Independence Day festival leads weekend’s entertainment
A city in DeKalb County, Alabama, will get a jump on its neighbors with the tri-state area’s first Fourth of July celebration Saturday. Cocktails, woodturners and chimpanzees also figure into the weekend’s entertainment.
Comedian Chelcie Lynn has sold out Thursday’s Tammy Tour stop at the Walker Theatre.
FOURTH FESTIVAL
› Freedom Fest, an Independence Day celebration in Rainsville, Ala., will feature a concert by country band Confederate Railroad at 7 p.m. Saturday at Field of Dreams Sports Complex, 100 Rodeo Drive (all times are Central). Activities get underway at 1 p.m. with a car, truck and motorcycle show and the first of the day’s entertainers. Activities for children, including pony rides, face painting, a rock climbing wall, mechanical bull, inflatables and laser tag, start at 2 p.m. Fireworks will follow the Confederate Railroad show at 9 p.m., weather permitting. Admission is free. rainsvillefreedomfest.com
MUSIC ›
Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave., welcomes folk artist Amos Lee, whose appreciation for John Prine led him to a career in music, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Special guest is Neal Francis. Tickets are $50$75. tivolichattanooga.com
› Nightfall, a free weekly concert series in Miller Plaza, 850 Market St., continues Friday with with Haitian band Lakou Mizik headlining at 8 p.m. and Steely Bruno opening at 7 p.m. Artists, games and food vendors will be set up across M.L. King Boulevard at Miller Park. nightfallchattanooga.com
› Friday Festivals, a monthlong music series in Cleveland, Tenn., concludes Friday with the Dexter Thomas Band performing a mix of rock, funk and R&B at 7 p.m. at First Street Square, 240 First St. NE. Admission is free. mainstreetcleveland.com
› Nokian Tyres Summer Nights, a monthlong music series in Dayton, Tenn., concludes Friday with Rhea Springs Revival performing ’70s and ’80s country music and Southern rock at 7 p.m. Admission is free. rheaheritage.com
› The Signal, 1810 Chestnut St., features an ’80s MTV experience with Electric Avenue at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20. thesignaltn.com
› The Caverns, 555 Charlie Roberts Road, Pelham, Tenn., has three shows this weekend. Friday features Boogie T, an electronic dance music DJ, in an underground show with Subdocta and Sfam at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40-$60. Americana string band Old Crow Medicine Show will inaugurate the outdoor amphitheater with the venue’s first full-capacity show at 8 p.m. Saturday. The OCMS Hootenanny also features Joshua Hedley, Town Mountain and Willie Watson. Tickets are $45$60. Sunday, Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel will play an underground show, with Gareth Pearson, at 5 p.m. Tickets are $49-$62. All times are Central. Premium tickets with cave tours and accommodations are available. thecaverns.com
› Songbirds, 35 Station St., welcomes Chattanooga singer/songwriter Ryan Oyer in a performance of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” with a little help from his friends, at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20. songbirdsfoundation.org
› Carolyn Baptist Church,
2305 Cleveland Highway, Dalton, Ga., will welcome Southern gospel group the Hoppers at 7 p.m. Saturday. thehoppers.com
› Blue Ridge Mountains Wine & Jazz Festival is this weekend at White Path Creek Farms, 1211 Old Northcutt Road in Ellijay, Ga. The event includes wines from around the world (by the glass or bottle), food vendors and regional jazz performers. Hours are 2-9 p.m. Saturday, 2-7 p.m. Sunday; gates open at 1 p.m. Admission is $60 one day, $120 two days; VIP tickets available. blueridgewineandjazz.com
› Barking Legs Theater,
1307 Dodds Ave., welcomes the quartet of Tortora, Turnure, Dickinson & Powers for jazz in the lounge at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Cover is $5. barkinglegs.org
FILM
› Bobby Stone Film Series continues at the Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St., with the following screenings: “The Princess Bride” at 11 a.m. Thursday; “The Wiz” at 7 p.m. Friday; “Raiders of the Lost Ark” at 3 p.m. Saturday; “Dr. Strangelove” at 2 p.m. Sunday. Except for Thursday’s matinee, which is $5, admission to all other films is $10-$12. tivolichattanooga.com
OUT & ABOUT
› American Association of Woodturners members are gathering for the 36th annual International Woodturning Symposium this weekend at the Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza. More than 1,000 makers from around the globe are expected for the symposium, which includes exhibitions of their work, galleries, benefit auctions and a trade show open to the public. Hours are 6-8 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday. woodturner.org
› Chimp Chattanooga Soiree, a fundraiser to help Louisiana’s Chimp Haven rescue roadshow chimps, is scheduled 6-9 p.m. Friday at Grey Rocks, a 1920s-era bed-and-breakfast at 1509 Caroline St. Owner Garnet Chapin will lead tours and a garden walk. Vegan wine and appetizers will be served.
Suggested donation is $20. tinyurl.com/chattchimps
› Chattanooga Summer Cocktail Festival, a fundraiser for Chattanooga Market, is scheduled 6-9 p.m. Friday at First Horizon Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. The $39 ticket for the inaugural event includes 12 cocktail samples (from 40-plus possibilities), photo booth, DJ dance music and food for separate purchase. Patrons must be at least 21 to attend. ChattanoogaFestivals.com
› Pride Late Skate, a Moonlight Roller event that is open to all, is 7-11 p.m. Friday at Chattanooga Skate Park, 1801 Reggie White Blvd. The night includes roller skating, DJ music, drag performances, a costume contest and raffle. An optional Smooth Skate Workshop starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free admission. Skate rentals (must be 18 to rent) are $10. facebook.com/pg/ moonlightroller/events
› The Comedy Catch, 29 Station St., welcomes two headliners over the weekend. Julie Scoggins, whose act is described as “red-haired, white-knuckled, blue-collar comedy,” performs at 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $17-$19. Rocky Dale Davis, who’s become a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram, has a special engagement at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 ($25 VIP seating is sold out). thecomedycatch.com
› Rabbit Valley Farmers Market plans two events Saturday at 98 Depot St. in Ringgold, Ga. Its regular gathering of produce, arts and crafts vendors, with music by Sam Steadman, is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The Midsummer Night’s Feast, featuring spoken-word storytelling by Drew Thams, music by Andrew Carl Thams and Clayton Wyatt, and food and beverages by Farm to Fork is 6-9 p.m. rabbitvalleyfarmersmarket.com
› Blood Assurance, a Chattanooga-based provider of blood products in five states, will celebrate its 50th anniversary 9 a.m.5 p.m. Saturday at agency headquarters, 705 E. Fourth St. The community celebration includes a large-scale blood drive, food trucks, live music, games and the unveiling of a new bloodmobile honoring first responders. bloodassurance.org/anniversary
› Paw Palooza, a fundraiser for McKamey Animal Center, is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Coolidge Park, 150 River St. The inaugural event includes a walk across the Walnut Street Bridge, vendors, food trucks, a beer garden and games for dogs. Registration is required for the walk. mckameyanimalcenter.org
› Bees on a Bicycle, a garden shop at 1909 Market St., will celebrate its fifth anniversary 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Activities include a Ballet Esprit performance at 11:30 a.m., food and drink, dance contest and merchandise discounts. Admission is free. beesonabicycle.com
› MainStreet Cruise-In, a monthly gathering of classic cars in Cleveland, Tenn., is 1-6 p.m. Saturday at the Bradley County Courthouse square, 155 N. Ocoee St. Admission is free. mainstreetcleveland.com
› Athens Area Chamber of Commerce will welcome former White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany for its 15th annual fundraiser at 7 p.m. Saturday. McEnany, who served in the Trump administration, is now co-host of “Outnumbered” on Fox News. Tickets are $20$40. itickets.com
› Garden tours: Master Gardeners of Hamilton County and the University of Tennessee Extension will offer garden tours this weekend at properties in St. Elmo and Lookout Mountain. The self-guided tours will take visitors to five private gardens, a public park and a teaching garden. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. The $20 ticket is good both days. A map and directions are online. mghc.org/garden-tour
› Chattanooga Market,
a weekly market of local produce, arts and crafts, has a Sunday Funday theme for Sunday. Musicians Rachel McIntyre and Amber Carrington will perform. Hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at First Horizon Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. Free admission. chattanoogamarket.com
› South Chickamauga Creek Greenway, a 12-mile pathway linking Camp Jordan in East Ridge to the Tennessee Riverpark in downtown Chattanooga, will celebrate its official opening with a ribbon-cutting noon-3 p.m. Sunday at the Sterchi Farm Trailhead, 3000 Harrison Pike. Elementary-age children can take part in the Kids Scavenger Hunt & Ice Cream Fun Day during the same hours. thechattery.org/greenwayopening
› Embrace Aging Forum,
a chance for baby boomers to learn the latest health, legal and financial strategies for growing older, is 8:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Westin hotel, 801 Pine St. The keynote speaker is actress and author Tembi Locke, who wrote the New York Times best-seller “From Scratch,” which is being adapted into a Netflix series, about her role as caregiver to her late husband. Tickets are $55, which includes Locke’s address, complimentary valet parking, a light breakfast and lunch, time with the exhibitors and breakout sessions on housing and care, relationships, health and wellness, finances and legal planning. embraceagingforum.com
SPECTATOR SPORTS
› Chattanooga Football
Club has women’s and men’s matches this weekend at Finley Stadium, 1826 Carter St. CFC Women, an amateur team in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, will play their last home game of the season against Nashville
Rhythm FC at 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $5-$12. CFC Men, a professional team in the National Independent Soccer Association, will play Michigan Stars FC at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $7-$16. chattanoogafc.com
› Chattanooga Red Wolves, a USL-League One men’s professional team, has a home game versus FC Tucson at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at CHI Memorial Stadium, 1 Stadium Way. The night’s promotion is Beerfest. Tickets are $15-$52. chattanoogaredwolves-sc.com
› Chattanooga Lookouts, the Class AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, start a sixgame homestand against the Birmingham Barons next week. Early promotions include buyone, get-one general-admission tickets with a Food City ValuCard on Tuesday and a Chickfil-A giveaway, delivered by app, on Wednesday. Both games start at 7:15 p.m. at AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley. Tickets are $6-$11. lookouts.com
ARTS ›
ClearStory Arts, 1673 Holtzclaw Ave., will debut a retrospective of works by retired Chattanooga artist Mary B. Lynch, “My Work Is Me,” on Friday, along with complementary works by five resident artists at ClearStory. An opening reception is scheduled at 6 p.m. July 1. ClearStoryArts.com
› WanderLinger Gallery at WanderLinger Brewing Co., 1208 King St., will feature works by Nat Stepney and Victoria de Winter 6-8 p.m. Saturday. Artist talks will begin at 7:15 p.m. Rik@ WanderLinger.com
› Chattanooga Festival of Black Arts & Ideas concludes this weekend with three events remaining in the monthlong celebration of Juneteenth. Friday features a workshop for “And Then Freedom,” an original play by Sadiqua Iman, at 7 p.m. at Howard School, 2500 Market St. Admission is free; donations are welcome. Saturday offers an Oscar Micheaux Black Film Festival, in tribute to late actor Sidney Poitier, noon11 p.m. at Howard School. The $20 admission includes a drink ticket for adult guests. Also Saturday are Shades of Poetry Showcases for youths and adults in tribute to author James Baldwin at 7 p.m. at Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. Suggested donation is $10. BlackArtsAndIdeasFest.com
DANCE
›
Riverdance, the Irish dance sensation that originated in 1994, will stop on its latest tour of North America at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. Tickets are $38-$78. tivolichattanooga.com
THEATER
›
Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St., ends its run of August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” this weekend. Shows start at 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20-$25. theatrecentre.com