Calendar of Events

"Glass of the Ancient Mediterranean" explores the origins of glass production in the ancient world through 30 pieces from the Yale University Art Gallery, which is home to one of the best collections of ancient glass in the United States. Featuring objects from ancient Egypt and the Roman and Byzantine empires, these pieces of glass show three millennia of craftsmanship, artistry, daily life, trade, pilgrimage and luxury in the ancient Mediterranean.

"Brightly Beaded: North American Indian Glass Beadwork" investigates how the introduction of glass beads to American Indians changed and shaped the art of beadwork. From cradleboards to moccasins, this exhibit of more than 50 brightly beaded objects looks at the techniques and cultural importance of beadwork and how it continues to serve as an important expression of cultural identity today.

Members opening reception January 17, 5-7 PM. RSVP to 974-2144

"Brightly Beaded: North American Indian Glass Beadwork" is curated by Michael H. Logan, UT professor of anthropology. "Glass of the Ancient Mediterranean" is curated by Sarah Cole, Yale University Art Gallery.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM; Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

Bob Patterson, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center Director announced the opening of Child's Play: 100 Years of Toys located inside the Proffitt's Gallery in Main Gallery of the Heritage Center Museum. This exhibit will bring back many childhood memories and a full range of emotions for those who come and see this exhibit. They have a wonderful collection of toys made of metal, porcelain, iron and plastic that represent toys over the past 100 years. The exhibit which will be on display through June 2014 is made possible through the generous support of the following individuals who donated their childhood toys to be a part of this exhibit. Exhibit Highlights includes: Louis Marx Toy Company / Tin Walt Disney Doll House, Toy Soldiers, Tonka Toys, Barbie Dolls, Metal Trucks, Kenton Trucks, Buddy L trucks, Porcelain Dolls, Circus, Lionel train, Winnie the Pooh, Shirley Temple, Tinker Toys, and more.

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is 501 c3 Museum and Cultural Center. The Heritage Center is open Monday thru Saturday 10 am - 5 pm and on Sunday 12 noon to 5 pm starting in April. Admission is free for Heritage Center members, Adults $6.00 ,Seniors 60 plus and children ages 6 - 17 $4.00, children 5 and under are free. Closed Easter Sunday. The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is a not for profit museum and is located between the traffic light and the national park entrance, on scenic Highway 73. Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

Indoor Farmers’ Market to Open at the Historic Southern Railway Station
January 11, February 8, March 8, March 22, April 12, and April 26

Mark your calendars and grab your market bags! Nourish Knoxville, the non-profit organizer of the Market Square Farmers’ Market, is hosting a Winter Market every second Saturday of the month, January through April, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Historic Southern Railway Station at 306 Depot Avenue. Inside the train station’s original dining room, patrons can shop for locally grown produce, meat, coffee, baked goods, specialty foods and more. Outside, food trucks will be serving lunch with locally sourced ingredients. Additionally, tours of the restored train cars will be available on the hour, starting at 11 a.m with the last tour at 2:00 p.m. Admission to the train cars is $7.00 for adults, $3.00 for children ages 5 to 12 years.

Nourish Knoxville strives to make each of their markets accessible to everyone in our Knoxville community. VISA, MasterCard, and SNAP transactions will be accepted at the information booth. Please see our website, http://www.marketsquarefarmersmarket.org, for more information.

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! Saturday Stories and Songs is gearing up for a winter full of weekend offerings designed specifically for moms, dads, and caretakers who are not able to attend the Library's popular weekday storytimes. Knox County Public Library is offering family programs at 11:00 a.m. every Saturday at Lawson McGhee Library, Cedar Bluff Branch Library, Fountain City Branch Library, and Powell Branch Library. All events start at 11:00 a.m.

January 11
Cedar Bluff Georgi Schmitt
Lawson McGhee - Miss Lynn
Fountain City - David Claunch
Powell - Sean McCollough

January 18
Cedar Bluff - Charlene Ellis
Lawson McGhee - Laurie Fischer
Fountain City - Sean McCollough
Powell - Melissa Mastrogiovanni

January 25
Cedar Bluff - Miss Lynn
Lawson McGhee - Charlene Ellis
Fountain City - Georgi Schmitt
Powell - Emagene Reagan

February 1
Cedar Bluff Sean McCollough
Lawson McGhee - Emagene Reagan
Fountain City - Melissa Mastrogiovanni
Powell - Molly Moore

February 8
Cedar Bluff - Kindermusik
Lawson McGhee - Molly Moore
Fountain City - Emagene Reagan
Powell - Miss Lynn

February 15
Cedar Bluff - Charlene Ellis
Lawson McGhee - Sean McCollough
Fountain City - Laurie Fisher
Powell - David Claunch

February 22
Cedar Bluff - Emagene Reagan
Lawson McGhee - Charlene Ellis
Fountain City - Miss Lynn
Powell - Georgi Schmitt

Knox County Public Library: 865-215-8750, www.knoxlib.org

Ongoing Classes meet Tuesdays at 6:00 PM and Saturdays at 10:30 AM.
Fee: $12 per class

Alexia School of Middle Eastern Dance: 865-977-6761; www.alexia-dance.com, alexia@alexia-dance.com

Just like at your favorite meat n’ three, the WDVX Blue Plate Special® is served up piping hot. This fresh and free daily helping of live music during the lunchtime hour that features performers from all over the world and right here in Knoxville has put WDVX on the map as East Tennessee’s Own community supported radio.

The WDVX Blue Plate Special® is a live performance radio show held at noon, with your host Red Hickey Monday through Friday and Doug Lauderdale on Saturday, at the WDVX studio inside the Knoxville Visitor Center. It’s always free to join in so please don’t be shy. Make yourself at home as part of the WDVX family. From blues to bluegrass, country to Celtic, folk to funk, rockabilly to hillbilly, local to international, it all part of the live music experience on the WDVX Blue Plate Special. You’re welcome to bring your lunch.

Previous performing artists include Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Avett Brothers, Old Crowe Medicine Show, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Stuart, Nickel Creek, Red Stick Ramblers, Rodney Crowell, String Cheese Incident, The Del McCoury Band, Tim O’Brien, Yonder Mountain String Band, David Grisman, Claire Lynch Band, Brett Dennen, Tommy Emmanuel, Uncle Earl, The Infamous Stringdusters, the Jerry Douglas Band, Joan Osborne, John Oats, Mary Gauthier, Darrell Scott, and many many more! There’s plenty of great music to go around! http://wdvx.com/program/blue-plate-special/

Free 2-hour visitor parking located next door to the Knoxville Visitor Center. One Vision Plaza, 301 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Info: 865-544-1029, http://www.wdvx.com

Zoo admission is half-price. Details TBA!

Knoxville Zoo, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.knoxville-zoo.org

Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee - Ongoing/Hayworth Gallery
This permanent installation, housed in one of the two large top-floor galleries, traces the development of fine art and craft in the region and the surrounding area over the past century. It tells the largely unknown story of the area’s rich artistic history and its connections to the larger currents of American art. Featured works are drawn from the KMA collection along with selected works on loan from several regional museums and private collections.

Currents: Recent Art from East Tennessee and Beyond - Ongoing/Faires Stokely Gallery
This exhibition showcases the exciting range of contemporary works by a stellar slate of more than 30 international artists and East Tennessee luminaries. The selection is grouped in thought-provoking juxtapositions that call attention to new directions in art and new approaches to the artistic process, and help viewers discover meaningful connections between featured works.

Thorne Miniature Rooms - Ongoing/Great Hall
Thorne Rooms are among America’s most well-known miniature diorama groups. The Thorne Rooms were developed in the 1930s and 40s by Mrs. James Ward Thorne of Chicago, who collected miniature furniture and accessories and used them to create dioramas built to a scale of one inch to one foot.

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, www.knoxart.org

Live! On Air and In Your Living Room: 60 Years of East Tennessee Television
Relive the Golden Age of television in East Tennessee through rare footage and original artifacts.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: Monday-Friday: 9AM-4PM; Saturday: 10AM-4PM; Sunday: 1-5PM. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org