Calendar of Events

Instructor: Eric Head, BA, Knox Co. Archives and/or Dr. George K. Schweitzer, PhD, ScD. Students use

individual computers to access over 10 billion records including census and voter lists, birth, marriage and death, military, immigration and emigration, newspapers and periodicals, pictures, stories and histories, directories, court, land, wills and family trees. Also covered will be reference materials and finding aids. Participants should bring birth dates and birth places of parents and grandparents.

Pre-registration begins July 18. To register please call (865) 215-8809.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

Book signings & readings with David Burnsworth, author of Burning Heat; Bryan Robinson author of Limestone Gumption; and Danny Bernstein author of Forests, Alligators, Battlefields: My Journey Through the National Parks of the South.

Union Ave Books, 517 Union Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-951-2180, www.unionavebooks.com

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present a Butterfly Festival at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds, 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge. It is cosponsored by the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. The gate will be open at 8:30 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be sold from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The event, designed for children and adults of all ages, will take place rain or shine. This educational and fun activity features four speakers, two local native plant vendors and artisans. Speakers will give their presentations in the air-conditioned comfort of the Arboretum’s new Auditorium. The food vendors, plant vendors and artisans will be stationed near the Program Shelter. The monarch butterfly release will take place on the patio outside the Auditorium.

The day’s highlight will be the release of 100 butterflies at approximately 2 p.m., in honor of the 50th anniversaries of UTAS and the Arboretum. We invite children to help release the monarch butterflies, which will be offered at a cost of $10 per butterfly. The UT Insect Zoo will be a major attraction of the day. Developed to deliver entomological experiences to all ages, the goal of the Insect Zoo is to have fun while sharing knowledge of insects with others to help them appreciate the important role of insects in our environment. The Insect Zoo showcases preserved and live insects and their relatives (scorpion, tarantula, etc.) found in Tennessee and throughout the world. The Insect Zoo is part of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in the Institute of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee.

The keynote speaker is award-winning writer, photographer and butterfly expert Rita Venable. Her book, “Butterflies of Tennessee,” is in its second printing. She will speak twice; at 9:00 a.m., “A Home for Butterflies,” and 1:00 p.m., “Monarchs and Milkweeds of Tennessee.” She will be signing her book from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Ann Brown will discuss “Our Future Flies on the Wings of Pollinators” at 10:00 a.m. Local naturalist, photographer, and educator Kris Light will present a talk on “Butterfly Bonanza” at 11:00 a.m. Chris Mahoney will present “Plants for Hummingbirds/Plants for Butterflies – Why Are They Different?” at 12:00 p.m. Director of the Insect Zoo is Dr. Jerome Grant, Professor of Entomology at UT. He is actively involved in entomological outreach activities, and has taught and conducted research for 30 years. Food vendors will include Razzleberry’s who will be selling hotdogs, barbecue and ice cream. Mediterranean Delight will feature Middle Eastern fare.

Artisans will demonstrate their craft and sell their wares. Thor Eilola, a chain saw artist, will demonstrate his craft. Kathy Fahey, a UT Arboretum Society board member, will demonstrate how she makes leaf prints out of concrete. Kris Light will be displaying and selling nature-themed jewelry and note cards.

Info: 865-483-3571 or www.utarboretumsociety.org

We're so excited to be partnering with Books-A-Million for the Harry Potter™ release party! We'll be painting some magical mini-paintings that would feel right at home hanging on the walls of our favorite school of wizardry! Come paint with us July 30th starting at 6pm! We'll be painting all through the evening until 11:30pm.

In addition to our mini-classes, there will be owls on display, flying lessons from Knoxville's very own Quidditch™ team. Divination, trivia, Defense against the Dark Arts classes and feast of food from attending food trucks.

Don't forget to grab your butter beer, we've got your paintbrushes! Lets celebrate a magical night! Classes are first come first serve, we cannot reserve your space. This is a special event not eligible for promotions, discount codes or gift-certificates. Wine & Canvas: Knoxville, TN, 865-356-9179, http://www.wineandcanvas.com/knoxville-tn.html

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present a Butterfly Festival on Saturday, July 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds, 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge. It is cosponsored by the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. The gate will be open at 8:30 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be sold from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

The event, designed for children and adults of all ages, will take place rain or shine. This educational and fun activity features four speakers, two local native plant vendors and artisans. Speakers will give their presentations in the air-conditioned comfort of the Arboretum’s new Auditorium.

The day’s highlight will be the release of 100 butterflies at approximately 2 p.m., in honor of the 50th anniversaries of UTAS and the Arboretum. We invite children to help release the monarch butterflies, which will be offered at a cost of $10 per butterfly.

The UT Insect Zoo will be a major attraction of the day. Developed to deliver entomological experiences to all ages, the goal of the Insect Zoo is to have fun while sharing knowledge of insects with others to help them appreciate the important role of insects in our environment. The Insect Zoo showcases preserved and live insects and their relatives (scorpion, tarantula, etc.) found in Tennessee and throughout the world. The Insect Zoo is part of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in the Institute of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee.

The keynote speaker is award-winning writer, photographer and butterfly expert Rita Venable. Her book, “Butterflies of Tennessee,” is in its second printing. She will speak twice; at 9:00 a.m., “A Home for Butterflies,” and 1:00 p.m., “Monarchs and Milkweeds of Tennessee.” She will be signing her book from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Ann Brown will discuss “Our Future Flies on the Wings of Pollinators” at 10:00 a.m. Local naturalist, photographer, and educator Kris Light will present a talk on “Butterfly Bonanza” at 11:00 a.m. Chris Mahoney will present “Plants for Hummingbirds/Plants for Butterflies – Why Are They Different?” at 12:00 p.m.

Food vendors will include Razzleberry’s who will be selling hotdogs, barbecue and ice cream. Mediterranean Delight will feature Middle Eastern fare. Artisans will demonstrate their craft and sell their wares. .

Saturday, July 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds, 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge. To learn more about the Arboretum Society, go to www.utarboretumsociety.org. For more information on the program, call 483-3571.

In Townsend, TN and featuring music from Darrell Scott, Jay Clark & the Tennessee Tree Beavers, The Lonesome Coyotes and a Boy Named Banjo PLUS now added to the lineup is Emily Ann Roberts! Portion of the proceeds benefit Appalachian Bear Rescue. For tickets, including VIP packages and lodging: https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/dancing-bear-lodge-music-food-festival-townsend-tn/

FCAC will host their first ever all-FCAC Photography Competition, open to all photographers. Juried by Barry Seaton and Clay Thurston with $1,000 to be awarded.

Opening reception on Friday, July 29, 6:30-8:00 PM. Free and open to the public.

Exhibit viewing hours: Tu, Th 9-5; W, F 10-5; Sat 9-1. Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, http://www.fountaincityartcenter.com/

By Mark Dunn; directed by Tiffany Tallent. Best described as "Several Horton Foote characters in search of an exit from a Sam Shepard play."

The action of this "Texas tragicomedy" whirls around one disastrous Memorial Day weekend at the Beckle cabin in the Texas hill country. Aubrey, his four daughters, and Great Aunt Tammy gather there for the first time since Mrs. Beckle's death. Nothing goes right. Aunt Tammy is trapped in the bathroom. Daughter Cesca arrives bearing scars from a new round with her abusive husband. Her sister Pidge, on sudden leave from the group home for the emotionally disturbed where she lives, shows up in Cesca's car with Cesca's chloroformed husband locked in the trunk.

The Beckles must pull together or the family will self- destruct. When all is said and done, it is the Beckle family's most alienated member who proves to be the one most invested in her family's happiness.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

Friday/Saturday, July 29-30 AND August 5-6. It's the sale you've been waiting for! Every item in every regional Goodwill store is half price for these two weekends only! Sale excludes UT merchandise; other discounts do not apply. Visit www.goodwillknoxville.org to find a store near you. Goodwill Industries: 865-588-8567

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present “Legally Blonde: The Musical, Jr.,” a version of the hit Broadway musical specially adapted for children and families, and based on the popular MGM film. The play will be performed July 15 - 31, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM.

Harvard's beloved blonde takes the stage by glittery pink storm! “Legally Blonde:The Musical, Jr.” follows Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. When Elle's high school boyfriend, Warner, dumps her and heads to Harvard, claiming she's not "serious" enough, Elle takes matters into her own hands. As Elle begins outsmarting her peers, she realizes that law may be her natural calling after all. Songs from the junior version include “Serious,” “Bend And Snap,” “Daughter of Delta Nu,” “Chip On My Shoulder,” “Omigod You Guys,” and “Legally Blonde.” The play is performed by 21 talented young actors, from ages 12 to 17. The play is directed by KCT Academy Director Dennis E. Perkins. Paul Jones serves as Musical Director.

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

The Knoxville Museum of Art presents a powerful exhibition by the Central High School National Art Honor Society students to bring awareness of the problem of human trafficking. The exhibition contains 15 artworks created under the instruction of teachers Phyllis Ball and Val Sigmon. The exhibition runs through July 31 and then moves to the Knox County Schools Office at the Andrew Johnson Building.

Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. Cases of human trafficking have been reported in all 50 U.S. States. Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888

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

The Tennessee Stage Company presents its 26th Anniversary summer Shakespeare Festival, featuring the comedy Merry Wives of Windsor and the tragedy King Lear, alternating Thursday to Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM on the Market Square Stage. Shakespeare on the Square annually features two of the magnificent plays of Williams Shakespeare, comedies, tragedies and histories, rotated nightly outdoors on Market Square in the heart of downtown Knoxville. A blanket or a lawn chair is all you need to view these performances. While we perform with no admission charge for general seating, we do appreciate your donations – we pass a basket nightly and we suggest a $10 donation per person. Special VIP seating is available on the Square for $15. The indoor matinees (Sunday, July 24 & 31, 2:00 PM) at the Scruffy City Hall are $10. One additional performance on July 25 at 6:30 PM takes place at the Blount County Public Library.

Merry Wives of Windsor Features one of Shakespeare’s funniest and most unique characters, the dissolute knight Sir John Falstaff. This play was purportedly written at the command of Queen Elizabeth who demanded that Shakespeare write a play showing “Falstaff in love!” In what may be the original sitcom, Falstaff attempts to court two women at the same time behind their husbands backs, but the fat knight is no match for our fiery heroines who give him his comeuppance. “Let us everyone go home, and laugh this sport o’re by a country fire.”
July 14, 16, 22, 24, 28, 30, Aug. 5, 7, 11, 13 - 7:00 pm nightly outdoors on Market Square

King Lear of Britain, aging and weary from his years of rule decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters and lay down the burden of governing. But when his youngest daughter, Cordelia, does not show the obsequiousness he sought he grows furious and turns his back on her, dividing her portion between his two older daughters, Regan and Goneril. He only slowly realizes - and too late - these two daughters were not sincere in their protestations of undying adoration and that love is found in actions, not in words. “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.”
July 15, 17, 21, 23, 29, 31, Aug. 4, 6, 12, 14 - 7:00 pm nightly outdoors on Market Square

King Lear is directed by Julianna Sanderson and Merry Wives of Windsor is directed by Jennifer Alldredge and Tom Parkhill.

Shakespeare on the Square productions are performed on a rough replica of the new Globe Theatre in London (a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original theater). The plays are presented in the timeless style of Elizabethan theatrical presentations. The Tennessee Stage Company encourages our audiences to spend an evening on the Square: do a little shopping, have a nice dinner, see the play and maybe stop by a pub afterward. All of this and more is available on Market Square nightly. So come early and see the Square! Tennessee Stage Company: 865-546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com