Oak Ridge Today

Community Band to perform ‘Music for Spring’

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The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform in a “Music for Spring” concert in Knoxville on Sunday, March 12. (Photo by Oak Ridge Community Band)

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform in a “Music for Spring” concert in Knoxville on Sunday, March 12.

The concert is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus at 711 South Northshore Drive in Knoxville.

The concert is free, but seating is limited. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the community is encouraged to arrive early to secure their seats, a press release said.

“‘Music for Spring’ promises to be an exciting and diverse musical experience, featuring an array of classical, jazz, and pop music selections that celebrate the arrival of spring,” the press release said. “Under the direction of Shaun Salem, the Oak Ridge Community Band comprises musicians of all ages and skill levels, dedicated to delivering high-quality performances that resonate with the community.”

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Today: International Festival at Children’s Museum

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The Tennessee Irish Dancers, here at an earlier International Festival with the Children’s Museum mascot Charlie the Curious Bear, will entertain again with traditional Irish dance.

Crafts, cuisines, and entertainment from world cultures will be presented at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge International Festival from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, February 25.

The family-friendly International Festival will have musical and dance entertainment on stage throughout the day at the Children’s Museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. Children may “make and take” crafts, and several booths will offer activities and crafts for children.

Raya Quttaineh and María Guzmán of WBIR-TV will serve as festival emcees. Quttaineh, originally from Jordan, is a morning anchor and reporter. Guzmán, originally from Nicaragua, is a bilingual journalist reporting in English and in Spanish for the Spanish newscast Noticias WBIR. Both came to the United States as children with their families.

Entertainers will include Katrien Sevrin of Belladance, who performs and teaches Middle Eastern dance; the Tennessee Irish Dancers, students taught by professional and champion Irish dancer Katie Carver; a Shamisen performance on a Japanese banjo-style instrument; and a traditional Japanese story, Kamishibai. [Read more…]

Saturday: Rock to Bach Music Festival & Fundraiser

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Four Leaf Peat (Image courtesy ORCMA)

The all-day Rock to Bach Music Festival and Fundraiser will feature performing groups on two stages in Oak Ridge today, Saturday, February 18.

Besides music, there will be a silent auction, celebration dinner, and special after-dinner entertainment with Four Leaf Peat, a traditional Irish music group in East Tennessee. The event has been organized by Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.

You can come and go as you please during the music and hear these performers and more:

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AMVETS to kick off 75th celebration with Janelle Arthur concert

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Janelle Arthur

AMVETS of Oak Ridge will celebrate its 75th anniversary in March, and the ceremonies will include a concert by American Idol Top 5 finalist Janelle Arthur of Oliver Springs.

The concert is Friday evening, March 10. The 75th Anniversary and Veterans Appreciation Celebration is Saturday, March 11, at 190 Adams Lane in Oak Ridge.

“To say thank you, veterans and active-duty service members will receive a free gift bag and can register to win other items including an American flag, local gift cards, and Post 2 merchandise during their 75th Anniversary and Veterans Appreciation Celebration,” a press release said.

AMVETS is an organization of veterans serving veterans, the press release said.

“Only a few organizations in Oak Ridge have stood the test of time to remain active for 75 years, which makes the celebration of the AMVETS 75th Anniversary a very special occasion,” the press release said.

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Two songwriters advance in state contest

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Image courtesy Explore Oak Ridge

Two songwriters from Oliver Springs and Nashville will advance in a state competition after qualifying in Oak Ridge on Wednesday.

The two songwriters who advanced were Rachel McIntyre-Smith of Oliver Springs and Sam Hatmaker of Nashville. They were selected from a field of 20 contestants in a qualifying round at Oakey’s Bar and Grill in Oak Ridge on Wednesday, February 8.

“Each competitor was judged based on their overall performance, originality, and connection to the audience,” Explore Oak Ridge said in a press release.

The songwriters played their original compositions before a panel of expert judges and an audience of supporters. The judges’ panel featured a mix of musicians and songwriters from the area representing various musical genres and expertise, including former “American Idol” finalist Janelle Arthur.

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Junior Playhouse performs ‘Gingerbread: Hansel & Gretel’ in February

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The Oak Ridge Playhouse in Jackson Square is pictured above on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)



“Gingerbread: A Hansel and Gretel Story” will be performed in early February by the Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse Youth Theatre for Young Audiences.

The performance of the season-closer will be at the Oak Ridge Playhouse in Jackson Square on February 4 and 5.

“The Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse has cooked up a tantalizing morsel for young audiences to gobble up!” a press release said. “The candied scent of molasses and cinnamon, paired with the warm smell of ginger and clove can only mean one thing—gingerbread! However, this sweet and spicy temptation is anything but nice.”

It’s based on folklore by the Brothers Grimm, with a new adaptation by Playhouse Director Reggie Law. [Read more…]

Tickets on sale for Flatwater Storytelling Festival

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Rev. Robert B. Jones

The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival in June will feature three nationally acclaimed storytellers: Lyn Ford, Bil Lepp, and Rev. Robert B. Jones.

“Well-known to audiences throughout the country for their wit and wisdom, these three performers are guaranteed to make audiences laugh, cry, and reminisce,” a press release said.

The annual festival is scheduled June 2-3 at the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge.

The storytellers will perform different stories at each show. Two special workshops will be offered preceding the performances.

Tickets are now on sale at Eventbrite or in person at the Ferrell Shop in Oak Ridge (cash or check only). You can take advantage of the Early Bird Special and get a discount when you buy tickets for both the afternoon and evening shows on Saturday, the press release said.

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AMSE Foundation having art contest

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The American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation is having its first art contest.

The competition is open to the public.

The foundation is asking those who enter the contest to make art that represents an element, elements, or the periodic table of elements.

“For example, an artist may draw a representation of the periodic table, sculpt a carbon molecule, paint a neon sign, or create a computer graphic of a blimp full of hydrogen,” the contest instructions said.

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Street Painting Festival raises $20K for Roane State scholarships

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Sonia Summers won the Best of Show award in the 2022 Street Painting Festival in Jackson Square in October. (Submitted photo)

The 2022 Street Painting Festival this month raised more than $20,000 to help fund scholarships for Roane State Community College students in Anderson County.

The annual festival was hosted by the Noon Rotary Club of Oak Ridge in Historic Jackson Square. The festival blends art, history, and community for a fun event in support of local students, a press release said. More than $300,000 in scholarships issued by the nonprofit Roane State Foundation have been provided since the start of the festival in 1999.

Festival sponsors make a tax-exempt donation to the Foundation, with levels ranging from $5,000 for Platinum down to $100 for Individual. Sponsors’ names are assigned to sidewalk squares upon which the artists paint pictures with chalk.

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Free Trunk or Treat, movie in Rocky Top on Oct. 28

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ASAP of Anderson is partnering with the City of Rocky Top to present free trunk-or-treating and a showing of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” on Friday, October 28.

It’s scheduled from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on October 28 at Rocky Top’s George Templin Field, a press release said.

“Fun activities and free resources will be available for the whole family!” the release said.

The free event will include food and costume contests, the press release said.

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Monologue Slam will feature artistic competition, fundraising

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The first East Tennessee Monologue Slam Fundraiser for Veterans and First Responders will be in Clinton on Saturday, November 12, and it will benefit the Infinite Warrior Foundation.

The Monologue Slam will feature a performance competition, and it will be at E. Claire’s Coffee House in Clinton in partnership with Actor’s Way In acting studio. It is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. November 12.

“Each performer is given three minutes to perform a monologue of their choice and then receive critiques from the judges,” a press release said. “After the first round of actors have gone up, three finalists are selected to move on to the second round.

“Here’s where things get interesting. In the second round, finalists are given plot twists that must be incorporated into their original piece. Some twists have included the actor now being drunk at their wedding or turning into a werewolf.

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Children’s Halloween Party is Oct. 27

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Oak Ridge Monster Mash Bash 2021 (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host the 2022 Children’s Halloween Party on Thursday, October 27, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This annual event will be attended by hundreds of children and their parents, a press release said. Activities will be planned throughout A.K. Bissell Park, including a hayride, weather permitting.

Businesses and organizations are invited to sponsor a booth for the event. Sponsors will supply volunteers and hand out candy throughout the event. Booths should be age appropriate for children aged 4 through 4th grade. Applications can be picked up at the Civic Center front desk, the press release said.

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