Calendar of Events

It's back in full swing! The Market Square Farmers' Market has returned with a bang - bigger and better than ever! Vendors offer everything from meat and dairy to fruit and veggies, flowers, candles, soaps, jewelry, pet treats, clothing, baked goods and more. Plus, you're always guaranteed to run into friends both new and old.

Come to Market Square each Saturday from 9 to 2 and Wednesday from 11-2, now through November. Whether you're doing your weekly grocery shopping, searching for the perfect gift, or just breezing through for lunch and some ice cream, you're sure to find what you need!

Market Square Farmers' Market: Market Square Knoxville, TN 37902, 865-405-3135, www.marketsquarefarmersmarket.org.

We are excited to announce that we are hosting not one, but two special events for First Friday this May. Rala is helping host the "2014 Biscuit Art Exhibition". Join us that evening for a red carpet event right outside our door where the winners of the art contest will be announced. The biscuit art is also displayed at Coffee & Chocolate and Bliss Home throughout the month. This exhibit includes 30 biscuit themed pieces of art as interpreted by different artists.

We're also excited to bring you new work by one of our favorite local artists, Mike Ham. Father to WBIR's Abby Ham, Mike's work is inspired significantly by children's artwork. Here is just a taste of the fabulous work we're showing by this wonderful artist.

The Biscuit Exhibition will be up until the end of May and Mike Ham's artwork will be up until the end of June.

Our events start at 5:30 pm and end at 10 pm. We're looking forward to sharing SO MUCH great artwork with you!

RALA, 323 Union Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-7888, http://shoprala.blogspot.com/

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

Presented in conjunction with Richard Jolley’s permanent glass installation Cycle of Life, this exhibition surveys the work of modern and contemporary artists who approach glass using innovative methods and techniques. Among the featured artists are Oben Abright, Graham Caldwell, Daniel Clayman, Andrew Erdos, Luke Jerram, Rashid Johnson, Dominick Labino, Karen LaMonte, Libensky & Brychtova, Beth Lipman, Harvey Littleton, Ivan Navarro, Mark Peiser, Lino Tagliapietra, Bertil Vallien, Christopher Wilmarth, and Fred Wilson.

There will be a public closing party Thursday, July 17 at the KMA, from 5:30 to 7:30pm. The presenting sponsor for this exhibition is The Frank and Virginia Rogers Foundation with additional sponsorship from The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass. KMA media sponsors include Digital Media Graphix, Kurt Zinser Design, and WBIR. The exhibition is organized by the KMA.

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

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

Hosted by UT Every Child Outdoors (ECO) & Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum

Story Thyme integrates education, nature, craft and physical activity.
Free to all pre-school aged children, their parents or guardians
Wednesdays from 1-2 PM beginning in April

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

On Wednesdays each week from 12:30-1:30 PM you might hear some high volume drumming at ETTAC. For the past three months, ETTAC has been hosting a weekly drum circle for people with and without disabilities. Originated by April Stephens with the Cerebral Palsy Center in Knoxville, our drum circle now averages 30 people per session, and continues to grow. Organizations such as Breakthrough and the CP Center join us weekly, as well as families who homeschool their children. Experienced drummers also come to drum with us. So far we have learned different rhythms, drummed to various types of music, and danced to our weekly ritual of the Chicken Dance. Come join us for an hour of fun and excitement every Wednesday, 12:30-1:30pm. All are welcome!

At ETTAC (downstairs, come to back entrance), 116 Childress Street, Knoxville, TN 37920
Information: 865-219-0130, www.ettac.org

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

Wednesdays - Lessons at 7 pm, Open Dance at 8 pm. Dedicated to the purpose of promoting swing dance. http://swingknoxville.org

At the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916. For information call 865-224-6830.