Calendar of Events

BY LESLIE KIMBELL
Directed by Jill Stapleton Bergeron

Polly Porter, famous 1970s gospel singer of the group Polly Porter & the Praise His Name Singers, has gone on up to heaven. Her daughter, Caroline, has come home to Savannah, Georgia, to pack up Miss Polly’s house, but there is just one little problem (or two or three): Miss Polly was an extreme hoarder of epic proportions, Caroline’s useless siblings are totally MIA, and her three best friends from high school, former co-cheerleaders, have all shown up… unannounced! Lizzy now owns the Miss Georgia Belle Pageantry system, Donna Jo is the local community theatre diva, and Becca is having a late-in-life geriatric pregnancy with baby girl number five. The gospel music plays and the margaritas pour as the four ladies laugh, cry, scream and come together to pack up Miss Polly’s house, heal old wounds, and make new plans for their future.

With humor, wit and vulnerability, Packing Up Polly delves into themes of forgiveness, acceptance and the transformative power of letting go… unpacking the layers of our own lives to find healing and redemption.

Performances are Thu-Sat 7:30 PM and Sun 3 PM

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

Broadway Center for the Arts Presents The Little Mermaid July 26 - 28, 7:00 PM.

Are you searching for some family fun this summer? Are your kids complaining of boredom? Bring them to see Disney's The Little Mermaid! With an enchanting prince, a beautiful mermaid, and a delightful cast of sea creatures singing and dancing on stage, it’s sure to be a magical experience for everyone.

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner, Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs, including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.”

Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.

Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Information/tickets: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

Friday 6-8pm & Saturday 12-4pm
July 26-27, 2024
$150

In this screenprint workshop, participants will enjoy, not one, but TWO days of the instantly-gratifying screenprinting process! Students will come with either a drawing/design or image file ready to use, then learn how to properly prepare images and expose screens, pull prints, register colors, learn common troubleshooting, and how to reclaim screens to start again!

Although standard paper will be provided, participants are encouraged to bring extra (optional!) materials for printing such as totes, shirts, paper materials, and other types of flat/smooth items to experiment! We will also discuss options to explore screenprinting in various types of spaces and on a variety of budgets.

Students will leave with a small edition of 2+color screenprints
All materials are provided and all experiences welcomed

Sign-up here: https://relayridge.org/2dayscreenprint/

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center (GSMHC) is excited to announce the 2024 Legends Concert Series! Described as "specialty" shows in recent years, this concert line-up provides a wealth of great music but also offers insight on our rich musical heritage. Whether its bluegrass, folk, rock, or country, these concerts allow us to see (and hear!) the common musical threads that run through the various genres.

Friday, July 26 - On the Border: Ultimate Eagles Tribute
Friday, September 6 - Landslide: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
Friday, September 20 - Linda Davis
Friday, October 4 - An Evening with Sean of the South

All concerts are scheduled to take place in the Heritage Center's covered, open-air amphitheater. Seating is provided, although all guests are welcome to bring a cushion, pillow, blanket, etc. as needed. Doors open 90 minutes prior to showtime, and concessions are available at that time as well. No outside food or drink is allowed into the amphitheater. For more information or to order tickets by phone, please call the office at 865-448-0044. https://gsmheritagecenter.org/ 

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center | 123 Cromwell Drive, Townsend, TN 37882

Save the date for Knoxville's Kuumba Festival, the largest cultural heritage and music festival in East Tennessee that celebrates African Culture in Diaspora! We are welcoming vendors to set up in downtown Market Square on July 26; event time is 12 noon to 10 pm.

Check https://www.facebook.com/kuumbafestival/ for more information.

8:00 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)
Advance Price: $15 + fees / Day of Show Price: $20 + fees

This event is 18+, unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. No refunds will be issued for failure to produce proper identification.

This ticket is valid for standing room only, general admission. ADA accomodations are available day of show.

The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Tickets/information: 865-343-6000 or https://themillandmine.com

Join the Volunteer Ministry Center for a fun filled evening on Friday July 26th, 6:00 PM, at the Crowne Plaza featuring a tasting and presentation of several premium moonshines through Sugarland’s Distillery as well as a collection of spectacular wines. The evening will also include delicious gourmet food, a live band, and a live and silent auction led by no other than Auctioneer Bear Stephenson that will provide you the opportunity to bid on some of the most fabulous and unique items in Knoxville! VMC is honored once again to have storyteller extraordinaire Sam Venable as the Event Emcee!

The Wine & Shine Event is FUN with a PURPOSE- the purpose being ending and preventing homelessness in Knoxville! VMC’s programs support its two-fold mission of facilitating permanent supportive housing for those who are homeless and providing services to prevent homelessness. VMC operates several programs: The Resource Center, The Bush Family Refuge, Minvilla Manor, Caswell Manor, Street Outreach, and The Dental Clinic. The goal for all clients is housing. Utilizing case management and the ‘Housing First’ approach to ending homelessness, VMC assists individuals into permanent, supportive housing and provides the resources necessary to maintain housing.

Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/12th-annual-don-sproles-memorial-evening-wine-and-shine-tickets

Volunteer Ministry Center, vmcinc.org

We are so thrilled to have David Ramirez returning to Pretentious Beer Co, 131 South Central Street Knoxville, TN 37902, on Friday, July 26th for a full band show. This is likely to sell out in advance, so grab your tickets soon at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/david-ramirez-at-pretentious-beer-co-knoxville-tickets.

https://www.bornandraisedknox.com/

The Town of Farragut Parks & Recreation Department and Visit Farragut are teaming up to present Party in the Park from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 26, at Founders Park at Campbell Station (405 N. Campbell Station Road).

This event, a celebration of National Parks & Rec Month, includes food trucks, entertainment, games and activities for kids of all ages (and kids at heart). Party in the Park is free, and no registration is required.

In the event of inclement weather, check Farragut Parks & Rec social media for updates. For more information, please contact Recreation and Event Manager Rachel Malone at rmalone@townoffarragut.org.

9th Board Game Days! Thursday, July 25, at 5:00 PM through
Sunday, July 28, 8:00 PM.
Board Game Days is a convention for hobby gamers, game designers, playtesters, and so much more.

Awaken Coffee, 125 West Jackson Avenue.

If you are new to this type of event or you're somewhat familiar with conventions of this type, you can expect games, card games, board games, tabletop games, and role-playing games; either hosted by us, other gamers, a publisher perhaps, or some group that just wanted a different atmosphere. There are popular games from classic to modern titles.

One feature we do have is ongoing playtesting of games yet to be published or in the design process by aspiring designers and they want folks like you to come check out what they are working on.

Another familiar feature we have is the game library that many great conventions offer. We try to stock it with fun games and ensure everyone has a chance to play the game they want with assistance in getting started if needed. We also have Games of the Moment which is a scheduled game to ensure everyone gets a chance to play and we have play-to-wins, which are games donated by a sponsor that attendees play, afterwards putting their name down at a chance to win the game by anyone who played a full game (doesn't matter if you won or not in the game).

Finally, We have some different things going on each day. Thursday is our Design and Dine, which is geared for designers and serious gamers to exclusively playtest games and give feedback. Friday is your kick-off day of afternoon-evening gaming. Saturday is our day-long event, early start, and late-night playing. And then Sunday, which ends the event with the last free give-away of goodies from our sponsors.

Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9th-board-game-days-tickets
www.bgdknox.com

Thursday, July 25 – Saturday, July 27 at downtown venues

This summer, KHP will mark and celebrate the 100th anniversary of when Knoxville leaders and outdoor enthusiasts took an inspirational idea by Annie Davis and created a remarkable grassroots movement to establish a new national park in the Great Smoky Mountains. We’ll tell the stories of the Knoxville civic leaders, conservationists and trailblazers who led pioneering efforts, against all odds, to make the national park a reality. This multi-day event will include screenings at the Bijou Theatre, Central Cinema and a two-day symposium at the East Tennessee History Center.

Knoxville History Project: 865-300-4559, www.Knoxvillehistoryproject.org

Fable X Studio invites the public to an upcoming free experience titled “Sorn-Lai” happening at Ijams Nature Center (in front of the visitor’s center) July 23rd / 24th from 4:00pm - 8:00pm (with a third show Friday July 26th, 4-10 pm at Remedy Coffee).

Sorn-Lai is a public interactive game experience that tasks participants with exploring the First Forest. Audience members can use their phones to scan NFC data tags attached to the scape’s characters and dioramas - uncovering details about the world along the way.

The exhibition features a series of 7 large tabletop dioramas showcasing different environments around the first forest and over 50 character inhabitants of Sorn-Lai, all interwoven in an intricate web of narrative and ecology.

Stories unfolded around the tables are sets of cautionary tales regarding contemporary generative, manufacturing, and integrated technologies; the very technologies the installation is made with while the settings themselves are metaphors for societal trends and attitudes.

"Fable X Studio is a game studio specializing in immersive experience design, bringing game/ environmental experiences to real life using contemporary technologies. Recent projects have focused on the quest-driven world of Sorn-Lai and the Saturophage with installations in Knoxville, Tennessee and Bangkok, Thailand. The studio director, James Roha, is an international creative technologist and educator who leverages digital technologies and modeling tools to craft interactive worlds. He currently teaches architecture and design studios at the University of Tennessee Knoxville."

Illuminated with colored LED lighting, the all white dioramas take on a vibrant array of colors. https://fablex.digital/