Multiday events Chattanooga Comic Con and the Lookout Comedy Festival are among the entertainment highlights in the area this weekend. Details follow.
ARTS
-- Townsend Atelier, 301 E. 11th St., will present "Nocturnes Throughout Art History," a virtual lecture by local artist Mia Bergeron about paintings that depict low-light scenes, 7-8 p.m. Wednesday. Cost is $25. Register for the Zoom link to watch the program live or a recording of it later. townsendatelier.com
-- Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View, will present a Virtual Art Wise program 6-7 p.m. Thursday. Collector Kerry Davis and artist Amalia Amaki will talk about their relationship to the art of the current exhibit, "Memories & Inspiration." Register for a link. huntermuseum.org
-- Museum Center at Five Points, 200 E. Inman St., Cleveland, Tenn., offers a Family Fun Day, with storytelling, children's activities and trunk shows from the museum's collections, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Starting Monday, photographs entered into community contest themed to "Telling the Story of the Ocoee Region" will go on view. Photos will be exhibited through Jan. 31. Admission is free. museumcenter.org
DANCE
-- Drive-In Dances, an outdoor dance project initiated by Barking Legs Theater during the pandemic, returns at 8 p.m. Saturday. The multimedia performance will take place after the Ridgedale Fall Festival in a vacant lot at 1319 Dodds Ave. Cars decorated with magnets by Art 120 during the festival will be part of a parade at 7 p.m. They'll circle the lot for the Drive-In Dance, illuminating the performance with their headlights and broadcasting the dancers' music through their radios, tuned to WUTC-FM 88.1. Donations are welcome. barkinglegs.org
-- Dare To Dance, a "Dancing With the Stars"-style competition in which local celebrities are paired with professional dancers, has no in-person tickets remaining, but a virtual ticket is available for $100. The contest starts at 7 p.m. Saturday. Proceeds benefit the Kidney Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. kidneyfoundation.com
HALLOWEEN EVENTS
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-- Date Night at Dread Hollow, a Ruby Falls haunted attraction at 321 Browns Ferry Road, is Thursday. Cost is $70 per couple, which includes RIP treatment in the lounge, a personal reading from a professional medium, meet-and-greet with a Dread Hollow resident, gourmet treats and a souvenir photo. Tickets, with a reserved entry time, must be purchased online. dreadhollow.com
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-- Pumpkin carving: DeSoto State Park, 7104 DeSoto State Parkway NE, Fort Payne, Ala., will begin its all-ages Spookapalooza Pumpkin Carving Contest on Monday. Entries can have any theme and will be judged on overall appearance, creativity, neatness and originality. Entries must be turned in by noon CDT Oct. 29. Winners will be announced Oct. 30 on social media. Questions? Email Brittney.Hughes@dcnr.alabama.gov.
-- Ghost stories: Members of the Cleveland Storytelling Guild will talk about local haunts at Spirits, Legends & Lore 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday on the Bradley County Courthouse square, 155 N. Ocoee St., Cleveland, Tenn. Bring your own seating. Admission is free. Donations will benefit the guild and the Cleveland/Bradley Art Is Here Partnership. visitclevelandtn.com
LECTURES
-- Archaeology: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will present University of the South professor Camille Westmont in a free virtual lecture at 6 p.m. CDT Thursday discussing the Tennessee Coal and Iron Co., which operated with forced prison labor in the 1800s in Grundy County. The lecture is titled, "'Hell Holes of Rage, Cruelty, Despair and Vice': Archaeological Findings from the Lone Rock Convict Labor Stockade." Register for the link. tinyurl.com/archaeologylecture
-- Wheat: The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will present a discussion on how wheat shifted world power at 7 p.m. Friday in the Guerry Center Reading Room near the southeast corner of Chamberlain Field (park in Lot 12/Lupton Hall garage). Panelists include University of Georgia historian Scott Reynolds Nelson, author of "Oceans of Grain: How American Wheat Remade the World," and Mike McLain, regional manager of King Arthur Baking Co. blog.utc.edu/news
-- Haines Lecture: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Natasha Trethewey, who served two terms as U.S. poet laureate, will deliver the Haines Lecture, named for benefactor Stacy Allen Haines (1919-1983), at 4:30 p.m. CDT Tuesday in Convocation Hall at the University of the South, 735 University Ave., Sewanee, Tenn. Her presentation will be livestreamed on the English and Creative Writing Department's YouTube channel. new.sewanee.edu
MUSIC
-- Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave., will feature the Clare Donohue Trio for Jazz in the Lounge at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Cover is $5. Alternative folk artist Daniel Nunnelee performs at 7 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $15. barkinglegs.org
-- NoonTunes, a fall concert series, continues at noon Thursday in Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. This week's featured act is 3's Company, a collaborative of nine Chattanooga-area musicians and poets. Admission is free. The concert streams live on Facebook, and a recording will air at 7 p.m. Friday on WUTC-FM 88.1. rivercitycompany.com
-- The McLemore, 32 Clubhouse Lane, Rising Fawn, Ga., concludes its summer Singer Songwriter Series with a performance by indie artist Griffin House at 6 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $55. themclemore.com
-- The Caverns, 555 Charlie Roberts Road, Pelham, Tenn., has sold out the Summoning of the Eclipse Festival, featuring 58 electronica acts over the weekend, but $50 tickets are available for the advance party with six artists at 8 p.m. CDT Thursday. A wait list is available for Friday and Saturday admission to the festival, which was organized by Svdden Death, the first DJ to perform inside the cave. thecaverns.com
-- Chattanooga Symphony & Opera has two events coming up. The season's second Masterworks concert, "Enigma Variations," is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. Violinist Alexander Sitkovtsky will be featured. Tickets are $15-$90. Monday, the CSO Youth Orchestras' Philharmonic and Symphony ensembles will present a fall concert at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Chattanooga, 401 Gateway Ave. Admission is free. chattanoogasymphony.org
-- Barrelhouse Ballroom, 1501 Long St., plans two nights of music. Friday features experimental rock band Opposite Box at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of show. Saturday brings country band Boy Named Banjo, with Iron Fez supporting, at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of. barrelhouseballroom.com
-- Songbirds, 32 Station St., has dropped from three shows to two after the cancellation of Thursday's show by Seth Walker. Friday, country western artist Brennen Leigh will perform at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($20 day of). Saturday, the boogie-woogie specialists of Allgood Music Company will play at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30. songbirdsfoundation.org
-- The Signal, 1810 Chestnut St., has four nights of music on the books, though local artist Larry Fleet's Saturday stop on his One for the Road tour with Nate Smith has sold out. Tickets are still available for Thursday's 8 p.m. show by country singer Warren Zeiders with Ben Burgess ($22-$45), Friday's Be Our Guest: The Disney DJ Night at 9 p.m. ($18-$40) and Sunday's Dimension tour stop by electronic artist Liquid Stranger, with Tripp St., Ravenscoon and Tape B, at 8 p.m. ($25-$50). Costumes are encouraged for Disney DJ Night, a chance to sing along to classics from Disney movies and television shows. thesignaltn.com
-- Lee University will welcome pianist Yi-Yang Chen for a guest recital at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Humanities Center's Squires Recital Hall, 1250 Parker St. NE, Cleveland, Tenn. The performance is free and nonticketed. Livestream: leeu.live
Staff File Photo / The Gordon Lee Mansion, in Chickamauga, Ga,, will be the site for Music at the Mansion, starting at 5 p.m. Saturday. Bluegrass band Slide Bayou will be followed by the "Music and Mayhem" of dueling piano artists Donnie McBroom and Robby Meadows. Admission is free. A cash bar will be available with a $5 drink pass.-- Music at the Mansion is set for Saturday from the front porch of Gordon Lee Mansion, 217 Cove Road, Chickamauga, Ga. Music starts at 5 p.m. with bluegrass band Slide Bayou performing, followed by the "Music and Mayhem" of dueling piano artists Donnie McBroom and Robby Meadows. Admission is free. A cash bar will be available with a $5 drink pass. facebook.com/cityofchickamauga
-- Gem Theatre, 114 N. Wall St., Calhoun, Ga., will present Elton Live: The Elton John Experience, featuring a tribute band led by performer Steven Dodd, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $34-$39. calhoungemtheatre.org
-- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will host Arkai, an award-winning string duo composed of violinist Jonathan Miron and cellist Philip Sheegog, at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St. The musicians pay electric and traditional versions of their instruments with a pop-classical fusion in style. Admission is free. utc.edu/arts-and-sciences/music
-- Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., will welcome rock band The Airborne Toxic Event at 8 p.m. Monday, with special guest In the Valley Below. Tickets are $25-$35. tivolichattanooga.com
-- Hamilton Sings, in which fifth-grade choir students from Hamilton County schools spend the day learning songs, culminates with a concert at 6 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Chattanooga, 401 Gateway Ave. The students will have support on some selections by the Chattanooga Boys Choir and Sweet Adelines. Admission is free. 423-498-7020
OUT & ABOUT
-- Lookout Comedy Festival, an independent showcase featuring more than 25 comics at six venues over four days, starts Wednesday. The event's three headliners -- Sean Patton, Shane Torres and Dylan Vattelana -- will make multiple appearances. Tickets for individual shows are $5-$20. A festival pass is $50. lookoutcomedyfestival.com
-- NCA Finals Rodeo, featuring the top male and female competitors in seven events, including bull riding, barrel racing, team roping and bareback riding, starts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Tri-State Exhibition Center, 200 Natures Trail SW, McDonald, Tenn. The event is presented by the Athens, Tenn.-based National Cowboy Association, which sanctions rodeos throughout the Southeast. Tickets are $10-$15 (cash only). facebook.com/tristateexhibitioncenter
-- AnniversaParty, a celebration of the Chambliss Center for Children's 150th anniversary, is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the center, 315 Gillespie Road. Free family activities include inflatables, pumpkin painting, food trucks, Big Wheel challenges, petting zoo, Storyland Trail and building tours. chamblisscenter.org/anniversaparty
Staff file photo / With his son Mason in the passenger seat, Scott Roberts drives his 1961 Oldsmobile during the MainStreet Cruise-In on Aug. 24, 2019, in Cleveland, Tenn. The cruise-in is held on the fourth Saturday of each month April through October.-- MainStreet Cruise-In, a monthly gathering of classic cars, ends the season 1-6 p.m. Saturday at the Bradley County Courthouse square, 155 N. Ocoee St. mainstreetcleveland.com
-- Fire Up the Fields, which includes entertainment by the Chattanooga Fire Cabaret and a Burning Man-style sculpture burn by artist Andrew Nigh, is 5-9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park, 1800 Polk St. Admission is free, though donations are appreciated. A $90 VIP experience will provide seating, two drinks and preferred parking. sculpturefields.org
-- Repticon, an exotic animal expo, is this weekend at Camp Jordan Arena, 323 Camp Jordan Parkway, East Ridge. Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $6-$12 either day ($10 adults after 1 p.m. Saturday); $15 both days; free for ages 4 and younger. Tickets must be purchased online. repticon.com
Staff File Photo by Matt Hamilton / Green basilisks huddle together at the Ashtyn Dance Reptiles booth at a previous Repticon on Oct. 24, 2020, at Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge.-- Chattanooga Comic Con, featuring dozens of actors, writers, artists and other industry professionals, is Saturday and Sunday at the Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza. Single-day tickets are $20 cash only. Weekend passes and VIP experiences, $30-$60, must be purchased online by Friday. There are extra charges for the Star Wars: Legion Tournament and photos with actors Khary Payton and Ross Marquand of "The Walking Dead" and voice actors Grey Griffin, Jim Cummings, Tyler Walker, Lindsay Seidel and Aaron Roberts. chattanoogacomiccon.com
-- Circus Spectacular, a Carden International Circus event, stops Tuesday at the Dalton Convention Center, 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road, Dalton, Ga. Shows start at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Preshow entertainment, starting an hour before, includes elephant, camel and horse rides, inflatables and face painting. Admission is $10-$25. spectacularcircus.com
THEATER
-- Scenic City Shakespeare will continue a monthly series focused on Shakespeare's comedies with a discussion of "The Taming of the Shrew" at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Edney Innovation Center, 1100 Market St. Participation is free. A Zoom link will be available. Facebook.com/ScenicCityShakes
-- Ocoee Theatre Co. presents the musical "Always ... Patsy Cline" in three shows this weekend. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Cleveland Middle School, 3635 Georgetown Road NW, Cleveland, Tenn. Tickets are $20. ocoeetheatre.com
-- Dalton Little Theatre, 210 N. Pentz St., Dalton, Ga., will present a stage adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10-$15. daltonlittletheatre.com
-- Artistic Civic Theatre, 907 Gaston St., Dalton, Ga., begins a two-weekend run of "Arsenic and Old Lace" with shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (and Oct. 27-29) and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12-$16. actdalton.org
-- The Colonnade Players will conclude their season with the interactive whodunit "Clue: The Musical" at the Colonnade, 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, with a similar schedule Oct. 28-30. The first Saturday performance will include American Sign Language interpretation. catoosacolonnade.com
-- Tennessee Valley Theatre, 184 W. Jackson Ave., Spring City, Tenn., will present the interactive murder mystery "Dead Men Don't Need Dress Rehearsals" the next two weekends. Shows start at 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. The final weekend includes a costume contest (Oct. 29) and dessert (Oct. 30). Tickets are $12-$19. tennesseevalleytheatre.com
Find more events, and add your own, at timesfreepress.com/tfpevents.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.