The Chattanooga Zoo’s annual event returns Oct. 24-25 and 31 with trick-or-treating, character meet-and-greets, a bounce house, a scavenger hunt and festive decorations. Popular characters like Elsa, Spider-Man and Moana will be on hand for photos, courtesy of Magic Lamp Entertainment. Boo in the Zoo runs 4-8 p.m. each night. Tickets
SATURDAY, OCT. 25
Local Authors Fair
The Chattanooga Public Library will host local writers across all genres 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Downtown Library. The annual event features author readings, book signings and interactive activities for readers of all ages. Visitors can attend readings on the library’s outdoor plaza, make DIY bookmarks on the first floor and attend a special reception and reading for the Chattanooga Writers’ Guild’s newest anthology, “RidgeCut.” Organizers say the fair is a chance to meet the authors behind Chattanooga’s growing body of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and children’s literature. The event is free and open to the public.
Fire Up the Fields
Sculpture Fields at Montague Park’s signature fundraising event will blend art, music and food with the burning of a monumental wooden sculpture created by local artist Andrew Nigh. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with live music, food trucks and beverages. The sculpture burn is set for 8:30 p.m., followed by an afterparty until 10:30 p.m. Proceeds will help sustain the nonprofit’s mission of maintaining and operating the city’s 33-acre international sculpture park. Tickets
SUNDAY, OCT. 26
Chattanooga Jazz Festival
The Chattanooga Choo will swing to the sounds of jazz, blues and funk 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free and open to the public, attendees can expect a full day of live performances, beginning with Lon Eldridge and continuing through a lineup that includes the Given Graber Trio, The Time Travelers, Jim Crumble Quartet, Dexter Bell and Friends, UTC Jazz Band and the Premier Jazz Orchestra. The celebration will continue with an official afterparty at Wanderlinger Brewing 6:30-9:30 p.m. featuring Jared White and Friends. With support from the Lyndhurst Foundation, Arch Audio Studios, River City Company, Songbirds, Barking Legs Theater, WUTC 88.1 and Clean Right Solutions, the festival expects around 2,000 attendees. Sponsorship opportunities are available until Oct. 3. Information
MONDAY, OCT. 27
Free pickleball lesson
Learn the basics of this fast-growing sport at a free beginner clinic for adults 10-11:30 a.m. Hosted by the Collegedale Parks and Recreation Department, the clinic will take place on the Collegedale Pickleball Courts, located behind Collegedale City Hall. Paddles and balls will be provided. Participants should wear athletic clothing and shoes and bring a water bottle.
TUESDAY, OCT. 28
Women’s self-defense class
Learning self-defense can be an effective way for women to take charge of their personal safety. To help make that possible, the Collegedale Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with Greg Roy’s Martial Arts Academy to offer a free self-defense class for women and girls ages 14 and up. The class will take place 6-7:30 p.m. in the West Room at Collegedale City Hall, 4910 Swinyar Drive. Register
THURSDAY, OCT. 30
Fireside Concert
Chattanooga’s Parks and Outdoors Department will host an evening of live acoustic music at Greenway Farm Park in Hixson. Guests are invited to bring blankets, chairs and picnic suppers to enjoy a free, family-friendly concert by Sam Dean 7–9 p.m. around a campfire beside the historic Sniteman Log Cabin. Parking will be available in the nearby field.
FRIDAY, OCT. 31
Food Truck Friday
Food Truck Friday will bring music and meals to Red Bank City Park Oct. 31 5:30-8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOV. 1
Cane Car Show
Held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 2015 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road in Ooltewah, this event is open to the public. Proceeds will benefit the Forgotten Child Fund, which provides gifts and support to local children in need during the holiday season. This year’s show will feature classic, antique and modified vehicles, along with free food, raffles and games. Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 vehicles. The event is being planned and promoted by students in Coraleigh O’Neal’s East Hamilton High School Introduction to Business and Marketing class.
MONDAY, NOV. 3
Navigating Tariffs panel
The Scott L. Probasco, Jr., Distinguished Chair of Free Enterprise at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s International Business Council will co-host a free discussion, “Navigating Tariffs: From City Hall to Global Markets,” 5-6:30 p.m. in Fletcher Hall. Moderated by Adam Myers, vice president of economic development at the Chamber, the panel will explore the economic and policy impacts of tariffs on supply chains, global trade and Chattanooga’s economy. Panelists include Dr. Claudia Williamson Kramer, Probasco Chair at UTC; Tim Kelly, Mayor of Chattanooga; and Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves. The event is free and open to the public, with arrival and networking from 5 to 5:30 p.m. and the discussion from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Register
‘American Revolution’ screening
WTCI PBS will present a free preview screening of the latest documentary from filmmakers Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. In partnership with local libraries and community organizations, the event will give audiences an early look ahead of the film’s national broadcast premiere Nov. 16. The screening is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3, at WTCI PBS Studios. The event will include live Revolutionary War-era music performed by Tom and Fran Morley, along with presentations by the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.
NOV. 7-9
Hamilton County Fair
Title sponsor Little Debbie will bring three days of music and family fun to McDonald Farm in Sale Creek. This year’s concert lineup features Diamond Rio, Brandon Davis, Amber Carrington and Jason Crabb. Fairgoers can enjoy amusement rides (included with admission), a rodeo, the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, agricultural exhibits, fireworks and the return of Racing Pigs. On-site parking is free and children 10 and under receive free admission. Special pricing is available for veterans, active military, seniors, first responders and teachers. Tickets
SATURDAY, NOV. 15
Touch-A-Truck
The Junior League of Chattanooga will host its annual event 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Warner Park. The family-friendly occasion will feature more than 30 vehicles, including emergency response trucks, construction machinery and farming and manufacturing equipment, giving children a hands-on opportunity to explore and learn. The event also allows children to meet the people who operate the vehicles, connecting real-life careers to the equipment they use. Tickets
THURSDAY, NOV. 20
Gratefull
The 10th annual community Thanksgiving meal will take place 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., turning the middle of the 200 block of East Martin Luther King Boulevard into one long table where all are welcome to enjoy a free traditional feast. Attendees are encouraged to bring donations for The Maclellan Shelter for Families (nonperishable food, coffee supplies, disposable plates and silverware, toothpaste, diapers and laundry items). Hundreds of volunteers are needed; sign up at ihelpchattanooga.org. For sponsorship or support opportunities, contact Dawn Hjelseth at dawn@rivercitycompany.com or 423 265-3700.