Steve Earle plays a solo acoustic benefit show at Songbirds Sunday night -- that's the headliner for Memorial Day weekend in Chattanooga. Saturday, the 6th Annual Chattanooga Beer Fest® brings craft beer sampling to First Horizon Pavilion, and Friday's free Nightfall double bill at Miller Plaza kicks things off downtown. Now, the weather, because it's going to matter this weekend: this one's a soaker. Friday and Saturday are all but committed to storms, and Sunday only barely talks itself out of it. Highs sit in the low 80s. The upshot -- bring the umbrella, and notice how good every indoor event on this list suddenly looks.
Friday
Nightfall Free Summer Concert Series: Danimal Planet / Luke Simmons & The Lovestruck -- Miller Plaza, Free
Nightfall's back for another season of free Friday night music at Miller Plaza, and this week is a local double bill worth showing up for. Danimal Planet and Luke Simmons & The Lovestruck share the stage -- two acts from the local scene, no cover, no excuses. If the storms hold off even a little, this is a strong way to start the weekend.
Happy Hour at Frothy Monkey -- Frothy Monkey, 3:00 PM ET
$2 off craft cocktails, 2-for-1 beer, and $6 wine starting at 3 PM -- Frothy Monkey's happy hour is a reliable pre-evening stop on the Southside. Dinner menu kicks in at 5 PM if you want to stretch it into a full night. With the rain coming down, a bar stool and a cold drink sounds about right.
Evening Ridge Runner -- Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, $26 per person, 5:00 PM ET
A 65-minute train excursion through the ridge country -- this one runs March through September evenings and it's a solid call for families or anyone who just wants to do something genuinely different on a Friday night. Weather is a factor if you're hoping for open-air scenery, but the ride itself is the experience.
Nightlife: Thrills, Gills & Chills -- Tennessee Aquarium, $25, 6:00 PM & 7:00 PM ET
The Tennessee Aquarium's 21+ after-hours event leans into a "Summerween" theme -- trick-or-treat style through the exhibits, aquarium after dark, the whole thing. Two entry times available at $25 each. It's a rainy Friday night; being inside a building full of fish and Halloween vibes is not a bad move.
Lookout Comedy Competition -- The Comedy Catch at the Choo Choo and Backstage Bar, 7:00 PM ET
The 2nd annual Lookout Comedy Competition runs all weekend at The Comedy Catch, with standups from around the country competing for the top spot. Friday night is your first shot at catching it -- you'll see comics you haven't heard of yet, which is kind of the whole point of a competition format. Good indoor option with the weather being what it is.
An Evening with Elvis -- Featuring John Kelly -- The Princess Theatre, 7:00 PM ET
John Kelly pays tribute to Elvis Presley over in South Pittsburg at The Princess Theatre. The billing calls it "the electricity of Elvis" -- this is the full authentic tribute treatment, described as a strong date night or group outing. Worth the short drive if you're in that corner of the Tennessee River valley.
Noogavision Theatre and Performing Arts Co. at Harrison Center -- Harrison Center, 7:00 PM ET
Thoughts of a Colored Man gets a live theater treatment out in Harrison. This is a powerful, critically regarded play -- if you haven't seen it staged, this is a good opportunity to catch a real production outside the downtown core.
Saturday
Chattanooga Beer Fest® -- First Horizon Pavilion, 12:00 PM ET
The 6th Annual Chattanooga Beer Fest® is the big one Saturday -- unlimited tastings from every participating craft brewery partner, all under the pavilion roof. The noon start gives you the afternoon session, and with 95% rain odds outside, being inside sampling beer is exactly the right call. Tickets went on sale April 1st; check the event page for current availability before you head out.
River Market -- Tennessee Aquarium, Free admission; food/vendor purchases separate, 10:00 AM ET
The weekly River Market sets up at the Aquarium Plaza with live music, food, and arts and crafts vendors. Free to walk through -- what you spend on food and vendors is up to you. If the morning storms ease up at all, this is a pleasant way to spend a Saturday before the Beer Fest crowds kick in.
Chattanooga Bass Association Tournament -- Chester Frost Park, $60 for 2 nights, 7:00 AM ET
The Chattanooga Bass Association is out on Chickamauga Lake early Saturday morning. If you're a spectator or curious about the weigh-in scene, Chester Frost is a good spot to watch. The $60 entry covers two nights of camping -- this is the competitor rate, not an admission fee for onlookers.
Sunday
Steve Earle Benefit Concert -- Songbirds Foundation, 7:00 PM ET
Steve Earle -- solo acoustic, seated show -- at Songbirds Foundation Sunday night. Doors at 6 PM, show at 7 PM. This is a fundraiser event, so you're getting one of Americana's most acclaimed songwriters in an intimate room while supporting a good cause. Earle's catalog runs deep; in a small venue like Songbirds, this is the kind of show people talk about for a while. Memorial Day weekend closer worth planning your Sunday around.
The Full Lineup
Find all 37+ events this weekend at chattanoogalineup.com/events/.
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