Calendar of Events

BY PHILIP DAWKINS
LAB THEATRE

A magical fable with music. This exciting new play tells the story of the Fail family and their seemingly difficult challenge to just stay alive around blunt objects, disappearances and the odd case of consumption. Sometimes you just never see death coming. In this upbeat, tuneful, magical fable you can either worry about the ever-impending death or you can live, love, and sing some songs along the way.

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

Presented by The Standford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School

Violins of Hope is a collection of over 50 violins that survived the Holocaust, played by Jewish musicians in ghettos, concentration camps, and even as symbols of resistance. Each violin, lovingly restored by Israeli master violin maker Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, carries a powerful story of resilience and survival. These instruments bear witness to the indomitable spirit of their owners, whose music defied the darkness of one of history’s most tragic periods. The Violins of Hope project will feature performances, exhibitions, and educational programs that celebrate the enduring power of music and the human spirit. Through these events, communities will come together to reflect on the past and inspire a future rooted in hope, acceptance, and unity. Join us as we honor these extraordinary instruments and the stories they tell.

*A Big Ears 2025 Exhibition (one of four very special exhibitions of visual art on display during the festival weekend (Mar 27-30) and during the month leading up to it. Extended hours TBA.

Digital Motif, 108 S Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. (865) 214-6367 or https://digitalmotif.com/

Knoxville artist Jean Hess offers a kaleidoscopic selection of work that ranges from celestial, to playful, to poignant. Starry skies and planetary motion. Plants, animals and gems. Appalachian coal miners, lost cultures and maps of lost lands. Hess works with socio-historical data, found artifacts and ephemera that enable her to invoke complex stories.

Westminster Presbyterian Church Schilling Gallery, 6500 S Northshore Dr, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-R 9-4, Fri 9-12. Information: (865) 584-3957 or www.wpcknox.org

Pangrok Sulap, a Malaysian community-collective from Borneo will be in Knoxville for two-weeks in March 2025 leading up to the Big Ears Music Festival. Pangrok Sulap includes “artists, musicians and social activists with a mission to empower rural communities and the marginalized through art.” “Pangrok” is the local pronunciation of “punk rock”, and “Sulap” is a hut or a resting place usually used by farmers in Sabah, Borneo. Artists Adi Helmi Bin Jaini and Zayrul Rizo Bin Osman Leong will collaborate with students and faculty from the University of Tennessee in the creation of a large scale, community-printed woodcut. Accompanied by drumming, Pangrok Sulap prints are created through community participation. During the month of March, prints from Pangrok Sulap will also be presented at RED Gallery with an opening reception on Friday March 7, 2025

*A Big Ears 2025 Exhibition (one of four very special exhibitions of visual art on display during the festival weekend (Mar 27-30) and during the month leading up to it. Extended hours TBA.

RED Gallery, 130 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-524-0146 or https://www.facebook.com/REDgalleryKNOX/

Fountain City Art Center is celebrating 20 years of art education. Join us for an exhibit of students' works.

Opening Feb 21, 6:30-8 PM

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

Mondays @ 6:30 PM Adult Tap Dance (Adv Beg)
Mondays @ 7:30 PM Adult Tap Dance (Int-Adv)
Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM Adult Jazz Chair Dance (Open Level)
Wednesdays @ 6:30 PM Adult Tap Dance (Beginners)
Thursdays @ 6:30 PM Adult Ballet Barre & Center

Classes held at The Follies Girls Dance & Performing Arts Center, located inside the 1400 Building at 1400 N. 6th Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865.888.0341 or www.thefolliesgirls.org

Monday Modern | 7-8pm
Wednesday Wildcard | 7-8pm

We offer intermediate/advanced level open classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. Your first class with Momentum is free!

At Tennessee Conservatory of Fine Arts, 2906 Tazewell Pike STE A, Knoxville, TN 37918
https://www.momentumdancelab.org/classes

Patsy White's exhibit celebrates Knoxville’s vibrant arts scene through her stunning acrylic-on-canvas portraits and figurative works. The subjects of her paintings include a remarkable lineup of Knoxville’s prominent artists, musicians, and cultural figures, each carefully rendered to honor their contributions to the community.
This exclusive reception offers media attendees the unique opportunity to preview the exhibit and engage directly with Patsy White to explore the inspirations and stories behind her artwork.

The exhibit includes portraits of the following notable Knoxville figures:
• Kelsey Bentley – French horn, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (@kelshbentley)
• Suzanne Cada & Liza Zenni – Arts and Culture Alliance (@artsandculturealliance)
• Chih-Long Hu – Master pianist, University of Tennessee
• Evelyn Jack – Vocalist (@evelynjack681)
• Cynthia Markert – Visual artist/painter (@cynthiamarkert)
• Brian K. McQuain – Photographer (@briankmcquain)
• Nick Moran – Tattoo artist (@nickjmoran)
• Dana Plasencia Nies – Filmmaker (@dplasencia @think_draft)
• Charlie Pogue – Visual artist/painter
• Aaron White – Stylist, fashion director, runway producer (@theaaronwhiteproject)

Patsy Ferrell White is a self-taught fine art painter based in Knoxville, TN. Her unique process—freehand without digital aids or tracing—imbues her works with authenticity and emotion. Each painting reflects her passion for portraiture and her commitment to exploring personal and social themes. Patsy’s work has earned recognition in regional and international shows, including being a finalist in the Art Elevated competition in Manhattan, NYC. Her art has been featured in Artist Closeup, an international art magazine. Learn more about Patsy Ferrell White at ferrellwhitecreative.com or follow her on Instagram at @ferrellwhitecreative.

This exhibit will be available for viewing by Bijou Theatre patrons during its run.

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

The WDVX Blue Plate Special is a live performance radio show held at noon at Visit Knoxville (301 S. Gay Street) every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with your host Red Hickey… and on Saturday with host Sean McCollough. On Fridays WDVX takes the Blue Plate Special to Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria (200 E Jackson Ave) for “The Big Plate”. Make yourself at home as part of the WDVX family at this this daily free concert series. From blues to bluegrass, country to Celtic, folk to funk, rockabilly to hillbilly, local to international, it’s all part of the live music experience on The WDVX Blue Plate Special.

All seats are free, and visitors may come and go as they please.

Info: 865-544-1029, http://www.wdvx.com

We dance to live music every Monday night at the Laurel Theater (16th St. and Laurel Ave) and the 1st Saturday of the month at the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge. All dances start at 7:30 p. We offer a lesson 1/2 hour before each dance.

Admission is by donation, suggested donation is $10 for adults and $5 for students. **We accept cash, card and Venmo payment for admission at the door** :)

Contra dance is a collection of traditional and contemporary social dances. Beginners are welcome, no partner or experience required. All dances are taught by the caller. It's easy and fun!
We will also help you learn to waltz; just ask!

For Monday night scheduling & booking inquiries: knoxcontradancescheduler@gmail.com
https://www.knoxvillecontra.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/knoxcontra/

Storyteller Laura Still helps you live the stories of pioneers, soldiers, outlaws, and even fictional characters who walked these streets before you.

Knoxville has a rich history full of colorful characters and famous, and infamous, figures whose lives have been the inspiration for books, movies, and works of art. Take a stroll through history in beautiful downtown Knoxville while listening to true tales of the heroes, heels, and hardened criminals that are part of the hidden lore of this unique East Tennessee town.

A portion of the proceeds for downtown tours go to help fund the work of the non-profit Knoxville History Project. Many stories are based on the books and stories of award-winning journalist and writer Jack Neely. Knoxville Walking Tours opens a window to Knoxville’s varied past and leads you on a journey through both hard times and high times of a city growing through over two centuries of history.

Tours include:
• Knoxville: The Early Years
• Misbehaving Women
• Civil War
• Gunslingers
• Musical History
• Literary Heritage
• Side Street Shadows Ghost Tours
• Knoxville Botanical Garden
• Old Gray Cemetery
• Side Street Shadows Ghost Tours

Tour on Your Schedule! Rather than posting a calendar, we’re letting you pick the tour and time — subject to availability. Call (865)309-4522 or visit https://knoxvillewalkingtours.com/

Capoeira Fundo da Mata is the Knoxville chapter of UCA. We train at the Sustainable Future Center on Mondays and Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 PM under the guidance of Mestre Avestruz. Classes are $5 and the first class is free. Capoeira is a great combination of exercise, mobility, fun movement and expression, as well as music and Brazilian culture.

Contact us at info@capoeiraknoxville.org.
https://capoeiraknoxville.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/10676755862/

Sustainable Future Center, 201 Ogle Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-294-0154, https://www.sfcknox.org/