Calendar of Events

The Tennessee Valley Players proudly present the popular musical “WEST SIDE STORY” based on a conception of Jerome Robbins; with book by Arthur Laurents; music by Leonard Bernstein; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; and choreography by Jerome Robbins. "West Side Story" is the tragic story of star-crossed lovers amidst gang warfare in the west side of 1950's New York City. The musical features such songs as: "Tonight," "I Feel Pretty," "Somewhere" and "Mambo," performed by a cast of over 30 multi-talented singers and actors. The show is presented “in the Round” at Carousel Theatre next to Clarence Brown Theatre on the UT Campus. Tennessee Valley Players is producing the show in collaboration with the University of Tennessee School of Music.

Tickets are $18 for adults and children 13 and older, $15 for senior citizens and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the box office starting 30 minutes prior to each show with cash, check, or credit card. Tickets may also be purchased on the Tennessee Valley Players’ website with a credit card. Festival seating.
Fridays: June 6, 13 and 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays: June 7, 14 and 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Sundays: June 8, 15 and 22 at 3:00 p.m.
Carousel Theatre, University of Tennessee, 1714 Andy Holt Avenue, Knoxville, TN

Check out Tennessee Valley Players’ website at http://www.tennesseevalleyplayers.org or call (865) 201-5913. Supporters unable to attend the event may download a donation form via the TVP website or mail the donation directly to Tennessee Valley Players, P.O. Box 50603, Knoxville, TN 37950.

The Tennessee Valley Fair Summer Reading Program celebrates its 7th year in 2014. Hosted by Jasper, the Fair's rooster mascot and the 2013 Fairest of the Fair, Kristen Gallant, participating children will enjoy storytelling and interactive activities. Each child will also receive a free ticket to the 2014 Fair, September 5-14. All summer reading events are free and open to the public:

King Family Library
408 High St., Sevierville, TN 37862
Tuesday, June 3- 11:00 a.m.

Kodak Public Library
319 W Dumplin Valley Rd, Kodak, TN 37764
Tuesday, June 3 - 2:00 p.m.

Halls Public Library
4518 E. Emory Road, Knoxville, TN 37938
Wednesday, June 4 - 11:30 a.m.

Seymour Public Library
137 W. Macon Lane, Seymour, TN 37865
Wednesday, June 4 - 2:00 p.m.

Burlington Public Library
4614 Asheville Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37914
Wednesday, June 18 - 11:00 a.m.

Tennessee Valley Fair: 865-215-1471, www.tnvalleyfair.org

Free AMSE admission available to active-duty military ID holder and five immediate family members. Active duty military include Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, active duty National Guard and active duty Reserve members. Must show active duty military ID for this admission. Blue Star museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000 museums across America.

American Museum of Science & Energy, 300 S. Tulane Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Monday-Saturday 9AM-5PM, Sunday 1-5PM. Information: 865-576-3200, www.amse.org

Hall & Rogers Gallery
Docent walk-through at 11:30 AM on May 16

This display features three monumental canvases by Leonardo Silaghi that were recently acquired by the KMA. Silaghi (born 1987) is a Romanian painter whose abstractions powerfully express the chaotic transition of his homeland from a decaying Communist nation to a contemporary urban society still taking shape. Often using black and white photographs of abandoned Cold War machinery as starting points, the artist launches into large, forcefully executed paintings populated by conveyor belts, vehicles, ductwork, and other industrial debris.

Leonardo Silaghi is a graduate of the University of Art and Design in Cluj, Romania. Since 2009, he has been featured with solo exhibitions at the Laika Gallery in Cluj, Marc Straus Gallery in New York, and the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art in Peekskill, where he was artist in residence in 2010. Recently his works were shown at the exhibition "After the Fall" at the HVCCA in Peeksville and the Knoxville Museum of Art. Through a generous gift of New York collectors Marc and Livia Straus in 2013, and a purchase, the KMA is fortunate to be among the first American museums to have acquired a group of Silaghi’s works.

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

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

Second Sundays, 11:00-4:00, all summer long!

Come on out and see all the local vendors! Crafts, Arts, Vintage, Antiques and some good food. Over forty different outside spots. Vendors call 228-2047 for information on becoming a vendor.

1401 McCalla Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915. Next to Nostalgia on McCalla. Info: 865-228-2047

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

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