Calendar of Events

Darkhorse Entertainment, LLC invites you to go back in time at the Tennessee Medieval Faire. The Grand Opening is the last three weekends in May, including Memorial Day, in Harriman, TN. It’s a new tradition – Joust for You! “The Medieval Faire has something for everyone,” said Barrie Paulson, VP-Manager & Entertainment Director. “The Faire is fun and family-friendly – and includes plenty of theatrical violence,” she said with a grin.

The rock stars of the Faire perform The Royal Joust in the tournament arena. There will also be Warriors’ Chess where the characters fight to take over the square. Warhorse rides will be offered between arena shows. Rotating on the stages will be professional, interactive, comedy shows. These include The ridiculously dangerous Fire * Whip * Sword Show; The Steele Sisters; Fantasies, Fables & Fortunes; and Albi Belly Dancers. There will also be Celtic musicians, interactive folk dancers, puppet shows, games, and The Royal Players whose characters include young King Henry VIII. Period crafts, food and beer will be available.

The Tennessee Medieval Faire will run the last three weekends in May, including Memorial Day: May 16-17, 23-24-25, 30-31. Hours are 10-5 EDT. Ticket prices are $14.95 for ages 13 and up, $7.95 for ages 5 to 12, free for ages 4 and under. Free parking is included. The festival is located at 550 Fiske Road, Harriman, TN. For more information, please visit the website: www.TMFaire.com. Please like us on Facebook. A New Tradition -- Joust for You. Fun for the Entire Family!

My Morning Jacket know a little something about collaboration. From frontman Jim James' work with Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford and others on The New Basement Tapes, to the band's numerous side projects, this Louisville quintet always has something up their sleeve. Now with their 7th full-length album The Waterfall debuting May 5 just in time for their Knoxville performance, join us for what's sure to be an unforgettable night of rock'n'roll!

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com, www.ticketmaster.com

Imagine the twinkling lights of 1,000 fireflies illuminating the night, the echo of water tumbling over a rock-covered river bed, and the tantalizing aroma of a sumptuous gourmet feast. Add a cool mountain breeze and you find yourself reveling in The Magic of the Mountains, the twelfth annual Heritage Happening fundraising event.

Preparations are well underway for this year's gala and auction to be held on the grounds of the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center on Saturday, May 16, 2015. The gala consists of both silent and live auctions as well as an elegant dinner provided by Rothchild Catering of Knoxville. The silent auction will begin at 5:30 followed by dinner at 7:00 and live auction at 7:30.

The Guild has been busily preparing for the festive event while it continues to collect many interesting and desirable items, including beautiful artwork from area artisans, destination trips, and dining experiences. Several unique items will be added to the auction this year, sure to create interest and competitive bidding.

May 16, 2015.
All are welcome to purchase tickets by calling the Heritage Center at 865-448-0044. Tickets are $100.00 per person, $65 of which is tax deductible. We are limited to 350 attendees, so please make your reservations early.
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 3/4 mile east of traffic light at the Highway 321 and 73 intersection towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, TN. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM. Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

On May 16, 2015, super heroes of all sizes are invited to don their favorite cape and show off their super powers at Knox County Public Library’s 11th annual Children’s Festival of Reading in World’s Fair Park. The theme of this year's festival is “every hero has a story.” The heroic line-up of authors and illustrators would impress even the Justice League.
Dan Santat, the 2015 recipient of the prestigious Caldecott Medal for The adventures of Beekle: the unimaginary friend, will headline the day. American Library Association's Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book. Mr. Santat will be joined by the authors and artists behind such beloved characters as Clementine, Flat Stanley, Amos McGee, the Bailey School Kids, Peter Nimble, and many others.
• May 16, 2015; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville
• Sign up for a summer of reading clubs
• Admission and parking are free

BOOM! Festival goers will enjoy arts and crafts, storytelling, games, music, food, and dozens of interactive enrichment activities from community groups. They can even cook up some serious fun in Jr. League of Knoxville’s Kids in the Kitchen tent.
POW! Little super heroes can chase a working robot or participate in an experiment at the Science Village presented by The Muse and L&N Stem Academy. Join East Tennessee PBS’s Book Parade, and watch local child performers show off their budding talent in the Amphitheater.
KABLAM! Watch performances by world-class children's book authors and illustrators, then meet and ask them questions at the Authors' Tent, and even get an autograph!

The Children's Festival of Reading is the kick off event for the Library's summer reading programs. Research shows that reading over the summer prevents the accumulated effects of academic loss known as the "summer slide." Children who participate in summer reading tend to develop a love of reading and maintain their academic skills.

For more information on the Children's Festival of Reading, please visit www.knoxlib.org/cfor
​Mary Pom Claiborne
Knox County Public Library
(865) 215-8767

Spring 2015 East Tennessee Plant Swap, May 16, 2015.

Everyone is invited to attend the spring 2015 meeting of the East Tennessee Plant Swap. The ETPS is a group of men and women who love plants and enjoy sharing them with friends. There is no fee for attendance and no money can exchange hands for the plants. This is a great way to add lovely plants to your lawns and gardens at absolutely no cost.

If you do not have plants to share, you are encouraged to attend anyway. You can bring gardening magazines, small tools, potholders, wind chimes, or any small items gardeners might enjoy. Over the years those new to the meeting have brought canned foods such as homemade pickles or beets, garden signs, books and homemade bags.

Set up begins at 9:30 a.m. Swapping begins around 10 a.m. and continues to all plants have found a new home. Pot luck lunch is shared at around 11:30 a.m.

Everyone is invited to this free event on Saturday, May 16, 2015; begins at 9:30 a.m. until around 2 p.m. at New Harvest Park—the large shelter, 4775 New Harvest Ln, Knoxville, TN 37918.
For more information: www.easttnplantswap.com.

Poets for Preservation – Susan O’Dell Underwood & Clay Matthews

Poets for Preservation is held at Historic Westwood, 3425 Kingston Pike. Parking is at Laurel Church of Christ, 3457 Kingston Pike. It is free and open to the public.

Information: 865-523-8008, www.knoxheritage.org

Historic Ramsey House is hosting its second season of Vintage Baseball. “This year we have the honor of hosting two home teams,” said Judy LaRose, Executive Director. “The Knoxville Holstons will be back for their second season and we are pleased to have Emmett Machinists joining our family. The addition of a second team brings twice the family fun to this great event. The names of both teams were actual teams that played in the 1864 era in Knoxville.”

The Holstons will play the Chattanooga Lightfoot while Emmett Machinists will take on the Highland Rim Distillers. All teams are in period uniforms and play by 1864 periods rules. There is no admission to the games. Hotdogs, popcorn, peanuts and beverages will be available for purchase. To make it a complete “back-in-time” experience you can ride to the game with players just as they traveled to their games, by train. You can catch your ride at the Three Rivers Rambler Depot in University Commons and be entertained by some of the players as they share history and stories of their favorite pass time. Three River’s Rambler is also providing activities for the kids. For more information on the train rides to the game contact the Three River’s Rambler at 865-534-9411.

As an added attraction, we will have the “East Tennessee Corvette Club” cruse-in. Come see these beautiful American icons.

2614 Thorngrove Pike, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: 865-546-0745, www.ramseyhouse.org

Featuring Jehan Kamal of New York
Also starring Morwenna & Walid of Boston
and Alexia and the Alexandra Dancers

Tickets $12 in advance from the website or $20 at the door.

At Broadway Academy of Performing Arts, 706 N. Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Alexia Productions: 865-898-2126, www.alexia-dance.com

Join us to meet some of Knoxville's area athletic personalities. College and professional athletes will be available for photos and autographs. Other activities include zoorts games and athlete comparisons to many of our animals at Knoxville Zoo.

Knoxville Zoo, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.knoxville-zoo.org

New in the Bearden Art District! Please join us for refreshments, live music, drawings to win art prints, and more! Meet Kay List, artist/owner and Larry S. Cole, artist, at the opening on May 15, 5-9 PM.

View 22 of Kay List's original oil paintings as well as numerous framed and unframed archival quality prints and note cards with images of her paintings. Kay works in a wide range of subject matter so the show is a sampling of a few of them. The show features abstracts, historical barns, nautical, whimsical, animals, flowers and landscapes.

Gallery hours: Tues-Thurs 10-5, Fri-Sat 10-6

Envision Art Gallery, 4050 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: 865-438-4154, www.kaylistart.com

Reception, everyone invited, Friday, May 15, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Also showing: Handmade books by Bob Meadows' students and watercolors by Mary Baumgartner's students.

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

Pickin' and Finger Lickin' at Bloomin' Barbeque & Bluegrass in Sevierville, TN
Friday May 15th from 5pm to 10pm and Saturday, May 16th from 9am to 10pm

Sevierville's Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass is a family oriented event celebrating the beauty of spring, championship barbeque and world class bluegrass music. Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass takes place during Smoky Mountain Springfest in historic downtown Sevierville, Tennessee. Our Barbeque Cook-Off is an official barbeque championship of the state of Tennessee and is coordinated by the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce.

Be sure to stop by the WDVX camper at Sevierville's Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Festival, where delicious food and live music, including the Steep Canyon Rangers and Sierra Hull, will flood the streets of Sevierville.

For more information, visit http://www.bloominbbq.com