FRIDAY APRIL 27
Some of the top ranked dogs in the sport of dock diving will compete through the weekend, at the Spare the "BIG AIR" Challenge dock diving event in Oak Ridge. The event will be held at A.K. Bissell Park on the Turnpike in Oak Ridge. Smoky Mountain DockDogs, a non-profit organization benefitting various canine charities, has partnered with Earth Day 2012 to producing this event which features dogs jumping great lengths to splash down into a pool of water. Visit www.smokymountaindockdogs.com for more information.
The Museum of Appalachia will renew their annual ritual from 10 am to 2 pm, trimming the winter's growth of heavy wool from its flock of sheep. Spinning and quilting demonstrators will show how wool was used to make yarn and quilt batting in the days before ready-made clothing and superstores. Visit www.museumofappalachia.com for more information.
Pellissippi State Bluegrass Ensemble with Kelsey Waldon, will perform on the WDVX Blue Plate Special. Head on down to the Knoxville Visitor Center for the free, noon broadcast.
There will be a plethora of activities before and after The Dogwood Arts Parade happening on and around Market Square including a kid's fun run, 1 mile run, live music, and a single bracket elimination Dogwood Art's Corn Hole Tournament. Come make the most of your time together downtown by entering your children in The Kid's Fun Run beginning at 6 pm on Wall Street before heading off to see the Dogwood Arts Parade move down Gay Street at 7 pm. People of all ages are invited to come participate in the Dogwood Mile beginning at 8:30 pm on Wall Street. For more information and race registration, visit www.dogwoodarts.com.
The "Last Friday Art Walks" is a recurring event to celebrate the arts on the last Friday of every month in Downtown Maryville. What's unique about it is that it's not just galleries participating. It's also businesses like bars, retail stores, restaurants, theaters, and coffee shops. Check it out around 6 pm.
The University of Tennessee Central Program Council's Campus Entertainment Board and Cultural Attractions Committee along with the Student Government Association present, Volapalooza 2012. This year's musical entertainment includes Three 6 Mafia, Ziggy Marley, and The Black Cadillacs. Admission for UTK Students are $5 in advance, $10 at the gate. Public Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at gate. Things are set to kick off around 7 pm. DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, VOLAPALOOZA HAS BEEN MOVED TO THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA.
The Knoxville Nighthawks play host to the LA Swashbucklers at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. Ticket prices range from $9 to $44 and can be purchased at the Coliseum box office. Game time is set for 7 pm.
"Kiss Me, Kate" continues at the Clarence Brown Theatre. Adult tickets are $30 and can be purchased at www.knoxvilletickets.com. The multiple Tony Award winning musical is set to begin at 7:30 pm.
Knoxville Opera presents: "Verdi's Otello" at the Tennessee Theatre at 8 pm. Tickets range from $18 to $92, and can be purchased at the Knoxville Opera box office or www.knoxvilleopera.com. There is an Opera preview hosted by Maestro Salesky beginning 45 minutes prior to each performance.
One of foremost European piano duos of this time, Takezawa-Sischka Piano Duo, known for the revival of lost-or-forgotten classical works and of concertante four-hand playing, will be performing at the James R. Cox Auditorium, Alumni Memorial Building. Performance time is set for 8 pm. Call (865) 974-5678 for more information.
Haunted Knoxville Ghost Tours is ready to take you to some of downtown's paranormal hotspots. There are both 8 pm and 10 pm tours. Visit www.knoxghost.com for tickets times and more.
Eddie Money, yes Eddie Money, will perform at "The Shed" at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson. You can check his blue-collar brand of Rock n Roll, for just $25. Music starts at 8 pm.
The Oak Ridge Playhouse presents "Chicago". You can check out this version of the six-time Tony Awards winner for just $20. Show time is set for 8 pm.
Boy's Jig & Reel welcomes Cutthroat Shamrock to the stage. The free show begins at 9 pm.
"ZoSo: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience" will perform at the at The Valarium. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. The 18 and up show begins at 9 pm.
SATURDAY APRIL 28
Sequoyah Hills is the setting for the annual Dogwood Classic Road Race and Fitness Walk. The event starts and finishes on the west side of Cherokee Boulevard with pre and post race activities in the park itself. Visit www.ktc.org for registration information and rules. The gun fires off at 8 am.
Join Ijams Nature Center for the "10th Annual Spring Plant Sale", from 9 am until 3 pm. Held every spring in cooperation with the Island Home Community partnership, it's a great opportunity to learn more about the benefit of landscaping with native plants. Local nurseries will be on-hand selling wild flowers, shrubs and trees. Other vendors will be selling art, crafts, plus they'll have food and music.
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will host the 12 Annual Spring Planting Day Celebration. The event will take place in the areas adjacent to the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and the Lora Blevins home place from 9 am to 4 pm. Join National Park Service staff and volunteers as they demonstrate traditional crafts and skills associated with farm life and chores. Demonstrations scheduled for the Blevins farmstead include blacksmithing, plowing with mule and horse teams, planting sorghum seed, and making fence palings. Children of all ages will be delighted to see various farm animals at the barn. Other displays at the farm include herbs and their uses and historic photographs of people who once lived in Big South Fork.
Everyone is invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of a Civil War Trail Marker at Admiral Farragut's Birthplace. Starting from 9 am, coffee and light refreshments will be provided by the Farragut Folklife Museum Board and the HoLa Hora Latina organization. The dedication takes place Admiral Farragut Park (9950 South Northshore Drive).
A preview of the Market Square Farmer's Market featuring some of the market's farmers and food producers is scheduled from 9 am to 2 pm in downtown Knoxville.
The 2012 Knoxville Walk to Cure Diabetes will be held at the World's Fair Park at 10 am. For registration information, visit www.jdrf.org.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will celebrate the sixth annual "National Junior Ranger Day", from 10 am to 2 pm, with special activities at all three of the Park's visitor centers. Children and their families can join in a variety of free, hands-on activities at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, TN; Cades Cove Visitor Center near Townsend, TN; and Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC. Activities planned will range from ranger guided walks and programs to making dinner bells at a blacksmith shop. Making historic toys, cornhusk dolls, and visiting touch tables with animal skins, skulls, and scat are a few of the natural and cultural opportunities that will be available. Information on the specific programs is available at each visitor center. Junior Ranger Day begins at 10 am.
Dogwood Art DeTour provides an intimate look into local artists' working studios. Visitors are invited to watch as the artists produce some of East Tennessee's spectacular works of art. Visit www.dogwoodarts.com for a list of participating studios.
The 11th Annual Knoxville Opera Rossini Festival and International Street Fair takes place from 11 am to 9 pm, on Gay Street and Market Square. The Rossini Festival is dedicated to celebrating the arts with a spectacular feast of dance, music and opera from the Region's best talent. The Rossini Festival International Street Fair is offered free to the community each year.
Cory Bishop will be the musical guest on the Saturday edition of the WDVX Blue Plate Special. The free show begins at noon.
The UT Lady Vols Softball Team plays host to Ole Miss at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm. The game will also be televised on SportSouth.
The Fort Loudoun Lake Association's "Annual Raising of the Water Celebration" will once again gather lake lovers for live music and dancing, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction. The 5th annual event will begin the day at 3:30, with a ceremony of Blessing of the Waters by Two Bears of Cherokee Nation, before a two-hour boat cruise that is optional for guests. The celebration will begin at 6 pm. All activities will be at the Concord Marina to benefit the work of the Fort Loudoun Lake Association. Tickets are $75.
The Knoxville Civic Coliseum welcomes Billy Currington with guests David Nail and Kip Moore. Tickets range from $27.50 to $34 and can be purchased by calling (865) 656-4444. Show time is set for 7:30 pm.
The Midnight Swinger will perform at Side Splitters Comedy Club in west Knoxville. Tickets are $12 for the show at 7:45 pm.
Tim Reynolds & TR3 with special guest Sons of Bill, will perform at "The Shed" at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson. Tickets are only $15. The music starts at 8 pm.
SUNDAY APRIL 29
The Lady Vols Softball Team will finish up their home stand against Ole Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm. All kids 12 and under, will receive a complimentary reserved bleacher back ticket for the game. The game will also be televised on SportSouth.
Experience the Dogwood trails the lean, green way - on a bicycle by way of an organized or self-guided ride. Starting at Ijams Nature Center at 2 pm, riders will use greenways to get to Island Home, tour the neighborhood and return to Ijams. The route is less than 5 miles long. Contact (865) 546-1336 or www.smwbike.org for more information.
Knoxville Opera presents: "Verdi's Otello" at the Tennessee Theatre at 2 pm. Tickets range from $18 to $92, and can be purchased at the Knoxville Opera box office or www.knoxvilleopera.com. There is an Opera preview hosted by Maestro Salesky beginning 45 minutes prior to each performance.
The Smoky Mountain Blues Society Blues Cruise welcomes Smokin' Section with special guest Doug Harris, to the Star of Knoxville. Tickets are $13 in advance, or $18 the day of the cruise. Call the Riverboat Company at (865) 525-7827. The cruise begins at 2 pm.
The Bijou Theatre welcomes "Gomez: The Quinceanera Tour" to the US Cellular Stage. Tickets are $19.50 in advance or $21.50 at the door. "MYNAMEISJOHNMICHAEL" is set to open the show at 8 pm.