Calendar of Events

Save the date, April 27, 2024 7PM, for the April concert of the Knoxville Chamber Music Society.

Paul Wiancko, Vox Petra & American Haiku
Tanner Porter, Under this Breath
Jorge Variego, Fuego y Duende
​Alex Ring Gray, Billy

Cameron Rehberg, Viola
Daphne Bickley, Viola
Ashlee Booth, Cello
Amanda Durst, Cello

https://www.knoxvillechambermusicsociety.com/

DANAE HAYS
SATURDAY, APR 27 | 8PM

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information/tickets: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.org/

Join us for the #4 concert of the season!
April 27, 7PM

Program
Tanner Porter Under this Breath
Jorge Variego Fuego y Duende
Alex Ring Gray Billy

Cameron Rehberg, Viola
Daphne Bickley, Viola
Ashlee Booth, Cello
Amanda Durst, Cello

Felix Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor

Evie Chen, Violin
Maxwell Geissler, Cello
Katherine Benson, Piano

suggested donation $15 / students free.
Westminster Presbyterian, 6500 Northshore Drive Knoxville, TN 37919
https://www.knoxvillechambermusicsociety.com/concerts

Jubilee Community Arts presents The Local Honeys at the Laurel Theater, April 27 at
8:00 pm.

Eastern Kentucky duo The Local Honeys, Montana Hobbs and Linda Jean Stokley, build on a strong foundation in traditional and old time music to create a repertoire of songs capturing the many shades of life in Central Appalachia. The pair are noted for their rich harmonies and strong instrumentation and are backed on this tour by a band including percussion, guitar, and bass.

Come Celebrate Arab History Month with Arabest at Market Square. Great food, traditional dances & Dabkeh, fashion shows, live music, and merchandise from the Middle East!

12-10 PM
https://www.facebook.com/events/1130307458107152/

The war in Ukraine still continues, with attacks intensifying every day causing devastation to communities and untold suffering for countless innocent lives. There are lots of people who needs our help right now. Come join us at our jam session and potluck dinner and party as we come together to stand STRONG for UKRAINE! Marki Luky, the sensational Ukrainian violinist will perform in the evening.

The event is FREE. Bring something delicious to add to the potluck dinner with Ukrainian traditional food (and BYOB), and DONATE what you can. During the event, we will host a SILENT AUCTION featuring Ukrainian goodies and gift cards and products from local businesses.

Come have a great time for a great cause or become a sponsor! Lots of FREE parking across the street in the Broadway Baptist Church parking lot. Held at Architectural Antics, 820 N Broadway, Knoxville

https://www.facebook.com/events/960539235637763/

APRIL 26-28, 2024 | WORLD'S FAIR PARK

Established in 1961, the Dogwood Arts Festival is one of the most celebrated cultural events in Knoxville! The festival is held on the beautifully redesigned Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park and features over 100 fine art vendors, live music, entertainment, children's activities, food & beverage vendors, and more.

Friday & Saturday: 10AM - 7PM
Sunday: 10AM - 5PM

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

13th ANNUAL CIRCUS EXTRAVAGANZA: THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS BEAR will be held the last ​weekend of April 2024:
​Friday, April 26 - 7:30PM
Saturday, April 27 - shows at 2:00PM & 7:30PM
Sunday, April 28 - 2:00PM

Come one, come all to Dragonfly Aerial's 13th Annual Circus Extravaganza! Walk through the doors of the big top into "The Case of the Curious Bear," where amazing acrobats, daring aerialists, wacky clowns, and a host of zoo inhabitants draw you into their world of magic, mystique, and mayhem! Join us for performances on silks, chains, stilts, lyra, trapeze, aerial pole, original poetry by Knoxville's poet laureate Black Atticus, and more. Don’t forget to be on the lookout for monkeys, tigers, and even bears*! Rediscover childlike joy and wonder as you get whisked away into the amazing world of our Curious Bear!
*no live animals in the show

Our annual Circus Extravaganza funds our scholarship program for kids. We're always grateful for donations from those wanting to give more than the price of a ticket to help sponsor a child, or from those who can't make the show but want a way to give. Circus Extravaganza benefits #CircusForEveryBody: programs that share the circus with ​under-served + special-needs people

Tickets: https://www.dragonflyaerialartsstudio.com/circus-extravaganza.html

Fri-Sat 7 PM, Sun 3 PM

Hardin Valley Academy Theater, 11345 Hardin Valley Rd, Knoxville, TN 37932
865-690-9690 or https://www.knoxschools.org/hardinvalley

Info: john.sides@knoxschools.org
Tickets: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/81667

The Knox Co. Parks & Recreation Dept. is hosting the 2nd annual "Camporee on the Hill." The weekend-long immersive camping experience April 26-28 at Melton Hill Park (3230 Williams Bend Road) will feature interactive nature programming for both kids and adults, a sunset movie and local band campfire jam session, water sport rentals, and an information command center that details potential plans for Melton Hill Park. The event is free and open to the public, but camping sites are limited and pre-registration for a tent or group camping site is required. Register at this link and hold your spot! https://knoxcountyparks.activityreg.com/clientpage_t2.wcs

Phone: (865) 215-6600
parks@knoxcounty.org
www.knoxcounty.org/parks

Kinky Boots
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Clarence Brown Theatre
April 17 – May 5, 2024

A Tony-winning Broadway sensation packed with fun and a kick of pure joy! Looking to save the family shoe business, Charlie turns to his new friend Lola -- a cabaret performer and drag queen-- who gives him an outrageous idea that could change both of their destinies. Soon, this unlikely duo creates the most sensational footwear that’s ever rocked the runways of Milan… giving the factory and its hard-working family a sparkling new future.

Clarence Brown Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information/tickets: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com

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