Calendar of Events

Join Barney and the Berenstain Bears! Barney performs his 20-minute sing-a-long at 10:30, 12:30, and 3:30. Bring a copy of your current Comcast billing to statement to receive a free child's admission with a paid adult admission or $5 off an annual membership.

3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: (865) 637-5331, www.knoxville-zoo.org

A Midsummer Night's Dream - July 16, 18, 24, 26, 30, Aug. 1, 7, 9, 13, 15; Hamlet - July 17, 19, 23, 25, 31, Aug. 2, 6, 8, 14, 16 - 7:00 PM nightly - Admission Free

The Tennessee Stage Company will be back on Market Square for our seventh season of Shakespeare On The Square playing at 7:00 pm Thursday through Sunday evenings July 16 - August 16, and featuring two of Shakespeare's most beloved plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet.

A Midsummer Night's Dream will be directed by Amy Hubbard- the Artistic Director of the Actors Co-op - and Hamlet by Tennessee Stage Artistic Director Tom Parkhill.

Played on a rough replica of the new Globe Theatre in London (a reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theatre) the plays will be presented in the timeless style of Elizabethan Theatre presentations.

The Tennessee Stage Company encourages our audience to spend an evening on the Square: do a little shopping, have a nice dinner, see the play and maybe stop into a pub afterward. All of this and more is available on Market Square nightly. So come early and see the Square!

For more information about the Tennessee Stage Company, Shakespeare On The Square or its support guild, BoB (Buddies of the Bard), call 546-4280 or e-mail tennesseestage@bellsouth.net.

Open House on Friday, July 17, 4-9pm with music by Nathan from Lost & Found, special treats by Magpies & Luxe Catering & Events, & flowers by the Flowerpot. Hours: Friday: 12 - 9, Saturday: 10 - 9, Sunday: 1 - 5. 409 South Gay St., between Yee-Haw Industries & Downtown Wine & Spirits. Info: duchesscraft @ comcast.net

An original play by Josh and Meg Beach based on characters from ""The Swiss Family Robinson"" by Johann Wyss.

Thursdays at 7 PM, Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1 PM & 5 PM, Sundays at 3 PM

865-599-5284; www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com

July 17-26 and October 8-25. Gatlinburg's premier arts and crafts show with over 180 of the nation's finest craftspeople, plus country and bluegrass music shows daily.

At the Gatlinburg Convention Center, 920 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Hours: Mon-Sat 10-7, Sun 10-5. More information: 865-436-7479, www.craftsmenfair.com

A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet. The two shows will play on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings in Market Square.

For more information: 546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com

The University of Tennessee Downtown Gallery and Three Flights Up Gallery are presenting a juried exhibition of Fine Art Portraiture. "Face It: Contemporary Portraiture" features original artwork by artists from around the country, as well as local main stays. The juried competition was open to artists from all media and backgrounds. Dr. Carl Gombert, Associate Professor of Maryville College was selected as the sole Juror for the exhibition. Gombert's own artwork is largely focused on the genre of portraiture, making him an ideal choice in juror. "Face It: Contemporary Portraiture" includes paintings, drawings, photographs, sculpture, and digital artworks that deal with the human form as their primary subject matter. Often overlooked in a world awash in digital cameras that instantly reproduce a subject's likeness, portraiture is one of arts oldest traditions. The artists selected for this exhibition have found new and interesting ways of relating to their subjects through the process of creating their works. The exhibition, which was organized by Three Flights Up will be hosted by the UT Downtown Gallery in their exhibition space. A reception will held at UT Downtown Gallery on First Friday August 7 from 6-9pm. For information, contact Benjamin McKamey at 864-381-9888 or gallery@threeflightsup.com. UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. 865-673-0802 or www.ewing-gallery.org/New_Downtown/Index/DT_Index.html.

2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5, Sunday, 9-12 noon. For more information, visit the Web site or call (865) 523-4176.

A rare display of quilts and coverlets from the Ramsey House collection will be exhibited from July 10 through August 31. The collection includes quilts unique to Tennessee, and pre-Civil War era quilts and coverlets. Additionally, Ramsey House will be receiving as a gift from the Knoxville Committee of Smoky Mountain Quilt Trail a painted square representing the pattern, Twelve Triangles, to be erected this week. Information can be found at www.ramseyhouse.org or by calling 865-546-0745. Ramsey House is located at 2614 Thorn Grove Pike, Knoxville, TN 37914.

In Old Appalachia, the quilt was a necessity-so much so that one mother cut up her boy's only coat to make warm bedding for the family. Patchwork was also a creative outlet for Appalachian women, often confined to lonely farms in isolated areas. It was a labor of love; Ethel Hall spoke for many when she said, "I'd druther quilt than to eat on the hungriest day ever I seen." For these reasons, the practice of making quilts never ceased altogether in this region of the country, says John Rice Irwin in his book on "A People and Their Quilts." Through August 31, regional quilts and their makers will be showcased in Stitches & Stories: Quilts of Appalachia, a special exhibit at the Museum of Appalachia near Norris. Quilts are displayed throughout the Museum; the special exhibit is included with regular admission. Many of the 36 quilts in the exhibit have never been shown publicly. They include exquisite examples of needlework and original design, said Ruby Patterson, a Museum volunteer and quilter who helped put together the exhibit. Several quilts have "humility" blocks, a deliberate flaw added to indicate that only God could make a perfect quilt. But the stories of their makers lend a special touch-and stories are a hallmark of this unique and fascinating place. Visitors can match numbers on quilts throughout the Museum with descriptions in a special brochure, telling pattern name, date, and maker. The craft and gift shop at the Museum features handiwork from regional artisans, including a special group of quilts and quilt-related items. The Museum is located 16 miles north of Knoxville, one mile east of I-75, exit 122. For more information, call 865-494-7680, or visit the website at www.museumofappalachia.org.

Reception: July 10, 6:30-8:30PM.
Student Exhibit: Mary Secrist's watercolor students.

213 Hotel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9-5, Wednesday & Friday 10-5, Saturday 9-1. More information: (865) 357-2787, www.fountaincityart.org

A wild ride filled with humor and heart, this musical version of the hit film by the same name follows the lives of a group of unemployed steelworkers who come up with a bold way to make some quick cash. In the process they find renewed self-esteem and come to discover that not only are they stronger as a group, but that the strength they find in each other gives them the individual courage to face and overcome their demons.

865.482.9999 or www.orplayhouse.com