• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds


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

Today: Council to consider Secret City Festival agreement, comments on DOE landfill

Posted at 1:27 pm November 16, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider an agreement worth up to $150,000 for the 2016 Secret City Festival and will also consider comments on the federal proposal to build a new landfill west of the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Monday, November 16, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom at 200 South Tulane Avenue.

See the City Council agenda here. The Secret City Festival agreement is on Page 18 under Resolutions.

See the proposed comments on the U.S. Department of Energy landfill starting on Page 2 of the additions to the agenda. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Music, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: DOE, DOE landfill, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex

Oak Ridge recruits for Secret City Festival board, Oak Ridge Corridor committee

Posted at 12:59 am October 27, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

By Oak Ridge City Manager Mark S. Watson

The City is Oak Ridge is currently recruiting members for a new committee and the inaugural Board of Directors for a forthcoming 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

At the September 14, 2015, City Council meeting, the City Council approved a series of resolutions based on recommendations of the Special Events Advisory Task Force to provide recommendations on planning, funding review, and execution of all special events managed or supported by the City. Based on previous City Council discussions on special events, the Special Events Advisory Task Force prioritized its focus on the Secret City Festival, an award-winning, two-day summer event that has been hosted in the City of Oak Ridge for nearly 14 years. The purpose of the nonprofit that is to be established is to assume the responsibility of implementing changes to the Secret City Festival/Celebration and other local events. The goal of the organization will be to become self-sustaining within five years (2020). [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: board of directors, Lamar Alexander, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Corridor, Oak Ridge Corridor Initiative, Oak Ridge Corridor Initiative Committee, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival

Council could consider changes to Secret City Festival tonight, including move to fall

Posted at 9:54 am September 14, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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 Oak Ridge City Council could consider changes to the Secret City Festival tonight, including an expansion and a possible move to the fall.

The annual festival could be expanded into a celebration that could start in October and run through Veterans Day (November 11), last at least a week, and include the Secret City Festival. The expanded festival—which now includes music, children’s activities, a World War II re-enactment, and vendors and exhibitors—could be called the Secret City Celebration.

The changes have been recommended by the Special Events Advisory Task Force, which was set up by City Council in February and chaired by Council member Trina Baughn. The task force was expected to meet for six months and then provide a report to Council.

“The idea is not to limit the celebration to a single event, but to incorporate other activities over an expanded period of time that allow for greater participation by both patrons and various organizations within the community,” Baughn said in an August 5 memo to City Council. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Music, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: D, Oak Ridge City Council, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival, Special Events Advisory Task Force, Trina Baughn, Veterans Day

Council could consider Secret City Festival changes, including move to fall

Posted at 11:52 pm August 9, 2015
By John Huotari 5 Comments

Secret City Festival Concert 2015

A concert crowd at the 2015 Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge. Concerts by the Marshall Tucker Band and Three Dog Night attracted the highest number of spectators in festival history. (Photo by Robert Welton)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday could consider changes to the Secret City Festival, including a possible move to the fall. The annual festival could be expanded into a celebration that could start in October and run through Veterans Day (November 11), last at least a week, and include the Secret City Festival.

It’s one of five changes recommended by the Special Events Advisory Task Force set up by City Council in February. Each Council member appointed a member of the task force, which was chaired by Council member Trina Baughn. The task force was expected to meet for six months and provide a recommendation to City Council by this month.

The City Council will need to consider an amendment to the Monday night agenda to formally include the recommended changes.

“The idea is not to limit the celebration to a single event, but to incorporate other activities over an expanded period of time that allow for greater participation by both patrons and various organizations within the community,” Baughn said in an August 5 memo to City Council. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: City of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival, Special Events Advisory Task Force, Trina Baughn, Veterans Day

Secret City Festival growing, evolving, but not ending, officials say

Posted at 1:23 am June 25, 2015
By John Huotari 7 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)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m.

A rumor that circulated widely this month said this was going to be the last year for the Secret City Festival.

But city officials said it’s premature to say that.

It is true that a Special Events Advisory Task Force has been studying changes to the annual festival, including moving it from June and making it into an expanded celebration in the fall, starting in October and continuing through Veterans Day (November 11). It could be renamed the Secret City Celebration, implemented by a new nonprofit expected to become self-sustaining within five years, and add events while continuing to include the Secret City Festival.

At a Wednesday evening meeting, Task Force members said many of the current festival activities could continue, including music, World War II re-enactments, historical displays, and children’s activities. But they also said there could be opportunities for new partnerships with other organizations, including Wounded Warriors and Oak Ridge Playhouse. And it’s not clear that the Secret City Festival would continue to be a two-day event.

Task Force members say they’re hoping to help create something bigger and better. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: budget, children's activities, Dogwood Arts Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, fireworks, historical displays, Kate Groover, Lavender Festival, Mike Brown, music, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Playhouse, Ray Smith, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival, Special Events Advisory Task Force, Trina Baughn, Warren Gooch, World War II re-enactments, wounded warriors

Special Events Task Force to consider expanding Secret City Festival, veterans theme

Posted at 12:19 pm May 15, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Special Events Advisory Task Force could consider expanding the Secret City Festival into a celebration “in the window” of the second week of October and Veterans Day, November 11.

The Task Force, which meets at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, could also consider a vote on whether to develop a veteran theme to celebrate the arts, culture, and heritage of the Secret City.

And the Task Force could also vote on a recommendation that a nonprofit organization assume the responsibility to implementing the Secret City Celebration with the goal of becoming self-sustaining within five years.

The Task Force meeting on Wednesday will be in the Craft Room of the Oak Ridge Recreation Center at 1402 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge Tagged With: Secret City, Secret City Celebration, Secret City Festival, Special Events Advisory Task Force

Search Oak Ridge Today

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...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

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

Recent Posts

  • ORAU launches new app with a variety of resources available, including hundreds of STEM internships, fellowships and research opportunities
  • Disposing of uranium waste could cost at least $7.2 billion
  • Y-12 now getting power from Pine Ridge substation
  • Man sentenced to 8 years after fleeing, crashing, attempting carjackings
  • Three Ohio residents die in two-vehicle crash
  • DOE picks Idaho for nuclear test reactor
  • TBI investigating man’s death
  • Luminarias to feature peace messages
  • Oak Ridge tennis court dance is Thursday
  • DOE bus tours restart in Oak Ridge
A Twitter List by OakRidgeToday

Recent Comments

  • Matt Bailey on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Mark Caldwell on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Matt Bailey on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Mark Caldwell on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Matt Bailey on Dodson also wants to serve as mayor pro tem
  • Tracy Powers on Planning Commission to consider Main Street apartments, plan revisions
  • johnhuotari on Four incumbents re-elected to Oak Ridge City Council
  • Levi D. Smith on Four incumbents re-elected to Oak Ridge City Council
  • samuel hopwood on Housing: Apartments proposed on former AMSE site
  • Matt Bailey on Robin Smith named Oak Ridge police chief

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2022 Oak Ridge Today