Oak Ridge Today

November events in Anderson County

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Submitted by Anderson County Tourism Council

Here are upcoming events in November in Anderson County:

November Train Rides at Secret City Excursion Train

One-hour excursions with narration will take place on Saturday and Sunday, November 1 and 2.  The excursions depart at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday. During the ride, passengers will hear the story of the Manhattan Project, which was one of the most remarkable industrial achievements ever accomplished. For more information, call (865) 241-2140 or visit www.secretcityrailroad.com. [Read more…]

September events in Anderson County

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Here is a list of September events in Anderson County submitted by the Anderson County Tourism Council.

 

Wicked Wildcat Weekend – September 5-7 at Windrock Park

Presented by Wildcatforums.net, this event includes guided trail rides, vendors, and more for off-road riders with an Arctic Cat Wildcat machine.  If you have a Wildcat Side by Side or want to participate,  call 423-647-2721 or visit www.wildcatforums.net.

[Read more…]

August events in Anderson County

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Here is a list of August events in Anderson County submitted by the Anderson County Tourism Council.

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July events in Anderson County

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Information from Anderson County Tourism Council

July 4 Celebration and Anvil Shoot

July 4 at Museum of Appalachia

July 4 will be celebrated in an unusual, dramatic, and traditional fashion at the Museum of Appalachia with historic anvil shoots. In addition, there will be demonstrations of mountain arts and crafts. Bluegrass, old time, and folk music will be played and sung on the porches of the cabins and in the old log church, hymn singing, and church services will be conducted. The demonstrations and music can be found throughout the 65-acre farm/village complex. For more information, contact the Museum of Appalachia at (865) 494-7680 or visit www.museumofappalachia.org.

46th Annual Norris Day July 4 Celebration

July 4 on the Norris Commons

The Norris Lions Club brings you the 46th Annual Norris Day celebration in downtown Norris. Running enthusiasts can begin the day with the Firecracker Road Run. Later, the children’s Dog Show will be held on the Norris Commons, followed by the one-mile Fun Run. No one will want to miss the children’s Wheel Race, the Bicycle Parade, the Water Balloon Toss, or the Water-Ball Battles. There will be sack races and duck races, too. One of the highlights of Norris Day is the wonderful barbecue dinner—barbecue pork and chicken with all the sides served by the Norris Lions Club in the Norris Middle School cafeteria from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. For more information, call (865) 368-4884. [Read more…]

Anderson County calendar of events for May

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Anderson County Tourism Council

The Anderson County Tourism Council building on Highway 61 near Interstate 75 is pictured above. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Tourism Council)

Submitted

Here is a calendar of events for Anderson County in May:

  • Spring Colors Train Ride and Dinner Trains—May 3 and 17 at Secret City Excursion Train

Southern Appalachian Railway Museum is offering one-hour excursions with narration on May 3 and 17. Departure times will be 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. During the ride, passengers will hear the story of the Manhattan Project, which was one of the most remarkable industrial achievements ever accomplished. There will also be a dinner train on the 3 and 17 at 6 p.m. Diners will be treated to a delicious entrée prepared by Chef Andras. For more information, call (865) 241-2140 or visit www.southernappalachia.railway.museum. [Read more…]

Letter: Enjoyed National Night Out, let’s advertise Oak Ridge events

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To the Editor:

I had the pleasure of attending the National Night Out event at the Oak Ridge Civic Center park earlier this month.

This was a wonderful event for Oak Ridge and surrounding communities. There were many booths with important information regarding home and neighborhood safety, with education regarding drug addiction and meth labs.The Oak Ridge firemen and police officers had such interesting activities for children including a ride in the fire truck bucket! There was free food provided by Pizza Inn, Baskin Robins, Chick-fil-a, Coca Cola, and more! There were many exciting activities for children including bucket rides in the City of Oak Ridge truck, fire trucks to tour, and bounce houses. What a delightful experience for my grandchildren! [Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge Aug. 29-Sept. 4

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Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge starting this evening, Aug. 29, and continuing through Sept. 4.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau: [Read more…]

ORCVB budget cut: No layoffs, focusing on more events, weekend stays

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Secret City Festival Kickoff 2012

The Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau is one of three organizations that present the annual Secret City Festival. ORCVB President Katy Brown is pictured above, fifth from right, at the opening ceremonies for the 2012 festival along with other state and local officials.

Its budget has been cut 25 percent, but there will be no layoffs at the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Instead, the four-person staff will focus on attracting more weekend visitors to the Secret City and bringing in more events, possibly including those that generate fees. The organization could “own more events,” ORCVB President Katy Brown said, and rely on more grassroots efforts. That could include using more social media and travel writers.

“It’s going to be a shift,” Brown said Monday after the Oak Ridge City Council approved—in a voice vote with no opposition—a new one-year $300,000 contract for the ORCVB, the city’s main tourism organization. The funding is down from $410,000 last year. [Read more…]

Council considers smaller ORCVB contract

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

The Oak Ridge City Council has already agreed to cut funding for the city’s main tourism organization by 25 percent under the budget approved in May.

On Monday, Council members will officially consider a one-year contract for the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau that would set funding at a maximum of $300,000, down from $410,000 last year. [Read more…]