March 16
Gain “A Sense of Place”
The Jewish Cultural Center is hosting an exhibition of paintings, photographs and prints titled “A Sense of Place” at its gallery at 5461 North Terrace Road. The gallery will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March 16
Bicycling for preschoolers
Bring the kids and learn why training wheels are passé at Outdoor Chattanooga’s free Winter Workshop, Bicycling for Preschoolers, scheduled for 6 p.m. at Outdoor Chattanooga in Coolidge Park. The Chattanooga Trek Store will bring striders, or “push bikes,” for the pre-K crowd to try. To learn more, call Outdoor Chattanooga at 423-643-6888.
March 16-18
Area seniors invited to free St. Patrick’s celebration
Creekside at Shallowford independent retirement community, located at 7511 Shallowford Road in Chattanooga, invites the public to its free St. Patrick’s Day weekend events. The community will host a traditional Irish stew on March 16 at 12:30 p.m., a St. Patrick’s Day celebration with finger foods on March 17 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and a Sunday brunch on March 18 at 12:30 p.m. To RSVP, call 423-485-9933.
March 17
Community Garden Roundtable
Hamilton County Master Gardeners will host the First Annual Community Garden Roundtable at 2009 Curtain Pole Road from 10 a.m. to noon. Activities will include a lunch-and-learn planning session during which participants will be able to share gardening experiences and develop ways to better support one another’s gardening efforts. Door prizes will include garden seeds, cool weather seedlings, birdhouses, rain barrels, garden tools and more. The event is free. RSVP to jmauldin@chattfoodbank.org.
March 17
CSO String Quartet at Northgate Library
Enjoy the music of the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra String Quartet beginning at 11 a.m. at the Northgate branch of the Chattanooga Public Library, located at 278 Northgate Mall Drive.
March 21
2012 Small Business Awards Breakfast
The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce will present its 2012 Small Business Awards from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Breakfast will be served. The finalists in the 1-20 employees category are A Silverware Affair, Episode 49 and Office Furniture Warehouse; the finalists in the 21-50 employees category are Allied Eye Associates, Chattanooga Business Machines and Hullco Exteriors (“Hey, buddy!”); the finalists in the 51-200 employees category are InfoSystems, Rock City and Ruby Falls; and the finalists in the nonprofit category are Chattanooga Kids on the Block, Lifeline and McKamey Animal Center. To make your individual or corporate reservation, email events@chattanoogachamber.com or call 423-763-4366. The deadline for reservations is March 16.
March 24
Ready to Garden workshop
Crabtree Farms will host the first of two gardening workshops from 10 to noon. Topics will include soil preparation and testing, planning, fertilization, site selection, weed and pest control, and planning for the various gardening seasons. The cost for non-members is ten dollars. Crabtree Farms is located at 1000 East 30th Street. The second workshop is scheduled to take place April 7.
March 24
Award-winning illustrator at the library
Award-winning artist and illustrator Michael White will present an interactive family program beginning at 11 a.m. at the Chattanooga Public Library – Downtown. White is the illustrator of several children’s books, including “The Library Dragon” and “The Secret of Old Zeb.” The free program will include hands-on drawing techniques and step-by-step lessons on how to start your own book.
March 24
Plant a tree on the South Chickamauga Greenway
The Hamilton County Water Quality program and the City of East Ridge will host a tree planting family volunteer day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. along Spring and South Chickamauga Creeks. Volunteers will help replace trees in a buffer zone by the creeks. Pre-registration is required. To register or learn more, call Leah Crisp at 423-209-7857 or Trisha Startup at 423-867-7711.
March 29
Park Stewardship Program town meeting
The City of Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department and the Chattanooga Park Stewards Committee during a town meeting from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Stadium Club at Finley Stadium will discuss their initiative to create a Park Stewardship Program that will improve the environmental and aesthetic quality of local parks and greenways through the contributions of volunteers.
Through April 9
Women’s mountain bike clinics
Scott’s Bicycle Centre in Cleveland, Tenn., will host a series of women’s mountain bike clinics on Monday evenings from 6-8 p.m. at area state and local parks. Women of all skill levels are invited to learn the basics of riding, mountain biking technique and trailside repairs from instructor Elizabeth Glas. To learn more or register, email michele@scottsbikes.com.