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10 About Town for the weekend of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Day

For many people, it's a three-day weekend. That means plenty of fun events in this week's Ten About Town.

Thursday, January 11

Put your dancing shoes on for a lesson in Appalachian square dancing at the Laurel Theater at 1538 Laurel Ave. in Knoxville on Thursday at 8 p.m. It’s $7 at the door, and $5 if you’re a member or student of Jubilee Community Arts. You don’t need experience or a partner to participate. You can catch this event every second Thursday of the month through April.

Friday, January 12

Math doesn't have to be hard. Bring your kids to the Cedar Bluff Branch library on Friday at 12:30 p.m. for ‘Math-gic Tricks’ to help them understand some of the most common elementary math skills through games, magic, and other activities. The free event is open to children who are in kindergarten through 5th grade, but space is limited. Call 865-470-7033 to register.

The competition is on! More than 3,500 young gymnasts will compete in the Ozone Invitational at the Knoxville Convention Center. The competition starts Friday morning and runs through Sunday.

The Kappa Alpha Order at the University of Tennessee is hosting a MEDIC blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. at their chapter house. They’re hoping college students who are often on a tight budget will use the opportunity to give back to the community without having to spend money.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission is partnering with the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance to host a community Forum on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Beck Cultural Exchange center at 1927 Dandridge Avenue. This is the 10th year for the annual event.

The University of Notre Dame symphony orchestra is coming to Knoxville. Under the direction of Daniel Stowe, the orchestra will perform a free concert at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 711 South Northshore Drive on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The performance will feature the music of Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Beethoven, etc.

Kevin Hart comes to Knoxville this weekend. Friday night at 7:00 p.m., catch the comedian at Thompson-Boling Arena for his Irresponsible tour. Tickets are still available.

Saturday, January 13

Enjoy a day packed with free food and entertainment at Austin-East High School for a special MLK Youth Commission Symposium. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to nurture and develop the next generation of leaders. For more information, email the Youth Symposium Chair at Youth@MLKKnoxville.com.

Area lawmakers will be in one place Saturday for the legislative lunch hosted by the East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists. It’s a chance for the people they represent and the reporters who cover the issues they discuss to ask questions and get to know them. The Event is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bearden Banquet Hall. You can purchases tickets at EventBright.

Lace up you tennis shoes for the Race against Racism 5K run and one mile walk on Saturday. It’s part of the YWCA’s annual Diversity Day, which is packed with entertainment and fun for the kids like balloon animals and face painting.

It's Disney Night at the Knoxville Ice Bears hockey game against Macon Mayhem at 7:35 p.m. at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. During intermission, five families, who are dressed up as Disney characters, will be chosen to compete in a contest to win a $5,000 Disney World Vacation.

Take a class in Internet Genealogy on Saturday at the East Tennessee History Center at 601 South Gay Street to find out how you can use popular websites to uncover your past. Participants will learn how to navigate several of the major genealogical websites like Ancestry.com and FindmyPast. The class is from 1 to 3 p.m. Call 865-215-8809 to register.

Looking for somewhere to take the kids on Saturday? The Knox County libraries in Cedar Bluff and Fountain City are hosting their free weekly ‘Saturday Stories & Songs’ series at 11 a.m. Music teacher David Blivens will be teaching a few little diddies at the Cedar Bluff branch and elementary school librarian Rachael Nichols has some fun stories to share at the Fountain City Branch. The series is free and open to all ages.

Experience the magic of “ Puccini’s Turandot Opera” on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Blount County library. The world-famous opera tells the story of a princess’s plan to remain unmarried by forcing any potential suits to answer three riddles. Until the arrival of Prince Calaf, all the suitors have met their deaths by answering the riddles incorrectly. The “mini” performance at the library will be in the Reading Rotunda end of the main Gallery. If the library is closed due to bad weather, the opera will be rescheduled for Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m.

Also at the Blount County Library from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, your family can celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the “MLK Kids & Families Fair”. The free event will offer different activities while helping kids explore topics of race and identity. The event takes place throughout the Main Gallery, the Reading Rotunda and the Children’s Library.

Learn how to grow beautiful orchids at home through a workshop at the University of Tennessee gardens at 2518 Jacob Drive in Knoxville on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Lifelong gardener and conservationist John Tullock will be teaching the class that costs $35 for Garden members and $45 for nonmembers. Pre-registration is required.

Ijams Nature Center has several activities this weekend like a beginner birding class and the first family hike of the new year. Naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales will be teaching the beginner’s birding workshop at Cove Lake State Park on Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. The cost is $8 per person, but space is limited so register ahead of time. Call 577-4717, ext. 110 or go online to ijams.org/events/

"Snakes...Why'd it have to be snakes?" The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is performing “Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert” on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium in Knoxville. Tickets range from $36 to $92. Clips from the classic movie will be projected on a large screen while the orchestra performs its adventurous soundtrack.

A traveling performance group from Ohio is coming to Clinton, Tennessee, this weekend to raise awareness about teen suicide. They’re performing a musical called “Dead Serious…About Life” at Anderson County High School at 130 Maverick Circle. The musical dives into several tough topics to talk about like abortion, drugs, and suicide in an effort to reach teenagers who might be struggling. Go online to buy tickets.

Sunday, January 14

Tiny homes are the biggest craze when it comes to affordable living, and now you can learn to build your own. Incredible Tiny Homes in Morristown is hosting a “build your own tiny home” workshop from Jan. 14 through Jan. 21 to help you build your house. Call Sam Jones at 423-581-6928 or visit www.incredibletinyhomes.com for more info.

Off to Neverland! Peter Pan Junior is playing at the Clayton Performing Arts Center at Pellissippi State community college on Sunday at 4 p.m. Talented young actors and actresses from the Stanford Eisenberg Jewish Day school have been working hard on the play for weeks.

Tickets available at http://www.kjds.org

Why not let the kids take a turn in the kitchen? The Cutting Edge Classroom at 817 North Herron Road in Knoxville is hosting a Master Chef Junior open house on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to learn about their upcoming Kids Cooking Classes. Kids ages 7-15 will have a chance to make their own pizza while you register. Call 865-335-9370 for questions.

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