Cool off with Elsa and Olaf at Barnes & Noble
Friday, Aug. 1
On Friday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m., Elsa from Disney’s “Frozen” will be chilling out at Barnes & Noble Hamilton Place. The children’s section will become a Winter Wonderland where children can meet, have their picture taken with Elsa, and join in a sing-a-long her and other “Frozen” fans. This event is part of the Barnes & Noble Get Pop-Cultured Celebration taking place through Sunday, Aug. 10. It’s also a fundraising opportunity to allow the community to support READ20 Chattanooga, the local non-profit organization that promotes reading to children for 20 minutes a day, and gives free books to underprivileged children in the Chattanooga area. The public is invited to this free event.
Cherokee Heritage Festival
Saturday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3
Red Clay State Park, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian, and the Cherokee Nation will host the first Cherokee Heritage Festival on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Sunday, Aug. 3, at the park. The theme of the festival is “Persistence, Resistance and Perseverance: The Formation of the Eastern Band.” The event will include traditional singing and dancing, Cherokee foods, hikes led by Herbalist Darryl Patton, Cherokee artisans, 18th and 19th century living historians, storytelling, and more. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a traditional game of stickball and listen to lectures about the Cherokee removal and the formation of the Eastern Band. There will be a temporary exhibit in the visitor’s center focusing on the theme of the festival as well. In addition, the first female tribal chairperson, Terri Henry, will visit on Saturday, and Chief Michell Hicks will visit on Sunday.
One-day reptile event
Saturday, Aug. 9
Repticon will return to Camp Jordan in East Ridge, Tenn., Aug. 9 with Reptiday, a new one-day reptile exposition geared toward all ages and personalities. Open to the public, the expo will showcase hundreds of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, spiders, and small exotic animals. Top breeders and vendors will have animals, merchandise, cages, supplies, live and frozen feeders, and more on display. In addition, guests will be able to interact with live annimals during seminars to be held throughout the day. The doors will open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
Sportsbard Sprint Triathalon
Sunday, Aug. 10
Area athletes are invited to test their physical strength at the 18th Annual Sportsbarn Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, Aug. 10. Each year, more than 700 participants and spectators turn out for this challenging event presented by The Sportsbarn. Proceeds benefit First Things First, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening area families. The triathlon will begin at the Chickamauga Dam at 7 a.m. with participants swimming or paddleboarding one quarter-mile in the Chickamauga Lake, and then riding 8.2 miles to downtown Chattanooga via Amnicola Highway. The race will end with a two-mile run along the Chattanooga riverfront and the North Shore. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners overall and in each age group. Register online at www.sportsbarn.net or by calling The Sportsbarn at (423) 266-1125. Pre-registration is required. Registration closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9.
Citizens’ Police Academy
Starting Thursday, Aug. 28
Have you ever wanted to learn more about how the Chattanooga Police Department works? To learn more about what the men and women who patrol and protect our city do on a daily basis? If so, now’s your chance. The Chattanooga Police Department’s Office of Community Outreach is once again holding its Citizens’ Police Academy beginning Aug. 28. This is an eight-week course that gives citizens a glimpse into how our Police Department does its job. Instructors from the Police Department teach each class one night a week, covering a variety of topics including narcotics, homicide investigation, patrol, and the SWAT team. To sign up, contact Officer Wayne Jefferson at 643-5090. Applications must be returned to the office of community outreach no later than Aug. 14.
Fall gardening workshop
Saturday, Aug. 30
On Aug. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon, Crabtree Farms’ Fall Gardening Workshop will prepare gardeners for fall planting. Farm Manager and Education Coordinator Sara McIntyre will be offering tips and tricks for growing fall crops, including beets, carrots, kohlrabi, lettuce, greens, and berry bushes for spring. McIntyre will also offer a list of some of her favorite varieties to grow in our region. Pre-registration is required. Register by calling (423) 493-9155, extension 10, or emailing achill@crabtreefarms.org.