See performances by the Chattanooga Fire Cabaret at the fest. | Photo by Ray Soldano via Barking Legs Theater
What do you get when you bring together 70 local artists to perform over the course of two days? Chattanooga’s first Fringe Fest.
Fringe Fests, which originated in Edinburgh, Scotland, are meant to celebrate independent artists + give them a space to showcase their work to new audiences. Barking Legs Theater (BLT) is bringing this experience to the Scenic City on Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9.
You can expect over 20 performing arts events, ranging from theater and dance to aerialists + comedians — and so much more.
Need-to-knows
Performances will take place across four stages: BLT Stage, Elks Stage, BLT Garden + Live in the Lot.
Free parking will be available in the grass lot on 14th Street + Dodds Avenue.
This event is rain or shine.
No outside food or drink is allowed (there will be food trucks on-site to purchase food, drinks + alcohol).
Fringe Fest merch will be available (you can even stop by a tie-dye booth to customize your shirt for free).
Schedule
You can check out the full schedule for Friday + Saturday online. We recommend scrolling through the audience guide to see which performances are family-friendly or appropriate for general or mature audiences.
Bonus: You should also keep an eye out for “Wild Card” events at the fest that aren’t on the schedule — aka, get ready to expect the unexpected.
Tickets are on sale now with options to pay per performance or grab a day or weekend pass + children 12 years and under get in for free. Pro tip: Snag your tickets before Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. to get them at a discounted price.
Volunteers are also needed to help with parking, the box office, vending, etc. Sign up for a two-hour shift to help out — you will receive a free Fringe Fest t-shirt to wear during your shift.
Events
Events
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Poetry Book Club | Tuesday, Oct. 29 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Society of Work at Somer Station | Free, RSVP | Discuss Hanif Abdurraqib’s “The Crown Ain’t Worth Much” at this month’s contemporary poetry-focused meeting.
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Grand Opening | Wednesday, Oct. 30 | 4-8 p.m. | Crunch Fitness | Free+ | Take a tour of this new 35,000-sqft gym opening in Hamilton Place.
Bobby Stone Film Series | Wednesday, Oct. 30 | 7:30 p.m. | Walker Theatre | $13 | Watch the silent-horror film “Nosferatu” while Radiohead’s “Kid A” + “Amnesiac” plays over it.
Thursday, Oct. 31
Trick or Treat | Thursday, Oct. 31 | 3-7 p.m. | Collegedale Public Library, Collegedale | Free | Head to the library in costume or your favorite Halloween/fall shirt to receive a treat bag.
Art-O-Ween Gallery | Thursday, Oct. 31 | 6-9 p.m. | St. Andrews Center | Free+ | See a collection of artwork from local and regional artists + live dance performances.
Friday, Nov. 1
Cawwwwl of the Corvids | Friday, Nov. 1 | 1-1:30 p.m. | Cloudland Canyon State Park, Rising Fawn, GA | Free | Learn more about crows + other members of the corvid family — meet at the Interpretive Center.
Hands-on Fermented Vegetables Workshop | Friday, Nov. 1 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Crabtree Farms | $49 | Learn how to make probiotic-rich, gut-healthy fermented vegetables in this class — plus, take a batch of sauerkraut home to ferment and enjoy later.
The City of Chattanooga’s 2024 property tax bills are now available online. The deadline to pay this year’s property taxes is on Friday, Feb. 28. Pro tip: Chattanoogans who are 65+ can see if they qualify for tax relief programs by contacting the Office of the City Treasurer at 423-643-7262.
Community
Get creative with your facial hair at the Chattanooga Market’s annual Chattanooga Beard Contest on Sunday, Nov. 3. The contest begins at 1:30 p.m. + you can enter your beard in several categories — like the longest beard or most festively decorated — for a chance to win prizes.
Announced
The National Medal of Honor Heritage Center announced that its annual Brick of Honor Dedication Ceremony has been rescheduled to March 29. Production of the bricks for the ceremony was set back due to recent hurricanes impacting the center’s brick manufacturing partner.
Concert
The Quiet City pop-up concert series will return on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Julie Darling Donuts in NorthShore. See performances by Nic Blevins, Jerry Holiday + Rachel McIntyre Smith beginning at 8 p.m. (The Pulse)
Arts
Save the date — Townsend Atelier’s annual Holiday Portfolio Show + Sale is slated for Saturday, Nov. 23. The event will feature over 200 works of art by 12 Chattanooga artists. Pro tip: Check out the “First Dibs” night on Friday, Nov. 22 to get your hands on the pieces early. (The Pulse)
Plan Ahead
The Chattanooga Zoo has announced this year’s Asian Lantern Festival themes. Expect hundreds of hand-crafted lanterns — displaying a variety of dinosaurs and wildlife from the Amazon Rainforest — Wednesday through Sunday nights from Nov. 26-Jan. 19.
Health
Noise filtering, nearly invisible, rechargeable, long-lasting: Check, check, check, and check. This tiny hearing device turns noise into clarity, isolating the voices you care about for crystal-clear convos.*
We want to know if any of our readers have had ghostly encounters in the area. Maybe you saw a ghost while taking a tour through the Citizens Cemetery or while enjoying a drink in The Bitter Alibi’s basement.
We’ll go first, while taking a tour of The Read House’s Haunted Room 311, the feeling of the room was definitely creepy. When we took video footage, we thought we may have caught an orb on video — but we’ll let y’all be the judge of that.
If you’ve had an unexplainable encounter, share it with us below for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.
A 60% off deal on an LED floor lamp perfect for your entertaining space. The minimalist lamp can be set to dozens of color combinations + light effects for the exact ambience you desire.
I’m anxiously awaiting the opening of Hoptown’s Southside location. Check out this sneak peek of the space on Rossville Avenue — don’t worry, we’ll share the opening details as soon as we know them.