Oak Ridge Today

Photos: Lavender Festival in Jackson Square

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lavender Festival in Jackson Square June 18 2016 1

The Lavender Festival in Jackson Square on Saturday, June 18, 2016. The festival included artisan vendors in the square and on Broadway. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The 18th annual Lavender Festival on Saturday celebrated herbs, crafts, food, and music. Here are photos by Julio Culiat.

The festival celebrated the Herb of the Year, Capsicum, or hot peppers. New this year, “A Taste of Tennessee Wines” brought wine tasting to the festival. The tasting was hosted by Great Valley Wine Trail, which is made up of five independent wineries in East Tennessee.

The Lavender Festival also featured more than 100 artisan vendors, several informative presentations, children’s activities, and live musicians. Vendors lined the covered walkways of Jackson Square, the parking lot, and both sides of Broadway Avenue, which was closed to traffic.

The Oak Ridge Farmers Market was open as usual across from the square from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.

Lavender Festival in Jackson Square June 18 2016 3

The Lavender Festival in Jackson Square on Saturday, June 18, 2016. Above, children stay cool playing in the interactive fountain in the center of Jackson Square. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

[Read more…]

Photos: Charlie Daniels Band, Grand Funk Railroad; changes possible at Secret City Festival

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Charlie Daniels Band at Secret City Festival June 10 2016

The Charlie Daniels Band played at the 14th annual Secret City Festival at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Friday, June 10, 2016. Pictured above is Charlie Daniels. (Photo by Angela Richardson-Newman)

 

The Charlie Daniels Band and Grand Funk Railroad both played at the Secret City Festival last weekend. Here are two photos from the concerts by Angela Richardson-Newman.

The Charlie Daniels Band played Friday, June 10, and Grand Funk Railroad performed Saturday, June 11. Both concerts were well-attended, and both received good reviews.

It was the 14th annual Secret City Festival. Besides concerts, the festival included music, food, vendors, a car show, a World War II re-enactment, U.S. Department of Energy bus tours, history and science exhibits, arts and crafts, and children’s entertainment and activities.

It’s not entirely clear if the festival will continue next year in the same form or at the same time of year as this year’s festival and previous festivals. This year had been considered a transition year as a new inaugural board of directors was appointed for a new nonprofit celebration. That board is expected to be responsible for the time, location, and length of the festival, as well as sponsorships and funding. [Read more…]

Barbara Ferrell receives Muddy Boot Award

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

David McCoy Barbara Ferrell and David Bradshaw June 17 2016

Barbara Ferrell, center, received a Muddy Boot Award in a surprise ceremony on Friday, June 17, 2016, in conjunction with the Lavender Festival in Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. Also pictured are Dave McCoy, left, and David Bradshaw. (Submitted photo)

 

Barbara Ferrell, who owns The Ferrell Shop in Jackson Square, received the Muddy Boot Award on Friday.

The award is given by the East Tennessee Economic Council. It is a tribute to people who, through their work and community activities, make East Tennessee a stronger region.

The mid-year Muddy Boot Award was given to Ferrell in a surprise ceremony on Friday in conjunction with the annual Lavender Festival in Jackson Square.

Ferrell has been a leading independent retailer in Oak Ridge for more than 25 years, a press release said. She has been the driving force behind the successful Lavender Festival, which celebrates its 18th year this year. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Symphony to celebrate National Park Service centennial during season opening

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Symphony with Dan Allcott

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra is pictured above with conductor Dan Allcott. (File photo by ORCMA)

 

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial, its 100th anniversary, during a season-opening concert in September.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park, a new national park that includes Oak Ridge, is partnering with the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, or ORCMA, for the special celebration of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary. The centennial will be celebrated Saturday, September 24.

It’s the 72nd season-opening concert for the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra.

The September concert, titled “Pride of Place,” will celebrate Oak Ridge’s scientific heritage with an exciting world premiere by East Tennessee composer Mark Harrell commissioned by the JAZ Fund to honor the post-World War II generation of scientists in Oak Ridge, a press release said. The concert will conclude with Peter Boyer’s powerful and moving “Ellis Island: The Dream of America” for narrator and orchestra. [Read more…]

Amateur Radio Club demonstrates World War II-era military radio at Secret City Festival

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Sterling Edmunds of the Roane County Amateur Radio Club explains historical communication to visitors during the Secret City Festival. In the background are working, restored military “morale” radios and receivers from WWII and the Cold War. (Submitted photo)

Sterling Edmunds of the Roane County Amateur Radio Club explains historical communication to visitors during the Secret City Festival. In the background are working, restored military “morale” radios and receivers from World War II and the Cold War. (Submitted photo)

 

By Kathryn King

The Oak Ridge Amateur Radio Club demonstrated World War II-era military radio communications Friday and Saturday as part of the Secret City Festival. The group also hosted communications as part of the National Parks on the Air Program, celebrating the centennial of the National Park Service and the newly established Manhattan Project National Historical Park. A special event radio call sign, N4M, was issued for this event. The concurrence of these three events represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for local amateur radio operators.

Approximately 200 people visited the exhibit, which, along with live, on-the-air radio operations, also featured replays of historic broadcasts, such as news programs from World War II, including the announcement of the existence of Oak Ridge and the Manhattan Project. [Read more…]

Summer Solstice evening hike on Cumberland Trail on Friday, June 17 

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Get a jump on the June 20 Summer Solstice with a Summer Solstice Outing on the Alley Ford section of the Cumberland Trail on Friday evening, June 17. The outing will include a 2.5-mile walk roundtrip, with one short uphill, then mostly level trail with a few ups and downs.   Participants should bring a supper snack and something to sit on while eating. Weather permitting; there will be nice views from the overlook and Nemo Bridge, a press release said.

Participants can meet for carpooling in the Gold’s Gym/Books-A-Million parking lot in Oak Ridge (at the end close to South Illinois Avenue, near Salsarita’s) at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, or meet at the Nemo parking area at 6:15. [Read more…]

Kids in the Creek outing on Emory River on Saturday, June 25

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy Tiffany Foster

Photo courtesy Tiffany Foster

 

Looking for a fun and educational summertime activity for the kids? On June 25, a Kids in the Creek outing will be held at Reister Access on the Emory River. The event will start at 10 a.m. with a welcome and safety talk, followed by two breakout sessions on fish and insects, and will conclude between noon and 12:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to all kids who are rising third-graders or older. Children must be accompanied by adults at all times; no unaccompanied minors will be permitted, a press release said.

Adults must be prepared to sign liability waivers on behalf of children. Participants should be prepared to get wet, and should wear shoes that are river-ready. Snacks are advisable, along with dry clothes, sunscreen, and bug spray. [Read more…]

Drug Awareness Day at Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

2016 Drug Awareness Day

The Oak Ridge Chapter of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks will be hosting the fourth annual Drug Awareness Day at the Oak Ridge Municipal Pool located at 172 Providence Road, on Saturday, June 18.

Drug Awareness demonstrations will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. inside the pool area. Hundreds of prizes will be given away to those participating in a drug awareness activity. Some of the prizes include T-shirts, coloring books, swim noodles, beach balls, and Frisbees.

This event is a partnership with Anderson County Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department, Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition, and the Tennessee Meth and Pharmaceutical Task Force. [Read more…]

Thursday: Manhattan Project Park presents ‘The Mysterious World of Lightning Bugs’

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

National Park Service

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present a program on “The Mysterious World of Lightning Bugs” on Thursday evening at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge.

The program is scheduled from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the UT Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue.

“We will discuss the lifecycle of the firefly, what makes them glow, different species within the area, how to identify them by their flashes, and how they have been used in the past for military uses and current scientific research,” a press release said. “As the sun begins to set, we will move outside (weather permitting) and attempt to catch and observe fireflies. All fireflies will be released at the end of the evening.  If you bring a flashlight, please keep it turned off during the program or use a red light.  White light has been known to cause fireflies to stop flashing.” [Read more…]

Area lawmakers announce $72,190 in arts grants in Anderson County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tennessee lawmakers announced this month that six arts grants worth a total of $73,010 have been awarded to five organizations in Anderson County.

The grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission include two awards with a combined total of $18,600 for the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge in the categories of Arts Education-Community Learning and Partnership Support.

Other grants include $23,110 to the Oak Ridge Community Playhouse in the category of Partnership Support, $16,900 to the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association in the category of Partnership Support, $11,620 to the Oak Ridge Community Art Center in the category of Partnership Support, and $2,780 to the Tennessee Mountain Writers in the category of Art Project Support. [Read more…]

Lavender Festival: Hot peppers, thyroid health, city chicks, TN wine!

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lavender Festival 1

Photography by Shawn Millsaps

 

Hot peppers, thyroid health, city chickens, and cooking with Tennessee wine are the topics of special presentations at the 18th annual Lavender Festival on Saturday, June 18, in Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. Lavender Festival is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, with more than 100 artisan vendors. Festival admission and special presentations are free, except where noted, a press release said.

Indoor Presentations

Location: In the white building in the southeast corner of the square near the stairs [Read more…]

Sound Company Choir has auditions in July, August; singers in grades 1-12 encouraged to audition

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Sound Company Children's Performing Choir of Oak Ridge performing at their May 2016 show. (Photo by Linda Ripley)

Sound Company Children’s Performing Choir of Oak Ridge performing at their May 2016 show. (Photo by Linda Ripley)

 

Sound Company, the Children’s Performing Choir of Oak Ridge, has announced audition dates for its 2016-2017 season. Sound Company is seeking singers who will be in grades 1-12 this fall.

Auditions will be held on three dates: Friday, July 1, and Friday, July 15, between noon and 2 p.m., following the group’s annual Show Camp events, and on Saturday, August 27, beginning at 9 a.m. The auditions will be at the Historic Grove Theater/High Places Community Church at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge.

Those who are interested in auditioning should contact Janelle Bell at (865) 387-1583 or info@soundcompanytn.net. Online registration and additional information is available at www.soundcompanytn.net. [Read more…]