Calendar of Events

Join us for our 25th annual Diversity Day & Race Against Racism at the YWCA’s Phyllis Wheatley Center in East Knoxville!

This event is for all ages and all people! Whether you like to run, walk, or just want to be part of the movement to Race Against Racism, we can’t wait to welcome you at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! The certified 5k course route starts in East Knoxville at the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Community Center and takes runners through the vibrant East Knoxville community, down to the Old City, and loops back at the starting line. Looking for something a little more laid-back? Join our 1-mile walk to the Alex Haley statue at Morningside Park, and enjoy meeting your friends and neighbors. We’ll also have a fun race for the younger kids!

Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will happen, rain, snow, or shine – so please, come out and join us!

This is a day to celebrate our city’s diversity! We look forward to welcoming you at this year’s event, as we celebrate diversity in partnership with local cultural and religious organizations, and once again join together as a community to stand against racism. Arrive early to enjoy breakfast treats, entertainment, inspirational speeches, and more. Stay tuned for more details about this exciting event!

Race registration is now open! Sign up by December 1st and save $5 on your registration fee.

Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S Cruze St, Knoxville, TN 37915. https://ywcaknox.com/diversity-day/

Louisiana Zydeco Dance Concert

Dikki Du (Troy Carrier) was born in 1969 in Church Point, Louisiana and discovered his love for zydeco music at the tender age of nine. After school he would get together with his brother Chubby, sister Elaine and father Roy to play Zydeco music. At the age of twelve Troy moved to a little town called "Lawtell", where his father had owned the Offshore Lounge for over fifteen years. Troy played the washboard for Roy Carrier, his father, on local gigs; he then joined forces with the great C.J. Chenier for two years. Troy's brother Chubby Carrier then started a family band and offered Troy a job playing the drums. Troy toured with his brother from the late 80's until the 90's, when he returned home to pick up the accordion. It has now been eight years that Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe have been on the scene. Dikki Du has incorporated his musical heritage with unique experience to create one of the most innovative zydeco groups around. The krewe captures an audience with one of the best sets around. His original funky and hypnotic zydeco style announces that he has arrived, occupying a spot on par with the best. "Personally the triple row is the sound that I like the best". says Dikki Du. He takes songs from classic zydeco and turns the inside out with fresh and funky renditions driving it to the next level. The krewe's innovations revitalize zydeco charging it for years to come.

Tickets: $15

Jubilee Community Arts at the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. Tickets (discounts apply to advance purchase, JCA members, students & seniors) available through http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/1118485, 1-800-838-3006 ext 1, and at the door. For information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org

WOZO (103.9 LPFM), Knoxville's Community Radio Station is hosting an Open Table DJ event and fundraiser. We are inviting any DJs who would like to share their skills and the community to a night of live music, beats, and drinks to meet the WOZO DJs, learn more about the station, and enjoy community time together. The event is free (donations appreciated) and open to the public.
6 PM - midnight
https://www.wozoradio.com

Did you make a New Year’s resolutions to get more exercise or spend more time outdoors? The UT Arboretum Society can help with both! For the third year, the UT Arboretum Society offers a monthly hike on the third Saturday of each month.

This is a free program offered by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society. No registration is necessary.

The first monthly hike will be Saturday, January 18th. This is a great winter occasion to spend some quality time outdoors and to learn about the UT Arboretum’s trails.

Learn about the UT Arboretum’s trails on this short trail hike (1 to 1.5 hours). Hikes will be varied in intensity level, and the route may be changed due to weather conditions or leader’s choice. This hike will be led by a volunteer familiar with the UT Arboretum and the trail system.

Please wear clothes appropriate to the weather and boots or good shoes for outdoor walking. We aim for this hike to be suitable for all, but the difficulty level of the hike is dependent on individual fitness. Be sure to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated as you hike. No pets, please. Due to ongoing research projects on our grounds, we are unable to allow pets.

To learn more about the Arboretum Society, go to www.utarboretumsociety.org. For more information on the program, call 865-483-7277 or mcampani@utk.edu.

Saturday at 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
At Broadway Academy of Performing Arts and Event Center, 706 N Broadway St, Knoxville, Tennessee 37917

Slowburning Contemporary Jazz is an invitation to unleash our power, our truth, and our beauty through dance. In this unique, 2-hour workshop, we will explore: Letting Go. With a new decade ahead of us, we'll be letting go of everything that gets in the way of our joy, peace, and well-being. Through targeted (and delicious) warm-ups, across-the floor movements, center combinations, and closing meditations, we take a journey deeper into ourselves, asking, "What happens when I let go and dance?"

Dancers will build both physical and emotional stamina, presence, strength, and expression. Vulnerability and courage welcomed and celebrated the moment we enter the studio. This class is open to all levels of dancers.

Please bring water and any footwear that helps you feel the best you can when dancing (barefoot, tennis shoes, jazz shoes, dance sneakers, etc.). $20, 18+. Join us for brunch afterward at Elkmont Exchange!

https://www.facebook.com/events/452184232140142/

Hosted by Simple Bliss Events : Wedding and Event Planning and 6 others
Saturday at 3 PM – 6 PM
At Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr SW, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916

KMA Winter Bridal Open House- Hosted by Rosa's Catering & SBE. Join us Saturday, January 18 at the beautifully unique downtown Knoxville wedding venue, Knoxville Museum of Art. Spend the afternoon with Rosa's Catering and Simple Bliss Events, along with a talented selection of their favorite wedding professionals, for a little planning, pampering, food sampling and wedding inspiration.

While the event is free to all, we do need everyone to preregister. https://www.facebook.com/events/597253807690907/

Saturday at 7 PM – 9 PM
Corner Lounge Knoxville, 842 N Central, Knoxville, Tennessee 37917

Join the singers of Marble City Opera for a night of hot tunes and cool brews!

https://www.facebook.com/events/855613811538132/

The play will be performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; and Sundays at 3 PM.

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present a live stage adaptation of the beloved children’s novel “Alice in Wonderland” (with selections from “Through the Looking Glass”), by Lewis Carroll.

“Alice in Wonderland” is one of the one of the best-known and most popular works of English-language fiction featuring iconic characters that remain familiar to readers of all ages. When Alice decides to follow a talking White Rabbit down a hole, she starts an adventure that will lead her to race with a Dodo, take tea with a Mad Hatter, play croquette with the Queen of Hearts, and more. It’s a wild and crazy ride as Alice navigates the shenanigans of all the classic characters of Wonderland and desperately tries to make her way home!

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

Gallery 1010's first show of the semester, “I and Everything Else”, a series of abstractions by Summer Fuss.

Opening reception January, 17 from 6-9pm. Gallery open Sat 12-4 and Sun 12-4.

Gallery 1010, 1150 McCalla Ave, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: https://gallery1010.utk.edu/

We have a sundry of MLK activities throughout the week leading up to the national holiday on Monday, January 20, 2020.
We invite you to join us for as many events as your schedule will allow!

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15 12:00PM – 1:00PM
INTERFAITH PRAYER SERVICE at Community Evangelistic Church

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16 8:30AM – 11:30AM
LEADERSHIP EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM at Rothchild Catering Center
12:00pm – 2:00pm
LEADERSHIP/AWARDS LUNCHEON at Rothchild Catering Center

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 7:00PM – 8:30PM
COMMUNITY FORUM – OAK RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL PEACE ALLIANCE at Beck Cultural Exchange Center

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18 8:30AM – 2:00PM
YOUTH SYMPOSIUM at Austin-East Magnet High School
8:30am – 2:00pm
TEACHER IN-SERVICE TRAINING at Sarah Simpson Professional Development Technology Center
1:00pm – 2:30pm
Y.W.C.A. RACE AGAINST RACISM at Phyllis Wheatley Center

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19 6:00PM – 8:00PM
A NIGHT WITH THE ARTS TRIBUTE
KNOXVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CARPETBAG THEATRE at Tennessee Theatre

MONDAY, JANUARY 20
8:30am (Line-Up) 10:00am – 11:30am
MEMORIAL MARCH PARADE at Midway Chilhowee Park located on N. Beaman Street
12:00pm – 2:00pm
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE SERVICE at Overcoming Believers Church

http://www.mlkknoxville.com/2020-mlk-list-of-events/

SHOW TIMES: Thu: 8:00 pm, Fri: 8:00 pm, Sat: 8:00 pm, Sun: 3:00 pm

By Arthur Miller
Winner of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play

The story revolves around the last days of Willy Loman, a failing salesman, who cannot understand how he failed to win success and happiness. Through a series of tragic soul-searching revelations of the life he has lived with his wife, his sons, and his business associates, we discover how his quest for the “American Dream” kept him blind to the people who truly loved him.

A thrilling work of deep and revealing beauty that remains one of the most profound classic dramas of the American theatre.

WARNING: Contains offensive language

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 800 S. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

Opening reception: 5-7:30pm, Thursday, January 9th

The Ewing Gallery is pleased to present, Unsustainable: A Planet in Crisis – a group exhibition featuring artwork ranging in material, discipline, and execution that addresses the theme of planetary crises – climate change, the rise of disease and superbugs, world conflict and national instability, plastics in the ocean, gun violence, pollution of the waterways from mining, air pollution from use of fossil fuels, the opioid crisis, and species extinction.

Participating artists are:

Michele Banks https://www.artologica.net/
Brandon Ballengee, PhD https://brandonballengee.com/
Scott Chimileski, PhD + Roberto Kolter, PhD https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-beautiful-intelligence-of-bacteria-and-other-microbes-20171113/
Brandon Donahue https://brandonjaquezdonahue.com/home.html
Lorrie Fredette http://lorriefredette.com/
Yeon Jin Kim http://www.domesticmuseology.com/yeon-jin-kim
Pam Longobardi https://driftersproject.net/about/
Dan Mills http://abacus.bates.edu/~dmills/
John Sabraw http://www.johnsabraw.com/
Karen Shaw https://karenshaw100.com/

In conjunction with Unsustainable, artist and educator Pam Longobardi will be giving a public lecture on Thursday, January 23rd at 7:30pm on her work. Longobardi's lecture will be in McCarty Auditorium, room 109 of the Art + Architecture Building. A reception with the artist will follow in the gallery.

Pam Longobardi is an American contemporary eco artist and activist, currently living and working in Atlanta, Georgia. She is known internationally for sculptural works and installations created from plastic debris, primarily from marine and coastal environments, as a primary material. She is also a Professor of Drawing and Painting at Georgia State University. Longobardi's lecture is part of the University of Tennessee School of Art's Programming Committee Lecture Series.

Unsustainable - a Planet in Crisis was developed as part of the programming for UT's Apocalypse Semester and as a partner exhibition to Visions of the End at the McClung Museum.

The Ewing Gallery of Art and Architecture at the University of Tennessee, 1715 Volunteer Boulevard
Art and Architecture Building, Knoxville, TN 37996. https://ewing-gallery.utk.edu/