July 18, 2024

Today’s Forecast

84º | 59% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:40 a.m. | Sunset 8:53 p.m.

We’re on X Games mode

A man diving in to the Tennessee River with the Tennessee Aquarium behind him

Get ready to welcome professional athletes from nearly 20 states + three countries. | Photo by Nathalie DuPre via Travis Sims

Let us introduce you to a first-of-its-kind extreme sports music festival that will be taking over our riverfront + the Tennessee River for the next three years: The Chattanooga River Games.

Brought to you by professional cliff diver and CEO + Founder of Cliff Cruise Travis Sims, this three-day event — held from Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28 — will feature internationally recognized sports, from diving and rock climbing to wakesurfing and BMX.

Sims said Cliff Cruise combines cliff jumping with cleanup efforts in local watering holes around the US + Guatemala — since its beginning, participants have collected 30,000-40,000 pounds of trash.

“Over the last seven years, I’ve been trying to use cliff jumping and extreme sports as a catalyst to promote environmental action,” he said.

Last year, Sims brought his work to Tennessee and forged a connection with Outdoor Chattanooga + Chattanooga Tourism Co., resulting in the creation of this event. Fun fact: Outside of Red Bull, this is the first time a city has granted permission for public diving.

Let’s dive in to some of the bigger need-to-knows.

NOOGA | Chattanooga River Games — “These sports are accessible to everyone, and I want to raise the awareness of how awesome the communities are in this area.” — Travis Sims.
|
Photo provided by Travis Sims

Daily festivities + participation

The festival is free and open to the public from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. each day and will feature international diving competitions. Those interested in competing can DM Sims for more information.

There will be activities suitable for all ages and skill sets. Think: Slacklining and kayaking demonstrations, a Ramp Jam from ChattSkates + guides from pro wakesurfers.

Some other highlights include electronic music + DJs, a partnership with Riverfront Nights, and a film screening with Lookout Wild Film Festival.

Bonus: Attendees will also be able to connect with local outdoor groups, shop a vendor market, and enjoy bites from food trucks.

Conservation + volunteering

During the River Games, there will be a clean-up along the riverfront + on Sunday, July 28, you’ll be able to head over to Greenway Farms to volunteer as well. Prizes will be given to those that collect the most trash.

Sign up online to volunteer during the festival + stay tuned for clean-up registrations.

Asked

What is the world record for cliff jumping?

A. 42 meters (138 ft)
B. 26.9 meters (88 ft)
C. 62.6 meters (205 ft)
D. 58.8 meters (193 ft)

On the edge to know

Events

Thursday, July 18

Fresh Out the Shoebox Poetry Sessions | Thursday, July 18 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Floor Five of The Edney Innovation Center, 1100 Market St., Chattanooga | Donation | This open mic night welcomes readers, writers, and listeners of poetry of all ages.
Summer Camp at Reflection Riding | Thursday, July 18-Friday, Aug. 2 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd., Chattanooga | $250-$300 | 300 acres of hands-on discoveries, wildlife encounters + unforgettable outdoor adventures await kids ages 5-13 at Reflection Riding’s two summer camps.*

Friday, July 19

Nightfall | Friday, July 19 | 5:30-10 p.m. | Miller Park and Plaza, 850 Market St., Chattanooga | Free+ | Grab your chairs and blankets to see performances by Jax Hollow and Jess Goggans + enjoy a market and lawn games.
Evan Honer | Friday, July 19 | 9 p.m. | Barrelhouse Ballroom, 1501 Long St., Chattanooga | $20-$25 | See this young and upcoming artist known for crafting a musical blend of modern outlaw country, indie-folk + alt-pop.

Saturday, July 20

Clay Day | Saturday, July 20 | 12-4 p.m. | Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St., Chattanooga | Price of admission | Participate in air-dry clay activities with Scenic City Clay Arts + get a wheel-throwing demo.

Sunday, July 21

Bobby Stone Film Series | Sunday, July 21 | 2 p.m. | Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga | $13.50 | Get a special screening of Tim Burton’s fantasy world in the 2003 film “Big Fish.”

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Development

Sage Hill Investors and CFC recently broke ground on its new headquarters at 1602 Riverfront Pkwy. The 65,000-sqft “Project Starball” development (a nod to CFC’s logo) will include retail, office, and apartment space, along with a restaurant + rooftop bar that is expected to be completed in January 2026.

Community

Walker Rocks Playground, a new all-abilities playground in nearby Walker County, GA, has opened to the public. The community is invited to attend a ribbon cutting for the new addition to the Civic Center complex in Rock Spring on Wednesday, July 31 at 11 a.m. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Coming Soon

The Ooltewah area will soon be able to say “as seen on ‘Shark Tank’” when it comes to the opening of Crispy Cones. This franchise hopes to open by September, bringing its dough cone soft-served ice cream + that was made popular in places like the Czech Republic. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Sports

Next month will bring 24 high school football teams to compete at Finley Stadium during the annual “BlueCross Bowl… Prelude to a Championship.” Formerly known as the Jamboree, this event will take place over two weekends beginning Friday, Aug. 9. (Chattanoogan.com)

Cause

Applications are now open for Tennessee American Water’s 2024 Firefighting Support Grant Program. Uniformed, professional, and volunteer fire departments can receive up to $1,000 to cover costs for equipment + training. Applications must be submitted by Friday, Aug. 16, and recipients will be notified in September.

Family

United Way of Greater Chattanooga will host its second annual United for Working Families Summit on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at The Westin. From 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., folks will hear from speakers + join in on discussions about how to foster family-friendly workplaces across our community.

State

After 45,000 votes were cast statewide, the final four contestants of the inaugural Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee have been chosen. The winner of the contest will be announced at a luncheon at the PIE Innovation Center in nearby Cleveland on Thursday, July 25. See finalists + cast your vote.

Health

Ah, summer — long days, kayaking the river, a cold drink on the porch… and a sprained ankle? When summer doesn’t go as planned, Cempa Community Care can help. Bonus: That’s just one of our six health tips to keep the summertime adventures going.*

Try This

*Slams laptop shut for an hour*

An aerial shot of a park showing food trucks lined up on the perimeter and folks strolling along the green.

This is your friendly reminder to take a break from your workflow. | Photo provided by River City Co.

Take a break, folks — well after you read this first. River City Co. has a new series for the workers of Chattanooga.

Enter: “Take a Break,” a 12-week daily program that encourages residents to pause their workday and step away from the screens. Whether you’re in a downtown office or a close commute away, you can head to Miller Park to enjoy food trucks every Wednesday during your lunch hour — try Bopcha and Chef Chasty Seafood on Wednesday, July 24.

To ensure the most relaxing downtime, the Downtown Chattanooga Alliance will also send out its ambassadors seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Thursday, Aug. 1 to provide:

New seating with shade
Games like ping pong, cornhole, table-top chess + checkers, and spike ball
Extra maintenance and cleaning services

Bonus: Music will also be playing from the main stage.

The Buy

Dreo’s oscillating tower fan for your bedroom, which is ultra-quiet, circulates cool air, and is still on sale for Prime Day.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Haley

From the editor

If you’re a reader who enjoys food deals more than drink deals, you might want to dump right into Ernest Chinese over in Southside. Seven days a week you can now enjoy Dumpling Hour + get half-off dumplings, crab rangoons, and draft tiki drinks. If you see me from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., there’s always a seat at my table.

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