Arts and entertainment throughout the region

ART "Deep Listening," a group exhibition curated by local artist Carla Taylor, opens July 3 and runs through July 26 at Fischman Gallery in downtown Johnson City. The exhibition features seven artists from Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and the United States whose paths first crossed during the Bonfire Aire Artist Retreat in Iceland in November 2025. An opening reception will be held on Friday, July 3, from 6:30-9 p.m. at the gallery, which is located at 133 N. Commerce St. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information call 423-430-8441. Vicky Darnell is the latest exhibiting artist at The Circle Gallery in Kingsport. Darnell, a self-taught painter, uses her artistic talents to create images of cities, the outdoors and colorful flowers. The Circle Gallery is located on the first floor of Kingsport City Hall, 415 Broad St. Darnell's exhibit will be on display through Sept. 16. Kingsport is seeking local artists to hand-paint five storm drains within the city to raise awareness about the importance of protecting our rivers, stream habitat and aquatic wildlife. To enter the contest, send a color sketch of your proposed artwork to: Amanda McMullen, Water Services Center, 1113 Konnarock Road, Kingsport, TN 37664 or AmandaMcMullen@KingsportTN.gov. The deadline to submit entries is Aug. 8. The five winning artists will receive $150 each. Kingsport's 15th Sculpture Walk has been installed and is ready for the public to enjoy. The Sculpture Walk is a program where the city leases sculptures from artists across the country to put on display within the city. This year, Kingsport Cultural Arts has brought five new sculptures to the city. The sculptures can be found along the Kingsport Greenbelt by the Holston River. BIRDING Birding in the Gap will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9-11 a.m. at the Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Led by knowledgeable park rangers and enthusiastic volunteers, this series is designed for bird lovers of all experience levels. We'll meet at the museum's front gate and set out together to explore the beautiful museum grounds and the scenic Powell River greenbelt in Big Stone Gap. This easy, accessible walk is a perfect way to enjoy nature while discovering the fascinating world of birds. The program takes place rain or shine, so please dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Binoculars are welcome but are not required. No registration is needed. For more details about the "Birding in the Gap" series, contact the park at 276-523-1322. CONCERTS Pro-Art will welcome Symphony of the Mountains back for "Brass on the Mountain," the fifth annual patriotic pops concert at Leeman Field in Pennington Gap on Sunday, July 5, at 7 p.m. The outdoor concert is free and open to all and brought to you in conjunction with Pro-Art's W. Campbell Edmonds Concert Series and the town of Pennington Gap. Pack a lawn chair or blanket and join us for an evening of music that celebrates America's musical heritage. Lunchtime Live concerts are returning to Kingsport in July. The first concert will feature Ron Short and the Possum Playboys at Allandale Mansion on Friday, July 10, at noon. Dave Eggar and Bristol Lightning will perform at the Kingsport Farmers Market on Friday, July 17, at 11:30 a.m. The Fowl Play Café food truck will be at both concerts, and the Hot Dog Hut food truck will be at the July 17 concert. Concerts are ponsored by Friends of the Kingsport Public Library and are free and open to the public. Winds of the Mountain Empire will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a free concert on Sunday, July 26, at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. The Larry Prevatte Memorial Duffield Jam is held on the first, third and fifth Thursday of each month from 6-8 p.m. at the Thomas Village Community Center, 355 Cecil D. Quillen Drive in Duffield, Virginia. For more information call 276-431-1083. Twilight Alive concerts have returned to downtown Kingsport. The free concerts take place in the 100 block of Broad Street on Friday nights beginning at 7 p.m. The concert lineup is: Grand Funk Railroad with opener Nashville Yacht Club Band (on Main Street as part of Kingsport's Red, White and BOOM Independence Day Celebration) on July 4; Departure: The Journey Tribute Band on July 10; and Fun Fest's Broad Street Boogie presents Sons of Sailors: a Jimmy Buffett cover band (start time at 8 p.m. or following the Fun Fest Parade) on July 17. Fridays After 5 summer concerts, hosted by Downtown Johnson City's Main Street Program, offers free, family-friendly fun. The series is held in King Commons, 112 N. Commerce St., Friday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in June and July. The concert schedule is as follows: July 10 — Donnie and the Dry Heavers; July 17 — Isaac Hadden; July 24 — Crawford and Power; and July 31 — Charlie Maples. The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at East Tennessee State University's Martin Center on Friday, Aug. 28 , at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, contact the ETSU Martin Center Box Office at 423-439-2787. The Black Jacket Symphony will present Def Leppard's "Hysteria" at East Tennessee State University's Martin Center on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, contact the ETSU Martin Center Box Office at 423-439-2787. The Temptations and The Four Tops will perform at East Tennessee State University's Martin Center on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, contact the ETSU Martin Center Box Office at 423-439-2787. DANCE Outdoorsman, 4535 Highway 11W, Blountville, will host Gunslingers on Friday, July 3. Line dance from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Potluck at 6:15 p.m. The band plays from 7-10 p.m. Upcoming bands are Show Palace Band on July 10, Campbell Country Band on July 17, and Reborn on July 24. FARMERS MARKET Johnson City Farmers Market, located at 105 W. Main St., will be open Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. through Oct. 31. Jonesborough Farmers Market, located behind the courthouse on East Main Street, will be open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon except during Jonesborough Days and the Storytelling Festival through Oct. 31. Kingsport Farmers Market, located at 308 Clinchfield St., will be open on Saturdays through the end of November and on Wednesdays through the end of September. The hours are from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until produce and products are sold out. HISTORY AND HERITAGE Kingsport Cultural Arts and the Tri-Cities Civil War Roundtable will host a Civil War Evening event for Fun Fest 2026. "Clara Barton – Civil War Nurse" will be held at the Kingsport Renaissance Center Theatre, 1200 E. Center St., on Monday, July 13, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce or at the door the night of the production. Historian Leslie Goddard will introduce Clara Barton in this costumed portrayal. Barton founded the American Red Cross and was the first woman to serve as a nurse on the front lines of a battlefield. NATURE An exhibit at The Nature Center at Steele Creek Park in Bristol is examining plant and animal species that originated elsewhere and now pose harm to the region's native wildlife. "Aliens Among Us: Non-Native Invasive Species in the Park" is open in the Lakeview Gallery at The Nature Center each Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. For more information, call 423-989-5616. Bays Mountain Park has an interactive exhibit in the Nature Center titled "Discover Our Appalachian Highlands Home." The exhibit features a large lake diorama with various mammals, reptiles, birds and aquatic life native to our region. The exhibit also includes information panels and interactive sensory stations. For more information about Bays Mountain Park and its programs, events and activities, visit www.baysmountain.com. PARTY IN THE PARK Johnson City Parks and Recreation is celebrating Parks and Recreation Month with a series of weekly Party in the Park events in July. These free, all-ages events are a great way to explore Johnson City parks. The parties kick off Saturday, July 4, at the Pepsi Independence Day Fireworks Celebration Kids Zone. The Kids Zone will be set up from 4-8 p.m. at the Pete Zannis Tennis Center with water games, arts and crafts, and cool treats. Every Thursday for the rest of July, Parks and Rec will take the fun to a different location. The remaining Party in the Park schedule is: July 9 at Rotary Park from 5-7 p.m.; July 16 at Powell Square Park from 5-7 p.m.; July 23 at Carver Park from 5-7 p.m.; and July 30 at Legion Street Pool — free swim from 6-8 p.m. Free popsicles and prizes will be given away at the weekly parties. PLANETARIUM Bays Mountain Park's latest planetarium show is "Dark Matter Mystery — Exploring a Cosmic Secret." The program debuted July 1 and will be showing daily at 2 p.m. through Aug. 31. This program, originally shown in 2019, explores the greatest quest of contemporary astrophysics — the hunt for dark matter. In this program you will learn why we know dark matter exists and how this search is one of the most challenging and exciting searches science has to offer. Join the scientists on their hunt for dark matter with experiments in space and deep underground. This 40-minute program will be followed by a brief tour of the current evening sky. REUNIONS A reunion for the family of Charles Wilber "Poppy" Larkin will be Saturday, July 4, at 2 pm. We plan on eating at 3 p.m., so those wanting to attend 4th of July activities around the area will have plenty of time to come to the reunion. Please bring hot dogs, hamburgers and fixins, drinks, and a covered dish large enough to share. Please have your food there by 2:30 p.m. Army Reserve 80th Division, Abingdon and Bristol units, reunion and picnic will be held Saturday, Aug. 8, from noon until 7 p.m. at Sugar Hollow Park in Bristol, Virginia, at Shelter "D." Bring your favorite picnic foods. Soft drinks will be provided. (If you are in contact with prior members please remind them.) SCIENCE Hands On! Discovery Center is an all-ages science center that offers a guest experience that includes fun, interactive programs and immersive, STEM-based exhibits for the whole family as well as exhibits and information about the Gray Fossil Site, an active fossil dig site dating back 5 million years. Tickets may be purchased at https://visithandson.org/tickets. SWIM The Kingsport Aquatic Center will host a Fun Fest Night Swim on Monday, July 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $4 per person (pre-registration) or $8 per person at the door. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Concessions will be available during the event. To register, visit https://bit.ly/4oNYIrZ. The Kingsport Aquatic Center's outdoor water park will be open daily through July 31, and then weekends only in August and September until Labor Day. The outdoor water park is open weather permitting, while the indoor facility will be open during most inclement weather. Outdoor water park hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For information on season passes, call 423-343-9758. Johnson City's Legion Street Pool will be open daily through Aug. 1 and will be open weekends only Aug. 2 through Sept. 6 (closed Labor Day). Pool hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. For more information call 423-900-7902. Wetlands Water Park in Jonesborough is open for the season. For more information call 423-753-1553. The Riverview Splash Pad, 1101 Martin Luther Jr. Drive, Kingsport, and the Healthy Place Splash Pad, 875 W. Industry Drive, Kingsport, are open for the summer season. Both splash pads will be active from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. every day during the summer through Labor Day. The splash pad can be turned on during these hours by rubbing a silver activator pad located near the attraction. THEATER Theatre Bristol will present "Red, White, and Tuna" at the ARTspace Theatre, 506 State St., through July 12. Show times are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., including the July 4th holiday. For ticket information visit www.theatrebristol.org/tickets or call 423-212-3625. Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, will present "The Savannah Sipping Society" through Aug. 8. In this comedy, four very different Southern women, all strangers, are drawn together by an impromptu Happy Hour and decide it's high time to reclaim the excitement their lives once held. For ticket information call 276-628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com. Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, will present "The da Vinci Code," based on Dan Brown's international bestseller, through Aug. 8. For ticket information call 276-628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com. Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, will present the musical "Guys and Dolls" through Aug. 9. This great American musical comedy features hits like "A Bushel and a Peck" and "Luck Be a Lady" and tells a story of romance, adventure, second chances, and the transformative power of love. For ticket information call 276-628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com. TRAINS The Chuckey Depot Railroad Museum in Jonesborough is open free of charge, but donations are appreciated. The depot is located at 110 S. Second Ave. in Jonesborough. Museum hours are: March through September: Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through February: Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit Jonesborough.com or call 423-753-1010. Submit items for Out & About at features@sixriversmedia.com.