This weekend's agenda includes several returning festivities such as Dread Hollow, the Tennessee Whiskey Festival and Chattanooga Pride Week. There's also the debut concert of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera's 90th anniversary season and the grand opening of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust's new trail system on Aetna Mountain. For seasonal events, check out this year's Chattanooga Times Free Press fall festival guide. Otherwise, here's this weekend's chronology.
ARTS
— Photographic Society of Chattanooga continues its fall/holiday show at the Gallery at Blackwell, 71 Eastgate Loop. Society members will have their work displayed, and prints will be available for purchase. Gallery hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The show will conclude Jan. 5. Learn more at chattanoogaphoto.org.
— Mountain Arts Guild continues its exhibition "Things of the Heart" in the Exum Gallery at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 305 W. Seventh St. The exhibition features paintings and ceramics created by local senior artists. The exhibition will run through Oct. 29. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, closed Saturday and 8 a.m.-noon Sunday. Learn more at stpaulschatt.org.
— Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace, continues its exhibition "Vocabulary," featuring the work of 27 local and national artists. The works featured in the exhibition use different vocabularies and dialogues in different artistic mediums to engage with viewers and other artists. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The exhibition will run through Nov. 30. Learn more at jewishchattanooga.com.
— Institute of Contemporary Art Chattanooga continues its exhibition "When the World's On Fire" by artist Kevin McNamee-Tweed at the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St. The exhibition features more than 40 new ceramic paintings and other works by McNamee-Tweed. The exhibition will run through Oct. 21. The gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Learn more at icachatt.org.
— In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave., continues its exhibition "Earth Crush," featuring the sculptures of Denice Bizot. Primarily working with metals, Bizot is noted for her use of found materials and freewheeling sense of design to create abstract pieces. The exhibition will run through Sept. 30. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Learn more at intowngallery.com.
MUSIC
— Chattanooga Symphony and Opera will kick off its 90th anniversary season with a performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. The concert also includes Jessica Wells' "Zodiac Animalia" and Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1. Tickets cost $15-$90. Learn more at chattanoogasymphony.org.
— Songbirds, 35 Station St., will host a performance by The Arcadian Wild at 7 p.m. Friday. Featuring the talents of songwriters Isaac Horn and Lincoln Mick with Bailey Warren on fiddle, the band has roots in formal vocal music and influences from progressive bluegrass and folk music. Tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 the day of show. Learn more at songbirdsfoundation.org.
— The Granfalloon, 400 E. Main St., Suite 120, will host a performance by singer-songwriter Chad Douglas featuring Jack Settle at 8 p.m. Friday. The performance is part of Douglas' "The Hard Way" tour. General admission tickets cost $12, and student tickets, with valid ID to be shown at the door, cost $9. Learn more at granfalloonchattanooga.com.
— Barrelhouse Ballroom, 1501 Long St., will have three performances going into next week. At 9 p.m. Friday, Fly By Radio will perform. At 9 p.m. Saturday, Cosmic Charlie, a Grateful Dead tribute band, will perform. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, Low Cut Connie with Matthew Logan Vasquez will perform. Tickets for all three shows are $15 in advance or $20 the day of show. Learn more at barrelhouseballroom.com.
— Be the Change Youth Initiative is bringing its Concert for a Cause series to Signal Mountain with a night of food, music and community from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday at Walden Peak Farm, 141 U.S. Highway 127. The concert's cause is the Food Insecurity Initiative, a plan to build a food pantry and clothing closet at local schools. Tickets cost $15-$40 and include the concert and dinner. Attendees should bring a camping chair and/or blanket for seating. Learn more at eventbrite.com.
OUT & ABOUT
— East Brainerd Kiwanis Club is hosting its annual barbecue fundraiser until April 1. The fundraiser is in partnership with Mike's Smokehouse, 7655 E. Brainerd Road. For $50, people will receive a four person-meal consisting of one pound of barbecue (pork or chicken) and two sides. The fundraiser will benefit the Kiwanis Club's efforts to support children in the community through service projects, advocacy and the provision of Christmas presents, school supplies and donations. Learn more at eastbrainerdkiwanis.org/bbq.
— Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan voting registration and awareness nonprofit, will host an event from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Casa Frida, 323 N. Hamilton St., Dalton, Ga. Attendees will have the opportunity to check their voter registration status, register to vote and meet with local political candidates and officials. Learn more at rockthevote.org.
— Neighborhood Environmental College will host "Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go into the Water" from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday at the South Chattanooga Community Center, 1151 W. 40th St. The program will focus on ways people can reduce the cost and effect of stormwater and sewer overflow, floods, bacterial contamination in streams and poor water quality. Emily Mathis and Mary Beth Sutton will be program speakers. The college is a joint operation between WaterWays, South Chattanooga Community Association and Net Resource Foundation. Learn more about its programs at mywaterways.org.
— The Chattery will host a "People's History of Chattanooga" walking tour from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday starting at the Union Depot Marker, 158 M.L. King Blvd. Michael Gilliland of Caleb, a nonprofit coalition of faith groups, labor unions and community organizations, will lead participants on a tour of downtown Chattanooga using the landscape and landmarks to discuss the city's history during the Civil War, Reconstruction and Civil Rights eras. Registration for the tour costs $5. Learn more at thechattery.org.
— River City Co. will host a Noontunes concert and market from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday from Aquarium Way to High Point Climbing Gym on Broad Street. The free, public event will feature live music by La Rumba artist vendors and food trucks. La Paz Chattanooga will be the nonprofit partner for this week's event, which is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Learn more about the event series at rivercitycompany.com/noontunes.
— Tennessee River Gorge Trust will host a grand opening ceremony for its new trail system on Aetna Mountain from 2-3:30 p.m. Friday. The ceremony will be held at the trailhead located on River Gorge Drive; signs directing attendees to the trailhead will be displayed in the Black Creek neighborhood. At the ceremony, there will be food, drinks and outdoor vendors; the trails will be open to the public following the ceremony. Learn more at trgt.org/aetna-trails.
— Walden's Ridge Civic League will host Smoke on the Mountain from 5-9:30 p.m. Friday and noon-9:30 p.m. Saturday at its property, 2501 Fairmount Pike. This barbecue and bluegrass festival will feature contests for barbecue and "anything but," such as pickles, sauces and more. There will be live music, hayrides, games, face painting, s'mores and more. Proceeds from this event benefit the league's efforts to renovate its auditorium. Learn more at waldensridgecivicleague.org/calendar or on the league's Facebook page.
— Chattanooga Pride Week returns this year with a full lineup of activities through Oct. 8. The festivities begin this weekend with a "Movie in the Park" at 6 p.m. Friday at Miller Park, 928 Market St.; the movie will be "Strange World," an animated comedy-adventure; at noon Saturday, there will be a "Brunch Babes" drag show at Springhill Suites, 8876 Old Lee Highway; at 6 p.m. Sunday, there will be a "Pride of Chattanooga" pageant at The Granfalloon, 400 E. Main St., Suite 120; at 6 p.m. Monday, there will be a "Practice with Pride" yoga session at Renaissance Park, 133 River St.; at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, there will be a "Sunset Pride Paddle" beginning at Coolidge Park, 150 River St.; and at 6 p.m. Wednesday, there will be a mixer and panel at The Chattery, 1800 Rossville Ave., Suite 108. There will be more events going into next weekend. Some events have an admission cost, and some have age restrictions. Learn more on Chattanooga Pride's social media and at chattanoogapride.com.
— Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors will host two "Movies in a Park" events this weekend. The first screening will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Shepherd Park, 2124 E. Shepherd Road, and the second screening will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at North Chattanooga Park, 406 May St. The free, family-friendly events will include activities, games and food starting at 6 p.m. Both events will screen "The Little Mermaid," the 2023 live-action remake of the animated Disney classic, which will start at dusk. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. Learn more on Parks and Outdoors' Facebook page.
— Mountain Shadows neighborhood will host a community yard sale from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at 422 Shadow Parkway. The sale will feature a variety of items, including toys, clothes, furniture, appliances and more, from 600 homes.
— Children's Hospital at Erlanger with Basics Chattanooga, Safe Kids Southeast Coalition and the city of Chattanooga will host a FunFair Festival from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Chattanooga Green, 140 Riverfront Parkway. The festival will feature games, food, activities for all ages and door prizes. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn from local organizations and businesses about how to keep children safe and healthy. Learn more on Erlanger Health's Facebook page.
— Lula Lake Land Trust will have its bi-monthly Open Gate Days from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at its core preserve, 5000 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain, Ga. Visitors can view Lula Lake, the 110-foot Lula Falls and a bluff overlook. Admission is $16. A guided hike is also available for $40, which includes entry to the preserve. Registration is required. Learn more at lulalake.org.
— Cloudland Canyon State Park, 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, Ga., will offer ranger-led tours into Sitton's Cave starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. The two- to 2 1/2-hour long tours will have attendees crawling in mud, scrambling over rocks, encountering underground creatures and possibly wading through a subterranean stream to explore the cave environment. Attendees must register for the tour by calling the park office at 706-657-4050. Admission costs $45 per person. Learn more at gastateparks.org.
— Drive Electric Scenic City and other local organizations will host the second annual Drive Electric Festival from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the McCormick Center at Chattanooga State Community College, 4501 Amnicola Highway. The festival will showcase a wide variety of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and more. Test rides will be available for attendees. Learn more at driveelectricsceniccity.org.
— Tennessee Whiskey Festival returns this year from 1-5 p.m. Saturday at First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd. The festival will feature a variety of local, regional and other spirits to sample. There will be live music, a cash bar and food options. It is a 21-and-older, rain-or-shine event. Tickets cost $20-$125. Learn more at tnwhiskeyfestival.com.
— Jack and Jill of America Inc., Greater Chattanooga chapter, will host an all-white-attire fundraiser entitled "Cuisine En Blanc" from 3-6 p.m. Saturday at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. The fundraiser will support the chapter as well as the programs of The Bethlehem Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga. The event will include food by chef Andi of A&W Events, classic family games and dancing with DJ Kendall Harris of Herculean Entertainment. Tickets cost $50 for ages 13 and older and $35 for ages 2-12; children under 2 get in free. Learn more at eventbrite.com.
— Dread Hollow, 321 Browns Ferry Road, will open for this year's Halloween season at 7 p.m. Saturday. Featured haunted experiences include Camp Dread, the Cerberus Society and Grimsby's Slaughterhouse. There will be escape room experiences for a separate cost. The haunted attraction will be open 8-10 p.m. Thursdays, 8-11 p.m. Fridays, 7-11 p.m. Saturdays and 7-10 p.m. Sundays through October and will be open from 8-10 p.m. Halloween night. General admission tickets cost $25, and escape room tickets cost $15. Parental discretion is advised for children under the age of 12. Learn more at dreadhollow.com.
— Shop the Market will host the Coolidge Park Kickoff Market from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at the park, 150 River St. The market will feature a variety of vendors, food and coffee trucks, live music, cocktails, games and more. Learn more at eventbrite.com.
— Chattanooga Market will host "Scenic City Wings" from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd. Local restaurants will be serving up a variety of wings for attendees to sample and vote for their favorite to name Scenic City's Best Wings of 2023. All ticket sales will benefit the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. Tickets are $15 for a dozen wings. Tickets can be purchased online or at the market. Learn more at chattanoogamarket.com.
— Rise Chattanooga will host Jazzanooga, a Sunday soulful music brunch, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Sunday at Rise, 2901 Taylor St. There will be live music from Neshawn Calloway performing jazz, R&B and gospel music. There will also be soul food for attendees to dine on while they listen to the music. Admission costs $25. Learn more at eventbrite.com.
Staff File Photo by Matt Hamilton / Wally Reynolds pets Elvis at the Noah's Little Ark area during the blessing of the animals Sunday. St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Ooltewah on Oct. 4, 2020. St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church will host its annual Blessing of the Animals event from 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday at the church.
— St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church will host its annual Blessing of the Animals event from 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday at the church, 7555 Ooltewah Georgetown Road. The event will feature a pet parade, Noah's Little Ark petting zoo, an inflatable obstacle course and many more activities for all ages. Learn more at sfaec.org.
SPORTS
— Chattanooga Red Wolves will have a home game against the Central Valley Fuego at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at CHI Memorial Stadium, 1 Stadium Way. General admission tickets start at $13. Learn more at chattanoogaredwolves-sc.com.
— Chattanooga Football Club will have a home game against the Gold Star Football Club of Detroit at 6 p.m. Sunday at Finley Stadium, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. General admission tickets start at $11. Learn more at chattanoogafc.com.
THEATER
— Oak Street Playhouse will conclude its production of "Little Old Ladies in Tennis Shoes" this weekend with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at First-Centenary United Methodist Church, 419 McCallie Ave. The play is described as "a sensitive comedy about friendship between generations." General admission tickets cost $17. Learn more at firstcentenary.com.
— Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St., will begin its centennial season with a production of "Peter Pan" with shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The play follows the classic tale of the Darling siblings as they venture to Neverland with Peter Pan and meet the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell and the pirate Captain Hook; the play is appropriate for all audiences. Tickets cost $27-$32. Learn more at theatrecentre.com.
Find more events, and add your own, at timesfreepress.com/cnevents.
Contact Sam Still at sstill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6579. 
Staff file photo by Olivia Ross / The view from the top of Aetna Mountain is seen on Oct. 13, 2022. Tennessee River Gorge Trust will host a grand opening ceremony for its new trail system on Aetna Mountain Friday.