2024 Local Events

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In conjunction with National Trail Day, Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (Spearhead Trails) will be offering a Free Ride Day on June 1, 2024. The day will offer residents and visitors the opportunity to experience all the trails have to offer, free of charge.

Those wishing to take part in Free Ride Day must have a waiver on file to access the motorized, non-motorized and horse trails that are part of Spearhead Trails.

To fill out a waiver, trail users can visit one of 44 local retail locations throughout the region, by visiting the Spearhead Trails Office at 11325 Norton – Coeburn Road Coeburn, Va. or by filling out the waiver online at spearheadtrails.com A complete list of retail locations may also be found on the website.

Spearhead Trails has trails in Lee, Wise, Scott, Dickenson, Russell, Tazewell and Buchanan Counties and the City of Norton. For more information about Spearhead Trails, please visit: www.spearheadtrails.com or follow Spearhead Trails on Facebook and Instagram.

Those wishing to take part in Free Ride Day must have a waiver on file to access the motorized, non-motorized and horse trails that are part of Spearhead Trails.

Kingsport’s Circle Gallery Spotlight – Dan Kessler

Kingsport Cultural Arts is pleased to announce the latest exhibiting artist at The Circle Gallery – Dan Kessler.

Kessler has been a full-time painter since 1991 and his work can be found in corporate and private collections around the world. Kessler’s exhibit includes original paintings and varying sizes of giclée prints, with his art guaranteed to make an impression. From “Sax Dog” to “Rainbow Cats” to “Sheep Farm,” there is likely a piece that will speak directly to you.

The Circle Gallery is located on the first floor of Kingsport City Hall (415 Broad Street) and Kessler’s exhibit will be on display until March 6. The Circle Gallery is brought to you by Kingsport Cultural Arts.

For more information about Kessler, please visit www.kesslerart.com.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Kingsport Dogwood Park

The Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department is inviting dog lovers of all types to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with an afternoon of food and fun at Kingsport Dogwood Park.

St. Patty’s Day at the Dog Park will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on March 17 at the Kingsport Dogwood Park (800 Granby Road). The event is free and open to the public.

The two hour event will feature vendors, food trucks and plenty of dog treats. Membership to the dog park is not required, and prospective members are free to tour the dog park and get information on possibly joining.

For information about other programs, activities and classes offered by the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org or call 423-229-9460.

Registrations open soon for Spring Adult Softball Leagues

Kingsport Parks and Recreation will soon begin accepting registrations for its Spring Adult Softball Leagues.

Teams can have a maximum of 20 players on their roster. Divisions offered include Church-Industrial, Co-Ed and Men’s Open. Registration will take place from March 18 through April 5.

The entry fee is $400 per team with a $15 non-resident fee for all players who live outside the Kingsport city limits (max: $75). All games will be played at Brickyard Park and the season will begin the week of April 22.

You can register by going to the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex (301 Louis Street) or by going to the following website at https://bit.ly/494ngUU. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “adult softball” in the search bar.

For information about other programs, activities and classes offered by the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

Kingsport Alliance for Continued Learning releases spring schedule

The Kingsport Alliance for Continued Learning (KACL) will offer its spring classes from March 12-April 18, focusing on a variety of subjects from science, world history and social studies to world travel and the arts.

This six-week series of non-credit courses, presented in partnership with East Tennessee State University at Kingsport, is open to anyone. There are no homework assignments, grades or tests. Classes will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-noon in room 130 at the Kingsport Center for Higher Education (KCHE), 300 W. Market Street. The cost to participate is $30 and covers most KACL spring courses. Some events, such as field trips and special series, require additional fees.

A few highlights of the spring series include “The Complicated History of JFK,” led by Daryl Carter, professor of history, associate dean for community relations and outreach, and director of the Black American Studies Program at ETSU; “Community Outpatient Addiction Services” by Chad Duncan, Frontier Health Tennessee Adult Outpatient Addiction Services division director; “Life of Honey Bees” by Dan Chase, local beekeeper; “Macedonia’s Secrets from a Volunteer Archeologist” by frequent KACL speaker Lisa Rolen; “Drug Trafficking in Our Region” by Jeff Cassidy, sheriff of Sullivan County; “Photographic Journey of France” by Rick Currie, retired attorney and avid photographer; and “The History of Lost Cove, North Carolina” by Christy Smith, the 2023 North Carolina Society of Historians Book of Excellence Award Winner and Appalachian studies lecturer at King University.

The spring offerings include a field trip to Brights Zoo and a special series called “Great Decisions,” which deals with current topics of international interest. These include “Mideast Realignment,” “Climate Technology and Competition,” “Science Across Borders,” “NATO’s Future,” “Understanding Indonesia” and “Pandemic Preparedness.” This series, co-sponsored by the Friends of the Kingsport Public Library, will take place on Wednesdays from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

The KACL was established in 1993 with ETSU at Kingsport to provide adults, regardless of educational background or age, opportunities to attend stimulating courses, lectures and special events.

Classes will be offered in person and virtually via Zoom. Individuals may attend one class free of charge.

To pay the membership fee and register or for more information, including a full list of spring 2024 classes, call (423) 354-5200 or visit kingsportlearning.org.

For disability accommodations, call the ETSU at Kingsport Downtown office at 423-354-5200.