Calendar of Events

In a momentous tribute to the Father of Bluegrass, the Travelin’ McCourys, Tony Rice and Peter Rowan will take the stage to pay homage to tried-and-true American Bluegrass music and its legendary master, Bill Monroe.

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information: 865-522-0832, www.knoxbijou.com. For tickets: 865-684-1200, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

“Preserving Coal Creek Mining History” is the subject of a Brown Bag Lecture by Barry Thacker, director of the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, who will discuss the tragic, yet ultimately inspiring history of Coal Creek (now Lake City , Anderson County ). The population rebuilt not only from individual mine tragedies but from three major devastations in two decades. In what has become known as the “Coal Creek War,” a protest by local miners opposed to the use of convict labor led to violence and a year-long standoff with the state national guard ultimately called to restore order. An explosion at the Fraterville Mine resulted in the deaths of over 200 miners, leaving more than 150 widows and hundreds of fatherless children. The tragedy was followed a decade later by the loss of 84 miners in the nearby Cross Mountain Mine explosion.

The lecture will take place at the East Tennessee History Center , 601 S. Gay Street , Knoxville (located across from the Tennessee Theatre). The lecture is free and open to the public. You are welcome to bring a box lunch to enjoy during the presentation. Soft drinks are available. For additional information, call 865-215-88234 or see www.eastTNhistory.org.

Ijams Pumpkin Party! Wednesday October 26 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Carve pumpkins to decorate Ijams for Halloween! We supply the tools and pumpkins so all you need to bring is a little creativity. Each pumpkin will decorate the Center for the weekend and will be available to take home on Sunday, October 30. $5 for non-members, $2 for members. To register call 577-4717, ext. 110.

James White's Fort, 205 E. Hill Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9:30AM-5PM (April – December, excluding home football Saturdays); Monday-Friday, 10AM-4PM (January - March). For information: 865-525-6514, www.jameswhitefort.org

The universe is under attack by The Black Thing. Meg's father has been kidnapped and is trapped on the alien planet of Camazotz. A man with red eyes has hypnotized Charles, and he's now under the control of a giant, disembodied brain named IT. A sci-fi classic for Halloween, based on the Newberry-winning novel by Madeline L'Engle.

Located at 800 Tyson Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-599-5284, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com, info@childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

The Knoxville Watercolor Society will have a fall showing of mixed media works by its members at the Cherokee Mills from October 18th to November 29th. Cherokee Mills is located at 2200 Sutherland Ave. Known to Knoxville residents as Cherokee Mills in the early 1900's, the space is now a distinct campus style office complex with a large atrium where the KWS will exhibit its newest works. The building is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday. For more information about the show, you may contact Mary Ann Valvoda at 408-0737.

BOO! at the Zoo presented by U.S. Cellular® kicks off 11 nights of safe and not-too-scary Halloween fun beginning Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 13, 14 and 15 and continuing Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 20-23 and 27-30, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. each evening.
BOO! at the Zoo, a Halloween tradition for 25 years, is a family event featuring
devilishly good music and games at the Monster Mash tent in The Clayton Family
Kids Cove, your favorite costumed characters throughout the zoo, and the only
“haunted” carousel in East Tennessee, the Scary-Go-Round. (How can you tell it’s
haunted? It goes backwards, of course.)
One of the highlights of BOO! at the Zoo is the BOO! Trail, where little trick-or-treaters can fill their bag with goodies as they make their way through the zoo. Each night will feature a variety of entertainment, from belly dancers and jugglers to out-of-this-world STAR WARS characters. For updated information
about each evening’s activities, visit the zoo’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/knoxvillezoo.
Boo! at the Zoo tickets are $6 per person. Children under two are admitted free. Parking is $5. Tickets are available at in advance by phone at 865.637.5331, online at www.knoxville-zoo.org, or at the zoo’s ticket office during regular zoo hours. Knoxville Zoo members receive a $1 discount on admission and free parking.

Blackberry Farm Gallery at Maryville College presents Inward by Donna Haynes
October 10-31, 2011
Reception for Last Friday Artwalk, October 28, 2011 6-9PM"
The Blackberry Farm Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 10AM-6PM

Reception Oct. 7, 6:30-8:30 PM

213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9AM-5PM; Wednesday & Friday, 10AM-5PM; Saturday, 9AM-1PM. For information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityart.org

Fountain City Art Center Annual Membership Show

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Avenue, Knoxville , TN 37918
October 7 - November 4, 2011
Contact Info: 865.357.2787
www.fountaincityartctr.org

129 North Main Street
Greeneville, TN 37743
(423) 787-0195

www.james-ben.com

"LARGER THAN LIFE" Exhibit at NPAC Displays Great Talent and Inspiration

As a prelude to the holiday season, the final 2011 exhibit in the lobby of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center by James-Ben: Studio and Gallery Art Center is set to open Friday, October 7th. "LARGER THAN LIFE" features work from 4 of the Art Center's most gifted artists who are expressing themselves in large format images. Barbara de Saussure, Medha Karandikar, David Daus, and Lorna Paquin have all been represented in previous NPAC exhibits but "LARGER THAN LIFE" brings together some of their more striking works in a group show of larger images. The exhibit is open free to the public and can be viewed during lobby hours at NPAC,10:00 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday, and during scheduled performances.

For further information about "LARGER THAN LIFE" or the Art at NPAC series, contact James-Ben Stockton at (423) 787-0195.

Justin Randolf Thompson's "The Pits" is a multi-disciplinary installation and performance that investigates the political employment of sound, both in realm of propaganda and as protest, and the visual hierarchies of the architectural organization of theatre space. The work involves a direct collaboration with sculpture, architecture and music department students and can be broken down into four interrelated parts:
-A raised stage supporting a faux marble inlay floor
-A pit orchestra performance
-A chandelier
-A series of three freestanding sculptures

This orchestra will be a collaboration with students and faculty of the UT music department. Jazz musician and composer Jason Thompson (a Knoxville local and UT Graduate) will work with this group to create an 8-10 piece pit orchestra that will be conducted to perform a score that shifts from classical, triumphant marches, into the drum and flute sound of Black Power poets, through folk styles of spiritual praise, and finally into abrasive Hip Hop. The score will be recorded with each instrument taken separately, and following the opening performance; the orchestra will be replaced (in each of their seats) by their recording. The mix of sound references is meant to associate triumph with climax and climax with ascent and the skewing of the elements geographical and cultural identity addresses sound's social transcendence and simultaneous role as entertainment.

The stage and sculptural elements will be created as a collaboration with the artist, UT's architecture department, and UT's sculpture department.

Opening Reception: October 7, 5-9pm with live musical performance as part of First Friday opening.

UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 11AM - 6PM; Saturday: 10AM - 3PM. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown