Out & About

The McKinney Center in Jonesborough will feature painter Merinda Crowder in its first exhibition of the year through March 24. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information call 423-753-0562.

Masterpiece Mingle will bring together art, music and food to the McKinney Center in Jonesborough April 28 from 7-9 p.m. This event, which sells out well in advance each year, will feature an exhibit of 125 different works of art, and each guest will take one of these works home. Guests will also enjoy live jazz music by the Jonesborough Rhythm Express, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction featuring more art, books and art supplies. Beer and wine will be for sale by Main Street Café and Catering. Tickets are $50. Tickets are limited to 125 as this is the number of works of art that have been donated. To purchase tickets call the Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423-753-1010 or purchase online at Jonesborough.com/tickets.

The Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts is seeking sponsors for its newest arts and crafts festival debuting later this spring. The Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) Festival: A Celebration of the Arts will be held April 21-23 at the Kingsport Farmers Market. For more information about being a sponsor call 423-392-8416 or email hannahpowell@kingsporttn.gov. For more information about the festival visit arts.kingsporttn.gov.

A three-day workshop titled “Predator and Prey” will take place May 19-21 at the Carousel Carvers Studio, 350 Clinchfield St. in downtown Kingsport. Participants will be guided through the process of creating two wildlife paintings — one of a coyote and the other of a jackrabbit — through a combination of painting demonstrations, lectures and one-on-one instruction. The cost of the workshop is $390 per person, and the classes are limited to the first 18 people who sign up. Sign up for this workshop on Eventbrite using the following link: http://bit.ly/3I1mCwn. For more information email Suzanne Justis at smbjustis@aol.com.

The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas is accepting entries for the 2023 Irene Rosenzweig Biennial Juried Exhibition through June 1. The exhibition is open to artists 18 years or older who reside in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas. Accepted art forms include paintings, drawings, original prints, fiber art, ceramics, sculpture and photography. Beginning this year, digital and video entries are also accepted. The prizes awarded are Best in Show — $1,000; first place — $500; second place — $200; three $100 merit awards; and $2,000 available in purchase awards. For information email mhoward@asc701.org or call 870-536-3375.

Carousel

The Kingsport Carousel is a totally renovated 1956 Allen Herschell carousel located inside the temperature-controlled “Pal’s Roundhouse” at 350 Clinchfield St. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12:30 to 5 p.m. All rides are $1.

Comedy

Comedian Nate Bargatze will bring his "Be Funny Tour" to Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City April 14. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit natebargatze.com.

Concert

The Civic Chorale, under direction of its music director Dr. Rodney Caldwell, will present its next concert March 25 at 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 500 N. Roan St., Johnson City. The concert is titled “Spring Colors.” There is a $10 suggested donation at the door. For more information visit the chorale website at www.thecivicchorale.org.

Dance

Historic Jonesborough Dance Society has moved to the Tusculum University campus, located at 60 Shiloh Road, Greeneville, Building 9 in the old gym in the Niswonger Commons. Contra dances will be held every second and fourth Saturday from 7-10:30 p.m. Contra dances are family-friendly, alcohol-, tobacco- and fragrance-free events. A beginners lesson is held prior to each dance where the basic moves are taught. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and $25 for families. Dress comfortably and wear soft-soled shoes. Bring a water bottle. No concessions available on site.

Gardening

Wildlife biologist and author Shannon Trimboli will discuss "Creating an Eco-friendly Yard for Pollinators and More" on  March 16 at 7 p.m. at the Brightridge Auditorium, 2600 Boones Creek Road (Highway 354) in Johnson City. Sponsored by the Southern Appalachian Plant Society, the program is free, and the public is invited. No registration is needed. For more information call 423-348-6572, email sapsnews@gmail.com or visit http://saps.us/.

Gardening Seminar Series will be held March 18 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Community Room at Sycamore Shoals State Park in Elizabethton. Master gardener Ben Hunter will discuss vegetable gardens and how to maximize yield with the least amount of effort. The event is free to the public, but preregistration is requested. Call 423-543-5808.

Heritage

The Tri Cities Civil War Round Table is hosting a lecture titled "Stephen A. Swails: Black Freedom Fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction." The event will be held at 7 p.m. on March 13 in Room 219 at the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center, 400 S. Wilcox Drive, Kingsport. Admission to the event is free, and the general public is invited. For additional information, please contact Wayne Strong 423-323-2306.

The Kingsport Historical Society will meet at 10 a.m. on March 15 at the Kingsport Chamber's Eastman Board Room.  Tom Vaughn will appear in period dress to present “Letters,” an account of the Overmountain Men, who marched across the mountains to defeat the English Army at the Battle of Kings Mountain. “Colonel” Vaughn will be available for questions following his presentation.

The Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum is open March and April on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. From May to October the museum has regular hours six days a week before returning to a four-day weekly schedule in November and December. The Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum in Jonesborough is open with no admission price, but there is a suggested $2 donation per visitor.

An exhibit titled "Eight Myths About Appalachia" is on display at the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum, located at 117 Boone St. in the Jonesborough Visitors Center. Consisting of eight large panels, the exhibit tackles some of the prominent misconceptions about the region and explores the historical origins and inaccuracies that have been used to describe it and its inhabitants for hundreds of years. The exhibit will be available for viewing until fall 2023.

Library fun

The Kingsport Public Library has StoryWalks next to the library in Glen Bruce Park, in Ridgefields Park and in Preston Forest Park. Each StoryWalk features a different story, and stories are changed quarterly.

Nature

Warriors Path State Park is looking forward to a winter full of outdoor discovery. Scheduled events include Frog Watch March 16 at Jacob's Nature Park. For a full listing of events or to preregister visit https://tnstateparks.com/parks/events/warriors-path/#/?park=warriors-path.

Planetarium

“Forward! To the Moon” will be showing as the main planetarium show at Bays Mountain Park through April. Showings will take place Tuesday through Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at noon and 4 p.m. The 40-minute show is followed by a live tour of the night sky using the planetarium’s optical star projector. For more information visit www.baysmountain.com.

Science

Hands On! Discovery Center is an all-ages science center that offers a guest experience that includes fun, interactive programs and immersive, STEM-based exhibits for the whole family as well as exhibits and information about the Gray Fossil Site, an active fossil dig site dating back 5 million years. Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. General admission is $11 for adults and children 4 and older, free for children 3 and under, and free for members. Tickets may be purchased at https://visithandson.org/tickets.

Theater

The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre will present "School of Rock" through March 19 at the theater, located at 125.5 W. Main St. Shows run Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets are $18 general admission, $16 for students and seniors. There is also a special group rate for parties of 15 or more. To purchase tickets call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423-753-1010 or go online to jonesboroughtheatre.com.

Theatre Bristol will present "The Diary of Anne Frank" through March 19. Performance times are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. at Theatre Bristol’s ARTspace stage, 506 State St. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, plus processing fees, and are on sale now at theatrebristol.org/tickets. For more information call 423-212-3625.

“Chicago” will be presented April 25-26 at East Tennessee State University's Martin Center for the Arts. To purchase tickets visit ETSUMartinCenter.org or call the Martin Center box office at 423-439-2787.

Theatre Bristol will present Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "Oklahoma!" at The Paramount Center for the Arts weekends Sept. 22 through Oct. 1. Tickets are on sale at Paramountbristol.org/event/oklahoma/. For more information call 423-212-3625.

Trains

The Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society and Museum will sponsor a train excursion on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad May 20. Passengers can ride a chartered tour bus out of Kingsport or Johnson City or drive directly to Bryson City, North Carolina. First class ticket price is $170 and includes a meal. Crown class ticket price is $110 for adults and $87 for children (2-12), Tourist coach or open-air coach class ticket price is $94 for adults and $77 for children. Tickets and pre-purchased meals must be ordered online by credit card at http://www.wataugavalleynrhs.org/. Click on the Excursions link.

The Kingsport Model Trains Project operates eight model train layouts in six rooms at the Lynn View Community Center including a 24-by-20 "O" scale representation of the Santa Train. There is a workday every Tuesday from 1-4 p.m. and an open house the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special hours/days are possible for events/birthday parties. Call 423-502-5359, email Kingsportmodeltrains@gmail.com or check us on Facebook.

The Chuckey Depot Museum in Jonesborough is open free of charge, but donations are appreciated. Attendees can visit the museum Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit Jonesborough.com or call 423-753-1010.

Turkey shoot

Leesburg Ruritan will host a turkey shoot every Saturday night through April. It will be from 5:30-7 p.m. with a cost of $2.50 per round with a minimum of five rounds. The location is 1429 Old Stagecoach Road, Jonesborough. For more information call Carl Barker at 856-466-1695.

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