There’s a great sense of communal expression to be found in this weekend’s programming. For makers, gardeners, craftspeople, geeks, and patrons of the fine arts throughout our city. The theme of the weekend is congregating around a cause that feels worthy of investment. With so many different fields to choose from, beginners in any field have the opportunity right at their fingertips.
After Hours – Able Trade (February 26, 5 – 7 p.m.) A programming event tailored specifically for creatives, this event lets the makers of Maker City commiserate and commune under one roof to trade ideas and expressions. This membership-based group allows artists and inventors the space to let ideas flow freely in a safe space. This event is completely free!
The Lone Bellow – Bijou Theater (February 26, 7:30) Off the back of their What A Time To Be Alive LP, recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, songwriting collective The Lone Bellow is harboring a lot of the sun-kissed heritage of the south that they’ve been dancing around their entire career. Unfiltered emotion, raw honesty, and how those two songwriting elements bleed into arrangements so natural they sound ethereal make this band a highlight for anyone seeking authenticity in today’s rapidly expanding music landscape.
Amazing Art Expo – Hilton Knoxville (February 27 – March 1, multiple times). In the lull between Star Wars spinoffs and theatrical events from Marvel, fans and fandoms are congregating at the Hilton Knoxville to dress up and geek out as their favorite characters from the world of sci-fi, fantasy, and anime. On top of booths and cosplay events, guest appearances from anime voice actor Bryce Papenbrook and Eric Stuart will populate the convention center with references and moments ripped straight from your favorite splash panel.
Dimestore Cowboys – WDVX (February 27, 12 p.m.) In their continued campaign to pioneer local artists of all flavors, WDVX is turning back a few pages in the history books for its next set. The Dimestore Cowboys, a six-piece alternative bluegrass group out of Johnson City, weaves those modern sensibilities into a fabric that’s as worn and weathered as the land it croons over. Pushing country music forward while still reverent of its heritage, the sextet might be a hidden gem waiting to be uncovered during a lunch break on Gay Street.
Seed Swap Weekend – Ijams Nature Center (February 28, 12 – 5 p.m., March 1, 11 – 2 p.m.) With spring finally starting to show its face in fleeting moments, a few seeds could be the start of an impressive garden by the time we’ve reached the dog days of summer. Saturday will see a work day for the center, followed by a “seed swap,” where you can procure some botanical inklings for a future investment, with a similar event planned for Sunday. This event is completely free with no registration required.
Winter Farmers Market – Market Square (February 28, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.). Get some grocery shopping done while putting money in your friends’ and neighbors’ pockets. Nourish Knoxville makes an effort to have every vendor come from a hundred-mile radius of Knoxville, meaning that the food isn’t just fresh, it’s contributing to local soil and wallets. On top of general groceries, artisan crafts, and maker products will also be available!
Then Now Next – East Tennessee History Center (February 28, 2 – 3:30 p.m.) East Tennessee has always been a stronghold of either achieving innovation or pushing it along a forward-moving track, something its hands-on workers of today know all too well. With a panel of artists, creators and expressionist souls, you’ll learn how creativity breeds human achievement and where exactly Knoxville falls in with the whole equation of human progress. More than how it got America to where it is, you’ll learn how it can get it to where it wants to be.
A Cast of Character – Bijou Theater (March 1, 2:30 p.m.) Guest Conductor Chelsea Gallo brings a more lighthearted setlist to her Knoxville debut, including staples of classical music that have existed in the international canon for a century or more. With numbers from Beethoven, Zwilich, Maurice Ravel and more, this easy listening Sunday afternoon is a great early weekend sendoff for music fans of all kinds.
Adam Delahoussaye is a freelance writer for KnoxTNToday who loves telling stories about music, arts, and culture in and around his hometown. Have a story for Adam? He can be reached at delahoussaye1267@gmail.com or by text at 865-919-5059 with your story idea.
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