It feels like a slow down after two consecutive weekends (starting on Thursday each time) of music festivals. Surely we can take it easy until Rossini hits next weekend, right? Well, you can take it easy this weekend if you like, but there will be a ton of events happening starting tonight with the “What Makes a Great Place?” Scruffy City Hall is the site for that event which is part of Architecture week, but is really aimed at you and me – non-architect types. Seven speakers will have seven minutes each to address the question. Should be fun.
Tomorrow features several events. I’ll be consumed with my class at Central United Methodist, talking about blogging (“Writing a New Way: Blogging Your Way to Success,” $40), but meanwhile, Record Store Day activities will happen at several independent record stores, including Disc Exchange, Raven Records and Lost and Found Records. You’ll find special vinyl deals, in store performances and more.
Meanhwile, Earthfest will take over the World’s Fair Park from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM for its 17th annual rendition. It’s a free, zero-waste event for the whole family – pets included. Environmental themes will be the thread throughout with 60 exhibitors, a children/youth area and all kinds of fun activities and demonstrations. There will even be a tiny house on display, as well as four different bands playing throughout the day, including one of my favorites, Maryville’s Three Mile Smile.
One event that might fall a bit under the radar represents an important effort to reduce local hunger. The Scarecrow Foundation, which I wrote about last September is a non-profit foundation dedicated to ending hunger. The organization, headed by CEO Jimmy Buckner, produces fun events – like the Gator Hator week of events leading up to the UF/UT footbal game.
Each of the fun events funnels money raised – sometimes by tickets and sometimes by donations – to a selected charity involved in alleviating hunger. The Love Kitchen, for example, benefited from the most recent Gator Hator Event. They call it “entertainment with a purpose,” and the goal is not only to raise money, but to raise volunteers – to get people involved in the great efforts already underway.
Hip Hop for Hunger, which starts at 7:00 PM tonight at the International, features the hip hop music you might expect, but artists will also exhibit – including my friend Maggie Tankersley along with Mallory Bertrand, Roger Gregg, Crystal Bolden and Sam Artman (what a great name for a male artist!). Charlotte Couture will present a fashion show before the music starts and, at just $10 for admission, that would be enough to warrant the price, but wait . . . there’s more.
The stage will be filled with lots of the best hip hop Knoxville has to offer, including Mr. Ill, Daddy Rich, Bandz featuring Daddy Rich, Bobby Fuego and more. It’s a scene that doesn’t likely get as much attention as it deserves in Knoxville, but it’s hear and features some very serious performers with big aspirations. And they are donating their time.
In fact, Mr. Buckner informed me, “All artists, models, DJ’s and entertainers are donating their time and talents.” He also said a number of UT Fraternities have gotten involved in the event, volunteering time and offering other support. One fraternity purchased 106 tickets so every member could attend. The hope is that these organizations and other people who attend will be interested in working with this worthy organization.
Mobile Meals also sometimes called “Meals on Wheels,” is devoted to provided hot meals for senior citizens. Operated out of the Office on Aging, Mobile Meals offers “noon meals five days a week and holidays to Knoxville and Knox County citizens who are at least 60 years old, cannot cook for themselves and have no one to prepare meals.” About 850 meals a day are served with funding from a variety of sources including local, state and federal government, United Way, individual donations and more.
The food is delivered by volunteers and more are always needed. The hope is that Hip Hop for Hunger will highlight the need and introduce potential volunteers to the concept. And it will be fun. The International is located at 940 Blackstock Ave (just on the other side of the World’s Fair Park from downtown, under Western Avenue. Doors open at 7:00 PM, but the hip will be hopping well into the night.
You can check out this year’s video here.
Programming note: Given the fact that I’ve overwhelmed you with music this week, there will, once again, be no Saturday Sounds. It will resume, but we’ll skip this one. See you on Sunday with the 10 Day Planner.