street and Dodson Avenue, ending at the new Save-A-Lot grocery store at 2300 Dodson Ave.
Through the Asphalt Art Initiative, dozens of volunteers, designers and artists contributed to the creation of the gateway, which includes a large asphalt mural designed by students at nearby Hardy Elementary School and Chattanooga mural artist Kevin Bate. In addition to revamping the public space with planters and benches, the gateway provides a safe walking area for residents to get to the grocery store, a source of healthy food in what is otherwise a food desert.
COVID-19 protocols, including mask wearing and social distancing, will be observed. For more information, email Andy Santoro Dailey at andy@sanwellpr.com.
Contributed Photo From sanwellpr.com / The unveiling of the Glass Street Gateway on Saturday will include public mural paintings.* Chattanooga Market, a weekly showcase of locally produced foods and handicrafts, opens for the season with a special two-day celebration. Current COVID-19 guidelines require that the market operate with reduced merchant capacity to allow for increased social distancing. Themed festivals and live music will not return until summer.
"While our spring season is conservative and limited in scope, our summer and fall plans do follow the national projections [of COVID safety], and we anticipate a broader return to normalcy and larger festivals and events," said Chris Thomas, executive director of Chattanooga Public Markets, which produces the event.
Hours this weekend are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at First Horizon Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. The regular weekly schedule resumes with the same Sunday hours on May 2. Learn more at chattanoogamarket.com.
* Brainerd Farmers Market opens for the season Saturday in the parking lot of Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave. The community farmers market includes naturally grown produce, farm-fresh eggs, dairy and meat products, artisan breads, health and beauty items and handmade crafts. Hours are 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Find out more on the market's Facebook page.
* Alpacas of Greater Tennessee, 10925 Highway 58 in Georgetown, will offer visitors a chance to pet the herd during its inaugural Spring Soaps and Socks Sale this weekend. Merchandise is 20% off, and there will be a drawing for a $25 store gift card. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 423-344-5252 or 423-667-3374 or visit www.alpacasofgreatertn.com.
* Chattanooga Pink Bride Wedding Show gives brides-to-be a chance to plan their dream wedding in one place Sunday at the Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza. The expo features dozens of vendors, fashion shows and giveaways. Attendees will need to download the free BrideScan app on a mobile device for paperless, COVID-friendly connections with the wedding pros. Hours are 1-5 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of the show. Purchase at thepinkbride.com/chattanooga.
* National Park Partners will offer guided hikes at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Cravens House, accessible from the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitors Center, 110 Point Park Road, Lookout Mountain. Originally built by Robert Cravens in 1838, the house was a major point in the "Battle Above the Clouds" during the Civil War. It was destroyed during the war - attributed to a drunken brawl by Union soldiers - but later rebuilt by Cravens.
Sunday's hikes will be leisurely paced, half-hour explorations of the grounds plus a short hike up the Mountain Beautiful Trail to see the final Union and Confederate positions after the Battle of Lookout Mountain. Visitors also may check out a pop-up art sale at the historic house. Find out more at nppcha.org/events.
* Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave., will welcome Baltimore's Ultrafaux Ensemble to the Garden Stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The multigenre band will be joined by Nashville-based mandolinist Isaac Eicher. Admission is $20, which includes complimentary wine. Purchase at barkinglegs.org. Bring a blanket or chair for seating around the bonfire.
* The Signal, 1810 Chestnut St., still has tickets available for its Saturday show by country singer and former "Voice" contestant Kameron Marlowe, with Kat & Alex, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20-$25. Purchase at thesignaltn.com.
* Chattanooga Symphony & Opera performs Dvorak's Wind Serenade at 7 p.m. Friday and at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Ringgold, Georgia, 7611 Nashville St. Other selections include Mozart's Quartet in D Major for Flute and Strings and a movement from his "Divertimento," plus contemporary American composer Anne Guzzo's "The Bear and the Eclipse." Tickets are $25. Purchase at chattanoogasymphony.org.
* Bobby Stone Film Series will celebrate Oscar weekend with screenings of five Oscar-worthy movies - either previous winners or among this year's nominees - at the Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. The schedule: Friday, "Bohemian Rhapsody," 7 p.m.; Saturday, "Minari," 3 p.m., and "The Father," 7 p.m.; Sunday, "Mank," 2 p.m., and "Citizen Kane," 6 p.m. Tickets are $10-12. Purchase at the box office or at www.tivolichattanooga.com.
* MainStreet Cruise-In returns 1-6 p.m. Saturday around the Bradley County Courthouse square, 155 N. Ocoee St. in Cleveland, Tennessee. The monthly event, which draws hundreds of classic cars, happens every fourth Saturday through October. Find out more at mainstreetcleveland.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.