City

The newly unveiled plan is an investment in early childhood care + education. | Photo by NOOGAtoday

Early Matters — a Chattanooga 2.0 action team made up of 35 local organizations invested in positive early childhood outcomes — has unveiled its 2025 Early Childhood Action Plan.

The plan details improvements in early childhood care + education that will take place over the next three years in Chattanooga. The initiative comes from detailed studies, research, and community engagement to determine what local children need to thrive.

There’s a lot to unpack in the 87-page plan, but here’s a breakdown of the plan’s goals, timeline, initiatives, and cost.

Goals

The plan ultimately aims to create a cycle of success to ensure children in our community have equitable access to high-quality health, early education, and family support services.

Three specific outlined goals of the plan’s three-year period can be found here.

Implementation

The plan includes a combination of evidence-based strategies piloted by Implementation Partners + local organizations. The strategies are broken down into these categories:

Improving physical health, mental health + development
Supported families with supportive communities
Improving high-quality learning environments from birth to age eight

The plan also details recommended changes to current policies to improve early childhood care + education, ensuring the community works together to permanently solve greater issues.

The cost

Some strategies included in this plan already have funding secured (school-based health clinics + high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring, for example).

Others will require investment from the public or private sectors, or grants that will be applied for by the Implementation Partners.

A detailed account of estimated individual strategy costs can be found in the full 2025 Early Childhood Action Plan.

Stay in the loop

Over the course of the next three years, you can receive semi-annual progress reports to see how the plan progresses, or reach out to Early Matters for additional information.

EVENTS

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Today

15th Annual Not-So-Silent Auction | Thu., Oct. 27 | 6-9 p.m. | Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter St., Chattanooga | $125+ | This fun + unique spin on a charity auction will feature games, a wide selection of food, and an auction celebrating the best of Chattanooga.
Noontunes Concert Series | Thu., Oct. 27 | 12-1 p.m. | Miller Plaza, 850 Market St., Chattanooga | Free | Today’s Halloween-themed performance will be by Genki Genki Panic. 🎵

Friday

Campfire Concert Series | Fri., Oct. 28 | 6:30-10:30 p.m. | Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd., Chattanooga | $25+ | Enjoy a concert by Call Me Spinster under the stars.
Dia de los Muertos Celebration | Fri., Oct. 28 | 6-10 p.m. | Creative Arts Guild, 520 W. Waugh St., Dalton | Free+ | Celebrate and remember our loved ones who have passed on with live music + performances, costume contests, crafts, food, and drinks.

Saturday

Bessie’s Halloween Bash | Sat., Oct. 29 | 12-5 p.m. | Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. MLK Blvd., Chattanooga | Free+ | Wear your Halloween costume and trick-or-treat around the lawn with local nonprofit and community organizations. 🎃
East Ridge Fall Ball | Sat., Oct. 29 | 3-5 p.m. | East Ridge Community Center, 1515 Tombras Ave., East Ridge | Free+ | The East Ridge Community Center is hosting the city’s first Fall Ball event for adults ages 55+. 🍁
Monster Mash | Sat., Oct. 29 | 3-5 p.m. | Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga | $15+ | It’s not just a concert, it’s not quite a play — it’s a monstrous mashup. 👻

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

69º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain ☀️

Opening

The grand opening of Hamilton County’s Construction Career Center will take place this Fri., Oct. 28. The 28,000-sqft vocational workforce center for construction trades will offer education + training for up to 200 Hamilton County high school students and TCAT adult learners. 👷
Chattanooga’s newest assisted living and memory care community, Rockbridge Oaks, will open its doors on Thurs., Nov. 3 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony + open house celebration from 4-6:30 p.m.

Civic

The Hefty EnergyBag program has expanded to Hamilton + Bradley Counties. The program provides a solution for hard-to-recycle plastics like plastic utensils, candy wrappers, pet food bags, and foam takeout containers that would otherwise be thrown away. Learn more + take part here.

Real Estate

A Lookout Valley mansion recently sold for $8.7 million, becoming the biggest home sale in Chattanooga’s history, according to the Times Free Press. The over 13,000-sqft mansion features six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and an infinity pool overlooking the river. 🏠 (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Community

White Oak Bicycle Co-op — which recently hit a milestone of 500 bicycles received, repaired + distributed — received a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to educate children ages 6-16 in low-income and underserved local populations on bicycle safety. 🚲 (Chattanoogan.com)

Biz

Wood + Wolfe — a new permanent jewelry pop-up — will be at several upcoming local events: Camp Jordan’s Christmas Village from Nov. 19-20, The Daily Ration’s Fall Market on Nov. 19, and The Chattery’s Makers Market on Nov. 26.
Chattanooga has another coffee roaster in town. Kuokos Coffee is a same-day roaster operating in town + available for purchase online — check it out here. ☕

Job

On Fri., Nov. 4, Urban Story Ventures will host a Midtown Hiring Fair with Councilwoman Carol Berz + the city’s Office of Workforce Development. Participating employers span across various industries including hospitality, health care, manufacturing, education, and more.

Art

The new family-friendly Chattanooga Art Fest will take place Nov. 12-13 in Coolidge Park. The event will showcase local, regional, and national artisans and makers + feature a “Kidz Zone” and festival food. 🎨 (The Pulse)

Plan Ahead

On Sat., Nov. 5, the second annual “Honoring Those Who Serve” parade will take place in Fort Oglethorpe. The parade honoring veterans + those who serve the community will take place at 10 a.m. in the Big Lots parking lot on the corner of Highway 27 and Battlefield Parkway. (Chattanoogan.com)

Shop

Looking to relieve muscle soreness without dropping $150+ a month on a deep tissue massage? Enter: the RENPHO massage gun. It has 17,000+ five-star reviews and is on sale for $99 (down from $249) for a limited time.*

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Events

We won’t rein(deer) on this parade

See festive + colorful boats parade along the Tennessee River at this event. | Photo provided by River City Company

The 42nd annual Lighted Boat Parade + Reindeer on the Riverfront will return to the Chattanooga Green and Ross’s Landing on Fri., Nov. 25 with fun for people of all ages to enjoy.

Beginning at 4 p.m., live reindeer + Santa will be available for free pictures (attendees are welcome to bring their own cameras for photo opportunities). Fire pits, miniature train rides, food and drink, and art vendors will also be on site.

The Lighted Boat Parade will commence at 7 p.m., featuring over 20 boats decorated in festive + colorful lights. Following the boat parade, fireworks will be launched over the Tennessee River at 8 p.m.

Pro tip: Bring your lawn chairs + blankets to view the boat parade and fireworks. 🎇

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Kristen.

Editor’s pick: Calling all “Stranger Things” fans. You need to stop by Unknown Caller Bar this week for its “Upside Down” themed decorations + drink menu. I’ll definitely be trying the “Hawkins Breakfast” (complete with a mini Eggo waffle on top) and “Mindflayer” cocktails, but the rest of the menu looks amazing.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Want to see, taste, and participate in different cultures without leaving Chattanooga? Here’s how to do it.

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Editorial: Brianna Williams, Kristen Templeton, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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