• Pops in Burr Park | Friday, June 30 | 6:30-10 p.m. | Burr Performing Arts Park, 101 S. Hamilton St., Dalton, GA | Free+ | Enjoy live music, a performance of patriotic arrangements, a craft area for the kids + fireworks.
• Nightfall | Friday, June 30 | 7 p.m. | Miller Plaza, 850 Market St., Chattanooga | Free+ | Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy food trucks, artist vendors, and live music by Interval + Jason Lee Wilson & James County.
• The Taylor Party: Taylor Swift Night (Eras Version) | Friday, June 30 | 9 p.m. | The Signal, 21 Choo Choo Ave., Chattanooga | $15-$35 | Don’t let it be a cruel summer — experience the “Eras Tour” spun by a DJ.

• Soddy-Daisy Independence Celebration | Saturday, July 1 | 9 a.m. | Soddy Lake Park, 197 Durham St., Soddy-Daisy | Free+ | Celebrate Independence Day with festivities, games, food trucks, live music, and a firework show.
• Summer Squeeze | Saturday, July 1 | 12-5 p.m. | Velo Coffee Roasters, 509 E. Main St., Chattanooga | Free+ | Shop from 20+ vendors and sip on brews from Naked River Brewing Co. — the coffee ride begins at 8 a.m.
• Bobby Stone Film Series: “Moonrise Kingdom” | Saturday, July 1 | 7 p.m. | The Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga | $6-$12 | See a special showing of the Wes Anderson classic film “Moonrise Kingdom.”

• Red, White, and Blueberries | Sunday, July 2 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | First Horizon Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd., Chattanooga | Free+ | Celebrate Independence Day early with a special edition of the Chattanooga Market including a blueberry pie eating contest.

• In case you missed it, we were able to get an exclusive look inside TVA’s Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant. Want to learn about how dams make power? Read all about it + see it in action.

• The Fourth of July is coming up fast. If you’re as excited about seeing fireworks + eating hot dogs as much as we are, check out our guide on local happenings to celebrate.

• The EPB Board has approved a 4% electric rate increase in Chattanooga — the first rate increase for any of EPB’s electric rate offerings since 2015. Pending TVA approval, the increase will go into effect beginning with October billings. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Why go?

• Duck is a water lover’s dream. Since it’s a part of a chain of islands off the coast of North Carolina — you have the ocean on one side + the sound of the city on the other.

Act like a local

• Head north to Corolla to see wild horses or climb the historic Currituck Beach Lighthouse. Duck is just a ~20-minute drive from some fun + historical sites — like the Wright Brothers’ Memorial and Jockey’s Ridge State Park.

Where to stay

• Vrbo: Oceanfront Condo, a boardwalk’s distance from the beach (~$186/night)

• The perfect outdoor string lights do exist, and they’ve got a secret weapon: solar power. Light up your yard with a 50-ft strand.*

• A crushable summer beverage that won’t leave you with a hangover the next day? Try Ritual Zero Proof’s All Day Margarita made with alcohol-free tequila.*

• How to make skincare more fun: the Marshmallow Whip Maker, which turns any cleanser into a fluffy, marshmallow-like foam that’s rich and creamy on the skin.