Thursday, August 19
Join in the fun and magic with the extremely talented troupe of Tennessee performers for Circus Moon at Ijams Nature Center from 7 – 9 pm. Fundraiser booth sales will be open from 6 – 9 p.m.
Circus Moon is an art fundraising event and marketplace to raise funds for artists and art grants for “To The Moon,” a Tennessee Burn. The night will be filled with acrobatic performances, music and so much more. Gate and marketplace open at 6 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m. There will be beer sales and a food truck on site. Tickets are $15. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the performance from the lawn in front of the Visitor Center at Ijams. For more information go here.
Friday, August 20
Theatre Knoxville Downtown presents a distaff twist on “The Odd Couple,” running through Sept. 12. Florence Unger and Olive Madison are at it again in Neil Simon’s hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of “The Odd Couple.” Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constazuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same. This show will be set in 1985. Performance times are at 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sundays. General admission tickets are $20. For more information go here or call 865-544-1999.
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McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at Circle Park on the UT campus presents Between the Hand and Sky: The Art of Elizabeth Gould through December 4. The exhibition is FREE to the public. Elizabeth Gould (1804–1840) is best known as the lifelong assistant of her husband John Gould. Together the couple published a series of ornithological texts chronicling thousands of bird species. However, Elizabeth Gould was more than just the assistant to or wife of her husband. Elizabeth’s artistic contributions to ornithology have been chronically underrepresented, though she is responsible for some of the most important illustrations of birds ever published. During her lifetime, she designed and lithographed more than 650 natural history illustrations. This exhibition of more than thirty lithographs and books seeks to bring Elizabeth Gould to the forefront and acknowledge her life’s work and artistic contributions. The museum is open Tuesdays – Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information go here or call 865-974-2144
Saturday, August 21
Mabry-Hazen House will have FREE self-guided tours from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Living historians will be on site to share the history of Victorian life on Mabry’s Hill.
Learn about the origins of Knoxville’s iconic Market Square, the bitter divisions of the Civil War, the infamous 1882 Gunfight on Gay Street, a mountain city in the New South, the scandalous 1934 breach of promise and seduction trial, and much more about Tennessee history through the rich, colorful lives of the Mabry and Hazen families.
Tickets are not required but donations are always appreciated. Mabry-Hazen House is located at 1711 Dandridge Avenue, 37915. For more information go here or call 865-522-8661.
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Knoxville Opera hosts a Knox County Health Dept Block Party from 2-4 p.m. This block party is dedicated to serving those experiencing homelessness, but all are welcome to join in. Bass-baritone Michael Rodgers and artistic director & pianist Brian Salesky will be performing from 3–3:20 pm.
The event is FREE. There will be food, music, giveaways, narcan training, HIV testing, HEP-C testing, case management, and more. The party will be held at 418 North Broadway, 37917 at the bridge underpass. For more information go here.
For info on other local events, contact the Arts & Culture Alliance.