Calendar of Events

The exhibit, Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones, at the Museum of East Tennessee History through April 4, chronicles the history of manufacturing and manufacturers in Tennessee over the past two-and a-half centuries. A companion student K-12 curriculum has been developed and is available for teachers and students. As with all exhibitions and programs developed by the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Museum of East Tennessee History, Made in Tennessee features a “grassroots” approach, turning to communities and individuals across the state for help in identifying content and artifacts.

The exhibition begins at the workstation of Knoxville Glove Company employee Margaret Newcomb, who personally sewed more than 10,800,000 industrial gloves from 1953-2013. Visitors are invited to “clock in and out” using a time card and an authentic time clock and will enjoy more than 80 artifacts of iconic Tennessee products, from Jack Daniels to JFG coffee to an Alladdin/Stanley thermos to an employee-signed hood of a Volkswagen. The perimeter of the exhibit includes 20 “Did You Know?” facts about manufacturing in Tennessee, such as did you know that Mastercraft, the world’s largest producer of ski, wakeboard, and luxury performance power boats, built their first ski boat in a two-stall horse barn in Maryville in 1968? Visitors will encounter other surprising facts: Did you know that in 1810, there were 14,000 registered distillers in the state, producing some 25.5 million gallons a year? Intriguing is the fact that by 1980, the Marathon was the only car that had been produced completely in the state, yet by 2010, Tennessee was the “#1 state in car manufacturing strength.” Following its run at the Museum of East Tennessee History, Knoxville, the exhibit will be made available to museums across the state through 2017.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: Monday-Friday: 9AM-4PM, Saturday: 10AM-4PM, Sunday: 1-5PM. Library: Monday-Tuesday: 9AM-8:30PM, Wednesday-Friday: 9AM-5:30PM, Saturday: 9AM-5PM, Sunday 1-5PM. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

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

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