Let’s trade in those turkeys for some merriment. | Photo provided by Ruby Falls
Whether you’ve still got guests in town or you’re looking for a way to walk off those pies, we’ve got a full weekend of things you don’t want to miss as the Scenic City transitions from Thanksgiving to the merry holidays.
This almost month-long celebration will begin on Friday, Nov. 29 where you can see festive decorations and lights in the Village Plaza, meet Santa on select days, and enjoy treats by the fireplace.
Winter Wonderland but make it underwater. Starting Friday, Nov. 29, you can enjoy festive touches like a light-bedecked tree twinkling in sync with the jolts of an electric eel, Scuba Claus dives + showings of “The Polar Express 3D” in IMAX.
On Sunday, Dec. 1 from 3 to 7 p.m., you can enjoy live music, food trucks, a cookie contest, the Chattanooga Elf, and see the City of Collegedale light its tree at 6:30 p.m.
Noogalights | Monday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Dec. 29 | 6-10 p.m. | Soddy-Daisy Park Bird Sanctuary, Soddy-Daisy | $12+ | Hop in the car to enjoy this attraction that has made its return with more lights, new animations + bigger displays, all synchronized to holiday music.
Jazz Band Concert | 7:30-9 p.m. | Chattanooga State | Free | Hear this student band perform selected jazz standards under the musical direction of Jay Stanfill.
Tuesday, Nov. 26
Community Thanksgiving | 4:30-7:30 p.m. | East Ridge Community Center, East Ridge | Free | Gather with the community to enjoy all your favorite parts of the grateful holiday, including a shared meal.
Wednesday, Nov. 27
Festive Forest | 5 p.m. | Miller Park | Free | Come out to see the lighting of 80 trees in this downtown park, each decorated by a local business or organization.
Thursday, Nov. 28
Thanksgiving Feast | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | Rodizio Grill Hamilton Place | $16+ | Feast on seasonal favorites like orange turkey, stuffing, gravy + cranberry sauce — reservations are encouraged.
Friday, Nov. 29
Cookie Decorating Workshop | Friday, Nov. 29-Sunday, Dec. 1 | 12-4 p.m. | Creative Discovery Museum | Price of admission | Bring the whole family for a festive and fun experience as you design and decorate delicious cookies together — each cookie is $6.
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Local officials recently held a ribbon cutting for the new Lake Resort Drive Bridge. This $5.8 million project — which was funded through a state relief program — created a bridge rooted in bedrock to ensure the road will be accessible even if there are clay topsoil shifts in the area.
Traffic
Speaking of bridges, the new bridges on South Moore and McBrien Roads over I-24 are open starting today, Nov. 25. This project began in December of last year + was expected to not be completed until January. See the improvements made.
Ranked
The Human Rights Campaign has released the 2024 Municipal Equality Index, with Chattanooga scoring a total of 67 out of 100 points. This score is 11 points higher than 2023, and can be partly attributed to the launch of the city’s LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group — read the success story.
Biz
Local retail spot Cassette Skateshop recently partnered with California-based Chocolate Skateboards to create a limited edition Chattanooga deck. The collaboration is part of Chocolate’s 30-year “Flip the Script” line to highlight skate communities across cities.
Try This
Craving Vietnamese food? Try Supreme Tea & Bánh Mì over on Gunbarrel Road. This spot recently opened + offers over 20 tea flavors, smoothies, and a selection of banh mi sandwiches.
Listen
In case you missed it, today, Nov. 25 is the last day to sign up as a passport stop for Make Music Winter. If you’re hosting any type of live music on Sunday, Dec. 1 through Saturday, Dec. 21, get your event added for folks to enjoy on their adventure.
Arts
The City of Red Bank is highlighting two beautified electrical boxes that were recently painted by local artists. You can see Karen Estes’ “Mysterious Little White Bird” at the Dayton Boulevard Taco Bell + Jessalyn Claire’s mural across the street from The Meeting House.
Eat
Looking for more holiday gift ideas? Here’s the scoop: Clumpies Ice Cream Co. Pint Packs make gift-giving sweet and simple. Choose from signature flavors like honeycomb and campfire, or shop the Holiday Collection, available on Friday, Nov. 29.*
Holiday Pick
For a limited time, you can give the gift of a lifetime of languages for less. Think: Forever access to all of Rosetta Stone’s immersive + engaging lessons at more than 60% off. Snag the deal.*
Finance
This leading card is one of the best-kept secrets for managing debt. The key: Transfer your existing balance and pay it down as much as possible during the intro period (this one offers 0% interest until 2026).*
Travel
Going’s “Best sale of 2024" is here with up to 50% off select memberships for a limited time. Sign up to save an average of $500 on international flights.*
Correction
In our Friday newsletter, we shared garbage + recycle collection changes for the upcoming holiday and mistakenly wrote the incorrect day. Collections on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 28) will be on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Category
Read
📚 Stock your shelf with local reads
Stop by one of Chattanooga’s local bookstores to pick up your next read. | Photo by NOOGAtoday
What’s better than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor (or former neighbor). Get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about locally written books in Chattanooga.
Psst: These would be perfect as a stocking stuffer or gift.
“The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge” by Matthew Hubbard | Release date: April 30, 2024 | This YA coming of age novel is about three queer teenage boys setting out to get revenge on their exes, but end up fighting their school’s anti-LGBTQ+ initiatives.
“Yeti Needs a Haircut” by Angela Halgrimson | Release date: March 22, 2022 | This fun book tackles the never-ending battle of children’s first haircuts.
“Images of Rail: Chattanooga’s Terminal Station” by Justin W. Strickland | Release date: April 29, 2009 | Dive into the history behind our iconic landmark, the Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station.
“It’s Just a Phase” by Ray Zimmerman | Release date: Nov. 1, 2024 | This poetry book invites readers to find joy and reflection in the cycles that shape our world accompanied by the author’s personal photos and drawings.
A king size sherpa electric blanket that’s 22% off for early Black Friday. Save $30 on this warm, washable electric blanket, great for yourself or as a holiday gift for a friend.
Last week, we quizzed you all on if you knew how many trees were a part of the inaugural Festive Forest. The 38.2% of readers who guessed 50 trees were correct. Now, the forest has expanded to 80.
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