Secret City Festival Archives

Secret City Festival is Friday, Saturday

Posted at 1:41 pm June 6, 2019
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Secret City Festival (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The two-day Secret City Festival on Friday and Saturday will feature music, food, history, science, and much more, a press release said.

The festival is hosted by the City of Oak Ridge and presented by Celebrate Oak Ridge. It will be in Alvin K. Bissell Park from 10 a.m. until about 11 p.m. on Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8.

The festival showcases Oak Ridge’s unique role in American history and scientific innovation with various events and activities for the entire family to enjoy.

Musical headliners at the concerts will include iconic rock bands Loverboy, performing on Friday, June 7, and 38 Special, performing on Saturday, June 8. Tickets for each concert are available online. The festival is free to attend, but concert-goers must purchase a ticket.

[Read more…]

Battle of the Bands is Tuesday

Posted at 3:57 pm June 2, 2019
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It’s festival season in Oak Ridge, and pre-festival events will be going on all week leading up to the Secret City Festival weekend on June 7-8, a press release said.

“One of those pre-festival events is Battle of the Bands ‘Rocking the Ridge’—a great night of local talent, food, and beer!” the press release said. “Check out some amazing local bands who will be ‘Rocking the Ridge’ and take the top spot in their category.”

The show will start at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce parking lot and will go until the winners are crowned, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Loverboy, .38 Special playing Secret City Festival

Posted at 1:56 pm April 23, 2019
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Loverboy and .38 Special are playing at the Secret City Festival in June.

Loverboy is playing Friday, June 7, and .38 Special is playing Saturday, June 8.

Both shows are at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the website www.secretcityfestival.com or at the Oak Ridge branch of Citizen’s Bank.

Reminder: Oak Ridge will try to set world record in ‘knockout’ basketball today

Posted at 9:40 am June 9, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A reminder: Oak Ridge will try to set a Guinness World Record on Saturday in a basketball game known as “knockout” today (Saturday, June 9).

The attempt to break the previous world record is part of the Secret City Festival this weekend. The game will start at noon in the parking lot of Dick’s Sporting Goods at Main Street Oak Ridge. The first 702 people will get a free T-shirt, organizers said. Then, every 30 minutes, prizes will be awarded from Electronic Express and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Once you have taken your shot (and missed…), you get to register for a Jeep awarded at no cost from Secret City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Every 30 minutes, one of those registrations will be pulled as a finalist for the drawing for the Jeep on June 27, organizers said. (You must be present to win and 18 and over with a valid driver’s license).

The Dallas Mavericks set the record for the largest game of basketball knockout with 701 participants in Dallas, Texas, on October 4, 2015. The game lasted 27 rounds and more than three hours, according to Guinness World Records. Team owner Mark Cuban was there before the record-setting attempt to check out the court and the turnout, and he also motivated the basketball shooters.

Organizers of this year’s Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge want to do better than Cuban and the Mavericks. They need at least 702 shooters to set the new world record. [Read more…]

Friends of Library has authors table, readings at Secret City Festival

Posted at 10:39 pm June 7, 2018
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Danita “Dee Dee” Ashley

The Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library will participate in the Secret City Festival held at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, June 8-9, by sponsoring local authors. The authors will be in the Club Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center, autographing and selling their books at the following times:

Friday, June 8

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Danita “Dee Dee” Ashley; Charles and Beverly Connor
12 p.m.-2 p.m. Connie Green; Carol Grametbauer
2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Wes Sims

Saturday, June 9

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Carol Oen; Judy DiGregorio
12 p.m.-2 p.m.: Shirley Raines; Patricia Hope
2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Ray Smith

The featured local authors will read from their work at 15-minute intervals, and they include: [Read more…]

Secret City Festival is this weekend

Posted at 10:22 am June 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Although numbers weren't immediately available, organizers said a record-setting crowd attended the Three Dog Night concert at the Secret City Festival on Saturday. (Photo by Jon Hetrick)

A record-setting crowd is pictured above at the Three Dog Night concert at the Secret City Festival in June 2015. (File photo courtesy Jon Hetrick)

The Secret City Festival on Friday and Saturday will feature music, food, children’s activities, historic exhibits, arts and crafts, technology, robotics, magic, a juggler, a K-9 search demonstration, wine tasting, tours of two federal sites, veterans parade, an attempt to set a world record in a basketball game, and headline concerts featuring Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx, and Little River Band.

There have been pre-festival events this week, including a Battle of the Bands tonight (Thursday, June 7), and a live radio broadcast featuring two bands on Monday, and a Children’s Movie Night on Wednesday.

At the Secret City Festival this weekend, a main stage concert on Friday night will feature Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx. The opening band is The Band Legacy. The show starts at 7 p.m.

The main stage concert on Saturday night will feature the Little River Band. The opening band is Janelle Arthur. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available online or at Citizens First Bank at 1298 Oak Ridge Turnpike for $25. [Read more…]

Pre-Festival tonight: Battle of the Bands at A.K. Bissell Park

Posted at 9:24 am June 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

There is a Battle of the Bands at the pavilion at Alvin K. Bissell Park tonight (Thursday, June 7).

The Battle of the Bands is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and it is presented by United Way of Anderson County, the Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board, and MERLE FM.

It’s a pre-festival event for the Secret City Festival this weekend.

The first pre-festival event was Monday, a live radio broadcast by WDVX 89.9 FM, featuring Ridge City Ramblers and Kukuly and Gypsy Fuego. Then, there was a Children’s Movie Night on Wednesday featuring “Despicable Me 3.” [Read more…]

Pre-Festival Wednesday night: Children’s Movie Night features ‘Despicable Me 3’ at ORHS

Posted at 9:33 am June 6, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Children’s Movie Night tonight (Wednesday, June 6) will feature “Despicable Me 3” at Oak Ridge High School. It’s a pre-festival event for the Secret City Festival this weekend.

The movie is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. Wednesday at Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School.

The first pre-festival event was Monday, a live radio broadcast by WDVX 89.9 FM, featuring Ridge City Ramblers and Kukuly and Gypsy Fuego.

Another pre-festival event this week, before the Secret City Festival on Friday and Saturday, is a Battle of the Bands at the pavilion at Alvin K. Bissell Park at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, presented by United Way of Anderson County, the Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board, and MERLE FM.

There are many events scheduled for the Secret City Festival on Friday, June 8, and Saturday, June 9. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge will try to set world record in ‘knockout’ basketball

Posted at 8:12 am June 6, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge will try to set a Guinness World Record on Saturday in a basketball game known as “knockout.”

The attempt to break the previous world record is part of the Secret City Festival this weekend.

Organizers of this year’s Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge want to do better than Cuban and the Mavericks. They need at least 702 shooters to set the new world record.

“Come and participate on June 9 and help Oak Ridge shatter that record!” Secret City Festival organizers said. “Since the Manhattan Project during World War II, Oak Ridge has been known as a technology giant, but ‘knockout’ allows the city to highlight a rich athletic history as well.” [Read more…]

Secret City Festival looking for volunteers

Posted at 10:39 am June 4, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. June 5.

The Secret City Festival is looking for volunteers.

The 2018 Secret City Festival, celebrating the City of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary, is June 8 and 9.

“It takes a great community to run the Secret City Festival, and volunteers are needed to help make sure all the festivities run smoothly,” organizers said. “Check out the Secret City Festival website for a list of activities. There will be a giant knock-out game to set a world record, a 75th Anniversary Parade, and the usual craft vendors, food vendors, and music!

“Please join us in the fun and volunteer for a few hours while you are there.” [Read more…]

Pre-Festival tonight: WDVX live broadcast with Ridge City Ramblers

Posted at 9:44 am June 4, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ridge City Ramblers

A live radio broadcast show in Oak Ridge tonight will feature Ridge City Ramblers and Kukuly and Gypsy Fuego. It’s a pre-festival event for the Secret City Festival this weekend.

Ridge City Ramblers plays bluegrass, and Kukuly and Gypsy Fuego plays gypsy jazz, according to WDVX 89.9 FM, a listener-supported radio station that will broadcast the show live.

The concert is this evening (Monday, June 4). The music is scheduled to start at 6 p.m., according to WDVX and ORNL Federal Credit Union, which is presenting the show.

It’s the first in a series of free summer concerts in Oak Ridge called the “Summer Sessions” and presented by ORNL Federal Credit Union. Performers will include bluegrass and Americana bands from throughout the region. Future concerts will be held on the following Saturdays: July 21, August 18, September 8, and October 6. All concerts will be held outdoors at the pavilion in Alvin K. Bissell Park at 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. They are free. The full lineup can be found on ORNL FCU’s Facebook page or at ornlfcu.com/summer-sessions. [Read more…]

Series of festivals starts this week

Posted at 1:29 pm May 18, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The second annual Nine Lakes Wine Festival is this week with three days of events celebrating the best in Tennessee wines in Oak Ridge and West Knoxville. The festival is scheduled from Thursday, May 17, to Saturday, May 19, 2018. (Submitted photo)

A series of festivals in Oak Ridge starts tonight (Friday, May 18).

The first festival is the second annual Nine Lakes Wine Festival. It features three days of events celebrating the best in Tennessee wines in Oak Ridge and West Knoxville. The festival is scheduled from Thursday, May 17, to Saturday, May 19.

The main event is the Grand Tasting from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 19, on the waterfront at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge. This event features more than 15 Tennessee wineries pouring more than 100 locally made wines and ciders, with live music, chef demonstrations by The Savory Whisk, and wine seminars by a variety of Tennessee wine experts, a press release said.

Music will be provided by the Nashville band Arts Fishing Club and two East Tennessee bands, Wild Blue Yonder, and KUDZU.

Two other smaller events are being offered earlier in the week, a Chef’s Table Wine Dinner at The Cutting Edge Classroom in West Knoxville on Thursday, May 17, and the VIP Taste of Gold at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 18. [Read more…]