Calendar of Events

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9AM-5PM; Saturday-Monday, 1-4PM. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

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

With so many exotic and noxious weeds threatening wildlife and entire ecosystems it is time to reconsider the plants we use in our landscapes. East Tennessee is home to one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world so it is no wonder that we have some of the most hardy and beautiful plants in the world. Join KBGA staff member Brian Campbell for this informative workshop to discuss how native plants can make your landscape eco-friendly and how you can deal with exotic invasives. The workshop will be followed by an optional walk through our Butterfly Meadow, a 10-acre area that we are in the early stages of rehabilitating. $7 for KBGA members, $10 for non-members.

Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Ave, Knoxville, TN 37914. Hours: Gardens open daily from dawn to dusk. Information: 865-862-8717, www.knoxgarden.org

Get Lucky on St. Patty's Day!! Wear your green! WDVX has partnered with Eagle Distributing and The Preservation Pub to present the first ever St. Patty's Day Party on Market Square. Featuring Cutthroat Shamrock and Ian Thomas. Proceeds of the beverage sales benefits FISH Hospitality Pantries. The music starts at 6:00 pm. The concert is free with festival seating.

WDVX, 301 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-544-1029, www.wdvx.com

The Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club is an educational, non-profit organization dedicated to teaching, sharing, and enjoying the playing of Appalachian and hammered dulcimers.

Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Information: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

Even though Benjamin Franklin voted for the turkey, the bald eagle was selected to be our national symbol. In this program, we'll learn more about these majestic birds and even take a trip to a local nesting site. Bring lunch. Free to members, $5 for non-members. To register, please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110. Leader: Stephen Lyn Bales.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Do you want to make that vintage clothing work for you? Or maybe that old clothing that doesn't quite work on you anymore? Why not learn how to recreate it yourself! Join Kimberly Womack and learn to alter and sew your way to a new wardrobe. Cost $25- sewing machines and some fabrics included (Participants must bring an item of clothing to alter). Ages 15 and up. To register, contact Kimberly at 223-4783.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Join us for a walk along the Maryville Greenway. We'll meet at Vienna Coffee in Maryville and explore from there. Don't forget to wear your lucky green! Free to members, $5 for non-members. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register. Leader: Sabrina DeVault

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

In the Spring Gardening Series, participants will learn tips and tricks to getting their garden ready for the growing season. This program will focus on selecting the right spot for your spring garden. Whether you have a few square feet or a few acres, we'll talk about how to maximize your garden space. Free. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register. Leader: Peg Beute

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Join us every Saturday for a live animal encounter with one of our non-releasable education animals. Free to members, $2 for non-members. No registration required.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Going Native! Use Native Plants in Your Home Landscape
Saturday, March 17th at 10:00am

With so many exotic and noxious weeds threatening wildlife and entire ecosystems it is time to reconsider the plants we use in our landscapes. East Tennessee is home to one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world so it is no wonder that we have some of the most hardy and beautiful plants in the world. Join KBGA staff member Brian Campbell for this informative workshop to discuss how native plants can make your landscape eco-friendly and how you can deal with exotic invasives. The workshop will be followed by an optional walk through our Butterfly Meadow, a 10-acre area that we are in the early stages of rehabilitating. $7 for KBGA members, $10 for non-members.

The Knoxville Museum of Art presents Several Silences March 16-May 20, 2012.
Several Silences presents installations, videos, sculptures, and drawings by a diverse selection of contemporary artists from around the world who approach the theme of silence in distinctly individual ways. This group exhibition explores various kinds of silence—meditative, ambient, memorial, etc.—and calls attention to the rarity of the absence of sound in our growing “culture of distraction.”

There will be an opening reception Thursday, March 15 from 5:30-7:30pm at the KMA. Free and open to the public. Cash bar.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM; Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101,