Calendar of Events

Photography exhibit: Gary Johnson and Karen Krogh
Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church

Free and open to the public
Opening reception May 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists’ talks at 6:30 p.m.
Exhibit runs May through June 2014

Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Gallery
2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918

Join Bill Landry of "The Heartland Series" for a guided trip around Cades Cove. Bill will share stories, tales and adventures during each tour.

$50 per person, advance reservations required, with a limit of 18 guests per tour.
Call 865 448 8838 for reservations Mon.-Fri., 10:00AM - 5:00PM.
Bill Landry Cades Cove tour dates:
Saturdays, April 12, May 24, May 31, June 7, June 21, July 5, July 12, July 19, July 26,
August 2, August 16, August 23, September 6.

Tours depart at 9:30 am from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend.
Tour is approximately 4 hours.
Light snacks and a cold beverage is included in the ticket price.
Bill Landry Cades Cove tours will run rain or shine.

Art in Public Places Knoxville is a monumental installation of large-scale outdoor sculptures by regionally and nationally acclaimed artists. The sculptures enliven downtown Knoxville as well as McGhee Tyson Airport.

Opening Reception: Friday, April 4, 5:00 – 9:00 pm
Award Ceremony: Friday, April 4, 5:30 pm

We are honored to announce noted sculptor, Kenneth M. Thompson, as the Juror for the 2014-2015 exhibition!

Most of the Festival's wide range of arts events, performances, and exhibitions are offered to the public free of charge. Dogwood Arts: 865-637-4561 www.dogwoodarts.com

Civil War Historical river cruises in Knoxville, Tennessee

If you would like a relaxing and entertaining weekend on the river join us aboard TRACE 1. Bring your friends and guests to share this memorable experience with you. Learn the history of the area during the steamboat/Civil War era where you see the Armstrong Locket plantation home, Bleak house, Longstreet's Heights, Armstrong Hill, Fort Dickerson and many others. You will have an annotated map to help visualize the 1863 siege of Knoxville with Confederate and Union positions highlighted.

Your crew will be the 150 year old spirit old Sam Clemmons and Miss Drusilla. Sam has operated steamboats for many years and will entertain with the local Civil War history even if he never did pick a side.

Saturday gourmet sandwich lunch Civil War cruises, 12:00, 90 minutes, $26 adults and $20 children.
Second Sunday gourmet sandwich lunch cruise, 12:00, two hours, $32 adults and $26 children 5 to 11, see more sights.
Friday and Saturday Civil War cruise 3:00 and 5:15, 90 minutes, $18 adults and $14 children on-line or $20 and $16 at the gate
Sunday Civil War cruise 3:00 and 5:15, 90 minutes, $18 adults and $14 children 5 to 11 on-line or $20 and $16 at the gate
Prices above are for advanced on-line reservations.
If you have a copy of our narration booklet with you, you get a $2.00 discount for everyone in your party. You may purchase a copy at the Knoxville Visitor's Center or Knoxville History Center, both on Gay Street.

NavCal River Rides http://navcal.com/navcal/CWHistory.htm. 865-765-3407

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

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