Community Calendar

Have you had a concussion or mild brain injury and still feel dizzy or off balance? You may be able to join a research study at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. We’re testing a new app called Rock Steady that helps people do balance exercises at home using fun, game-like activities.

VA Central IRB
Effective Date: November 6, 2025
This study is looking at two ways to do these exercises: one group will use paper instructions, and the other group will use the Rock Steady app on a tablet or computer. Both groups will get the same types of exercises and support from a trained clinician.
The study lasts about 4 months. You’ll come in for an evaluation, do home exercises for 4 weeks, and have weekly check-ins (in person or online). You’ll also fill out a short survey 3 months later. You can earn up to $175 in Visa gift cards for completing all parts of the study.

To join, you must be at least 18 years old and have dizziness or imbalance from a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury. Some health conditions may prevent you from joining.

If you’re interested or want to learn more, call Dr. Stephanie Panoncillo at (423) 926-1171, ext. 2116.

The principal investigator for this study is Dr. Courtney Hall. This study is approved by the VA Central Institutional Review Board (IRB; Study #1703553). You may contact the VA Central IRB at 877-254-3130 with any questions.

East Tennessee State University’s Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will host its annual Tri-Cities Financial Aid Night on Monday, Oct. 5 from 5-8 p.m. in the ballroom located on the third floor of the D.P. Culp Student Center. Current and prospective college students and their families are invited to attend and receive free in-person support while submitting the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The 2027-28 FAFSA and ETSU’s General Scholarship Application open for the next academic year (fall 2027, summer 2028, and spring 2028) on Oct. 1.

East Tennessee State University’s Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will host their annual Tri-Cities Financial Aid Night on Monday, October 5 from 5-8 p.m. in the ballroom located on the third floor of the D.P. Culp Student Center. Current and prospective college students and their families are invited to attend and receive in-person support with submitting the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Global Cuisine
Thursdays September 17, 24, October 1, and 8, 2026
6pm-9pm
$280.00 for all four classes

Sheridan says, "Food feeds the soul and one of the best ways to understand another culture is through their foods. In this series we'll explore flavorful cuisines from different parts of the world, using ingredients readily available in our area. The use of different herbs and spices will take your cooking skills to the next level. The class is perfect for every level of skill and will focus on the authenticity of the featured cuisine. The class will feature modern takes on time-honored recipes using classic techniques. We'll prepare fantastic foods and then enjoy a meal together afterward."

Sheridan Nice is the former owner of Mona Lisa's Gelato & Cafe in Johnson City, TN, as well as the owner of the Epicurean. She is a graduate of La Varenne, Ecole de Cuisine, Paris and a recipient of a Baking and Pastry scholarship from IACP, International Association of Culinary Professionals, to the Culinary Institute of America, Napa Valley.

Open Mic Stand-up comedy is at Crossroads Craftworks every Monday!

This weekly workshop provides a free performance venue for aspiring stand-up comics.

Signup: 6:30 pm
Show: 7ish pm
$5 cash at the door / performers get in free
Age 18 and up only.

Here's how it works:
Wanna get behind the mic? The sign up sheet goes out at 6:30.
Wanna sit back and laugh? Bring $5 cash for the cover. The show starts around 7ish. BYOwhatever.

This is unfiltered, uncensored comedy. So adults only, please.

We encourage anyone who is interested in performing to give it a chance. Bring your notes, your laptop, whatever you need to get started. This is your opportunity to workshop your material and get feedback from other comics.

Have you had a concussion or mild brain injury and still feel dizzy or off balance? You may be able to join a research study at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. We’re testing a new app called Rock Steady that helps people do balance exercises at home using fun, game-like activities.

VA Central IRB
Effective Date: November 6, 2025
This study is looking at two ways to do these exercises: one group will use paper instructions, and the other group will use the Rock Steady app on a tablet or computer. Both groups will get the same types of exercises and support from a trained clinician.
The study lasts about 4 months. You’ll come in for an evaluation, do home exercises for 4 weeks, and have weekly check-ins (in person or online). You’ll also fill out a short survey 3 months later. You can earn up to $175 in Visa gift cards for completing all parts of the study.

To join, you must be at least 18 years old and have dizziness or imbalance from a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury. Some health conditions may prevent you from joining.

If you’re interested or want to learn more, call Dr. Stephanie Panoncillo at (423) 926-1171, ext. 2116.

The principal investigator for this study is Dr. Courtney Hall. This study is approved by the VA Central Institutional Review Board (IRB; Study #1703553). You may contact the VA Central IRB at 877-254-3130 with any questions.

This fall, kids will jump into an action-packed Superhero week! Designed for grades K–5, campers will create their own superheroes and bring their creativity to life. Ren Camp brings together Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math in a playful and imaginative way!

$200 for the week!

Registration is limited to 30 campers, K-5 grades, so don't wait to join us for Fall Festivities!

The Reece Museum presents Window into the Soul: The Work of Amanda Renfrow, an exhibition featuring the stained glass work by local artist Amanda Renfrow.

Window into the Soul, showcasing twenty-five stained-glass works by Renfrow, offers a retrospective of her eight-year practice. A native of Oklahoma, Renfrow moved to Appalachia in 2018 and began her artistic practice in glass. Starting as an apprentice to Steve Cook, a renowned glass artist in Jonesborough, Renfrow has since gained notoriety, with work frequently exhibited and housed in private and public collections, including the Reece Museum Permanent Collection.

"This exhibition brings together works that trace my artistic development from the smallest butterfly to the largest sun, reflecting the evolution of my approach over time,” says Renfrow.

From 1928 through 2007, East Tennessee State University hosted an exhibition that represented a folkloristic approach to documentation and historical interpretation of a mythological place called the Tennessee Frontier. The exhibit began as a classroom project that grew into public displays hosted in Gilbreath Hall (1928-1932), Sherrod Library (1933-1964), and the Reece Museum (1965-2007). As part of the ETSU America 250 events happening across our campus this year, many of the artifacts from this nostalgic exhibition have been brought out of the collections room to be shared with the public once again.

The Tennessee Frontier Room: 1928-2007 revisits institutional and regional history, with a focus on pieces of family and collective lore that contribute to greater regional mythohistories about the pioneers, explorers, and Indigenous inhabitants of East Tennessee between 1750 and 1840. From lithic tools created by ancient civilizations to a silk evening gown, the exhibit and accompanying publication showcase the cultural artifacts left behind by a people in flux. Building on work begun during the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations, this Semiquencentennial exploration of our shared history revisits the golden age of folklore, when the First Congressional District was branded “Tennessee’s First Frontier.”

“The Tennessee Frontier Room” will remain on display through June 2027. 

UPCOMING Northeast Tennessee MASTER GARDENER CLASS
We all want to share our love of gardening.

The Northeast Master Gardener Association (NETMGA) membership includes volunteers from Hawkins, Sullivan, Washington, Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi Counties. Their many activities include information booths at various home and farm shows, answering Ask-a-Master Gardener questions, teaching classes in the community, and organizing new Master Gardener classes. Their presence can be seen in many local historic site gardens, demonstration gardens and community vegetable gardens.

A new Master Gardener class will begin January 28, 2025, and go through April 29, 2025. Classes will be held on Tuesdays from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Classes are available for the surrounding communities' participants and are held at the Sullivan County, Ron Ramsey Agricultural Center located at 140 Spurgeon Lane, Blountville, TN.

The cost for the class is $200 and applications are available online at the NETMGA website or UT website: https://www.netmga.net/ OR Call 423-574-1919 and press "0"