Oak Ridge Today

B&W Y-12 again a premier sponsor of the Secret City Festival

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B&W Y-12 Secret City Festival Check Presentation

Chuck Spencer, center, B&W Y-12 president and general manager, presents a $25,000 sponsorship check for the Secret City Festival to Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, left, and Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller. (Submitted photo)

B&W Y-12 is returning to the Secret City Festival once again as the premier festival sponsor, a press release said.

“B&W has led the way in Secret City Festival sponsorships both financially and in kind for the past eight years,” the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau said in a Wednesday press release. B&W Y-12 operates the Y-12 National Security Complex for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Chuck Spencer, B&W Y-12 president and general manager, presented a $25,000 festival sponsorship check during a May 28 meeting. [Read more…]

B&W Y-12 donates $25,000 to Secret City Festival

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B&W Y-12 Donates to Secret City Festival

B&W Y-12 General Manager Chuck Spencer, center, presents a $25,000 check to Oak Ridge officials for the Secret City Festival this month during a City Council meeting last week. (Submitted photo)

B&W Y-12 President and General Manager Chuck Spencer presented a check for $25,000 to Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Vice Mayor Jane Miller during a City Council meeting last week.

B&W Y-12 has been a premier sponsor of the Secret City Festival for the past eight years, a press release said.
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Council considers budget tonight

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Oak Ridge City Council Budget Meeting

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the municipal budget, which is not expected to raise property taxes, during a second and final reading Tuesday evening.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the municipal budget on second and final reading tonight.

If approved, the budget would not raise property taxes, but it would give employees a 1 percent pay raise and add another $50,000 for the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce contract.

Tonight’s meeting also includes a presentation of the Oak Ridge Schools’ budget, which was approved on second and final reading on Thursday. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival has World War II living history exhibit

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The Secret City Festival is introducing a new “Salute to Soldiers” program featuring World War II living history activities and demonstrations at A.K. Bissell Park on Saturday, June 22.

“Come out and salute our WWII veterans and enjoy an entire day of living history activities and exhibits provided by Five Oh First Group,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Rick Springfield, The Dirty Guv’nahs to headline Secret City Festival

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Rick Springfield

Rick Springfield

Rick Springfield, the pop rock singer-songwriter and musician who won a 1981 Grammy for “Jessie’s Girl,” will headline the Saturday night concert at this year’s Secret City Festival, organizers said Thursday.

Springfield has sold 25 million albums worldwide, including 17 Top 40 hits, such as “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “An Affair of the Heart,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Love Somebody,” and “Human Touch,” a press release said. “Jessie’s Girl” was a No. 1 hit, and the song earned Springfield a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal.

The Friday night concert at the June 21-22 Secret City Festival features Knoxville-native rock ‘n’ roll band The Dirty Guv’nahs. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival applications now available online

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World War II Re-enactment

The Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge includes one of the largest World War II re-enactments in the South.

Preparations for the 11th Annual Secret City Festival are under way, and applications are now available online.

Vendors and exhibitors can visit www.SecretCityFestival.com and download an application to become involved in this year’s event, which will take place June 21-22 at A.K. Bissell Park.

Applications are available for arts and crafts, exhibitors, and food vendors.

[Read more…]

World War II re-enactments provide glimpse into history

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World War II Re-enactment

American military forces attack the Germans in a re-enactment of a World War II battle during the Secret City Festival on Saturday.

For some spectators, the annual World War II re-enactments in Oak Ridge are more than just entertainment.

Some fought in the war or had relatives who did.

Jonathan Tackett said the re-enactments during the Secret City Festival give him an idea of what his grandfather experienced when he fought in the U.S. Army in Europe.

[Read more…]

Thousands enjoy 38 Special, Jimmy Buffett tribute band

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38 Special

Vocalist Donnie VanZant, left, and guitarist Danny Chauncey play with 38 Special during the Secret City Festival on Saturday. (Photo by John Westcott)

Several thousand people danced and sang as Southern rock band 38 Special played a Saturday night concert in Oak Ridge.

It was likely one of the largest crowds ever for a concert at the Secret City Festival, but organizers could not immediately estimate the crowd size.

[Read more…]

Officials launch new Top Secret Trail driving tour

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Top Secret Trail Launched at Secret City Festival

Oak Ridge and Tennessee officials launch a Top Secret Trail self-guided driving tour during the Secret City Festival’s opening ceremony Friday.

Oak Ridge and Tennessee officials launched a new 465-mile Top Secret Trail—a self-guided tour across 10 counties— during the opening ceremonies for the Secret City Festival Friday morning.

The Top Secret Trail allows travelers to explore Middle and East Tennessee, touring fascinating towns from Oak Ridge, a Secret City during World War II, to Rugby, one of the most authentically preserved historic villages in America, a state press release said.

The trail has 111 points of interest highlighted in a 27-page brochure. It starts in Knoxville and has stops in Clinton, Norris, Huntsville, Jamestown, Harriman, Wartburg, and Oliver Springs, and it showcases the region’s history, culture, music, and food.

[Read more…]

Secret City Festival begins today

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The Secret City Festival begins today at 11:30 a.m. and goes through 7 p.m. Saturday at the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

It features children’s activities, a youth area, music, food, history exhibits, bus tours, arts and crafts, and a World War II re-enactment.

[Read more…]

Tennessee Creates arts and crafts fair Friday, Saturday

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A juried arts and craft fair called Tennessee Creates will feature original arts and crafts from regional artists during this weekend’s Secret City Festival.

Sponsored by the Oak Ridge Art Center, the free arts and crafts fair is called Tennessee Creates. Now in its sixth year, it runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Saturday.

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‘Let Them Eat Cupcakes!’ play reading at Library Saturday

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As part of the Secret City Festival, Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort will present a free reading of Oak Ridge playwright Leslie Agron’s new play “Let Them Eat Cupcakes!”

The reading will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.

[Read more…]