September 19, 2023

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54º | Rain | 99% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:49 a.m. | Sunset 5:46 p.m.

Explore the future of tourism in Chattanooga

What does the future of tourism in Chattanooga entail? Join in on the discussion at this year’s Tourism Summit. | Photo by Kelley Lacy via Chattanooga Tourism Co.

According to Tennessee’s 2022 Economic Impact of Travel report, Hamilton County hosted more than 15 million visitors who spent ~$1.5 billion in our community. Curious to see how tourism will shape our local landscape in the future? Enter: The 2023 Chattanooga Tourism Summit.

The annual event will return on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center with the focus on evolving the future of tourism. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:

Schedule

11 a.m. | Exhibitor Showcase + musical entertainment
12 p.m. | Luncheon + main program
1:15-2 p.m. | Post-summit sessions

This year’s keynote speaker is Paul Ouimet, who will be joined by Chattanooga Tourism Co. President and CEO Barry White to discuss global tourism trends and how to apply them locally.

NOOGAtoday | Convention Center — Learn about the potential future of the Chattanooga Convention Center at the summit.
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Photo by Matthew Mendenhall via Chattanooga Tourism Co.

Breakout sessions

Additionally, summit attendees can attend the optional + complimentary tourism breakout sessions.

Staying Relevant in a Digital World | Miles Partnership
Chattanooga Convention Center Future Study | Conventions, Sports, & Leisure International — Pro tip: read our breakdown to familiarize yourself with the study.

“The economic vitality fueled by tourism creates jobs, supports local businesses, and funds community projects, all of which contribute to making Hamilton County an even better place to call home,” said Barry White. “As we look to the future, our commitment remains steadfast in building upon this success and continuing to showcase the unique offerings and warm hospitality that define our community.”

Get your tickets

Events

Today, Sept. 19

Community Park Walking | Tuesday, Sept. 19 | 7-7:45 a.m. | Stringers Ridge, 1312 Spears Ave., Chattanooga | Free | Come out for a 45-minute walk through Stringers Ridge.
National Voter Registration Day Celebration | Tuesday, Sept. 19 | 4-7 p.m. | East Lake Park, 3000 E. 34th St., Chattanooga | Free | Get registered to vote + enjoy community resources, food, music, and games.

Wednesday, Sept. 20

Recovery Happens Together | Wednesday, Sept. 20 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Miller Park, 928 Market St., Chattanooga | Free | Come out to a celebration of people in recovery, service providers, and allies — treatment, re-entry + prevention resources will also be available at no cost.
Fleet Feet + Oddstory Pub Run | Wednesday, Sept. 20 | 6 p.m. | Oddstory Brewing Co., 1604 Central Ave., Chattanooga | Free+ | Run a 5k route through downtown Chattanooga + enjoy pint night prices at the brewery after the run — runners meet at 5:45 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 21

Gilded Exhibition Opening and Art Wise | Thursday, Sept. 21 | 6 -7:30 p.m. | Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View Ave., Chattanooga | Price of admission | See the opening of the museum’s latest exhibit with an exclusive guided tour led by curator Emily Stamey.
Chattanooga Bacon & Barrel Festival | Thursday, Sept. 21 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | First Horizon Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd., Chattanooga | $44-$55 | Sample signature bacon-themed dishes and 15 types of whiskey + enjoy live music and other drink offerings.

Friday, Sept. 22

Framework for the Future Walkthrough | Friday, Sept. 22 | 9-11 a.m. | Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd., Chattanooga | Free, RSVP | Learn more about Reflection Riding’s plans for the future with president + CEO Mark McKnight.
Summer Forever Beach Bash | Friday, Sept. 22 | 7 p.m. | TailGate Brewery, 1464 Market St., Chattanooga | Free+ | Celebrate the end of summer with drink specials, a new frozen cocktail release, and Hawaiian pizzas.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

Enrollment is now open to serve on Mayor Tim Kelly’s Council on Livability and Aging. Those interested in proposing policies, programs, practices + procedures for older adults in Chattanooga can submit an online application by Friday, Oct. 27.

Closing

Asarum World Deli (located inside the East Gate Town Center) announced it will be closing its doors. The shop stated in an Instagram post that it will be using the space and time “to create some new and exciting things.” Note: The Asarum Food Truck will continue its operations.

Festival

Keep Soddy-Daisy Beautiful will host its Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to. 3 p.m. at Soddy Lake Park. Join members of the community for food, family-friendly activities, music, and a variety of vendors to shop from.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, tickets are now on sale for the Pop-Up Project’s “Until the Sun Rises” immersive art performances at Coosa Mill. Read more about what to expect from this year’s shows.

Edu

Southern Adventist University’s annual A Taste of Southern gala will return on Thursday, Sept. 28 at The Chattanooga Hotel. The gala will showcase various aspects of the university to the local community, along with musical performances and first-generation student presentations.

Award

Bridge Outdoors (a Bethlehem Center program) + White Oak Bicycle Co-Op are finalists for the Outdoor Accessibility & Education Award from Land Rover USA. Folks can vote once a day through Wednesday, Oct. 4.

Cause

The Chattanooga Food Center is conducting a survey to gather feedback for its bi-monthly walking club. Survey participants will receive a $5 token that can be used for produce at Gaining Ground Grocery, Crabtree Farms, or the Main St. + Brainerd farmers markets. Take the survey.

Health

Have you heard of Cempa Community Care? In addition to providing a wealth of health services, the local health center provides important + effective HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services. See our Q+A with Cempa’s team with answers to readers’ questions about HIV.*

Edu

Looking to expand your horizons? ChattState can help. The first step: identify your educational or career goals (think: first-time or returning student, workforce development, or lifelong learner). The next step: Enrollment information customized to your education journey — and a world of endless possibilities.*

Outdoors

🌳 Get ready for more trees + green spaces

Research has been conducted to identify the key project areas. | Map provided by Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors Department

The City of Chattanooga has been awarded a $6 million grant from the USDA for enhancing green spaces + urban forestry zones in designated communities.

The grant will fund the development + maintenance of trees, parks, and greenery over a five-year period — with no additional costs required from the city.

Created by the USDA’s Urban & Community Forestry Program, the grant focuses on encouraging cities “to promote increased equitable access to urban tree canopies.”

What the grant will fund

An expanded tree inventory + urban forest management planning
Tree maintenance
Enhancement of riparian zones
Remote sensing imagery acquisition + processing
Graduate student funding for environmental analysis
New urban forestry staff, specialized teams + skilled crews

“Chattanooga’s outdoors and natural beauty are among our city’s strongest assets, and this is a tremendous boon to the investments that the city and our local partners are already making to ensure that every neighborhood can share in the benefits of urban tree canopy cover.” — Mayor Tim Kelly

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Kristen Templeton

From the editor

Over the weekend, I picked up some delicious-looking Honeycrisp apples from Little River Orchard at this year’s Apple Festival. I can’t decide what I want to use them for though, an apple crisp or an apple crumble cake perhaps. If you’ve got a recipe to share, I’m all ears.

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