With the Super Bowl on Sunday and Valentine's Day on Monday, the weekend should be buzzing with activity. Here are some of the events that might tempt you, including a Mardi Gras Ball if you party with a krewe and Galentine's Day gatherings for all the single ladies.
With the wealth of events, it's worth a reminder that COVID-19 protocols vary widely. You'd be wise to check with the venue beforehand to see if you'll need a face mask, proof of vaccine, a recent negative test or none of the above.
To search for more things to do in the Chattanooga area by topic, visit our events page.
MUSIC
- John Hamm Performing Arts Series at Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Ga., welcomes classical pianist Drew Petersen in a solo recital at 7 p.m. Thursday. Petersen will perform works by Chopin, Ravel and Rachmaninoff. Admission is free. covenant.edu
- Choral Arts of Chattanooga will present Mass: A Celebration of Love and Joy at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Chattanooga, 401 Gateway Ave. Soprano Neshawn Calloway and tenor Michael Mays are the featured soloists. Tickets are $10-$15 online and at the door. choralartsofchattanooga.weebly.com
- Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., has two events scheduled. The Performing Arts Series concludes at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with a jazz trio concert featuring original works by saxophonist Gregory Tardy, accompanied by drummer David Potter and bassist Sean Conly, in the Dixon Center, 1053 Church St. NE. Admission is free, but registration is required: Eventbrite.com. Some 200 students from 16 schools in four states will visit for the Honor Choir, concluding with a performance at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Conn Center that includes selections with the Choral Union and Ladies of Lee. The event is free and nonticketed. Watch either event via livestream at leeu.live.
- Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., has two shows scheduled. Indie band The Brook & The Bluff will play at 8 p.m. Thursday, with Gatlin opening. Tickets are $15-$18. Blues/rock guitar god Kenny Wayne Shepherd will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, with Ally Venable opening. Tickets are $50-$75. tivolichattanooga.com
- The Arts Avenue, 1800 Rossville Ave., welcomes Atlanta-based AC/DC tribute band Back N Black at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $15. theartsave.com
- WanderLinger Brewing Co., 1208 King St., has two events on the books. A Tennessee Songwriters qualifying round, featuring 20 artists competing to be in a showcase round and ultimately a performance at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, is 8-11 p.m. Friday. Admission is free. Blank 281, an Atlanta-based Blink 182 tribute band that was featured on E's "Clash of the Cover Bands," will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. wanderlinger.com
- Songbirds, 35 Station St., will host The Afternooners, a Chattanooga-based alt-rock band, at 7 p.m. Saturday. Supporting are Connor Kelly & The Time Warp and Eric Kirkendoll. Tickets are $10. songbirdsfoundation.org
- Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will present "Big Band Fever," a Valentine's concert of swing and big-band favorites, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. A free swing dance lesson by Dance Tonight Chattanooga will precede the show at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$90. chattanoogasymphony.org
- Museum Center at Five Points, 200 E. Inman St., in Cleveland, Tenn., has two music events on the calendar. A Tennessee Songwriters qualifying round is 6-9 p.m. Saturday, with 20 artists looking to advance to a showcase and then a Bluebird Cafe performance in Nashville. Music Under the Stars will present the Premier Jazz Orchestra in a Valentine's Day concert, "La Vie en Rose," at 7:45 p.m. Monday. Unity Dance Studio will provide a brief swing dance lesson at 7:15 p.m. General admission is $25. The $50 VIP tickets add an open bar and desserts. museumcenter.org
- Singing Valentines: Barbershop quartets from the Choo Choo Chorus will serenade your valentine in person or by email Saturday through Monday. Cost is $25-$100 depending on the timing and delivery method chosen when registering. 423-265-SING, choochoochorus.org
- Chattanooga Music Club will meet at 3 p.m. Sunday in the sanctuary of Christ United Methodist Church, 8645 East Brainerd Road. Following a brief business meeting, Gary Bynum and Stephanie Pearson will direct a "Broadway Review" program of solos and duets, including a tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Admission is free.
- Wine & Roses Valentine's Show, featuring Tru Vibez and Sounds of Perfection, is 7-11 p.m. Sunday at V. Frances Intimate Events, 6925 Shallowford Road. Tickets, which include an open bar and food, are $35 for singles, $50 for couples. Eventbrite.com
- East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra, an all-volunteer ensemble, will present a "Sweet & Salty" Valentine's Day big-band concert at 7 p.m. Monday in the Collegedale Commons, 4950 Swinyar Drive. The "sweet" portion includes overtures from Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet" and Mozart's "The Magic Flute." The "salty" portion features more contemporary selections. The concert is free and family-friendly. etsomusic.org
OUT & ABOUT
- Looiegram Valentine's packages, featuring a video message from the Chattanooga Lookouts' Looie the Lookout mascot, must be reserved by Thursday. The $75 packages, customized to a child or adult, also include game tickets, a card, hat and other souvenirs. lookouts.com
- The Garden Club at Crabtree Farms, 1000 E. 30th St., will have its next meeting 6-8 p.m. Thursday. This month's topics will focus on seed starting vs. buying transplants, designing a garden space and what, if anything, can be planted in February. Cost is $35. crabtreefarms.org
- Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St., has its monthly Free Family Night 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, families can celebrate the Year of the Tiger in a Lunar New Year event that includes craft activities, a dragon procession at 12:30 p.m. and a Chinese dance performance at 1:30 p.m. Activities are included with admission, which is $16 for ages 2 and up. cdmfun.org
- Farm Play Day, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday at Hidden Hills Farm & Saddle Club, 5900 Edgmon Road in Ooltewah, will include tapping the farm's maple trees. Cost is $10 for the first child, $5 per sibling, which includes pony rides, petting zoo, farm play area and hayride. Facebook.com/Events
- TN225 Lunchtime Speaker Series, marking Tennessee's 225th anniversary of statehood, continues noon-1 p.m. CST Friday with a livestream option to attend the free program from the Tennessee State Library & Archives in Nashville. The program is about how Tennessee's topography influenced its settlement. Stream on the Library & Archives' Facebook page or the Secretary of State Tre Hargett's YouTube channel.
- The Comedy Catch, 29 Station St., welcomes Landry for shows at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $17 and $19. Open Mic Night for rising talents is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $7. thecomedycatch.com
- Train show: The Dixie Division of the Train Collectors Association will have a model train show 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Colonnade, 264 Catoosa Circle in Ringgold, Ga. Collectors can find buy, sell and trade opportunities, and enthusiasts will enjoy the layouts with model trains running. Admission is $7 per family. 706-935-9000
- Chattanooga Zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave., will include "I (Heart) My Zoo" promotions with regular admission Saturday. Activities, available 10 a.m.-2 p.m., include animal enrichment and, with a donation, a valentine card painted by one of the animals (zoo hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Admission is $10-$15. chattzoo.org
- Then & Now: Black Craft Symposium: Tiffany Momon, assistant professor of Southern studies at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., will deliver the keynote talk on "Black Craftspeople on the Tennessee Landscape," at 10 a.m. CST Saturday to kick off a daylong event at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. Her talk and other highlights of the symposium, part of a Tennessee Craft biennial exhibition, will be livestreamed. TNMuseum.org/videos
- "Stars Above the Battlefield": In a rare chance to visit the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military park after dark, rangers and experts from Barnard Astronomical Society will lead a free night sky program at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Recreation Field (the Visitor Center is at 3370 LaFayette Road in Fort Oglethorpe, and signs will be posted to the event site). Participants will hear how the night sky above the battlefield during the Civil War compares to today. Participants may wish to bring their own telescopes, a tablet to download the Night Sky app, portable chairs and flashlights. nps.gov/chch
- Mardi Gras Ball, with a "Strange Love" theme, will be presented by the Chattanooga-based Mystikal Krewe of Indulgences 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday at the Read House, 107 W. M.L. King Blvd. The event will include a Dixieland band, second line, Cajun buffet, cash bar, DJ, dancing. Tickets are $93 for ages 36-69; $20 discounts for younger and older revelers (must be 21). Eventbrite.com
- Twisted Escape: Dread Hollow, 321 Browns Ferry Road, will open three escape rooms 8-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Cost is $60 for up to six people. Timed entry tickets are required. dreadhollow.com
- Valentine's Day at Lover's Leap: Rock City Gardens, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, Ga., has this holiday promotion available 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday through Monday, offering two admission tickets, two glasses of sparkling wine or cider at Cafe 7 (open 11 a.m.-4 p.m.), a slice of specialty fudge and a souvenir photo (photographer on duty 10 a.m.-5 p.m.). Cost is $45. seerockcity.com
- Galentine's Pajama Party: Crafter's Emporium & Book Exchange, 3901 Hixson Pike, Suite 149, plans an after-hours shopping event with wine (bring your own), food, music and line dancing 6-8 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Prizes for best pajamas. Facebook.com/Events
- Galentine's Golden Girls Costume Party: Vinterest Antiques, 2105 Northpoint Blvd., Hixson, has limited tickets available for this after-hours event 6-9 p.m. Sunday. Attendees who dress as a favorite character from the 1980s sitcom, either singly or as a group, are eligible for prizes. Tickets are $20. Eventbrite.com
- Tennessee Tree Day, a mass planting organized by the Tennessee Environmental Council, is more than a month away, but Sunday is the deadline to reserve the bare-root seedlings. There are four pickup places in Hamilton County (and dozens more in surrounding counties). Suggested donation is $1.99 per whip. They'll be available for pickup March 18-19. tectn.org
FILM
- "The Beatles: Get Back": The global theatrical release of the Fab Four's final public performance, known as "the rooftop concert," will include screenings at the Tennessee Aquarium's Imax Theater, 201 Chestnut St. The first screening, at 6 p.m. Friday, includes a cash bar. Tickets are $15-$23 (member discounts). Additional screenings are scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for $15 per ticket. tnaqua.org/imax
- Bobby Stone Film Series features a weekend of love stories at the Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. "The Princess Bride" will be screened at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday. The animated Disney classic "Beauty and the Beast" will be screened at 2 p.m. Sunday, followed at 6 p.m. by the 1967 classic "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." All are rated PG. Tickets are $10-$12. tivolichattanooga.com
- Chattanooga Jewish Documentary Film Series opens Tuesday with "Yerusalem, the Incredible Story of Ethiopian Jewry," the first of four films to be shown over the next four weeks. Each film will screen virtually for 72 hours from noon Tuesday to noon Friday. Films are $12 each, $36 for all four. Registration is due in advance to receive log-in codes. jewishchattanooga.com
THEATER
- The Colonnade Players will present "Honk Jr.", a musical version of "The Ugly Duckling" story, over the next two weekends at the Colonnade, 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 20. This Saturday's show will be interpreted for the deaf. Tickets are $11-$15. catoosacolonnade.com
- Signal Mountain Playhouse will offer its winter production, the comedy whodunit "The Game's Afoot," over the next three weekends at the Mountain Arts Community Center, 809 Kentucky Ave., Signal Mountain. Showtime is 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday through Feb. 26. Tickets are $15. smph.org
ARTS
- Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View, has three events scheduled. Virtual Art Wise, 6-7 p.m. Thursday, is a presentation by Louis Meisel, the New York art dealer who coined the phrase "photorealism" in 1969 and who has promoted many of the photorealist artists whose works can be seen in the Hunter's "Is It Real?" exhibit. A Sunday Studio session, 2-4 p.m., offers drop-in art-making experiences focusing on art by Noel Anderson and Lorna Simpson for Black History Month. Cost is $20, which includes museum admission. Also Sunday, a Sensory Studio session for adults and teens on the autism spectrum, 3-4:30 p.m., will use watercolors to create geometric paintings. Cost is $16-$20. huntermuseum.org
- "Wild" art: Entry forms will be available Monday for the Wild Bookmark Art Contest, a project of the Soddy-Daisy Community Library, 9619 Dayton Pike. Hamilton County residents may enter in one of four age groups (kindergarten through adult) to design an original 8.5-inch-by-2.5-inch work showing their interpretation of "wild." A series of art classes will run in conjunction with the contest. Winners will receive cash prizes and their bookmarks printed for sharing with schools and library patrons. Entries are due by 4 p.m. March 11. kelcurtfoundation.org
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.