Calendar of Events

FREE FOR ALL coffee concert featuring Zofia Glashauser - violinist
Emi Kagawa on piano

Sunday, April 21 @ 3:00 at the First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge

For more information, please call 865-483-5569 or visit https://orcma.org

Knoxville Opera is thrilled to announce the expansion of its annual Rossini Festival to a two-day extravaganza on April 20th and 21st, 2024. For the first time in its history, the festival will span two days, promising an even more vibrant and enriching experience for the East Tennessee community and visitors from afar.

The Rossini Festival remains Knoxville Opera’s premier International Street Fair, celebrating the rich tapestry of music, food, art, and culture in East Tennessee. With non-stop entertainment across four outdoor stages featuring opera, classical, jazz, gospel, ethnic music, ballet, modern dance, and more, there's something for everyone. The festival also boasts scores of food vendors, artisans, and activities for children, making it a perfect family outing. Admission is free, reflecting the festival's commitment to community inclusivity.

This year's entertainment highlights include the sensational band Teen Spirit, set to deliver an electrifying performance on Saturday night at 8 pm. Their concert is bound to captivate audiences of all ages. Following this, the festival will transition into a unique Silent Disco experience on Market Square, capping off the night with an epic celebration of music that promises to be unforgettable.

Back by popular demand, the Journey Around the World offers festival-goers an enchanting quest through opera and international fairytales. With three tracks available, including two child-friendly fairy tale adventures and a 21+ track for adults seeking a downtown journey, participants will collect stamps and solve riddles to unveil their fairy tale ending and win exciting prizes.

In 2024, the Rossini Festival will elevate its offering with the new VIP Experience. This premium option grants exclusive access to a private oasis where guests can enjoy food, fine beverages, and private restroom facilities. The VIP experience is further enhanced with special events, including wine tastings, cheese pairings, and a mesmerizing performance by the acclaimed artist Flora Hawk.

Knoxville Opera: 865-524-0795, https://www.knoxvilleopera.org/rossini/

The public is invited to experience three spectacular private gardens during the Dogwood Arts Spring Featured Gardens event next weekend, April 20th & 21st. The event will feature GATOP (God’s Answer To Our Prayers) in East Knoxville, Anderson Estate in South Knoxville, and the Hopkins Cottage Garden in West Knoxville. Each garden is unique in design and offers a variety of plant material and special features. From an enchanting cottage garden to a 20+ acre property complete with water features, outdoor sculptures, and the largest collection of conifers in the Southeast — this year’s Featured Gardens showcases the full range of natural beauty present in our community.

Website: https://www.dogwoodarts.com/featuredgardens
Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/4VfYYw4cn

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

4/19 • Forest Bathing Workshop
4/19 • Pickin' on Nature: 18strings and Blue Ridge Gathering
4/20 • Early Morning Birding: Spring Migration
4/20 • Spring Fungi ID: Beginners Workshop
4/20 • H.A.L.T Dog Adoption Event at Ijams
4/21 • ETNBA Monthly Bluegrass Jam
4/21 • Fleurish: A Sustainable Fashion Event and Fundraiser
4/22 • Nature Nerd Hike
4/24 • Becoming a Community Scientist
4/25 • Nature Nerd Trivia
4/26 • Big Night Hike- Bioblitz Edition

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Visitor Center open daily 10-6; grounds and trails open daily from 8 AM - dusk. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

865-567-8103
bhsmarketingcrew@gmail.com

Bearden Theatre will unveil Treasure Island as adapted by Bryony Lavery at the Bearden High School Auditorium on Friday, April 19th and Saturday, April 20th, at 7:00 pm and Sunday, April 21st at 2:30 pm.

A beloved classic novel by Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island is timeless entertainment for children and adults alike. This production offers a perfect blend of suspense and excitement that will appeal to young adventurers and seasoned theatre-goers alike.

Navigate the tumultuous waters of loyalty, ambition, and friendship. Join Jim Hawkins and a cast of unforgettable characters for an expedition that promises to be as perilous as it is exhilarating. This play includes acts of violence in it as a way of storytelling. View discretion is advised.

Running time of 1 hour 45 minutes. Recommended for children ages 10 and up. Tickets are available at www.beardentheatre.com. $15 general admission tickets to pre- order on the website or at the door

The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the elderly Fagin. When Oliver is captured for a theft that he did not commit, the benevolent victim, Mr. Brownlow takes him in. Fearing the safety of his hideout, Fagin employs the sinister Bill Sikes and the sympathetic Nancy to kidnap him back, threatening Oliver’s chances of discovering the true love of a family.

Thursday, April 18, 2024 8:00 PM
Friday, April 19, 2024 8:00 PM
Saturday, April 20, 2024 8:00 PM
Sunday, April 21, 2024 2:00 PM

$20.00 General Admission
$15.00 Seniors, Students (under 18), MC Theatre Alumni and College Students with ID
Free for MC Students, Faculty and Staff – Must get ticket from Clayton Center Box Office

Join the Maryville College Theatre Department and Broadway Center for the Arts for a theatrical event that will not be forgotten! https://claytonartscenter.com/event/maryville-college-theatre-presents-the-musical-lionel-barts-oliver/

Babe wants to fit in on the farm but also wants to achieve a better destiny for himself. Babe and the other piglets of the litter have been separated from their parents. Babe is sent to Farmer Hogget’s property, where the farm is abuzz with activity. There are sheep, roosters, dogs, turkeys, cats, and other animals around, and all of them seem to have a job, or “purpose” as Babe puts it. Except Babe. Farmer Hogget’s wife, however, has a purpose in mind for Babe: Christmas dinner!

With the help of a motherly sheep-dog named Fly, Babe may just achieve the goal of finding a new purpose. As the Grand Champion Sheep Dog Trials grow nearer, Babe dreams of being something no animal has ever been: a Sheep-Pig. Babe’s hard work and spirit of cooperation have touched readers’ hearts around the world, having been translated into over fifteen languages and adapted into an Oscar-winning film.

Performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; and Sundays at 3 PM.

KCT is East Tennessee’s leading producer of plays for children and families.
Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

TennGreen Land Conservancy's fourth annual Hike-a-Thon is taking place during the entire month of April 2024.

The month-long fundraising and adventure competition supports the protection of Tennessee's lands and waters and encourages people of all ages and abilities to get outside for the chance to win awesome prizes. While this event benefits Tennessee nature, participants can adventure and compete from anywhere in the world.

Compete by hiking, paddling, trail running, climbing, mountain biking, or photography with a team or by yourself!

Proceeds from the Hike-a-Thon benefit TennGreen Land Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee.

Registration is free and opens on March 1 at hikeathon.com.
Questions? Email hikeathon@tenngreen.org

Since 1955, Dogwood Arts has hosted Knoxville’s favorite springtime celebration. What started as a neighborhood beautification project, has blossomed into a year-round celebration of our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty. With the month of April quickly approaching, Dogwood Arts is gearing up to do it all again with events and programs for the entire community to enjoy.

Knoxville’s historic Dogwood Trails date back to 1955 and today cover more than 90 miles in 13 neighborhoods throughout the city. The Dogwood Trails, Open Gardens, and Camera Sites are open April 1-30th and visitors are invited to drive, walk, or bike the Trails as they take in the natural scenic beauty of East Tennessee in the springtime. Open Gardens and Camera Sites are open 10AM-6PM daily.

Visitors can find Trailhead addresses, trail maps, and a list of Open Gardens, Camera Sites, and Walking Trails online at https://www.dogwoodarts.com/trailsandgardens. Printed Trail Guides are available at Visit Knoxville, all ORNL Federal Credit Union Branches, and the Dogwood Arts office [123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902]. Info: 865-637-4561

Back to back family movies on the jumbotron beginning at 6pm, inflatable games for the kids in the grove pit, and a relaxing night out for the entire family every Tuesday from 6-9 PM.

We have games and toys for the kids to play with and climb all night while parents can come relax and enjoy free entertainment for the family! Movies range from some classics like "Honey, I shrunk the Kids" and "Aladdin" to recent hits like "Encanto" and "Inside Out."

https://www.facebook.com/events/3650230248630107/3650230288630103/
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5RC7OstvVk/

745 North Broadway, Knoxville, TN
(865) 210-8862
yeehawbrewing.com/knoxville

They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler is the first retrospective exhibition of Carl and Pearl Butler, the iconic country music duo whose timeless lyrics and harmonious melodies left an indelible mark on country music. With a career spanning over four decades, Carl and Pearl Butler became celebrated figures in the world of country music. “Carl made scores of major-label records during the 1950s,” says Bradley E. Reeves, the exhibition’s guest curator and author of the new book Honky Tonkitis: On the Road with Carl Butler and Pearl. “These are some of the best bluegrass, gospel, and hard country records ever made, although none could be called a massive hit.” That honor would come in 1962, when Carl and Pearl recorded “Don’t Let Me Cross Over.” The song remains among the fastest ever to ascend to No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Singles. Carl and Pearl’s unique “Knoxville sound,” along with heartfelt lyrics, earned them a dedicated fan base who supported them at performances across the United States and Canada through the 1970s. The exhibition offers visitors a rare glimpse into the lives of these music legends.

Key highlights of the exhibition include:
1. Rare Family Archives: Museum guests will have the opportunity to view the Allen “Junior” Butler Family Collection, which has been made publicly available for the first time and includes never-before-seen photographs, home movies, original instruments, and stage costumes that belonged to Carl and Pearl Butler. “I’m grateful to Allen Butler and his family for opening their home and archives to share with us,” says Reeves.
2. Musical Journey: Explore the duo's musical journey through a feature film, which transports visitors through various periods of their career and traces their unfiltered, raw singing style, one that derived from and advanced the “Knoxville sound.”
3. Behind-the-Scenes: Gain insight into the lives of Carl and Pearl Butler through never-before-seen family photographs and recently uncovered anecdotes from the family and fellow musicians, including Dolly Parton who viewed the Butlers as her “second parents.” “Despite their successes,” says Adam Alfrey, Assistant Director for Historical Services at Knox County Public Library, “Carl and Pearl faced personal and professional struggles, which are intimately documented through the family’s photographs.”
4. Interpretive Experience: Engage with the exhibition to understand how both Knoxville and Nashville played a role in the development of country music. Also, learn how chart-topping artists can quickly become all but forgotten, even in their hometown. “The Butlers somehow fell through the cracks,” reflects Reeves. “It’s my hope that this book and exhibition will contribute to a reappreciation of their great body of work.”
They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler promises to be a heartfelt educational experience for country music enthusiasts and fans of all ages. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of Carl and Pearl Butler on the world of music.

At 5:00 pm, Friday, October 6, 2023, there will be an opening reception for They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler. The event will include a meet and greet with Carl and Pearl Butler’s family, a book signing by guest curator Bradley E. Reeves, and an exhibition of Appalachian musical pioneer paintings by artist Amy Campbell. At 7:00 pm, there will be a “Tribute to Carl and Pearl,” opened by a performance of the Paul Brewster and Friends Band, comprised of 14-year-old mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis and Grand Ole Opry performers Daniel Grindstaff, Kent Blanton, Stephen Burwell, and John Meador. A screening of 8mm home movies shot by the Butlers (watch for an appearance by 10-year-old Dolly Parton), as well as some of the Butlers’ rarest television appearances, will conclude the evening.

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/lights-camera