Art
“Grounded,” a new exhibit by artist Mark Bradley-Shoup, is on display at the William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, Virginia, through April 25. “Grounded” focuses primarily on the exploration of architectural form and how it interacts with space. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For information on exhibitions or events visit williamkingmuseum.org or call (276) 628-5005.
High school students in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District are invited to submit entries for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition. The theme for this year’s contest is “Backroads and Byways.” Interested students must submit a photograph of their original artwork to either the Christiansburg or Abingdon district office by 5 p.m. on April 21. Each entry must be accompanied by a completed student information release form, which is available by contacting a 9th District office or visiting www.morgangriffith.house.gov. The winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol complex for one year. The second and third place selections will be on display in one of the 9th District offices. For more information call (276) 525-1405.
Tickets for Masterpiece Reveal are now available. This year’s event will be an in-person and online hybrid event. The event will feature an exhibit of 125 works of art, and each ticket holder will receive one of these works. The artwork, which has been donated by regional artists, includes such mediums as watercolor, acrylic, ceramics, fabric art, jewelry and woodwork. The live event that will be aired April 23 at 7 p.m. Ticket price is $25. For more information and to purchase tickets visit mckinneycenter.com. Jonesborough’s McKinney Center will also host a silent auction including gift baskets from downtown businesses, large works of art, packs of art supplies, and more. The items in the auction will be included in a silent auction photo album on the McKinney Center’s Facebook page starting on April 19. Bidding will end on April 23 at 8 p.m.
The Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University is hosting two exhibits celebrating the career and influence of a longtime art professor M. Wayne Dyer. “Field of Life: Monument Structures,” which explores the artistic career of Dyer, and “Depth of Fields,” featuring artwork by his former students, are on display through March 19 and March 26, respectively. The Reece Museum is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information visit etsu.edu/reece or call (423) 439-4392.
The McKinney Center in Jonesborough is looking for vendors and artists for a series of markets. The dates of the markets are May 7-8, June 11-12, and July 9-10. Due to the need to social distance, space for vendors and artists is limited. Vendor criteria, booth space and logistics can be found at https://townofjonesborough.regfox.com/mckinney-center-markets. For more information call the McKinney Center at (423) 753-0562.
The Kingsport Art Guild is accepting entries for the 55th Appalachian Art Show, a juried show for fine art from the southern Appalachian region. The show will be exhibited April 5 through May 17 in the Main Gallery on the second floor of the Renaissance Center in Kingsport. Artists 16 years and older are invited to submit artwork completed in the past two years. A complete list of guidelines, fees, prizes and instructions for online entry can be found at www.kingsportartguild.com. Deadline for entry is March 21.
“Honky Tonk: Portraits of Country Music, 1972-1981” is now on display at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. “Honky Tonk” is a collection of photographs taken by renowned photographer, filmmaker, teacher and author Henry Horenstein. Horenstein’s images capture performers like Dolly Parton, Doc Watson, Loretta Lynn and Del McCoury throughout their careers. “Honky Tonk” will be on display through March 28.
The William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, Virginia, has announced a call for artists for its biennial exhibition, “From These Hills: Contemporary Art in the Southern Appalachian Highlands.” The call is open to artists working in any media — painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, glass, textiles, mixed media, video or performance art — in the geographic areas of Southwest Virginia, Northeast Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southern West Virginia, and Eastern Kentucky. The exhibition will open Sept. 30. Deadline for submissions is July 19. For more information email [email protected] or call (276) 628-5005 x106, or apply online at williamking
museum.org. under “Call for Artists.” Submission fee of $20 is required upon entry.
Ballet
The Kingsport Ballet will stage the ballet classic “Coppelia” April 16-17 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville. The plan is for audiences to attend the ballet in person in limited numbers as well as virtually. Should that change in the coming months, audiences will be able to purchase livestream tickets. More information will be available closer to the show date.
Carousel
The Kingsport Carousel has reopened to the public with limited hours and limited capacity. The carousel will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. The carousel will close between 2:30 and 3 p.m. for cleaning. Guests should wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines. Guests will enter on the farmers market side or Food City side of the building and will exit through Carousel Park.
Gardening
Dr. David Lockwood, UT Extension specialist on tree fruits, nuts and wine, will speak on “Easy-to-Grow Fruit Crops” on March 18 at 7 p.m. in an online program sponsored by the Southern Appalachian Plant Society. Lockwood will provide guidance on which fruit crops are best adapted to our area and how best to plant and care for them. This program is free via Zoom, but preregistration is required. To register, see the SAPS web page: http://saps.us/. Registration deadline is noon on March 18.
Heritage
The Chester Inn Museum’s award-winning series History Happy Hour is returning for a fifth year. Presentations are held on the third Thursday at 6:30 p.m. each month from March through November. On March 18 Tusculum University’s Dr. Ashley Rattner will speak on “Benjamin Lundy, East Tennessee and the Early Abolitionist Press.” For more information visit www.heritageall.org.
The Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum is now open for 2021, and visitors can expect to find two new exhibits on display. The first exhibit is “Black in Appalachia: African American History in Kingsport,” a traveling exhibit on loan from the Kingsport Archives. It will be on display through July 4. The second exhibit is “From Here to There: A Brief History of Transportation in Jonesborough.” This exhibit traces the evolution of travel from horse and carriage through railroad and automobile and explores the impact that road, railroad, and a
ir travel had on the area. In March and April the museum will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m, There is no admission price, but there is a suggested $2 donation per visitor. Face coverings are available for a $1 donation. For more information call (423) 753-4580.
The haunted and historic buildings of Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site will be open to the public for two nights of paranormal investigations on March 24 and 31 from 6 until 11 p.m. The S.R.S Paranormal team is back to guide the hunt as they use their investigative equipment and teach the public the methods of their profession. There will be a limit of 20 participants each night who must be 12 years or older. Please email [email protected] or call (423) 926-3631 to register. Cost is $25 per participant. Tipton-Haynes is located at 2620 S. Roan St., Johnson City.
Library fun
Interested in World of Warcraft Classic but don’t have any friends playing? Looking for a way to connect with local gamers while stuck inside due to COVID? Join the Kingsport Public Library’s WoW Classic Social Guild the Model City Murlocs meeting every Saturday in March from 8 to 10 p.m. on the Ashkandi Server (Alliance Side). For more information and a link to the guild’s Discord server, visit the library’s event calendar at www.kingsportlibrary.org.
Do you have what it takes to survive Pastry Week? The Kingsport Public Library will host The Great British Bake Off Trivia Night on March 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. on Kahoot! A link to the Kahoot Trivia will be posted on the library’s Facebook page and event calendar on the evening of the event.
The Kingsport Public Library will host Minecraft Night on March 23 from 8 to 10 p.m. Join on Discord, discord.gg/PzGXxMX, to chat while participants play and access the realm link. All ages welcome. (This event will only work for individuals running Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.)
Nature
Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium’s Nature Center, park trails and animal habitat area are open. Guests are requested to wear a mask when visiting the Nature Center. Nature programs are $3 per person or free for park members. Barge rides are $5 per person or free for park members. Tickets are available in the Nature Center. For more information visit www.baysmountain.com or call (423) 229-9447.
Saint Patrick’s Day
Jonesborough will celebrate the St. Patrick’s holiday through March 21 with a fun run, a rock hunt, a sip-and-stroll event, and by turning the clock tower green. Take part in the St. Paddy’s Family Fun Run anytime through March 21. Those taking part can run, walk or jog the route. The fun run is for all ages, and there is no fee to enter. Downtown at Dusk kicks off with a St. Paddy’s themed evening on March 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. Purchase a ticket to enjoy beverage tastings at more than 10 locations. Beverage tasting tickets are $20 and are available at Jonesborough.com. The Jonesborough Rock Hunt is also under way. Rocks are hidden from the Chuckey Depot Museum all the way to the Jonesborough Visitors Center. You may find a rock redeemable for a St. Paddy’s surprise at a Jonesborough business.
Scavenger hunt
Fifteen bronze animal sculptures have been installed in various locations throughout downtown Johnson City. Clues for the “Wildabout Walkabout” scavenger hunt are available at various downtown businesses and through curbside pickup at the Johnson City Public Library. The clues may also be accessed on the Downtown Johnson City website at www.downtownjc.com/wildabout. The sculptures are located around the Johnson City Public Library, in and around King Commons, and along Main and Market streets.
Storytown
On March 22 at 7 p.m., the StoryTown Radio Show will present a livestream production of “Women in Motion,” an episode dedicated to and all about local women leaders and educators who work to advance education and care for all in our region. The livestream is free and can be accessed on the StoryTown Radio Show’s Facebook page.
Theater
Barter Theatre will offer a free online reading of a new musical, “Maud Muller,” on March 14. The play is being read by members of Barter’s Resident Theatre company, and there will be a live Zoom discussion on March 14 at 3 p.m., where audiences can give their feedback. The reading can be accessed by going to Barter’s website at www.bartertheatre.com.
Theatre-at-Tusculum will present the comedy “Greater Tuna” on March 18, 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. and March 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. in the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center Theatre at Tusculum University. Because of the pandemic, capacity for all shows will be limited to 100 guests. Everyone who attends will need to wear a face covering and observe physical distancing. Touch-free temperature checks will take place upon entry prior to each performance for the safety of all guests. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for anyone 60 and older. To reserve tickets, call (423) 798-1620.
The Barter Players’ brand-new adaption of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is streaming free March 18-31 as a part of Pro-Art’s Spring 2021 season. Get free access to watch on demand by visiting proartva.org/tomsawyer and submitting the request form. You will be emailed a link and passcode to the stream on March 17. You can watch Barter On Demand content on any device that has a web browser, and Pro-Art staff will do their best to assist with any technical issues subscribers may have. For more information call (276) 376-4520 or email [email protected].
Barter Theatre has announced its 2021 spring season at the Moonlite Drive-In starting April 8. Leading off the spring is William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” Also at the Moonlite this spring is C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.” At Barter’s Moonlite Drive-In, families are able to watch live theater from the comfort of their cars in a completely safe environment. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.bartertheatre.com or by calling the Barter box office (276) 628-3991.
Trains
The George L. Carter Railroad Museum, located in the Campus Center Building on the campus of East Tennessee State University, has reopened to the public. The museum is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Heritage Day is held the last Saturday of each month. There is no admission fee to the museum, but donations are welcome. A preregistration link is provided to encourage patrons to schedule a time to visit: https://tinyurl.com/y3ba5uto. The Carter Railroad Museum can be identified by a flashing railroad-crossing signal at the back entrance to the Campus Center Building. For more information call (423) 439-6838.
Jonesborough’s Chuckey Depot Museum has debuted its newest exhibit, “As Fast as Birds Can Fly: The ET & WNC (Tweetsie) Railroad.” The exhibit will include several artifacts from the ET & WNC’s storied history, as well as photographs taken by people who worked on and for the railroad line. The ET & WNC exhibit will be on display at the museum through August. The museum, located at 110 S 2nd Ave., is open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 1
to 4 p.m. Guests are encouraged to wear masks while visiting the museum. For more information call the Jonesborough Visitors Center at (423) 753-1010.
Submit items for Out & About at [email protected].