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Tennessee Fall Homecoming at Museum of Appalachia ending after 38 years

Posted at 12:33 pm December 8, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Tennessee Fall Homecoming Howard Tuggle

Photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia

 

The Tennessee Fall Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris is ending after 38 years.

The festival, which started in 1980, has grown to the point that it now requires more than three thousand hours to plan, promote, and execute, a press release said.

“Homecoming was an enormous investment for a museum of our size,” said Stephen Dean, chair of the museum’s board of directors. “If we lost a day of attendance due to weather, we simply could not make it up. Even if a homecoming was successful financially, the amount of time and effort invested simply wasn’t justifiable. We have to be responsible for the entire museum’s operation.”

The festival started in 1980 as a one-time event to recognize, display, and celebrate the disappearing music and culture of the Southern Appalachians, but grew over the years into a multi-day event attended by tens of thousands of people annually, the press release said.

The 38th and final Homecoming, held this past October, was one of the museum’s most well-received events, the press release said. It introduced all-new evening concerts featuring artists like Lee Ann Womack and The SteelDrivers. As a result, this year’s Fall Homecoming boasted record-breaking attendance and attracted new visitors. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: Appalachian artifacts, Appalachian Heritage, culture, Elaine Meyer, John Rice Irwin, Museum of Appalachia, music, southern Appalachians, Stephen Dean, Tennessee Fall Homecoming

Secret City Festival to expand into week-long celebration in June

Posted at 3:58 pm December 13, 2016
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Secret City Festival World War II Re-enactment 2015

A Flak 88 firing during a Battle of Normandy re-enactment at the 2015 Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Rob Welton)

 

The Secret City Festival will expand into a week-long celebration in June, and it will be called the Secret City Celebration.

The change has been announced by Celebrate Oak Ridge, a nonprofit organization created by the Oak Ridge City Council to take over the production of the festival from the city.

The Secret City Celebration will include a full week of events celebrating the arts, culture, and history of Oak Ridge, organizers said. It will kick off with an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday, June 2, 2017. It will include events presented by Celebrate Oak Ridge and other partner organizations.

“A crowd favorite, World War II Living History, will serve as the kickoff event on June 2 and 3, with re-enactments scheduled on Saturday,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, Music, Nonprofits, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: Alvin K. Bissell Park, arts, Celebrate Oak Ridge, culture, diversity, Dogwood Arts, history, Marshall Tucker Band, Mike Brown, Oak Ridge City Council, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival, Three Dog Night, United Way of Anderson County, World War II, World War II Living History

Education Foundation accepting applications for International Study Scholarship

Posted at 6:22 pm March 2, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is accepting applications through Friday for the Dr. Adrian R. Lawler Exchange Student Scholarship, offering students attending Oak Ridge public schools or recent graduates support for participating in international study programs.

Lawler, an Oak Ridge High School graduate who was the second student in Oak Ridge to participate in an American Field Service international exchange program, established the scholarship to offer students opportunities to gain tolerance and an understanding of people from other cultures through international study programs. Lawler, a retired marine biologist who died in 2013, had designated the Education Foundation to administer the scholarship endowment.

The deadline for submitting the application is Friday, March 6, 2015. Applications are available through the Foundation’s website at www.orpsef.org under the Lawler Scholarship tab, and should be returned to the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, P.O. Box 117 MS-22, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. Applicants may also call Jessica Steed, executive director of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, at (865) 241-3667 or e-mail her at [email protected] to request an application. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Meetings and Events, Top Stories Tagged With: Adrian R. Lawler, AFS, American Field Service, culture, Dr. Adrian R. Lawler Exchange Student Scholarship, Education Foundation, international exchange, international study, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, ORHS, scholarship, Scholarship Committee, schools

International Festival is Saturday at Children’s Museum

Posted at 3:17 pm February 25, 2015
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Dancers at the International Festival at the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge

Dancers are pictured above at a previous International Festival at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. (Photo by Rob Welton)

 

The International Festival has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 28, at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. The festival will include the same entertainment line-up, food, and culture booths originally set for last weekend.

It was postponed last weekend (Saturday, February 21) due to weather conditions.

The International Festival will feature entertainment, crafts, and cuisines from cultures around the world, with Spice of India Dancers as the featured performers. The family-friendly event will feature musical, song, and dance entertainment on stage throughout the day, international food and culture booths, and crafts for children to make. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Music, Nonprofits Tagged With: children's museum, Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, crafts, culture, dance, food, International Festival, music, song, Spice of India Dancers

Whittler, woodworker Bill Henry earns prestigious arts award

Posted at 3:49 pm February 24, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Bill Henry

Bill Henry

Oak Ridge resident, whittler, and woodworker Bill Henry was one of 10 people to earn a Governor’s Arts Award for representing the best in arts and culture in Tennessee in 2015.

Henry won a Folklife Heritage Award. He will receive the award, considered Tennessee’s highest honor in the arts, from Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam on March 17.

Distinguished artists honored include Mary Costa, Dr. Bobby Jones, B.B. King, Loretta Lynn, and Cormac McCarthy, a press release said.

“We want to congratulate the recipients for their incredible work adding to the rich cultural heritage of Tennessee,” Governor Haslam said. “Their dedication, leadership, and contributions to the arts have enhanced our way of life and will continue to influence Tennesseans for many years to come.”

The 2015 recipients are: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, State, Top Stories Tagged With: arts, Arts Leadership Award, B.B. King, Bill Haslam, Bill Henry, Cormac McCarthy, craftsman, Crissy Haslam, culture, Distinguished Artist Award, Dr. Bobby Jones, Folklife Heritage Award, Governor's Arts Award, Loretta Lynn, Mary Costa, Miniature Americana, Smithsonian, whittler, woodworker

Children’s Museum hosts International Festival Feb. 21

Posted at 11:36 am February 16, 2015
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Spice of India dancers at the Children's Museum International Festival

Spice of India dancers at the Children’s Museum International Festival. (Photo by Rob Welton)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will present entertainment, crafts, and cuisines from cultures around the world at its annual International Festival on Saturday, February 21. The family-friendly event will feature musical and dance entertainment on stage throughout the day, international food and culture booths, and crafts for children to make and take home.

The festival will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. February 21 at the Children’s Museum at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. Food will be served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Children will be invited to make and take Chinese dragons, Japanese geisha masks, and Indian elephants at craft stations during the festival, as well as crafts at several International Bazaar booths. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Nonprofits Tagged With: Allen McBride, Andrew Payzant, Bob Grimac, Brittany Moua, Cantemos, Carib Sounds Jamaican Steel Drums, children's museum, Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, crafts, cuisine, culture, dance, David Neidig, Early Bird Special, entertainment, food, International Entertainment, International Festival, Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club, Knoxville Area Model Railroaders, Knoxville Persian Music Ensemble, Kukuly Uriarte, Lucia’s Arte Y Pasion Flamenca, music, Nermin Begovic, Spice of India, Spice of India Dancers, St. George Greek Dancers, Starving Six German Band, Taotao Long, Tenpenny Rapper Sword Dancers, Tom Smith

Reminder: Tune Junkie Weekend starts today

Posted at 10:40 am February 15, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville has organized a weekend of Irish music, culture, and fun at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge and Boyd’s Jig and Reel in Knoxville, and it starts today.

It’s the 5th Annual Tune Junkie Weekend, and it will feature workshops, sessions, and a showcase concert.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: Boyd’s Jig and Reel, culture, Four Leaf Peat, Grove Theater, Irish music, Joseph Sobol, Red Wellies, Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville, Tune Junkie Weekend

Weekend of Irish music, culture, fun scheduled for February

Posted at 10:21 pm January 14, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville has organized a weekend of Irish music, culture, and fun in February at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge and Boyd’s Jig and Reel in Knoxville.

It’s the 5th Annual Tune Junkie Weekend, and it will feature workshops, sessions, and a showcase concert.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, Feb. 17, with an open house and staff session at the Historic Grover Theater. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the session begins at 7 p.m., a press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: Boyd’s Jig and Reel, culture, Four Leaf Peat, Grove Theater, Irish music, Joseph Sobol, Red Wellies, Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville, Tune Junkie Weekend

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Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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