Calendar of Events

Union Ave Books hosts our very own Jeannette Brown to present her debut novel THE ILLUSION OF LEAVING on Sunday May 24th from 12 - 2pm. We will be having a ***very safe*** drive-by launch. We will host a zoom event after the drive-by launch at 2:30pm. Jeannette will be joined in conversation by Cindy Moffett, president of the Knoxville Writer's Guild.

The Drive-By Launch will be held in front of the bookstore on Union Avenue from noon until 2:00 p.m. Customers can prepay on the store’s website or with a credit card. Brown will be on hand to sign her book. She and the booksellers will be masked, gloved, and six feet away from each other. Customers will stay in their cars.

At 2:30pm join Jeannette for a virtual zoom event to hear her read from the novel and participate in a short Q&A with Cindy Moffett, president of the Knoxville Writers' Guild. To attend the zoom event, please RSVP by sending an email to RSVP@unionavebooks.com. Please include the title of the book in the subject line of the email.

https://unionavebooks.indielite.org/event/524-illusion-leaving-jeannette-brown

About the Book
Jamie Wright hates her West Texas hometown of Silver Falls, its small-minded people, the reminder of her childhood there and her failed first marriage—the source of her daddy’s eternal disappointment. Jamie’s in town to plan his funeral, sell the ranch, and never look back. The funeral goes as planned, however, the reading of the will does not go as planned. The night after the funeral, Jamie and two former classmates go for a nostalgic ride to reminisce about high school. When a tornado system blows in, they drive to a nearby storm shelter. There, fueled by vodka, the secrets erupt. The tornado razes part of Silver Falls as well as the ranch. Jamie realizes that she is not immune to the pull of the land, the way its vast barrenness manages to sustain flora and fauna. In the process of helping clean up the tornado damage to Silver Falls, Jamie finally becomes part of the community.

About the Author (s)
Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, JEANNETTE BROWN was raised in Texas. Her work has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, Southwestern American Literature, and New Millennium Writings, among others. She is the co-editor of Literary Lunch, a food anthology. She has received residencies from the Sewanee Writer’s Conference, Rivendell Writers’ Colony, and Hedgebrook/India.

UNION AVE BOOKS, 517 Union Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-951-2180, www.unionavebooks.com

Fri May 22, 6-8 PM: Learning Series - The Camera
The Camera will teach you all about analog shooting. Topics covered will be: selecting a camera, camera functions, operating in that mysterious "Manual" mode, metering your subject, lens selection, and more.

Sat May 23, 2-4 PM: Learning Series - The Negative
The Negative will take you inside The Darkroom where you will learn to load and process your film.

Sun May 24, 2-4 PM: Learning Series - The Print
The Print will take you inside The Darkroom where you will learn the basics of enlarger use, burning and dodging and developing finished prints. For this class, you must bring your developed film and B&W photo paper. We suggest buying film and paper locally from F32 near West Town Mall.

Pricing for each individual class is $60 and is limited to 3 participants. www.theknoxvillecommunitydarkroom.org/workshops

The Knoxville Community Darkroom, 126 Jennings Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917

Every Wednesday at 8:00 PM

While we can't meet in person on Wednesday evening, we'll be hosting a weekly zoom room starting around 8 pm on Wednesdays.

Most nights we'll just be hanging out, and sometimes we'll do something like have a theme or activity night or watch a live stream concert.

To avoid the "Zoom bombing" that's been occurring we won't be posting the link publicly. Message Aliceann Talley or one of the other organizers for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2608912812682374

Zoo Knoxville is reopening to the public on Monday, May 18, with carefully planned protocols to ensure the safety of their guests, staff and animals. The zoo closed to visitors on March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In accordance with the City of Knoxville and Knox County COVID-19 Reopening Phase 1 plan, Zoo Knoxville is open for passive outdoor use only, which means no indoor areas or interactive experiences like rides and animal encounters can be offered at this time. Playground areas, including the splash pad, will also remain closed in this phase.

To control the number of guests in the zoo daily, advance purchase timed entry tickets are required. Circle of Friends members and annual passholders will continue to receive free admission but will be required to make a reservation online for a timed entry on a specific date.

The zoo has added more than 30 additional hand sanitizing stations throughout zoo grounds and restaurants have modified their ordering and delivery systems to minimize contact.

Zoo Knoxville asks all guests to take the safety of other visitors, zoo staff and the animals seriously by following CDC recommendations:
• Wearing a mask or face covering
• Washing your hands and using hand sanitizer stations throughout the zoo frequently
• Maintaining 6 feet of physical distance between groups
• Using ground markings and directional signs to maintain safe distancing in areas where people may gather
• Staying home if you are sick or in a high risk group

To show appreciation for the outpouring of care and support during the closure, Zoo Knoxville will be offering tickets at a reduced price of $14.95 for adults and $11.95 for children ages 4-12 and seniors over 65. Ages 3 and under are free. The zoo will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. beginning May 18, 2020. Tickets and entry times can be purchased and reserved online.

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Tuesdays at 2 PM

Although our doors are still closed for regular visitation, we'll continue to offer our Live from the Parlor series! Once a week, we'll take a deep dive into the history of Mabry-Hazen House, get up close and personal with the original family collection, and share our stories with you.

Virtual tours will broadcasted via Facebook Live every Tuesday at 2pm! Look for the link at 1:55pm on each day of the tour.

Have particular artifact or story you'd like to know more about? Let us know by messaging us and we'll do our best to incorporate your request into our schedule!

https://www.facebook.com/events/244801236578936/

Old Gray Cemetery located in downtown Knoxville occupies 13 acres of beauty and history. The cemetery was founded in 1850 and dedicated in 1852 when the first 40 lots were sold at public action. Today Old Gray clearly depicts Knoxville’s history and provides an important example of cemetery planning and design during the rural cemetery or garden movement.
The Ella Albers Fountain has been recently restored and serves as the anchor on the main drive and the centerpiece of Old Gray. The original fountain was erected in 1890 by A. J. Albers in memory of his 37-year-old wife. The symbolism of the Victorian fountain is twofold, representing both the respect for the memory of the dead and also offering hope and inspiration to the living. The original fountain was dismantled during World War II and the metal was used in the war effort.
You can stroll or drive through the winding avenues of Old Gray and see the excellent examples of Victorian art and architecture. The cemetery is a mixture of unmarked graves to massive monuments and mausoleums which honor the lives of those buried there.
The massive oaks and hackberry trees are part of a wide variety of trees and vegetation at Old Gray that are living witnesses to the history of Knoxville since before the Civil War at which time this area was an open pasture. Thanks to the vision of those who lived then we can now enjoy the park setting that these trees have created.
You are invited to take a walk back through history and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of Old Gray. Our automatic gates currently open at 7 AM and close at 5 PM.

https://www.facebook.com/oldgraycemetery

Old Gray Cemetery, 543 North Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-522-1424, www.oldgraycemetery.com

We are bringing you even more Real Live Music Videos this month, with new performances posted every Tuesday & Thursday! Check out the release schedule: https://wdvx.com/new-real-live-music-videos-premiere-on-tuesdays-thursdays-in-may/

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/wdvxradio

The 30 Days of Real Live Music Challenge concluded in April, and visitors one can watch all 30 videos in a row at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVDeTOdMcmYmKi_ayM0tYvx0zWkNhr6ry.

If we cannot venture from our houses, we will bring new and adventurous sounds straight to your living room! Experience great chamber music from Julius Eastman and Philip Glass, to Kate Soper and Joanna Bailie in selected concert videos from Nief-Norf and our Summer Festival. Around 40 works will be shared with you in this web special. Plus, we are proud to present Nief-Norf ensemble members in a livestream performance each week.

New videos will be posted around lunchtime every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The livestream performances will happen at 7:30 p.m. Eastern ("doors open" at 7:00 p.m.) on each Wednesday. We recommend opening each video into full screen to have the best experience.

More info: https://dots.livemusicproject.org/virtual-norf-space/

The Friends of Seven Islands State Birding Park announce a call for entries for its 1st annual Juried Photo Competition and Exhibition. The Competition was developed to promote the beauty and diversity of Seven Islands State Birding Park and to provide a forum for photographic artists to compete on a regional scale and display their work. Approximately 10 – 12 fine art works will receive monetary awards and will comprise an exhibition on the North Wall gallery of the beautifully restored Emporium Center at 100 S. Gay Street from September 1-30, 2020. The Emporium is free and open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and other hours for special events.

The deadline for entries to be received is midnight, Sunday, May 31, 2020. Prizes include at least $1,000 in cash awards, and winning artists will have the opportunity for their imagery to be displayed in a variety of local galleries following the initial display and awards presentation at the Emporium Center.

https://www.friendsofsevenislands.com/photo-contest-call-for-entries/

Initiated by the Ewing's Director Sam Yates 30 years ago, this exhibition recognizes outstanding students graduating from The University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Art.

Selected by a School of Art Faculty Scholarship committee, seven art students from various art disciplines were chosen from the qualifying applicants for this year's exhibition. These students are Celine Gobert, Mera Ragsdale, Juniper Teffeteller, Shannon Frisco, Ali Bhimani, Nicole Gentry, and Dannie Trevino.

Click here to view a gallery of their work: https://art.utk.edu/honors-2020/

Congratulations to our exhibitors!

Online Cooking Class! $10
30-40 Minute Recorded Instruction
Link available on Friday, May 29th
Instructor: Emily Webb
Registration Deadline: May 27th @ Noon

Learn how easy it is to make your own gut-friendly sauerkraut at home! In this brief online tutorial, you will be given clear steps to help you confidently create a quart-sized batch of sauerkraut at home, along with tips and tricks such as sterilizing equipment and what to look for as it ferments! All ingredients, a mason jar, and a written recipe card will all be supplied. Students will need to be able to come and pick-up supplies and have access to a computer.

https://registration.knoxvilletn.gov/ViewCourseActivityDetails.aspx?id=C2346

INVESTIGATE KNOXVILLE’S GREATEST HAUNTS!
Real History | Real Hands-on | Real Investigations | REAL FUN!

Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours is a Hands-On Paranormal Adventure that gives the participant the opportunity to Investigate the Historic and Haunted side of Knoxville TN and Special Event Venues.

The events include the use of Paranormal Investigation Tools and is Host by Famed Paranormal Historian and Master Teacher in the Paranormal Field, J-Adam Smith

PUBLIC TOURS (FRI & SAT - Exception when Briceville Special Events are running.)
PRIVATE TOURS (SUN, MON, & THURS - (Tickets are Sold as Packages. Pricing starts at $200 for Groups up to the size of 6)

Information: 865-377-9677 or www.hauntedknoxville.net