Plan Ahead: Don’t miss these events happening in Chattanooga

Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.

A polished black classic car with open doors and hood on display indoors. It sits on a mirrored platform, showcasing shiny chrome wheels.

If you’d like to see cars like this 1963 Chevy, discount tickets are sold at O’Reilly Auto Parts stores.

Photo via World of Wheels Auto Show

Lucky you. You just found NOOGAtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Chattanooga each month.

Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.

(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)

Conventions + festivals

World of Wheels Auto Show | Friday, Jan. 9-Sunday, Jan. 11 | Times vary | Chattanooga Convention Center | $5+ | Check out one of the South’s biggest auto shows featuring custom cars, hot rods, motorcycles, and more.

Lookout Wild Film Festival | Thursday, Jan. 15-Sunday, Jan. 18 | Times vary | UTC Fine Arts Center, Roland Hayes Concert Hall | $43+ | This powerful film festival celebrates adventure, conservation, and the people connected to wild places.

Grunge Fest | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 9 p.m. | Barrelhouse Ballroom | $25+ | Experience the sound and spirit of 1990s grunge with tribute bands Hollow (Alice In Chains) and Creep (Stone Temple Pilots).

An empty, large cinema auditorium with rows of red seats facing a big screen showing a nature scene. The lighting is dim, creating an inviting atmosphere.

The screen at UTC’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall will be twice the size of last year’s.

Photo via Lookout Wild Film Festival

Theater shows

Elvis - Up Close and Personal | Friday, Jan. 9 | 8-9:30 p.m. | Barking Legs Theater | $28+ | Celebrate Elvis’s 91st birthday with an intimate, high-energy show featuring the music that made him a legend.

“Kinky Boots” | Friday, Jan. 16-Sunday, Jan. 18 | Times vary | Memorial Auditorium | $55+ | Grab tickets to this Broadway hit filled with catchy songs, colorful characters, and an unlikely friendship.

Broadway Sings Queen | Friday, Jan. 23 | 8-11 p.m. | The Signal | $93 | Broadway meets Queen for a night of unforgettable hits and performances.

Energetic stage performance with eight performers in sparkly red outfits, striking a dynamic pose against a shimmering red backdrop, conveying excitement.

The Broadway musical “Kinky Boots” won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Music shows

GOLDN Dance Party | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 5-8 p.m. | The Signal | $25 | Grab your friends for a night of dancing to all of your favorite K-Pop songs.

Monsters of Yacht: Yacht Rock Tribute | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 8 p.m. | Barrelhouse Ballroom | $25+ | Set sail for a smooth night of yacht rock classics from the 1970s and 1980s.

April Mae & The June Bugs | Thursday, Jan. 15 | 5 p.m. | The Woodshop | $15+ | Enjoy a night of swing, jump blues, and Americana storytelling with this high-energy band.

Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac | Friday, Jan. 16 | 6:30-7:45 p.m. | First Cumberland Presbyterian Church | $32+ | Experience the music of Fleetwood Mac in an intimate, candlelit setting.

Brotherhood – A Doobie Brothers Tribute Band | Friday, Jan. 16 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Songbirds | $25+ | Sing, dance, and relive the music of the Doobie Brothers with this 7-piece band.

Noah Guthrie | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Songbirds | $20+ | He’s known for his rich, soulful voice that blends country, rock, and storytelling.

“Star Wars: A New Hope” in Concert | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | Memorial Auditorium | $60+ | The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will bring Star Wars to life with an orchestral performance of John Williams’ legendary score.

Three men perform on stage in front of a seated crowd, wearing SWAT hats and black outfits. Behind them, women sit, some smiling, creating a lively atmosphere.

Need a girls’ night idea? This event might deliver.

Photo via Girls Night Out, The Show

Comedy shows

Graham Kay | Friday, Jan. 9-Saturday, Jan. 10 | 7 p.m. | The Comedy Catch | $23+ | Enjoy a night of stand-up from this award-winning comedian you may have seen on some late-night shows.

Bo Johnson | Wednesday, Jan. 14 | 7 p.m. | The Comedy Catch | $23+ | Catch this viral sensation for a night of offbeat comedy.

Girls Night Out, The Show | Tuesday, Jan. 27 | 7-9:30 p.m. | The Comedy Catch | $21+ | Prepare for a wild night — this interactive show will have you staring, dancing, and laughing from start to finish.

Danny Jolles | Friday, Jan. 30-Saturday, Jan. 31 | 7 p.m. | The Comedy Catch | $23+ | Watch Danny Jolles — from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and HBO’s “Hacks” — in a live stand-up show.

Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:

  • Go to our Events page.
  • Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
  • Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
  • Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.