This weekend, hundreds of top athletes will compete in Ironman Chattanooga, Alice Cooper will be rocking at Memorial Auditorium and a home show will gather vendors to help homeowners start those fall projects.
Be advised that at least three events are sold out: the Banana Ball fundraiser at Chattanooga Zoo, Welcome Home of Chattanooga's Death Over Dinner gathering at Crabtree Farms and the Fairytale Ball in Collegedale.
ARTS
-- Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View, will host a Collecting 101 program with James McKissic 6-7 p.m. Thursday. The ArtsBuild president will share stories behind his acquisition of works by Black artists. Admission fees apply ($20 nonmember adults). huntermuseum.org
-- Museum Center at Five Points, 200 E. Inman St., Cleveland, Tenn., will offer Family Day activities, including story time, trunk presentations and children's activities, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. A ticketed Writers Workshop with children's book author Stephanie Campisi is also scheduled Saturday. museumcenter.org
COMEDY
-- Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., has two headlining comedians in shows this week. Kathleen Madigan, a fixture on stand-up stages and TV shows for more than three decades, stops on her Do You Have Any Ranch tour at 8 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $35-$45. Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, a singer, actor and former Oakland Raiders cheerleader whose viral comedy video "Nail Salon" led to her joining the cast of sketch show "Mad TV," will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $39-$59. tivolichattanooga.com
-- The Comedy Catch, 29 Station St., welcomes Jodi White, a self-described "three-times-divorced relationship expert," this weekend. Shows start at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $17-$19. thecomedycatch.com
FAITH
-- Philadelphia Baptist Church, 1065 Pine Grove Road, Ringgold, Ga., will have its homecoming service at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. The musical guest is Appointed Quartet. 706-891-5683
-- Delray Baptist Church, 784 Steele Road, Rossville, Ga., will host the Dove Award-winning gospel group The Perrys at 11 a.m. Sunday. 706-866-9810
FILM
-- Cleveland Bradley County Public Library, 795 Church St. NE, Cleveland, Tenn., will show "Where the Crawdads Sing" (rated PG-13) as part of Fall Friday Family Food Truck Nights 6-9 p.m. Friday. Six food trucks will be on site. The free movie will start around 8 p.m. clevelandlibrary.org
-- Imax Theater, 201 Chestnut St., is among theaters taking part in the re-release of director James Cameron's 2009 sci-fi opus "Avatar" ahead of the sequel coming to theaters Dec. 16. The Imax will screen the Academy Award-winning film, the first to pass $2 billion at the box office, with the latest technological enhancements on its new six-story screen, which was installed last week in advance of the Giant Screen Cinema Association conference to be held here Sept. 28-30. The film is rated PG-13 and has a run time of almost three hours. Showtimes are at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 3:30 and 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Oct. 1-2. Tickets are $15. tnaqua.org
MUSIC
-- NoonTunes, a fall concert series, continues Thursday at noon with local act House of Trinity performing in Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. Admission is free. The performance streams live on Facebook and repeats at 7 p.m. Friday on WUTC-FM 88.1. rivercitycompany.com
-- Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Ga., launches the new season of the John Hamm Performing Arts Series at 7 p.m. Thursday featuring Ruth Naomi Floyd and the Frederick Douglass Jazz Works, in which Floyd and her band punctuate their original jazz with words of the famous abolitionist. The concert takes place in the Dora Maclellan Brown Chapel and Fine Arts Center. Admission is free, but reservations are requested. covenant.edu
-- Lee University kicks off its Presidential Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with the return of Italian pianist Fabio Bidini performing music by Bach, Busoni, Beethoven, Debussy and Chopin. The concert is in Pangle Hall, 340 Church St. NE on the Cleveland, Tenn., campus. Tickets are $5-$15. eventbrite.com
-- The Signal, 1810 Chestnut St., has two nights of music ahead. Friday features soul band St. Paul and The Broken Bones at 8 p.m., with support from The Heavy Heavy. Tickets are $35. Saturday offers Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. thesignaltn.com
— Gem Theatre, 114 N. Wall St., Calhoun, Ga., has two country concerts this weekend. Ronnie McDowell will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $39-$69. William Lee Golden and The Goldens, featuring the baritone singer for the Oak Ridge Boys and his sons, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $44-$49. calhoungemtheatre.org
-- The Caverns, 555 Charlie Roberts Road, Pelham, Tenn., will fill the weekend with an electronica Voyage to the Caverns, a music and camping experience presented by Odyzey Music and featuring three sets by its founder, CloZee, along with another 20 artists. Music starts at noon Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (all times are Central). Tickets are $79-$99 for a single day, $300 for three days with camping. thecaverns.com
-- Valley Vibes Music & Arts Festival is Friday through Sunday at Cherokee Farms, 2035 Old Mineral Springs Road, LaFayette, Ga. The festival features more than 30 artists, with Southern rockers Them Dirty Roses and alt-rock band Cannibal Kids headlining. The event also includes pro wrestling, a local art market, stand-up comedy, food trucks and free-range camping. Tickets are $50 for a single day, $90 for a weekend pass, $150 for an RV pass. valleyvibesmusicfestival.com
-- Cannabis Music Festival, featuring music by 16 local and regional bands, is 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday at Coolidge Park, 150 River St. Food, craft, apparel and CBD vendors will be set up. Admission is free. facebook.com/events
-- Smith & Wesley and Friends benefit concert starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Northwest Georgia Amphitheater, 220 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. The country duo, brothers Scott and Todd Smith, will be joined by songwriters Jacob Lyda and Johnathan East for an acoustic evening of songs and stories. The Last Band will open the fifth annual show, which benefits the Ringgold High School football field fund. Tickets are $10. smithandwesley.com
-- Songbirds, 35 Station St., has four shows on the calendar. Saturday features alt-country artist Amanda Shires, with Honey Harper opening, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of show. Two-time Grammy-nominated flatpicker Leo Kottke performs at 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $45. Zach Person, described by Guitar World magazine as a guitar hero for the next generation, plays at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $15. Wednesday features Chilean folk band Kiltro, with Et Cetera opening, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. songbirdsfoundation.org
-- Chattanooga Spiritual Ensemble, a 30-voice semiprofessional ensemble of singers from Chattanooga, Nashville and Atlanta, will present "Vocal Music of the African Diaspora" at 3 p.m. Sunday at First Christian Church, 650 McCallie Ave. The program will feature choral and solo arrangements of African American spirituals and other music by Black composers. Admission is free.
-- Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave., welcomes rock god and TV pitchman Alice Cooper to the stage at 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $34-$125. tivolichattanooga.com
-- Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave., features master guitarist Alan Shikoh at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the weekly installment of Jazz in the Lounge. Cover is $5. barkinglegs.org
OUT & ABOUT
-- Author appearance: Jason Riley, the Upward Mobility opinion columnist for the Wall Street Journal, will visit the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Thursday for a discussion titled "Why Thomas Sowell Matters." The topic is based on Riley's biography of the author and economist, "Maverick," and the ongoing debates about inequality, race, school choice and social justice. The event takes place 5-6:45 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the University Center, 642 E. Fifth St., and will include a book signing and reception. Those who register will receive the book for free while supplies last. tinyurl.com/rileyonsowell
-- Downtown Dine Around, a tasting event involving 13 locally owned eateries in downtown Cleveland, Tenn., is 5-8 p.m. Thursday. Music performers will be stationed throughout downtown, shops will be open and Back Alley Gallery will showcase an art exhibit. Cost is $30. mainstreetcleveland.com
-- Hispanic Heritage Month at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga continues with a program on "Our Stories: Nuestras Historias" at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Lupton Hall, 700 Oak St. Panelists representing UTC and Latina Professionals of Chattanooga will share their stories. The UTC Newsroom blog has information on additional campus events. blog.utc.edu/news
-- Adventure filmmaker Bryan Smith will speak on "Capturing the Impossible," with stories and videos from his extensive work with National Geographic, Discovery, Disney and other outlets, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale. The event takes place in the Iles PE Center, 4870 University Drive. Tickets are $10 (free with a campus ID). 423-236-2814
-- Torchlight Gala, benefiting the Chattanooga Audubon Society, is 7-10 p.m. Friday at the Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. The event takes place on the Hunter's patio, which overlooks Maclellan Island, a nature sanctuary that is among the 460 acres of land in Hamilton County that the nonprofit conservation organization protects. Tickets are $70-$90 for members, with live music, an artist in residence, silent auction (underway online), heavy hors d'oeuvres, desserts and the option of two cocktails included. Nonmembers pay $10 more. chattanoogaaudubon.org
-- National Public Lands Day, the nation's largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands, is Saturday. The day includes cleanup efforts at Harrison Bay State Park, Red Clay State Historic Park and the Cherokee National Forest; free entry into Point Park on Lookout Mountain; and free fishing in Georgia. neefusa.org/npld
-- Rabbit Valley Farmers Market, 96 Depot St., Ringgold, Ga., will have a Fiber Festival 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. In addition to the regular component of arts, crafts and produce vendors, the event will include fiber artists and demonstrations and a free children's craft. rabbitvalleyfarmersmarket.com
— SNKR BST, a sneaker resale event, is 1-6 p.m. Saturday at the Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza. Among the vendors is Unclaimed Baggage, the Scottsboro, Ala.-based luggage retailer, which will have several iterations of authenticated Yeezy, Nike and Jordan shoes. Tickets are $15 for general admission at 1 p.m., $22 for early entry at 10 a.m. eventbrite.com
-- MainStreet Cruise-In, a monthly gathering of classic cars, is 1-6 p.m. Saturday at the Bradley County Courthouse square, 155 N. Ocoee St., Cleveland, Tenn. mainstreetcleveland.com
-- Shoot for the Moon, a fundraising campaign in which troops within the Cherokee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America benefit from sales of Chattanooga Bakery's MoonPies, is underway. Scouts will be selling door to door in their neighborhoods and will have booths set up on various weekends at Food City, Elder's Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply and Sportsman's Warehouse. Customers also may purchase a case of the confections to be sent to military personnel overseas. cherokeeareabsa.com
-- Fall Home Show, presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga, is 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at the Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza. The expo features vendors with products and services for new construction, remodeling, decorating and landscaping. Tickets are $10 for ages 17 and up, $5 seniors. homeshowchattanooga.com
-- Chattanooga Market plans a Sunday Funday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at First Horizon Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. The weekly market features some 200 local produce, arts and crafts vendors. chattanoogamarket.com
-- Mountaintop Cruise-In, which is open to all vehicle types, including muscle cars, classics, street rods, rat rods and antiques, is 2-5 p.m. Sunday at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 86 Highway 127, Signal Mountain. facebook.com/events
-- The Power of One Week, a lead-up to the Susan G. Komen Walk to end breast cancer on Oct. 1, is next week at Hamilton Place, 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. Early events include a trivia night at Party Fowl at 7 p.m. Monday, a tie-dye night at Molly Green at 6 p.m. Tuesday and a pink dinner night at participating restaurants on Wednesday. RSVPs are requested. hamiltonplace.com
SPECTATOR SPORTS
-- Boyd's Speedway, 1481 Scruggs Road, Ringgold, Ga., will host a World of Outlaws Late Model Series' Stateline Showdown doubleheader at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The races have a $30,000 total payday. Tickets are $25 Friday, $30 Saturday. worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels
-- Chattanooga Football Club has two upcoming home matches at Finley Stadium, 1826 Carter St. The National Independent Soccer Association men's professional team will play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday vs. Flower City Union and at 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Albion San Diego. Tickets are $7-$16. chattanoogafc.com
-- Ironman Chattanooga, a triathlon that includes a 2.4-mile swim in the Tennessee River, a 116-mile bicycle ride into Chickamauga, Ga., and a 26.2-mile run through downtown Chattanooga, starts with the first swimmers in the water at 6:40 a.m. Sunday. The best suggested sites for spectators are Ross's Landing, Tennessee Riverwalk, Veterans Bridge, North Shore, Walnut Street Bridge and Riverfront Parkway. ironman.com/im-chattanooga
THEATER
-- Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga presents final performances of "Daughters of the Moon," about a runaway slave girl and a former plantation mistress wanted for murder, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. Tickets are $20-$22. barkinglegs.org
Find more events, and add your own, at timesfreepress.com/cnevents. See more calendar listings in Sunday's Times Free Press.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.