There's plenty to do this weekend, including the Big 9 Music Fest, the conclusion of Rock the Riverfront and the home opener for the Chattanooga Lookouts. Here's the chronology.
ARTS
› Photographic Society of Chattanooga continues its spring 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 exhibition will run through May 3. Learn more at chattanoogaphoto.org.
› In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave., continues its exhibition, "Folksy Fish," featuring the ceramic fish sculptures created by McCallie School's eighth grade art students. The sculptures were inspired by the work of North Carolina Appalachian folk artists. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The exhibition will run through April 27. Learn more at intowngallery.com.
› ClearStory Arts, 1673 S. Holtzclaw Ave., continues its exhibition,"Green: A Spring Showcase," featuring works in a variety of mediums that focus on the color and meaning of green. Gallery hours are by appointment Tuesday-Friday. The exhibition will run through April 27. Learn more at clearstoryarts.com.
› Association for Visual Arts, 30 Frazier Ave., continues its exhibition, "Nature's Generosity: Wilderness Photography Foundation," featuring the works of 46 nature photographers that showcase the beauty and diversity of plant and animal life. Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, noon-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The exhibition will run through April 17. Learn more at avarts.org.
› Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View, will host a Create and Sip session at 6 p.m. Thursday. Attendees will enjoy a glass of wine while making their own artwork inspired by the museum's current exhibition, "Networked Nature." Museum staff will lead a tour of the exhibit followed by a how-to lesson on creating a zoetrope, a device with a sequence of images that, when rotated, creates the illusion of motion. This is a 21 and older event. Registration costs $25 per person and $20 for members. Learn more at huntermuseum.org.
› University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Art and the Institute of Contemporary Art continue the 2024 Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Thesis Exhibition through April 20 in the institute's gallery inside the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St. The second half of the exhibition's 28 student artists will have artist talks and an opening reception at 5-8 p.m. Friday with the artist talks taking place in the Benwood Auditorium of the Engineering and Computer Science Building, 735 Vine St., and the reception taking place inside the Fine Arts Center. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Learn more at icachatt.org.
› Creative Arts Guild, 520 W. Waugh St., Dalton, will host an opening reception for its exhibition, "ATL Imported: A Showcase of Atlanta Art," from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday. The exhibition features works by artists who live and create in the Atlanta area, showcasing the variety of talents within Georgia's capital city. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and by appointment Saturday-Sunday. The exhibition will run through May 31. Learn more at creativeartsguild.org.
COMEDY
› Poetry and Punchlines will be at 7 p.m. Friday at WanderLinger Brewing Co., 1208 King St. Hosted by Rhyme N Chatt, this interactive spoken word event will feature live music and an open mic, in honor of National Poetry and National Humor months. Attendance is free, and donations are accepted to support Rhyme N Chatt's programming. Learn more at rhymenchatt.com.
› Ben Miller will present "Volcano," a science stand-up comedy show, at 6 p.m. Sunday at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. Miller, a scientist turned comedian, will explore volcanology, entomology, Hawaiian history and more in his show. Tickets cost $10-$15. Learn more at barkinglegs.org.
MUSIC
› Barrelhouse Ballroom, 1501 Long St., will have multiple shows through the weekend. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, John Moreland with Justin Bloss will perform; tickets cost $25 in advance or $28 the day of show. At 9 p.m. Thursday, Minnesota with Abelation and Shakes will perform; tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 the day of show. At 8 p.m. Friday, Lenox Hills with Massey Lane and Walter Slide will perform; tickets cost $12 in advance or $15 the day of show. At 9 p.m. Saturday, Cosmic Charlie will perform "Europe '72;" tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 the day of show. Learn more at barrelhouseballroom.com.
› Chattanooga Symphony and Opera will have a masterworks concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. The concert, which will serve as music director Kayoko Dan's final performance with the organization, will feature performances of Jessie Montgomery's "Starburst," Maurice Ravel's "Mother Goose Suite" and Ludwig Van Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9." Tickets cost $25-$90. Learn more at chattanoogasymphony.org.
› Reflection Riding, 400 Garden Road, will host a session of its Campfire Concert Series at 6 p.m. Friday. The concert will feature music by Three Star Revival, beer from Hutton and Smith Brewing Co., s'mores and more. Tickets cost $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers. For an additional $10 per person, attendees can camp in Reflection Riding's field after the concert. Learn more at reflectionriding.org.
› John Cowan and Luke Bulla will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. Tickets cost $30. Learn more at barkinglegs.org.
› Songbirds, 206 W. Main St., will have two shows this weekend. At 8 p.m. Friday, Dock Party, a four-piece band made up of McCallie School students, will perform; tickets cost $7; this is a fundraiser for Songbirds' Guitar for Kids program. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Pink Houses, a John Mellencamp tribute, will perform; tickets cost $15 in advance or $18 the day of show. Learn more at songbirdsfoundation.org.
› The Signal, 21 Choo Choo Ave., will have multiple shows going into next week. At 9 p.m. Friday, there will be "Gimme Gimme Disco," a dance party celebrating the disco genre; tickets start at $26. At 8 p.m. Monday, there will be a candlelight rock orchestra; tickets start at $61. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, The Driver Era will perform; tickets start at $47. Learn more at thesignaltn.com.
› Big 9 Music Fest will be from 3-11 p.m. Saturday and 1:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. The event will be two days of art vendors, food, family fun and live music, with a variety of acts performing various genres of music on Saturday and multiple gospel acts on Sunday. Learn more at bessiesmithcc.org/festival.
› EG Kight Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. Tickets cost $20. Learn more at barkinglegs.org.
› Southern Adventist University School of Music will present a wind symphony concert, entitled "Hear Me Roar," at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Collegedale Church of Seventh-Day Adventists, 4829 College Drive E., Collegedale. The repertoire will feature Carolyn Bremer's "Early Light," Alex Shapiro's "Beneath" and other selections. This free concert is open to the public and will be livestreamed. Learn more at southern.edu/musicevents.
OUT & ABOUT
› Northgate Mall, 271 Northgate Mall Drive, Hixson, will host a carnival, presented by Fun Time Shows, from Thursday-April 21. The carnival, featuring a variety of rides, games and food, will be open 5-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. A wristband, granting unlimited rides, costs $30 per session; sessions are noon-5 p.m. or 5-10 p.m. on weekends. Individual tickets cost $1.25, with rides accepting 3-5 tickets. Learn more at visitnorthgatemall.com.
› Girls Scouts of the Southern Appalachians will host the "Great Cookie Tasting" from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at WanderLinger Brewing Co., 1208 King St. WanderLinger will pair its brews with the Girl Scouts' signature cookies, and the Girl Scouts will crown the Tennessee Valley and North Georgia Favorite Cookie from the Great Cookie Competition. Tickets cost $25, including a flight of beer paired with four cookies and light appetizers. Proceeds will benefit the Girl Scouts. Learn more at bit.ly/greatcookietasting.
› Rock the Riverfront concludes this weekend with the theme, "Pure Imagination," from 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday at the Chattanooga Green, 140 Riverfront Parkway. The event features "Loop," an interactive work that plays short flip-book-style movies inspired by Quebec literature; live performances; food trucks; artist vendors; and more. On Saturday, there will be a children's entrepreneurship market from 9 a.m.-noon and performances by Ensamble de Mexico from 10-11:30 a.m., Be the Change Youth Initiative from 1-2 p.m. and Interval from 6-7 p.m. Rock the Riverfront is a free event. Learn more at rivercitycompany.com/rock.
› River City Ribbon Run, hosted by the CHI Memorial Foundation, will be at 8 a.m. Saturday at Chattanooga State Community College, 4501 Amnicola Highway. The event, supporting local cancer patients and treatment, will feature a timed 5K run, a 5K walk and a 1-mile fun run. There will also be food trucks, children's activities and a health expo on-site until 11 a.m. Registration costs $15-$30. Learn more at bit.ly/ribbonrun2024.
› Creekside Flower Farm, 5549 N. Marble Top Road, Chickamauga, will host a spring plant festival from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. The festival will feature a large variety of flowers for sale, a local vendor market, yard games and more. Attendees will also be able to view the blooming spring flowers in the farm's fields. Admission costs $5 per car. Learn more at creeksideflowerfarm.com.
› Chattanooga River Market will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza, 1 Broad St. The market features a variety of vendors, selling handmade art, crafts and food. The river market will be open Saturdays only through October. Learn more at chattanoogamarket.com.
› Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, in association with the University of Tennessee Extension, will present its annual "Master Your Garden" Expo from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at Camp Jordan Arena, 323 Camp Jordan Parkway, East Ridge. The expo will feature live demonstrations, a variety of garden vendors, a master gardener Q&A table, talks presented by local and nonlocal experts and a bonsai exhibit. Admission costs $10, which is good for both days; children 12 and under get in free. Proceeds from the expo benefit the master gardeners' scholarships and community garden programs. Learn more at mghc.org/garden-expo.
› Friends of the Gordon-Lee Mansion will host tours from noon-2 p.m. Saturday at the mansion, 217 Cove Road, Chickamauga. Additional tours will take place May 4, 11, 18, 19 and 25 in support of the Tennessee Valley Railroad's Chickamauga Turn visitors. Admission costs $5 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under; proceeds benefit the group's efforts to improve and enhance the mansion. Learn more at friendsofthegordonleemansion.org.
› Whitfield-Murray Historical Society will host its annual Model Train Expo from noon-4 p.m. Saturday at the Chatsworth Depot, 219 N. First Ave., Chatsworth. The expo will feature model train viewings, tours of a 1960 caboose and adjacent Wright Hotel, model train vendors and more. There will be a raffle for a model train set, among other prizes. Admission is free; donations are accepted. Learn more at whitfield-murrayhistoricalsociety.org.
› Sequatchie Valley Institute, 1233 Cartwright Loop, Whitwell, will host a guided, two-hour, moderate hike at 1 p.m. CDT Saturday. The hike will give attendees the opportunity to see the vibrant colors of spring wildflowers. Attendees should arrive at the parking area from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. CDT at the latest for registration and shuttle ride to the institute center. Herb tea will be available, and picnics are welcome. Children are welcome, but attendees are asked to leave pets at home. Learn more at svionline.org.
› Collegedale Flea Market and Car Show, hosted by American Legion Post 257, will be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at Collegedale Community Church, 9305 Four Corners Place, Collegedale. The event will feature a variety of vendors with crafts, collectables, food, classic cars, games and prizes. Learn more at collegedalefleamarket.com.
› Southern Adventist University's automotive program will have students and employees providing free vehicle inspections to the community from 1-4 p.m. Sunday at the Samaritan Center, 9231 Lee Highway, Ooltewah. Technicians will check fluids, belts, hoses and other items on vehicles. There will be no repairs done on-site. For more information, contact the university's applied technology team at 423-236-2863 or technology@southern.edu.
› Devi Lockwood, author of "1001 Voices on Climate Change," will have an interactive presentation at 3 p.m. Sunday at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 400 Glenwood Drive. The presentation will focus on Lockwood's five-year bicycle tour around the world, in which she recorded stories about the impact of climate change on the lives of everyday people. Attendance is free; preregistration is encouraged but not required. Learn more at pilgrim-church.com.
› Chattanooga Burger Week will begin Monday and run through April 21. During the week, over 20 participating restaurants across the city will offer $7 burger specials, and participants will have a chance to win various prizes, including a grand prize of $500 in restaurant gift cards. Learn more at chattanoogaburgerweek.com.
SPORTS
› Chattanooga Lookouts will have home opener games at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2:15 p.m. Sunday at AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley. The team will take on the Tennessee Smokies. Game promotions include: Dogs at the Diamond and Chick-fil-A giveaways on Wednesday; Thirsty Thursday; rally towel giveaways and fireworks on Friday; spin to win prizes and the debut of a new Scenic City look on Saturday; and a food drive, senior day and catch on the field on Sunday; kids run the bases after every game. Tickets start at $8. Learn more at milb.com/chattanooga.
› Chattanooga Football Club will have a home game against Inter Miami II at 5 p.m. Saturday at Finley Stadium, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. Tickets start at $10. Learn more at mlsnextpro.com/chattanoogafc.
THEATER
› UTC Theatre Co. will present "Out at Sea," an absurdist tale of survival and democratic decision-making, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St. Tickets cost $15-$20. Learn more at utc.edu/fine-arts-center.
› Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St., will present "Ain't Misbehavin," a jazz musical revue exploring the music of composer Thomas "Fats" Waller and the energy and spirit of the Harlem Renaissance, at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $30-$35, including fees. Performances will run through May 5. 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.