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What's On

What's On in Chattanooga

Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Chattanooga, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.

Top story IBMA World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga: Oct. 20-24 lineup World of Bluegrass runs Oct. 20-24 downtown: Sierra Ferrell and Leftover Salmon at The Signal, the awards Oct. 22 and free Pickin' in the Park Saturday. · 6 min read

Coming up

The full month
  1. Now through Oct. 30 AVA Exhibit 5: 2025 Best in Show and Juror's Choices AVA Gallery
  2. Now through Oct. 31 Enchanted Pumpkin Patch Rock City Gardens
  3. Now through Oct. 25 Rails, Wizards & Spells Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
  4. Now through Nov. 1 Dread Hollow Haunted House and Escape Rooms Dread Hollow
  5. Now through Jan. 11 Free as they want to be: Artists Committed to Memory Hunter Museum of American Art
  6. Now through Oct. 21 IBMA Bluegrass Ramble Downtown Chattanooga venues
  7. Now through Oct. 24 IBMA World of Bluegrass Downtown Chattanooga
  8. Now through Oct. 21 Billy Strings (Tivoli Theatre reopening) Tivoli Theatre
  9. Thu. Oct. 22 Art Wise: Deborah Willis, Ph.D. Hunter Museum of American Art
  10. Thu. Oct. 22 South Chatt Annual Community Fall Festival 3:30 p.m. · South Chattanooga Center
  11. Thu. Oct. 22 Chattanooga Market at the Foundries District 4 p.m. · The Shed, Foundries District
  12. Thu. Oct. 22 37th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards 7:30 p.m. · Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium

Plan your weekend

Fourth of July Chattanooga Fourth of July fireworks 2027 Chattanooga's Pops on the River ends in fireworks over Coolidge Park the Thursday before July 4. The 2027 details are not out; this is the 2026 plan. · 3 min read Halloween Trick-or-treat hours in Chattanooga 2026 Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. Chattanooga has not announced trick-or-treat hours; Boo in the Zoo runs 4 to 8 p.m. and city centers host trunk-or-treats. · 5 min read Valentine's Day Valentine's Day in Chattanooga 2027: events and dinners Valentine's Day 2027 is Sunday, Feb. 14. What Chattanooga venues ran in 2026, from Romance at Ruby to the dinner train, and when to watch for 2027 dates. · 4 min read Spring break Spring break in Chattanooga 2027: dates, camps, things to do Hamilton County Schools spring break 2027 is March 22-25, with Good Friday March 26 and a teacher day March 29. Camps, the zoo, museums and what's open. · 4 min read Easter Easter in Chattanooga 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services Easter 2027 is Sunday, March 28. Easter at Coolidge returns with a 9 a.m. egg hunt and 10 a.m. worship in Coolidge Park. Brunch, services and closings. · 4 min read Mother's Day Mother's Day in Chattanooga 2027: brunch, events and gifts Mother's Day 2027 is Sunday, May 9. The Chattanooga Market's Mother's Day Sunday, the restaurant that opens only that Sunday, and brunch hours to plan around. · 4 min read Memorial Day Memorial Day in Chattanooga 2027: ceremony, flags, closings Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. The National Cemetery ceremony and flag placement, Veterans Bridge flags, trash and drop-off closings and pool openings. · 4 min read Summer camps Summer in Chattanooga 2027: camps, pools and splash pads Chattanooga's summer: city community center camps, Warner Park Pool and splash pad, free indoor pools, swim lessons and fountains. 2026 dates; 2027 to come. · 5 min read Father's Day Father's Day in Chattanooga 2027: events, outings and brunch Father's Day 2027 is Sunday, June 20. The Chattanooga Market's Blues & Brews, a vintage train ride, Lookouts Sundays at Erlanger Park and brunch hours. · 4 min read Labor Day Labor Day in Chattanooga 2027: what's open, closed and on Labor Day 2027 is Monday, Sept. 6. Trash is collected as normal; the landfill and drop-off centers close. Schools, CARTA and weekend ideas in Chattanooga. · 3 min read Christmas Chattanooga Christmas parade and tree lighting 2026 The Lighted Boat Parade and Reindeer on the Riverfront move to Coolidge Park Nov. 27. The MAINx24 parade is Dec. 5 on the Southside. · 4 min read High school football Friday night football in Chattanooga 2026 Chattanooga high school football for Oct. 22-23 and the last regular-season week, with records from TSSAA. Baylor is 8-0; the playoffs start Nov. 6. · 4 min read Fall festivals Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Chattanooga 2026 Chattanooga's fall: free Pickin' in the Park Oct. 24, Boo in the Zoo, Rock City's Enchanted Pumpkin Patch to Oct. 31 and the Head of the Hooch Nov. 7-8. · 3 min read Halloween Halloween events in Chattanooga 2026 Eight free city trunk-or-treats and Halloween parties Oct. 22-31, Dread Hollow haunted house, Ruby Falls ghost tours and the Haunted Market on Nov. 1. · 5 min read Thanksgiving Thanksgiving in Chattanooga 2026: turkey trots, closings and trash Thanksgiving is Nov. 26: the Grateful Gobbler and Turkey Trot, the free Gratefull meal Nov. 19, CARTA and school closings and the Saturday trash make-up. · 6 min read Black Friday Black Friday and holiday shopping in Chattanooga 2026 Hamilton Place is closed Thanksgiving and opens 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Black Friday. Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28; the Holiday Market runs Dec. 12-13 and 19-20. · 4 min read Christmas lights Holiday lights and Christmas events in Chattanooga 2026 Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights opens Nov. 13, Ice on the Landing Nov. 21, Holidays at Ruby Falls Nov. 27; Santa trains, a Santa 5K and Hanukkah Dec. 4. · 5 min read New Year's Eve New Year's Eve in Chattanooga 2026 Chattanooga's free New Year's Eve party at Coolidge Park ends with midnight fireworks over the river. Plus the Southern Belle cruise and TVRM's New Year's Eve trains. · 4 min read Brunch Brunch in Chattanooga: where to go and when it's served Where to brunch in Chattanooga and when: weekend hours, addresses and phones from each restaurant's own website, North Shore to Main Street. · 4 min read Dogs Dog-friendly Chattanooga: parks, patios, trails and leash rules Chattanooga's three city dog parks, the leash rule, pet licenses from McKamey Animal Center, and patios, breweries and trails where dogs are welcome. · 5 min read Kids Kids' activities in Chattanooga: playgrounds, story times, rainy days Things to do with kids in Chattanooga: 40 city playgrounds, splash fountains, free library story times and passes, the zoo, aquarium and rainy-day picks. · 5 min read Trails Chattanooga walking and biking trails: greenways and trailheads Chattanooga's walking and biking trails: the paved Riverwalk, South Chickamauga Creek Greenway, Stringers Ridge and more, with distances and free trailheads. · 6 min read Riverfront A guide to Chattanooga's riverfront: Ross's Landing to North Shore Chattanooga's riverfront in one walk: Ross's Landing, the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum and Bluff View, the Walnut Street Bridge and Coolidge Park. · 5 min read Live music Live music and nightlife in Chattanooga: venues and where they are Where to hear live music in Chattanooga: The Signal, Memorial Auditorium and the Walker Theatre, Songbirds, the Tivoli, Barking Legs and Station Street bars. · 4 min read Free Free things to do in Chattanooga Free things to do in Chattanooga: the Walnut Street Bridge, Sculpture Fields, the Riverwalk, Chickamauga Battlefield, the free shuttle and library passes. · 5 min read Date night Date night in Chattanooga: dinner, shows, cruises and late hours Date night in Chattanooga: dinner downtown and in Bluff View, a show at Memorial Auditorium or The Signal, a sunset river cruise and the Hunter's late Thursdays. · 4 min read Head of the Hooch Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga: dates, parking, where to watch The Head of the Hooch rowing regatta is Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8, at Ross's Landing. Free to watch; first race 7:52 a.m. Saturday. · 5 min read Chattanooga Marathon Chattanooga Marathon weekend: 2027 dates, races and road closures The 12th Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon weekend is March 5-7, 2027: marathon, half, relay, 5K and kids run from the First Horizon Pavilion. · 4 min read IRONMAN Chattanooga IRONMAN Chattanooga: 2027 race date, road closures, where to watch IRONMAN Chattanooga returns Sunday, Sept. 26, 2027: a 2.4-mile river swim, 112-mile bike and marathon finishing at Ross's Landing. Closures here. · 5 min read Restaurants Where to eat in Chattanooga: lists by category Every Chattanooga Journal food list in one place: wings, pizza, Mexican, barbecue, breakfast, burgers, sushi, ice cream, bakeries and patios. · 3 min read Wings Where to get wings in Chattanooga: downtown, Brainerd and Hamilton Place Nine places to get wings inside Chattanooga city limits, from Market Street downtown and the North Shore to Brainerd Road, Highway 58 and Hamilton Place. · 5 min read Pizza Where to get pizza in Chattanooga: downtown, North Shore and Brainerd 16 pizza places inside Chattanooga city limits, on Broad and Market streets downtown, the North Shore, St. Elmo, Brainerd Road and Hamilton Place. · 5 min read Mexican food Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Chattanooga 22 Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants inside Chattanooga city limits, from Broad Street and the North Shore to Highway 58, Hixson and Hamilton Place. · 6 min read Barbecue Where to get barbecue in Chattanooga: St. Elmo to Hamilton Place 10 barbecue restaurants inside Chattanooga city limits, in St. Elmo, downtown, the North Shore, Highway 58, Hixson and around Hamilton Place. · 4 min read Breakfast Breakfast and coffee in Chattanooga: North Shore, Southside and more 21 breakfast spots and coffee shops inside Chattanooga city limits, most on the North Shore and downtown, with more in St. Elmo, Brainerd and Hixson. · 6 min read Burgers Where to get burgers in Chattanooga: downtown, Hixson and Gunbarrel 11 burger places inside Chattanooga city limits, from downtown and the Southside to Gunbarrel Road, Hixson, Highway 58 and Mountain Creek Road. · 4 min read Sushi Sushi and Asian restaurants in Chattanooga 20 sushi, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean restaurants inside Chattanooga city limits, from downtown and the North Shore to Hamilton Place and Highway 58. · 6 min read Ice cream Ice cream and desserts in Chattanooga: riverfront to Hamilton Place Nine ice cream and dessert shops inside Chattanooga city limits, by the riverfront, on the North Shore and Southside, in St. Elmo and at Hamilton Place. · 4 min read Bakeries Bakeries in Chattanooga: Main Street, Brainerd Road and Hixson Seven bakeries and doughnut shops inside Chattanooga city limits, on Main Street, Frazier Avenue, Brainerd Road, East Brainerd, Riverview and Hixson. · 4 min read Patios Patios and outdoor dining in Chattanooga 18 places with a patio, rooftop or outdoor seating inside Chattanooga city limits, most on the North Shore, downtown and Main Street on the Southside. · 6 min read

Event news

Nutcracker Nutcracker and holiday shows in Chattanooga 2026 Chattanooga Ballet's Nutcracker is Dec. 11-13 at Memorial Auditorium. Plus the CSO's Messiah and Home for the Holidays and The Happy Elf at the Theatre Centre. · 4 min read Arts Arts and exhibitions in Chattanooga: October 2026 Chattanooga arts to November: Free as they want to be at the Hunter, AVA's member salon from Nov. 6, See Rock City on stage and the CSO's Rachmaninoff Nov. 19. · 4 min read Things to do Things to do in Chattanooga this weekend, Oct. 23 to 25 Chattanooga this weekend: IBMA Bluegrass Live! with Sierra Ferrell and Leftover Salmon, free Pickin' in the Park Saturday, Boo in the Zoo and the River Market. · 4 min read