The Chattanooga Market will serve up a feast this Labor Day weekend as the annual Fall Food Truck Rally rolls into First Horizon Pavilion. Featuring more than three dozen food trucks, live music and local brews, the event is expected to draw thousands of visitors. Festivalgoers can expect everything from tacos, Thai and Cajun favorites to burgers, paninis, doughnuts, empanadas and more. Returning favorites include Mimi and Papa’s Crepes, which offers sweet and savory options; Johnny Popper’s, known for its crowd-pleasing burgers; and Chef Chasty Seafood and More, helmed by recent FiveStar Food Fight winner chef Chasty Lane. Adventurous eaters can try new arrivals like Wei To Go, a Chinese food truck, while vegan visitors can enjoy dishes from the Chubby Vegan. Dessert lovers will find plenty to savor, too, including treats from Wally’s Fro-Yo, which serves a variety of frozen yogurts – including sugar-free and dairy-free options. The festival will also feature live performances by singer-songwriter Katie Cosentino, who will take the Lodge Cast Iron Sizzle Stage for two sets starting at 12:30 p.m. Local breweries will also be on hand. The Chattanooga Market opens at 11 a.m.
THURSDAYS IN SEPTEMBER
Noontunes Concert Series
Performances will take place Thursdays noon-1 p.m. in Miller Park on Sept. 4, 11 and 25. Hosted by the City of Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors and the Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Noontunes offers attendees an outdoor midday break complete with music, games, food trucks and community activities. The 2025 season is sponsored by City of Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors, Tennessee Arts Commission, EPB, First Horizon Bank and Tennessee American Water.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 7
Nosh-A-Nooga
Chattanooga’s annual Jewish Food Festival will take place noon-2 p.m. at the Waterhouse Pavilion and Miller Park. “Nosh” means “small bite” in Yiddish. Attendees will find many dishes to sample – from brisket sliders and bourekas to kugel, rugalach, falafel, challah and kosher hot dogs. Nineteen foods from both Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions will be available, with each table featuring information about the history and cultural significance of the dishes. Traditional bakers and cooks will be on hand to answer questions, though recipes will not be provided. Organizers recommend purchasing tickets in advance at www.jewishchattanooga.com. Tickets will also be available at the door. A highlight of the festival is challah, a braided bread rich in history and symbolism. Traditionally the centerpiece of the Shabbat table and many Jewish holidays, challah dates back to medieval Europe, where braiding originated in 15th-century Austria and Southern Germany. Jewish bakers adopted the style, with intricate braids symbolizing the Sabbath bride’s hair. In America, new ingredients like eggs, sugar and poppy seeds transformed challah into the sweeter bread many know today.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 11
Alan Broadbent jazz piano concert
Two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist, arranger and composer Alan Broadbent will perform a solo piano concert at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall, with proceeds benefiting WUTC-FM 88.1. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at utc.edu/arts-and-sciences/fine-arts-center, at 423 425-4269, or in person at the UTC Fine Arts Center Box Office. Broadbent, a New Zealand native, has performed with Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, Chet Baker, Sheila Jordan, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole and others. He earned two Grammy Awards for Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, recognized for his work on Cole’s “When I Fall in Love” and Shirley Horn’s “Lonely Town.” Broadbent’s collaborations have also included Paul McCartney, Linda Ronstadt and Rod Stewart. He is a recording artist with Savant Records. The event is made possible by a gift from Ken and Nancy Dryden.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13
Kayak & Paddle Board 5K
Paddle for PanCAN will host its annual race 10 a.m.-noon at the Suck Creek Boat Launch in Chattanooga. The 3.1-mile event welcomes paddlers of all skill levels to navigate upstream toward Williams Island and back, with proceeds benefiting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). Over the past five years, the event has raised more than $36,000 to support pancreatic cancer research and awareness. Participants can race in adult male, adult female or tandem kayak divisions, with prizes for winners and raffles for all. A team fundraising challenge will spotlight top fundraisers on the official event T-shirt. Registration is $40, with an optional post-race lunch at River Drifters. Register
THURSDAY, SEPT. 18
Collegedale library grand opening
After months of remodeling and renovations, the Katie Lamb Public Library invites the community to a grand reopening celebration 4-6 p.m. at 9318 Apison Pike. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, light refreshments and a scavenger hunt designed for all ages. Named in honor of former Collegedale Mayor Katie Lamb, the library underwent an extensive makeover after a significant rise in community usage and participation in its programs prompted the city to upgrade the facility. Visitors will see several new features, including a larger meeting room, three private study rooms and an expanded children’s book area. The grand opening will feature a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting the library’s programs and services.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24
Voices
Taking place at The Chattanoogan Hotel 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga’s annual luncheon fundraiser will focus on women’s health, access to quality care and the impact of policy on community well-being. Dr. Shae Connor and Stacy Martin will be the featured speakers. Connor, a board-certified and fellowship-trained gynecologic oncologist at UT Erlanger Women’s Oncology, specializes in disparities in health care and quality improvement initiatives. Martin is a national advocate for stomach cancer awareness, genetic testing and hereditary cancer prevention. After learning she carried the rare CDH1 genetic mutation, she made the life-saving decision to undergo a preventative total gastrectomy in 2019. Today, she works across the country to advance research, shape policy and strengthen resources for the hereditary cancer community. Purchase tickets
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26
Bacon & Barrel Festival
Taking place at the First Horizon Pavilion, this event will feature an evening of bacon-inspired dishes and a wide selection of barrel-aged spirits. Local restaurants will compete for top honors with their best savory and sweet bacon-infused creations. Attendees can sample dishes from more than 20 participating eateries, sip a curated selection of bourbons and whiskeys and cast their vote for the best bite of the night. Live bluegrass music and meet-and-greets with distillers will complement the tasting experience. Participating restaurants include 423 Taco, Bad Daddy’s, Big Bad Breakfast, Burger Republic, Civil Provisions, Clever Alehouse, Common Table, Drake’s, Harry’s, Hoppy’s North River Corner Market, Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint, Kai Bistro, Kinley Chattanooga, Mike’s Hole in the Wall, Nic & Norman’s, Puckett’s, Ruby Sunshine, Southside Social, The Bitter Alibi, The Daily Ration, The Edwin Hotel, The Grove at DoubleTree and Whiskey Cowgirl. Tickets include unlimited samples of bacon-themed dishes and 12 whiskey tastings. Additional beer, wine and full-sized cocktails will be available for purchase. The event is open to guests ages 21 and over; a valid ID and ticket are required for entry. Tickets
SATURDAY, SEPT. 27
Scenic Stitches Spectacle
Coolidge Park will transform into a giant fiber arts playground as the community explores oversized weaving, arm knitting and other large-scale textile crafts 1-5 p.m. Free and family-friendly, the festival will feature hands-on stations where visitors can experiment with unconventional fiber art tools such as cross-stitching with cording instead of thread. Local fiber artists will offer live demonstrations, an artist market and food vendors. The event will also debut a colorful yarn bombing installation where crocheted creations are temporarily stitched to park fixtures like trees, benches and bike racks.
THURSDAY, OCT. 2
Blueprints for the Future
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga will debut a reimagined version of its signature fundraiser 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the First Horizon Pavilion. The evening will feature remarks from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball head coach Dan Earl and a keynote address from former Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry. Berry is a two-time Hall of Fame inductee and Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor. Proceeds will support Habitat Chattanooga’s mission of expanding affordable homeownership. Sponsorships are available. Information
SUNDAY, OCT. 26
Chattanooga Jazz Festival
The Chattanooga Choo Hoppie’s 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 from 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