Oak Ridge Today

Arts Council asks for your support in United Arts Fund Drive

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The Arts Council of Oak Ridge is asking for your support in this year’s United Arts Fund Drive.

The annual drive kicked off March 15 and ends April 30.

Here is the letter the Arts Council sent to arts supporters in March:

Dear Arts Supporter,

Oak Ridge has always had a strong arts community—even as a secret city—and the arts continue to be essential to the health and vitality of Oak Ridge and Anderson County today. They enhance community development, spur urban renewal, attract new businesses, draw tourism dollars, create an attractive environment for skilled, educated workers, and help make the Oak Ridge area a great place to live, work, worship, and play. The arts organizations in Oak Ridge are vital because they support and supplement school activities, attract tourists and visitors, and offer volunteer and participation opportunities. [Read more…]

Three Dog Night to headline Saturday night concert at Secret City Festival

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Three Dog Night

Three Dog Night (Submitted photo)

 

Three Dog Night will headline the Saturday night concert at the Secret City Festival in June.

The band’s hits include “Joy to the World,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Black and White,” “Shambala,” and “One.”

The 13th Annual Secret City Festival is June 12-13. Three Dog Night will play on Saturday, June 13. [Read more…]

Reminder: ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ at After Dark tonight

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The Amazing Spider Man

This summer’s After Dark entertainment series ends tonight with a dusk screening of “The Amazing Spider-Man” movie.

It’s Hero Night, and organizers plan to celebrate civic heroes and superheroes.

“Go ahead and get your cape ready,” said the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has presented this year’s first-time series. “The fun starts at 7 p.m., and the movie starts at dusk. Come dressed as your favorite hero, meet our friendly Oak Ridge firefighters, and settle in for a dusk screening of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man.'”

The park opens at 7 p.m. No glass containers or alcohol are permitted on site. You may bring blankets and chairs. [Read more…]

Tours of Manhattan Project sites a highlight of Secret City Festival

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Secret City Festival Logo

One of the highlights of the annual Secret City Festival, taking place Friday and Saturday at A.K. Bissell Park, is the series of tours that run all day both days.

Each of the four tours will depart from the American Museum of Science and Energy at scheduled times. In addition, the Secret City Scenic Excursion Train will be chugging along during the festival.

Visitors will have a unique opportunity to tour three historic Manhattan Project World War II sites. On Friday, June 13, Y-12 will host tours from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The one-hour tour will include the Y-12 History Center, Building 9731, the Chestnut Ridge Overlook, and Bear Creek Road.

Also on Friday, visitors can take the U.S. Department of Energy Facilities Bus Tour, which is included with a $1 admission to AMSE. This tour includes stops at the Y-12 New Hope Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Graphite Reactor, and a tour around the East Tennessee Technology Park. A separate tour that focuses on the X-10 Graphite Reactor is available at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday.

On Saturday, there will be four opportunities to tour the ORNL Graphite Reactor. All tours will begin at the American Museum of Science and Energy. The Secret City Scenic Excursion Train will be running three tours as well. Departure times for both tours are listed below: [Read more…]

Secret City Festival features something for everyone

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Secret City Festival Crowd June 2012

A large crowd waits to hear music during the June 2012 festival.

 

Make plans to attend the 12th Annual Secret City Festival on Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14, in historic Oak Ridge. Join more than 20,000 visitors and residents to celebrate the end of World War II and the heritage of Oak Ridge from 1945 to the present.

Here’s an overview of some of the many activities and events taking place at this year’s festival: [Read more…]

Secret City Festival reminds concert attendees of security procedures

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Secret City Festival Logo

Visitors to the Secret City Festival next weekend can expect tighter security measures and maybe a few delays when entering the concerts this year, all in the name of safety.

“In light of recent events, we’re being extra vigilant in our protection of our attendees, staff, and the community during the festival concerts,” said Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi.

No backpacks or coolers will be allowed into the concert site and all bags will be subject to search.  This includes bags used to store chairs. Visitors should expect delays if carrying in anything that needs to be searched. Organizers suggest festival attendees only bring their concert tickets, money for food, an ID to buy or consume beer, and a chair for the concerts. Once inside the concert site, festival seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The concert site opens at 5:30 p.m. [Read more…]

Top 12 ways to have fun at the 12th Annual Secret City Festival

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Submitted

  1. Start planning now for two days of activities to celebrate more than 70 years of Oak Ridge’s history. From 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 13, until the concerts are over, there is something for everyone.
  2. Remember there is no parking onsite at the festival! Plan to park at the City Center and take a free shuttle over to the festival. For a map of available parking near the Secret City Festival, visit http://www.secretcityfestival.com/festival-411/parking/.
  3. Be sure to visit the Secret City Festival website (www.secretcityfestival.com) to plan your weekend. You will find all event information, tour schedules, and concert information here.
  4. Concerts are festival seating—don’t forget your lawn chairs for the best views and most comfortable seating. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. each evening to claim your seat. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival concert tickets on sale today

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Kix Brooks with Mic

Country artist Kix Brooks performs at the Great Eastern Exposition in West Springfield, Mass., on Sept. 27. (Submitted photos)

Eddie Money and Kix Brooks to headline 2014 concerts

It’s Secret City Festival time again in Oak Ridge! The bands have been selected, the schedule is filling up, and tickets to this year’s headliner concerts go on sale today (Tuesday, April 29). Tickets are priced at an early bird rate of $18. After May 30, ticket prices go up to $20. Children 10 and under are free with a paying adult.

Grammy-nominated ’80s rocker Eddie Money will bring his blue-collar brand of rock ‘n’ roll to the concert main stage on Friday, June 13, at 7 p.m. The Friday night concert also features local band Jada Blade.

Legendary country music artist Kix Brooks will bring his high energy, hit-filled show to the main stage Saturday, June 14, at 7 p.m. The Saturday night concert will feature opening band Phoenix Drive. [Read more…]

’80s rocker Eddie Money to play Secret City Festival in June

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Eddie Money

Eddie Money

Eddie Money, a 1980s rock star, will play at the Secret City Festival in June, organizers said Thursday.

Money will be the Friday night headliner. Organizers announced earlier this month that Kix Brooks will headline the Saturday night show.

This year’s festival, the 12th annual celebration, will be June 13-14.

Money’s Top 40 hits include “Take Me Home Tonight,” “Baby Hold On,” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.” He has sold more than 28 million records and plays a “blue-collar brand of rock ‘n’ roll,” a press release said.

The Friday, June 13, show starts at 7 p.m. Local rock band Jada Blade will be the opening act. [Read more…]

Guest column: Arts Council kicks off fund drive, asks for your help

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Arts Council of Oak Ridge Logo

Dear Arts Supporter,

The Arts Council of Oak Ridge is kicking off the United Arts Fund Drive this March and April. We are so grateful for the past support from the citizens in our city and county and know that you realize the arts are essential to the health and vitality of our community. The arts enhance community development, spur urban renewal, attract new businesses, draw tourism dollars, and create an environment that attracts skilled, educated workers. Oak Ridge has a long history of a strong arts community, which contributes significantly to an enriched place to live, work, worship, and play.

We are asking you, as a member of our community, to help us continue these vital endeavors by making a tax-exempt donation to this year’s United Arts Fund Drive. As a supporter of the arts, you or your business will receive additional benefits. At the $150 or above donation level, your name or business’ name will be listed in every printed program of every event presented by the eight member organizations as well as in regional newspapers, magazines, our website, and the new Arts Council app for smartphones and tablets reaching more than 50,000 residents. At the $500 or above donation level, links from our website to donor websites will also be provided. Pledges must be received by July 31 to be included in programs and publications. [Read more…]

Kix Brooks to headline Secret City Festival in June

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Kix Brooks with Mic

Country artist Kix Brooks performs at the Great Eastern Exposition in West Springfield, Mass., on Sept. 27. (Submitted photos)

Kix Brooks—one-half of the bestselling country duo Brooks and Dunn—will headline the Saturday night concert at the Secret City Festival in June.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Country-rock band Phoenix Drive will open.

“Kix Brooks enjoyed early career success as a songwriter before teaming up with Ronnie Dunn to form the highest-selling duo in the history of country music,” a press release said. “During their 20-year run together, Brooks and Dunn sold more than 30 million records, won more than 75 major industry awards, and celebrated 23 No. 1 hits.”

Brooks is now hosting the long-running syndicated radio program, American Country Countdown, where every week he counts country music’s Top 30 songs. Brooks has received many awards for his broadcasting abilities—including CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year Award in 2009, 2011, and 2013—making him the first person to ever win a CMA Award in both the artist and broadcast categories. [Read more…]

City officials clash over Secret City Festival spending costs

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Rick Springfield at Secret City Festival

The Rick Springfield concert at the Secret City Festival in June was the largest ever for the annual festival, an organizer said.

Debate over the costs of the Secret City Festival—and whether the city can afford a $160,000 “party” every year—was briefly renewed again on Monday.

The sometimes-rancorous debate came up as the Oak Ridge City Council considered whether to approve two resolutions laying the financial foundation for the June 2014 festival.

Early in the debate, Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn moved to reallocate the Secret City Festival money and use it instead for a school resource officer in each middle school, or two SROs total.

But Council member Charlie Hensley said Baughn was essentially asking the city to take money it would collect from festival sponsors and use it instead for SROs.

“I think that’s fraudulent,” Hensley said. [Read more…]