Calendar of Events

New Paintings by Michael Giles on First Friday August 1, 2014. One night only 6-8 pm.
Downtown Grill & Brewery, 424 S. Gay St. Knoxville, TN

The first Friday of every month is Knoxville’s gallery hop, when art exhibitions and performances abound throughout downtown. And here in the Knoxville Visitor Center, we'll have live music from singer-songwriter Joseph LeMay on the Knoxville Visitors Center stage. Join us live at 7pm or on the radio with host Nelson Gullett.

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

Visit Knoxville is extremely excited to announce that there will be two USA Diving events that will take place right here at home! USA Diving AT&T National Diving Championships will take place at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center on the University of Tennessee campus. The Age Group & Junior National Championships will begin July 31- August 9, with the Senior Diving Championship following August 12-17.
The AT&T National Diving Championships is one of USA Diving's most prestigious events. Qualifications for the Junior Championship are based on placement at the Summer Junior Zone Championships or prequalifying according to performance in other competitions.
The senior qualifications for competition are based on overall performance in previous competitions and placement in U.S. National Preliminary Meets. There will be approximately 125 of the nation's top senior divers who will travel to compete for the 10 national's title for the AT&T National Diving Championship.

This event will be full of intense action that will surely be unforgettable. Come out and support the members of the USA Diving AT&T National Championships. For ticket pricing and schedule please go to www.usadiving.org .

What's the best way to describe Etta May? "Minnie Pearl with a migraine." To put it simply, when Etta May takes the stage, she is the reigning Queen of Southern Sass. She reflects "You know you're getting fat when you sit in the bathtub and the water in the toilet rises!"

Etta May won the prestigious American Comedy Awards: "Stand-Up Comic of the Year" and has appeared on Oprah, Comic Strip Live, MTV, and as a guest commentator on "CBS Sunday Morning."

Etta May headlines the most successful all female "Southern Fried Chicks Tour." Selling out theatres all over the country. Think Blue Collar Comedy Tour with better hair! Etta May is also a headline comic on CMT's "CMT Comedy Stage" which is the second highest rated show in CMT history. The success of the Comedy Stage franchise led to the production of the Southern Fried Chicks Comedy Tour special as the first comedy concert series for the national cable network. She was also the subject and first female comic ever on the biography show, "Comedy Club." She joins the elite comedy company of Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, and Jeff Foxworthy, who are also featured in this series.

In addition to television, Etta May is a regular on the syndicated Bob & Tom Show and a regular on XM and Sirius Radio's comedy channels.

TICKET PRICES: $8 FOR GENERAL ADMISSION, $10 FOR PREFERRED SEATING ONLINE!
All tickets via phone or at the door are $2 more per ticket!
All tickets go up $2 on the day of the show.
View picture, web site link, and video at www.SideSplittersComedy.com

What's the best way to describe Etta May? "Minnie Pearl with a migraine." To put it simply, when Etta May takes the stage, she is the reigning Queen of Southern Sass. Etta May will take you on a redneck ride through the Deep South.

Etta May won the prestigious American Comedy Awards: "Stand-Up Comic of the Year" and has appeared on Oprah, Comic Strip Live, MTV, and as a guest commentator on "CBS Sunday Morning." Etta May headlines the most successful all female "Southern Fried Chicks Tour." In addition to television, Etta May is a regular on the syndicated Bob & Tom Show and a regular on XM and Sirius Radio's comedy channels.

TICKET PRICES: $8 FOR GENERAL ADMISSION, $10 FOR PREFERRED SEATS ONLINE!
All tickets via phone or at the door are $2 more per ticket!
All tickets go up $2 on the day of the show.
View picture, web site link, and video at www.SideSplittersComedy.com

The Tennessee Valley Fair will offer educational Lego™ workshops beginning July 29.
Events are free and open to all ages but geared towards children, Kindergarten through 8th grade. Participants will be introduced to the art of competitive Lego™ building and enjoy hands-on building opportunities, tutorials and more.

Karns Public Library
July 29 - 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. (2 Sessions)
7516 Oak Ridge Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37931

Fountain City Public Library
August 1 - 2:00 p.m.
5300 Stanton Rd., Knoxville, TN 37918

Bearden Public Library
August 4 - 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 pm (2 sessions)
100 Golf Club Road, Knoxville, TN 37919

Halls Public Library
August 6 - 2:00 p.m.
4518 East Emory Road, Knoxville, TN 37918

Cedar Bluff Public Library
August 16 - 10:00 a.m and 12:00 p.m. (2 Sessions)
9045 Cross Park Dr. Knoxville, TN 37923

Each workshop is hosted and presented by local educators, Beyond a Brick. Beyond a Brick™ is comprised of seasoned East Tennessee educators whose background in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) based education allows them to present a wide range of curriculum in a fun and engaging way.

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

Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Gallery, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918. Free and open to the public. Opening reception July 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists’ talks at 6:30 p.m. Exhibit runs through August 2014.

+ Scherry Samuels | Samuels’ work is consistently cheerful and upbeat. Using vibrant color with particular attention to harmonies and color trails, she leads the viewer's eye through her paintings. Richness and saturation of color are vital to her work.

Samuels has a degree in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Six years ago she began pursuing her desire to paint with oils, and as her skill grew and her style developed, she began showing her work. She had a large solo show in Maryland. She now lives in Knoxville and is a member of the Knoxville Arts and Cultural Alliance. Some of her work is currently on display in the Mayor's office.

+ Kelly Hider | This series is about the possible presence of supernatural entities, both alien and deceased, and conversely the possibility of spiritual, fateful forces discussed in various theologies.

Influenced by the work of many contemporary artists who stage photographs, religious iconography, and even television shows from pop culture such as Star Trek and the X-Files, this cinematic work takes place in natural settings, places for contemplation as well as vulnerability.

Hider received her BFA from SUNY Brockport in 2007 and an MFA from the University of Tennessee in 2011. She has had solo exhibitions at the University of Rochester and at SUNY Brockport in Rochester, NY, The Ewing Gallery and Gallery 1010 in Knoxville, TN, and the Blackberry Farm Gallery at the Clayton Arts Center in Maryville, TN. Hider recently participated in group exhibitions at the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, NC, the St. Louis Artist Guild, St. Louis, MO, and Ground Floor Gallery in Nashville, TN. She also had an artist residency at MadOnArts in France. She currently teaches art history and studio courses at Walters State Community College and at Pellissippi State Community College. She is a founding member of the Vacuum Shop Studios.

Juried Exhibit to Choose Winners for FCAC 10th Anniversary Calendar for 2015
Student Exhibit: Students from Mary Baumgartner’s “Wonderful World of Watercolor” Classes
Opening Reception July 25, 6:30-8:00 PM - everyone welcome!

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9AM-5PM; Wednesday & Friday, 10AM-5PM; Saturday, 9AM-1PM. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartctr.com

The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson. Directed by Courtney Woolard.

A beautifully moving and surprisingly funny story of three sisters who return to their childhood home in England to celebrate their mother's life (and mourn her death), all the while searching for the secret to a happy future buried within the memories of their past.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 N. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37917. For information: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com.

TITUS ANDRONICUS Directed by Julianna Sanderson
July 18, 20, 24, 26, Aug. 1, 3, 7, 9, 15, 17
7:00 pm nightly outdoors on Market Square
2:00 pm indoors at the Square Room, July __

One of Shakespeare’s earliest tragedies, and far and away his darkest, most bloody play , “Titus Andronicus, is like an Elizabethan horror movie. Interestingly, it was also Shakespeare’s most popular play during his lifetime. The story rests on a struggle for control of the Roman Empire but the play is awash in blood – beheadings, mutilations and horrible crimes against humanity. This play is not for the faint of heart. “These words are razors to my wounded heart.”

Tennessee Stage Company P.O. Box 1186 Knoxville, TN 37901 546-4280 www.tennesseestage.com

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: Directed by Tom Parkhill and Jennifer Alldredge
July 17, 19, 25, 27, 31 Aug. 2, 8, 10, 14, 16
7:00 pm nightly outdoors on Market Square
2:00 pm indoors at the Square Room, TBD

This most perfect of romantic comedies centers on Shakespeare’s wittiest lovers, Beatrice and Benedick, two people determined to avoid the foolishness of love at all costs! The verbal fireworks between these two make up some of Shakespeare’s best writing. Along the way we meet more lovers, distraught fathers, villains and the 16th century’s answer to the Three Stooges – Dogberry and the Watch. Of course, like all good comedies, everyone ends up married – more or less. “I will live in thy heart, die In thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes.”
Tennessee Stage Company P.O. Box 1186 Knoxville, TN 37901 546-4280 www.tennesseestage.com

Founded in 2010, Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours is a one-of-a-kind ghost hunting adventure. These tours are hands-on paranormal investigations of Knoxville's traumatic past. Not only are we taking you to factual haunted sites where traumatic happenings occurred, but participants are given real ghost hunting equipment to use. If you are looking for something exciting to do, book your tour tonight!

Private tours are available for medium to large groups.
Public Tours are scheduled: Every Friday, 8:30 till 10:30
Private Tours are available: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat

Tours are subject to change, please visit www.hauntedknoxville.net for tour updates.

Tours Line: 865-377-9677
Website: www.BeTheInvestigator.com
Purchase Tickets at: www.hauntedknoxville.eventbrite.com