Scenic Roots

Saluting Champions of Health Care in the Chattanooga area. 4 Courses and TN Whiskey Supper; Chattanooga Fashion Expo. On the trail of ambling armadillos in Southeast Tennessee. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Valley Vibes Music & Arts Festival) The Valley Vibes Music & Arts Festival is on the move in Northwest Georgia. This year, the festival returns to Walker County - hosted at Cherokee Farms in LaFayette from Friday, September 23rd through Sunday September 25th. Nate McDaniel and Adam Gann are with the festival. (Valley Vibes Music & Arts Festival)

(SoundCorps) Each month, SoundCorps - the music nonprofit here in Chattanooga - showcases five locally-produced songs in “SoundBites,” which supports our own musicians. Stratton Tingle - executive director of SoundCorps - shares the latest SoundBites with us.

Bessie Smith (Carl Van Vechten / Library of Congress) Next year marks a century since Bessie Smith began her recording career - and in early 2023, the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera will lead a multi-layered celebration of Bessie’s life and music in collaboration with community partners, titled: “Bessie Smith: Orchestrating the Blues.” John Kilkenny is executive director of the CSO. (Chattanooga S...

John Kilkenny on “Bessie Smith: Orchestrating the Blues.” Stratton Tingle of SoundCorps with the latest SoundBites. This year’s Valley Vibes returns to Cherokee Farms in Georgia. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(WTCI PBS) On February 24th of this year, two artists from Ukraine - Denis Sarazhin and Victoria Kalaichi - arrived in Chattanooga for what was meant to be a short visit. They did not know when they left their country that they would be unable to return - because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since then, they have found themselves unexpectedly building a new life here in Chattanooga. In "Before...

(Chambliss Center for Children) For the past nine months, we’ve been looking at the different programs at Chambliss Center for Children - and the impact they have created for the people of Chattanooga since 1872. From the early days of Chattanooga women helping orphans downtown to the agency's partnerships with Hamilton County and beyond, we’ve learned a lot about this organization, now in its 150...

The Harvest Celebration at Flat Top Mountain Farm in Soddy-Daisy, TN is set for September 16th through October 30th. This year’s corn maze has a “Tennessee Road Trip” design. (Flat Top Mountain Farm / Chattanooga Times Free Press) Here in the Chattanooga area, the fall yields a harvest of festivals - often many festivals in many directions at once. How to keep on top of them all? Lisa Denton is th...

From a rehearsal for “The Daughters of the Moon.” (Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga) This week, the first in a cycle of nine plays exploring the African diaspora throughout American history comes to Chattanooga. “The Daughters of the Moon” - produced by Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga - premieres Friday at 7:30 PM at Barking Legs Theater. All the plays in the cycle - known as “The City of the Bayou...

ETC’s “The Daughters of the Moon” at Barking Legs Theater. Lisa Denton, features editor at The Chattanooga Times Press. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Proof Bar & Incubator) And now, a visit to Proof Bar and Incubator in downtown Chattanooga. Our own Nessa Parrish takes us there.

A scene from “The Last Train to Nibroc.” (Back Alley Productions) Tomorrow night, “The Last Train to Nibroc” arrives at The Mars Theatre in LaFayette, Georgia. The latest play from Back Alley Productions is a tale of love, loss and life in rural Kentucky in the 1940's. Madison Smith is executive director at Back Alley Productions - and Jonathan Goff is the director of “Last Train to Nibroc.”

(Park(ing) Day Chattanooga) Almost time to clear the way for the return of Park(ing) Day in downtown Chattanooga. Next Friday, parking spaces will be reclaimed, reimagined and repurposed as “parklets” for people on Broad Street between 4th Street and Aquarium Way. Chattanooga is one of several cities participating in Park(ing) Day. Eric Myers is executive director of Chattanooga Design Studio. Mar...

Birthday candle artwork for United Way of Greater Chattanooga. (United Way of Greater Chattanooga) United Way of Greater Chattanooga is celebrating a century of service - and the celebration kicks into high gear next week. The Impact Days community volunteer event begins on Friday, September 16th - and concludes on Saturday, September 17th with a birthday block party. Taryn Anderson is vice presid...

At United Way of Greater Chattanooga, let the light shine. These spaces are taken … for Park(ing) Day Chattanooga. A collaborative recipe for food and beverage at Proof. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Culture Chatt) A new celebration of, by and for Chattanooga’s Hispanic / Latino community takes place this weekend. Celebra Chattanooga will be held on Saturday at Granfalloon from 3 PM to 10 PM, sponsored by XCeed Events and the nonprofit Culture Chatt. The family-friendly event coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month, a commemoration of many Latin American countries that celebrate their independ...

A BlueCross Healthy Place in Chattanooga’s Highland Park. (IMPACT Parks) How do we bring playgrounds and parks to every community - and every corner of the communities within every community? The City of Chattanooga is now developing a Parks and Outdoors Plan with that goal in mind - while a company based here is working with philanthropists and businesses to invest corporate dollars to achieve th...

Kent Callison at IMPACT Parks on community spaces for all. Jaime Kerns of Culture Chatt on Celebra Chattanooga. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(The Pop-up Project) Over the weekend, Classical x Candlelight opened the fall series of shows at Coosa Mill here in Chattanooga. The series is curated by dance and production nonprofit The Pop-up Project - and presented by Mill Town, the development that surrounds and includes the abandoned Coosa Mill. Next in the series: Opera x Candlelight - on Saturday, September 17th starting at 7:30 PM. Bari...

(Mental Health Fun Fair) Let’s stay with mental health and tell you about another opportunity in Chattanooga aimed at lifting the stigma, providing help - and having fun. On Saturday, September 17th, starting at 5 PM, this year’s Mental Health Fun Fair comes to Miller Park - sponsored by MySuspire, a local mental health organization. Jeigh Billingy is the fair’s executive program director. Brody S...

Arts Building in Chattanooga. (Doug Barnette) This week, Concert for a Cause highlights mental health with an evening of music and storytelling in downtown Chattanooga. On Friday starting at 6:30 PM, four local singer-songwriters will perform at ArtsBuild, sharing how their lives and their music have been impacted by suicide - as September marks National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Admissi...

Hamilton County Courthouse (Matt Hamilton / Chattanooga Times Free Press) It’s a time of transition for Hamilton County Government - and David Floyd is watching the changes unfold. David is the local government reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press - and we spoke with him last week as the county’s new leadership took office.

David Floyd, reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press. Concert for a Cause at ArtsBuild; The Mental Health Fun Fair. Next at Coosa Mill in Chattanooga: Opera x Candlelight. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Hand completing a multiple choice exam. (Alberto G. / Flickr ) How well do students here in Hamilton County perform at grade level on tests taken across the State of Tennessee? Carmen Nesbitt is education reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press - and this weekend, in an article for Sunday’s edition, she analyzes the data on student proficiency and where it needs deep improvement.

(River City Company) A week from tomorrow, Noontunes returns to center stage in downtown Chattanooga. This year’s series of weekly concerts featuring local musicians begins next Thursday, September 8th and runs through Thursday, October 27th - all concerts starting at Noon in Miller Plaza. Dawn Hjelseth is with River City Company.