Calendar of Events

by Ken Ludwig, Agatha Christie

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

“Hang on for the ride!” —The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Murder On The Orient Express is a funny, fast-paced thrill ride!" —The Hartford Currant

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 800 S. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

For tour descriptions and to purchase tickets, visit knoxvillewalkingtours.com

10/25 at 7:30pm - Shadow Side 2: Old City Ghosts
10/26 at 10:30am - Knoxville Botanical Gardens
10/26 at 8:00pm - Shadow Side Ghost Tour
10/28 at 7:30pm - Shadow Side 2: Old City Ghosts
10/29 at 7:30pm - Side Street Shadows Ghost Tour
10/30 at 7:30pm - Shadow Side 2: Old City Ghosts
10/31 at 7:30pm - Shadow Side Ghost Tour
11/1 at 10:30am - The Civil War in Knoxville
11/1 at 5:00pm - Knoxville's Music History
11/2 at 11:00am - Old Gray Cemetery
11/3 at 4:30pm - Gunslingers

Wails of the dying and shrieks of the sick will pierce the night air in downtown Knoxville as Blount Mansion presents a special multi-evening Halloween program titled Days of Dread: Knoxville’s Historic Epidemics. Visitors will be guided into the dark days of the past, when blistering, bleeding, and purging were common medical treatments. A troop of volunteer actors will recreate scenes including William Blount’s fatal fever in 1800, the terrible cholera outbreak of 1873, and the flu epidemic of 1919. This chilling history will come alive inside one of Knoxville’s most historic houses, with actors portraying real characters from the city’s history. It’s terrifying—and true, researched and written by Laura Still, author of the best-selling book A Haunted History of Knoxville. *Note: this program may not be suitable for young children.

Tours last approximately one hour, and begin every half hour at the Blount Mansion Visitors Center at 200 W. Hill Ave. on the following dates and times:

Friday, Oct. 25: 8-9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 30: 8-9:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 31: 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Admission is $10 per person.

Blount Mansion, 200 W. Hill Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-2375, www.blountmansion.org

Fort Dickerson Civil War Weekend, October 25th-27th.

Fort Dickerson was built and occupied by the Federal army in 1863-1864 across the Holston (now the Tennessee) River from Knoxville to prevent the Confederates from bombarding the city. This year is the 156th anniversary of the fort.

The living history weekend event is sponsored by the City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department and hosted by the Knoxville Civil War Roundtable.

The event will include a school day on Friday Oct 25 and two days of public tours and military demonstrations on Oct 26 and Oct 27.

Activities include living history campsites, infantry drilling and firing, Civil War medical and surgical exhibit, and much more. The fort is just south of Knoxville across the Henley Street bridge on US-441. The address for the fort is 3000 Fort Dickerson Road. For more information, contact Tom Wright at (865)621-2093, e-mail: thomaswright8@comcast.net or Perry Hill at (865) 283-1691.

https://kcwrtorg.wordpress.com/

As the evenings get darker and the first hint of winter hangs in the air, the western world enters the season of the dead. It is time when restless souls, vengeful spirits, and mythical creatures can more easily cross the plane between the two worlds. With All Hallowed Eve’s approach, it is a time when ghost stories and haunted tales more easily cross into the realm of our daily lives as these accounts help us remember the dead and contend with the unexplained. Along with the historic buildings, grounds, and family history, Mabry-Hazen House also preserves a darker history of Americans' experiences with death, funerals, spiritualism, and the occult. For the second year, the historic house museum will exhibit those macabre, yet fascinating cultural moments during their Victorian Séance Experience.

Mabry Hazen House will host “A Victorian Séance Experience” inside the parlors of the 1858 historic house. Relying on primary sources from the nineteenth century, Mabry-Hazen House will reenact a Victorian séance and give “investigators” an immersing experience filled with “mysterious and startling wonders.” Under the guidance of a Victorian medium, the séances will follow the rituals of nineteenth century Spiritualism and investigators will participate in historic “demonstrations” of mediumship. Whether true manifestations of spirits or clever parlor tricks, sitters at the séances will experience this eerie, yet ubiquitous aspect of 19th century American life.

Séances will occur every 20 minutes starting at 6:00 pm and ending at 10:00pm. Guests select a specific date and time to reserve a seat at the table. They should arrive 15 minutes before their table reservation. Each session is limited to 8 guests, it is strongly recommended tickets be purchased in advance, and all sitters must be 12 or older. Tickets are $20 per person and $12 for children (ages 12-16). Tickets go on sale Tuesday, October 1st, but members receive early access on Tuesday, September 24th! Join today and reserve your seat!

In addition to the séances, psychics, astrologers, and tarot card readers will be perform their craft for interested parties. Once a séance concludes, guests may purchase $5 vouchers to exchange to have their fortunes told. “We want people to have sense of the past and present through this event,” says Patrick Hollis, Executive Director at Mabry-Hazen House. These sessions use the traditional tools of the Victorian séance to attempt spirit communication for entertainment purposes. This is not a demonstration of mediumship or a way to contact deceased relatives. It is not recommended for the recently bereaved.

Mabry-Hazen House, 1711 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN, 37915. Information: 865-522-8661, www.mabryhazen.com

Friday, 10/25 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, 10/27 at 2:30 PM

By GIACOMO PUCCINI

At the turn of the 20th century, an innocent Japanese girl falls victim to a U.S. naval officer and an ancient code of honor that foreshadows her fate. Puccini’s dramatic, romantic music brilliantly underscores the tragedy which never fails to bring tears to the eyes. This visually provocative presentation, a revival of the 2010 production, features Metropolitan Opera soprano Danielle Pastin as the betrayed Butterfly, and tenor Richard Troxell as Lt. B. F. Pinkerton, star of Frédéric Mitterand’s award-winning film version of the opera. The production will be staged by Brian Deedrick, former Artistic Director of Edmonton Opera, who has directed Mefistofele and seven other memorable productions in Knoxville.

All performances are presented with projected English translations/lyrics on a screen above the stage.

At the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Commencing September 9, tickets, starting at $25 for adults and $15 for students, may be purchased online at www.KnoxvilleOpera.com or by calling the Box Office at (865) 524-0795 ext. 1 (Monday through Friday, 10 am – 5 pm).

Artsclamation! is an annual fine art sale benefiting the behavioral health services of Peninsula, a member of Covenant Health and East Tennessee's leader for effective, innovative and caring psychiatric services. This year's sale will be Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26, at Rothchild Catering & Conference Center, 8807 Kingston Pike.

Peninsulabehavioralhealth.org/artsclamation

Join us for a guided tour through the woods as we tell strange stories of local and regional folklore, monsters, and frightening tales that have haunted the dreams of those in the past. From the Wampus Cat to the Boo Hag, these tales have been passed down for generations and have preserved distinct cultural traditions. Explore the monsters and stories that frightened men, women, and children alike in an era before television. Come visit us and join the ranks of the terrified!

Dates: Friday, Oct. 25th & Saturday, Oct. 26th.
Gates open at 6 pm, and tours start at 6:30 pm.
General Admission: $10.00
Member Price: $8.00

The tours will travel along our site's rugged wooded hiking trails. so bring boots or good shoes to walk in! All ages are welcome however the trails are quite rugged and may not be appropriate for some. Each tour will last around an hour as we trek over a mile in the dark led by candlelight and flashlights.

Be sure to bring your own flashlight!

Reserve your tickets online at our Facebook page now. For questions or help reserving tickets, call 865-712-9076.

1220 West Governor John Sevier Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/frontier-frights-an-after-dark-hiking-tour-tickets-75489447971

26th Anniversary & Costume Party
Alive After Five is a unique live music series that takes place in the smoke-free, casually elegant setting of the Ann and Steve Bailey Hall in the Knoxville Museum of Art. There is a live band on stage, seating at tables, two cash bars, food from area restaurants, free freshly popped popcorn, and free parking. Audience members can enjoy listening to music, dancing, and browsing the museum’s art galleries. Admission is $15 for general and $10 for museum members and college students with ID. Ages 17 and under are admitted free.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Freaky Friday Fright Nite in Farragut! 5:00-7:00PM on Friday, Oct. 25.
Children ages 12 and under and in costume are invited to “trick or treat” on the walking trail while local businesses, community groups and Town of Farragut volunteers hand out treats and provide games with prizes and cookie decorating. This is a free event, but participants are asked to bring items to benefit the local Ronald McDonald House.

Go to visitfarragut.org/events for more info and a list of needed items.

Local businesses, community groups, and Town volunteers hand out treats to children. Games and cookie decorating are included among the activities.

At Mayor Bob Leanord Park

https://www.visitfarragut.org/events

The Music of Randy Travis at Knoxville Civic Auditorium Friday, October 25 at 8:00pm.

A special evening celebrating the career and music of Hall of Fame Singer Randy Travis with special guest vocalist James Dupree and the Randy Travis Band. Featuring a special guest appearance by Randy Travis.

Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Jr Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37915. Information: