- Chattynooga
- Posts
- A Seat for Everyone
A Seat for Everyone
Because every story deserves a place at our table.
Bubby Tallant & Clementine McBride
November 03, 2025
Welcome to November, Neighbor!
The leaves are bossin’ the sidewalks, the town’s startin’ to trade costumes for casserole dishes, and I hate to admit it, but the candy bowl’s justa ‘bout empty. The calendar’s startin’ to fill up with too many plans, and somehow we all start findin’ our way back to each other through this silly newsletter, so thanks for takin’ the time to catchup with each other for a few minutes. 🫶🏻
This week’s issue is all about gatherin’. From the long tables downtown at Gratefull Chattanooga later this month to the smaller moments that make this city hum: neighbors helpin’ neighbors, stories worth sharin’, and the folks who keep this porch swing creakin’ week after week. Oh, and we’re buildin’ a handy dandy resource alongside the Chattanooga community that helps folks find food (and submit your own nearby resources) so that we’ll have a beautiful patchwork network for people to have access to. Ain’t nobody gonna go hungry if we can help it.
So grab your favorite mug, take a breath, and settle in for a little warmth before the holiday rush kicks up faster than you can say “Gobble Gobble”. There’s plenty of good company ahead.
Today's Issue Includes:
Together with
This week’s Front Porch Partner: Author.Inc
This week we’re teamin’ up with Author.Inc, the folks who help turn big ideas into real-deal books.
Every click on their ad below drops $2.37 into the Chattynooga piggy bank — no sign-up or catch, just an easy way to keep our porch swing rockin’.
Wanna back local storytelling and news from us? Tap the ad below, friend!
Smart leaders don’t write books alone.
You built your business with a team. Your book should be no different.
Author.Inc helps founders and executives turn their ideas into world-class books that build revenue, reputation, and reach.
Their team – the same people behind projects with Tim Ferriss and Codie Sanchez – knows how to turn your expertise into something that moves markets.
Schedule a complimentary 15-minute call with Author.Inc’s co-founder to map out your Book Blueprint to identify your audience, angles, and ROI.
Do this before you commit a cent, or sentence. If it’s a go, they’ll show you how to write and publish it at a world-class level.
If it’s a wait, you just avoided wasting time and money.
What’s Goin’ On in the Scenic City?
Community
Nonprofit Happy Hour
Wednesday, 11/5 @ Plant Bar | 4–5:30PM
Join The Chattery for a relaxed evening of conversation and community as Chattanooga’s changemakers come together to connect and toast to the possibilities. Whether you work in nonprofits or just love a good drink with good people, everyone’s welcome.
Chicks Get Crafty: Plant Edition
Wednesday, 11/5 @ Plant Bar | 5-7PM & 7-9PMGirlChat Co. and The Plant Bar are teaming up for a girls’ night of painting, planting, and plenty of fun. Every ticket includes all the supplies you’ll need to make your own painted pot masterpiece and a plant to call your very own.
Sleep in the Deep at the Tennessee Aquarium
Saturday, 11/8 @ Tennessee Aquarium | Check-in 6PM
Grab your jammies and settle in for an unforgettable night at the Aquarium! Sleep beside stingrays and sharks, enjoy late night snacks, and take part in a Scavenger Hunt After Dark. In the morning, wake up to breakfast and a peek behind the scenes as the animals start their day.
🦈 Get your fins on a ticket before they’re gone
Music & Entertainment
Darci Lynne Live in Ringgold, GA
Thursday, 11/6 @ Colonnade Civic Center | Show 7:30PM (Doors 6:30PM)
The America’s Got Talent winner is bringing her beloved puppets and unique talent to Ringgold for one night only! Expect music, comedy, and fan-favorite characters in a high-energy show for all ages.
🎤 Grab your tickets before they’re gone
In-Town Gallery New Fall Show Reception
Friday, 11/7 @ In-Town Gallery | 5–8PM
Kick off the holiday season on the North Shore! In-Town Gallery’s new fall exhibition features fresh work from local artists plus a new Festive Holiday Shop for one-of-a-kind gifts and ornaments.
🖼️ Where local art meets holiday magicChattanooga Fringe Festival
Friday, 11/7-Sunday, 11/9 | Various Venues
Presented by Barking Legs Theater, the Chattanooga Fringe Festival is back, and it’s bigger, bolder, and more brilliant than ever. Over 100 artists from 8 states will fill 3 days with live music, theatre, comedy, dance, improv, and everything in between.
Hot In Herre: 2000s Dance Party
Friday, 11/7 @ Barrel House Ballroom | 9PM (Doors 8PM)
Break out your Juicy tracksuits and low-rise jeans, it’s time for a Y2K dance party you won’t forget. Hit the floor for nonstop throwback hits from Nelly, Beyoncé, Usher, Britney, and all your 2000s faves. 21+.
Outdoors ‘n’ Stuff
Full Moon Series: Beaver Moon
Wednesday, 11/5 @ Sterchi Farm Park | 6–7:30PM
Take a moonlit walk along the Chickamauga Creek Greenway with Aquarium naturalists and Outdoor Chattanooga as you explore wildlife and the story behind November’s Beaver Moon. Registration is required and closes TODAY, so click that link before it’s too late!
Little Debbie Hamilton County Fair
Friday, 11/7-Sunday, 11/9 @ McDonald Farm
The county fair is back at McDonald Farm with rides, music, crafts, and all the funnel cake you can handle. It’s the perfect fall weekend to celebrate all things Chattanooga and a little bit of country charm.
Homegrown Fest
Saturday, 11/8 @ Chattanooga Choo Choo Courtyard | 3PM–Late
All My Friends is bringing a full day of local music, art, and community to the Choo Choo Courtyard. Expect DJs, a vendor market, food from Wanderlinger, and a Holiday Toy Drive for the Forgotten Child Fund. When the sun sets, the afterparty kicks off at Wanderlinger ‘til 2AM.
Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about? Wanna talk about how cool your weekend was? Tell us all about it! Just reply to this message, or send a separate one to [email protected]!
This Week’s Community Spotlight: Gratefull Chattanooga’s Ten Year Celebration!
Every November, somethin’ special happens right in the heart of downtown Chattanooga: long tables stretch down Martin Luther King Boulevard, filled with the sound of laughin’, chatterin’, and clatterin’ of shared plates bein’ passed around. Neighbors, families, students, and strangers all sit side by side to share one simple thing — a meal together. Gratefull Chattanooga is a lovely reminder of what community looks like when we make space for one another.
Now in its tenth year, Gratefull’s become one of the city’s most beloved traditions as a celebration of connection and gratitude that don’t cost a dime to join. On Thursday, November 20th at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, you’re invited to pull up a chair and be part of this livin’, breathin’ mosaic of Chattanooga’s generosity. You can lend a hand servin’ or decoratin’, make a donation to support The Chatt Foundation, or simply show up hungry and ready to share a plate.
There’s no ticket or expectations, just a long table and an open invitation to belong. In a season that tends to rush by, Gratefull gives us a reason to slow down, and remember that gratitude feels an awful lot like home. Thanks to all the great folks, businesses, and organizations involved in makin’ this event happen every year!
Deep Thoughts with Bubby: The Grace of Slow Things
The porch looks a little different this week. The jack-o’-lanterns out by the steps have caved in on themselves like they partied too hard on Halloween and never quite recovered. The air’s got that sharp edge to it now, the kind that makes your coffee taste better but your mornin’ walk a little shorter (that’s if it ain’t pourin’ ice cold rain droplets out.) Somewhere down the block, you can smell someone’s first pot of chili simmerin’, and ya just know they put a little too much cumin in it again, bless ’em.
November sure is a sneaky one, ain’t it? It don’t come in hollerin’ like July or showin’ off like October, it just sorta… slips onto the porch, pours itself a cup from Meemaw’s Folger’s coffee pot, and sits there all quietlike for a while. It’s a month that hums instead of hollers. The trees let go of what they don’t need, the air turns honest, and for once the world feels like it’s takin’ a deep breath.
That said, I been thinkin’ lately about how easy it is to move too fast. We rush from one “thing” to the next like we’re tryin’ to beat some invisible timer. But the good stuff, in my journalistic opinion, is usually hidin’ in the pauses:
A meal you didn’t rush through.
A neighbor you waved at instead of just noddin’ from the driveway.
That one friend who always tells the same story, but somehow, it hits different every time (lookin’ at you, Robert).
Maybe that’s what November’s tryin’ to teach us, to make a little space in your life for yer community. Pull up one more chair, add another spoon to the pot, and don’t worry if the tablecloth doesn’t match. It ain’t about bein’ perfect, just showin’ up and openin’ your door to friends who may need it.
So pull up a chair, neighbor. Lord knows the porch could use your laugh right about now. And while you’re at it, here’s somethin’ to chew on: What’s one small way you can slow down and be intentional this week? Whether it’s with a person, a place, or maybe even yourself?
If yer interested in sharin’ it with us, we’d love to hear it (and maybe help ya brainstorm if ya have a half-baked thought!) Just reply right in yer inbox, or you can drop us a new line by emailin’ [email protected] and the subject, “November Intention”. We read (and try to respond) to every email we get, so don’t be a stranger bud!
Clementine’s Corner: The Patchwork Food Network
I may just be a kid reporter, but I hear things. I see things. I know things. And lately, I’ve been hearing about a lot of folks here in Chattanooga having trouble getting their basic needs met, like food on the table. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? But the truth is, sometimes we have to face that things aren’t how we wish they were... and do what we can to make ‘em a little better. Not just for ourselves or our families, but for the whole town.
So, here’s what we’re doing about it: we’ve started building what I like to call The Patchwork Food Network, a growing list of places all across Chattanooga where people can find food, share food, or lend a helping hand. It might look a little empty right now, but that’s where you come in.
If you spot a pantry, fridge, or drop-off post like the one at The Bunny Hive Chattanooga, send it our way! Every new submission helps us reach one of the 30,000+ neighbors who may need access to food this month. No judgment or red tape, just community care in action.
This season is all about gratitude and giving, and I sure am proud to live in a city that keeps both flowing like the Tennessee River itself.
Thanks for showin’ up with a plate, neighboroonie.
Before ya scoot off to whatever Monday brings you, here’s a little thought to pocket for the week: Don’t wait for the big moments to show up for the people (and places) that matter. Consistent lil’ ripples can make a bigger impact than ya realize.
The table’s always got room for you, friend. We’ll keep your seat warm ‘till next time!
— Bubby & Clementine
How was this week's issue?Don't hold back, bein' honest helps us get better! |
Reply