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Hot topics for the Thanksgiving table

Introduce these niche + fascinating topics at your next holiday meal to avoid the awkward silences or relationship questions.

A view from the Walnut Street Bridge overlooking the Tennessee River.

There’s a wide world of Chattanooga-themed topics to discuss on the horizon.

Photo by NOOGAtoday

Table of Contents

Allow us to set the scene — Thanksgiving, 2022. Aunt Mildred’s house. Dinner is served, and the conversation has just begun...

It’s awkward. Cringey. And you know the topic of your relationship status is incoming — so you stop it in its tracks + bring up one of these Chattanooga-themed conversation starters. Thanksgiving dinner saved. 🙌

The best Thanksgiving side dish

According to this map, Tennesseans’ favorite side dish for Thanksgiving is sweet potato casserole — but what’s the table’s take on that? We’re just glad we’re not living in Maine...

The Broad Street reimagining

Back in September, the City of Chattanooga, Chattanooga Design Studio, and River City Co. started asking Chattanoogans to help create a plan for Broad Street’s future. So, here comes the table topic — how would you reimagine Broad Street? Better bike lanes? Wider sidewalks? More trees? Discuss. (And afterwards, take the survey before it closes next week.)

Fun facts about Chattanooga

Impress your friends and family with these 15 interesting facts about the city. Quiz them on which ones they do or don’t know — like how many historically significant women named Mary Walker lived in Chattanooga.

Why Chattanooga is the best

Have family visiting from out of town and secretly enjoy starting a fight at the table? Bring up all the reasons why Chattanooga is significantly better than any other city in Tennessee — we even have points to make you seem super impartial, like the fact that Knoxville is fine if you like that particular color of orange.

Local lore

Ask the table to share their theories on local lore. Our suggestions: the legend of Green Eyes (is it just deer or the spirit of a soldier?), Underground Chattanooga (is the old Chattanooga buried below downtown’s streets?), or Shipley Hollow (do you believe the many creepy accounts from over the years?).

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