This weekend will see the conclusion of Juneteenth events, a new fair at the Tennessee Riverpark and the critically acclaimed Chattanooga Film Festival. Here’s the chronology.
ARTS
— Stove Works, 1250 E. 13th St., plans several events this weekend. On Friday, the monthly variety hour Art-A-Nooga Tonight, will start at 6 p.m., followed at 8 p.m. by Chattanooga Noise Night. On Saturday, the eight artists in residence will open their studios from 3 to 5 p.m., and the opening reception for artist Will Sutton’s “Backwash” is set for 7-9 p.m. stoveworks.org
— Chattanooga Public Library, 1001 Broad St., will close its “Glass From the Past” exhibit Saturday. Presented by Overlooked Materials, a curbside glass recycling service, the display showcases the city’s glass manufacturing and bottling history. chattlibrary.org
— Howard Finster’s World Folk Art Church at Paradise Garden, 200 N. Lewis St., Summerville, Ga., will be reintroduced at an open house 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. The late folk artist built the 56-foot-tall structure by hand, without blueprints. After extensive restoration, it is reopening after 25 years. paradisegardenfoundation.org
COMEDY
— The Comedy Catch, 29 Station St., has several events on the schedule this weekend, including a special engagement by Josh Blue, who was voted “Last Comic Standing” on the NBC reality show’s fourth season. Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $28-$38. Brent Blakeney will perform at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, with tickets priced at $22-$27. GR Goodwin & Friends are scheduled at 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $22-$27. thecomedycatch.com
— Improv Chattanooga will be part of Comedy Night, featuring improvisational performers and stand-up comics, at Gate 11 Distillery, 1400 Market St., at 8 p.m. Friday. Admission is free. Then at 8 p.m. Saturday, the performers will take inspiration from Cast Iron Storytelling sessions for Improv and Storytelling at 8 p.m. at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. Tickets are $12. improvchattanooga.com
— Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., will host Fred Armisen in his Comedy for Musicians but Everyone Is Welcome tour at 7 p.m. Sunday. Armisen’s credits include “Saturday Night Live” and “Portlandia.” Tickets are $48-$62. tivolichattanooga.com
FAITH
— St. Paul AME Church, 2514 Williams St., will observe Youth Day at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Special guest will be the Rev. Ju’Quan L. Stewart, of Macon, Ga., a Tyner High School graduate and former educator here. 423-267-6869
FILM
— Chattanooga Film Festival, which has drawn praise from industry insiders in years past, returns this weekend with 178 independent films in multiple genres, including 130 shorts. In-person screenings are scheduled Friday through Sunday at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. Virtual screenings are available Friday through June 28. Tickets are $225-$275. chattfilmfest.org
— Bobby Stone Film Series opens its summerlong “Set in the South” series Saturday at Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., with two films: “Little Richard: I Am Everything” at 3 p.m. and “Drive Away Dolls” at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10-$12 per film. tivolichattanooga.com
— Chattanooga Jewish Film Series kicks off Sunday with the rom-com “Matchmaking 2” at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace. This is the first of five films in the series, which is in its 18th year. Patrons may watch in person at 4 p.m. Virtual screenings are available from noon Sunday to noon June 27 with registration Tickets are $12, which includes popcorn and a soft drink for those who watch at the cultural center. jewishchattanooga.com
JUNETEENTH
(READ MORE: 15+ events to observe Juneteenth holiday)
— Booker T. Washington State Park, 5801 Champion Road, will be the site of a Juneteenth celebration by the Black Men of the Hamilton County Democratic Party 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. The event includes food, music, games and bounce houses. 706-383-3952
— Point Park, 110 Point Park Road, Lookout Mountain, Tenn., will have free admission for Juneteenth, a national holiday, on Thursday. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Ranger programs about the “Battle Above the Clouds” will happen at 11 a.m. and 2 and 4 p.m. nps.gov/chch
— Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M.L. King Blvd., has scheduled a Juneteenth Freedom Day festival 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday. It includes music by DJ Ant, food trucks, children’s activities, a Black vendor market on the lawn and a screening of “Juneteenth: Faith & Family” documentary. bessiesmithcc.org
— Unity Group of Chattanooga concludes its observance of Juneteenth with these Thursday events: a noon screening of “How To Sue the Klan,” a documentary about five Black women from Chattanooga who survived a Ku Klux Klan attack in 1980, at New Zion Baptist Church, 809 E. M.L. King Blvd. (RSVP at TheCivilCase.com); and the Juneteenth National Freedom Day Parade at 4 p.m. Lineup will start at 3:30 p.m. on Peeples Street and follow East M.L. King Boulevard to Miller Park, 928 Market St., for the Juneteenth National Freedom Day Remix at 5 p.m., with community line dancing, an art exhibit, fashion show and live music. facebook.com/unitygroupofchattanooga
MUSIC
— Songbirds, 206 W. Main St., has these events scheduled: Wednesday is Open Mic Night at 7 p.m., with sign-ups for the 10 available spots starting at 6 p.m., free but donations encouraged. Jazz Futures, for aspiring and seasoned musicians is at 8 p.m. Thursday, free but donations encouraged. On Saturday, members of local band Et Cetera will lead a live production masterclass at 4:30 p.m. as part of Make Music Day, in advance of their concert at 7:30 p.m.; concert tickets are $25. songbirdsfoundation.org
— Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave., has two shows coming up. The weekly Wednesday Night Jazz show features Dexter Bell & Friends at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10-$12. The band Faun Fables will stop at 7:30 p.m. Friday on the “Counterclockwise” record release tour, with Alan Shikoh opening. Tickets are $20-$25. barkinglegs.org
— Barrelhouse Ballroom, 1501 Long St., has the following shows scheduled: Taj Farrant on the Chapter One tour at 7 p.m. Wednesday, $30-$60; Randall King at 8 p.m. Thursday, $25-$30. Stoplight Observations with The Band Solstice at 9 p.m. Friday, $15-$20. Brandon Davis with Caleb Lovely at 9 p.m. Friday, $15-$20. And a “Thank You, Richard Winham” show for the retiring WUTC host, featuring Randy Steele & High Cold Wind and The New Quintet as headliners 1-5 p.m. Sunday, $20. barrelhouse ballroom.com
(READ MORE: WUTC radio host retiring after nearly 40 years)
— Songwriters Series, a monthly showcase, continues at 6 p.m. Thursday at McLemore Resort, 32 Clubhouse Lane, Rising Fawn, Ga. The featured artists are Chris Gulbuda and Lauren Jenkins, with Levi Ouimet opening. Tickets are $60. themclemore.com/experiences
— The Lineup off Battlefield, a free family entertainment series, continues Friday at the Northwest Georgia Amphitheater, 220 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. The band Remembering January will be featured at 6:30 p.m., to be followed by a screening of “Kung Fu Panda 4” at 8:30 p.m. The event includes food and craft vendors and a cornhole tournament. catoosarec.com
— Summer Nights Concert Series continues at 6:30 p.m. Friday on the Rhea County Courthouse square, 1475 Market St., Dayton, Tenn. The featured artist is Joe C. Deville. rheaheritage.com
— Off the Rails, a summer concert series, continues 6:30-10 p.m. Friday in Burr Performing Arts Park, 101 S. Hamilton St., Dalton, Ga. Scheduled to perform are Auntie Bunny, DLY2 and headliner Corey Brown & TCB Band. Admission is free. visitdaltonga.com
— Nightfall, a summer concert series, continues Friday on the Miller Plaza Stage, 850 Market St., with Kimmie J. Soul opening at 7 p.m. and headliner Hollyy performing at 8 p.m. An art market and food vendors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is free. nightfallchattanooga.com
— Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave., will host the Black Jacket Symphony for a concert of Jimmy Buffett’s greatest hits at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $57-$95. tivolichattanooga.com
— Make Music Day, an all-day global celebration of music held annually on the summer solstice, is Saturday, with more than a dozen Chattanooga venues taking part. See the schedule at makemusicday.org
— Riverfront Nights, a free music series, continues Saturday with Soul Sacrifice: A Santana Tribute headlining at 8 p.m. at Ross’s Landing, 100 Riverfront Parkway. The opening act is Rock and Skate at 7 p.m. Concessions, family games and pet-friendly activities will start at 4 p.m. riverfrontnights.com
— Catoosa Colonnade, 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga., will host Ultimate Rewind (formerly Ultimate Oldies) at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $32. catoosacolonnade.com
— Big 9 Music Fest, a celebration of history, music and community, is this weekend at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. Music is scheduled 3-11 p.m. Saturday, with headliner Jeter Jones, and 1:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday, with evangelist Lemmie Battles. Artisan vendors and food truck will be set up on the lawn. Admission is free. bessiesmithcc.org
OUT & ABOUT
— Lookout Lavender Farm, 1039 N. Moore Road, Rising Fawn, Ga., will end its you-pick dates this weekend. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 4-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Gate admission is $8 admission, and lavender bundles cost $7. lookoutlavender.com
— Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St., is observing Pollinator Week through Friday with honey tastings, “Flight of the Bumblebee” dance parties and stories during regular hours (10 a.m.-5 p.m.). Wednesday also includes “Make a Mo-Ment: Knuffle Bunny’s Birthday,” coinciding with “The Pigeon Comes to Chattanooga: A Mo Willems Exhibit.” Featured activities include a read-aloud with the Chattanooga Public Library at 11 a.m. and a dance party at 1 p.m. The special events are free with regular admission of $20. cdmfun.org
— Lavender Festival at Flat Top Mountain Farm, 638 Bowman Cemetery Road, Soddy-Daisy, is in its final weekend. The you-pick fields, offering $10 lavender bundles, are open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, 4-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Food trucks and an artisan storefront are available Friday-Sunday. Gate admission is $5 for ages 14 and older. flattopmountainfarm.com
— River City Fair, which includes carnival rides, games and weekend fireworks, will debut Thursday at the Tennessee Riverpark, 4301 Amnicola Highway. It is presented by the nonprofit A Community A-Fair. Hours are 5-10 p.m. daily through June 29. Admission is $5 Monday-Thursday, $10 Saturday-Sunday (free for children 3 feet tall and under). facebook.com/vividfaircreations
— Metrotham Con, a multifandom convention, will take place this weekend at the Dalton Convention Center, 2211 Tony Ingle Parkway, Dalton, Ga. The schedule includes panels, entertainment, cosplay contest, console and tabletop gaming. Hours are 2 p.m.-midnight Friday, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (the vendor hall closes earlier). Special guests include wrestlers, artists, authors and actors (see website for appearance schedule and photo and autograph fees). Single day admission is $26 Friday-Saturday, $16 Sunday, $41-$52 three-day pass. metrothamcon.com
— Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center, 3370 LaFayette Road, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., will host a book signing by retired U.S. Army Col. Edna Cummings 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday. She’ll also give a talk at 1 p.m. about “A Soldier’s Life: A Black Woman’s Rise From Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion,” which details her experience in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a predominantly Black unit of the U.S. Women’s Army Corps that managed postal services in World War II. nps.gov/chch
— National Park Partners and The H2O Life will offer “Currents of Culture: A Tennessee River Tour,” a pontoon boat experience to learn about Jacob Cummings, a formerly enslaved Black man who navigated these waters on his journey to freedom, plus the history of Moccasin Bend, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday from Cameron Harbor, 721 Latitude Circle. $45. Register: theh2o.life^
— Community BBQ Bash, an arts, crafts and farmers market emphasizing the unity in community, is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at Coolidge Park, 150 River St. Food vendors will provide concessions. Admission is free. shopthemarketat.com
— Master Gardeners of Hamilton County will host a monthly garden class, “Bees in the Garden,” 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday at the University of Tennessee Extension office, 6183 Adamson Circle. Register: mghc.org
— Chattanooga Zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave., will mark World Giraffe Day with special events 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday (the zoo is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). One in a series of Conservation Awareness Days, the event includes extra keeper chats, themed enrichment and arts and crafts as part of regular admission: $11-$16 ($2 more at gate). chattzoo.org
— Red Bank’s 70th anniversary will be celebrated noon-5 p.m. Saturday at Red Bank City Park, 3817 Redding Road. The schedule includes music by John Benjamin Davis at noon, Randy Steele at 1:30 and In the Company of Wolves at 3:30 p.m. White Oak Bicycle Co-Op will give away bicycles. Vendors will have food, beer and souvenirs. redbanktn.gov
— Culture on 4, held on the fourth floor of the Chattanooga Public Library, 1001 Broad St., will feature a conversation with Shane Morton, an Atlanta-based visual-effects artist who has extensive credits in horror film and entertainment, 4-6 p.m. Saturday. The event is presented by Chattanooga’s Office of Arts, Culture & Creative Economy. chattlibrary.org
— Chattanooga Market has a “Midsummer Solstice” theme for its next weekly gathering of artists, crafters and food vendors, 11 a.m.-4 p.m Sunday at First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd. Scenic City Sound will perform during the day. Admission is free. chattanoogamarket.com
SPORTS
— Best of Preps, the Chattanooga Times Free Press’ annual salute to the area’s top high school athletes, will have a throwback moment at this year’s event, set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. The special guest is Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, who was a Bradley Central standout in her high school days and Female Athlete of the Year at the 2018 edition of Best of Preps. Tickets are $39. tivolichattanooga.com
— Chattanooga Football Club, a men’s professional soccer team in the MLS Next Pro league, will play FC Cincinnati at 7 p.m. Saturday at Finley Stadium, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. Tickets start at $12. chattanoogafc.com
— Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves, a USL W League soccer team, will take on One Knoxville Sporting Club at 6 p.m. Sunday at CHI Memorial Stadium, 1 Stadium Way, East Ridge. Tickets start at $14. chattanoogaredwolves-sc.com
THEATER
— Obvious Dad, a Chattanooga-based professional theater company, will launch the first of its four-part OutWord: LGBTQ+ Play Reading Series, featuring new plays by queer playwrights, at 7 p.m. Thursday at ClearStory Arts, 1673 S. Holtzclaw Ave. The reading of Nelle Tankus’ “Slack Water,” a surreal exploration of trans identity and the climate crisis. will be followed by a conversation between the performers and audience. obviousdad.com
(READ MORE: Chattanooga theater company Obvious Dad seeks to stage ‘defiant’ experiences)
— Artistic Civic Theatre, 907 Gaston St., Dalton, Ga., will offer its final weekend of Roald Dahl’s “James and the Giant Peach Jr.,” with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Tickets are $14-$19. artisticcivictheatre.com
— Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St., has four performances remaining of its latest production — Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” set in present-day Chattanooga, with 10 actors in 20+ roles. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $22-$27. theatrecentre.com
— Rhyme N Chatt, an interactive spoken word and poetry organization, will offer its monthly Fresh Out the Shoebox open mic 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday at Edney Innovation Center, 100 Market St. The group also will take part in Make Music Day on Saturday with Rap Is Poetry (RIP) Movement at K Clubhouse, 2432 Glass St. Tickets are $15. rhymenchatt.org
— Dalton Little Theatre, 210 N. Pentz St., opens its two-weekend run of “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” with shows at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10-$15. daltonlittletheatre.com
Find more events, and add your own, at timesfreepress. com/cnevents.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.