Welcome to (almost) April, y’all!

Well hey there, Delilah Darlin’! Pull up a rocker and scoot that sweet tea closer, ‘cause we’ve got a doozy of an issue this week. Spring’s struttin’ its stuff, the pollen’s flyin’ like gossip at a church potluck, and your pals at Chattynooga are here with a big ol’ basket of joy, community goodness, and a hot tip or two.

We’ve got rodeos, Thomas the dang Tank Engine, a whole bunch of hullabaloo for events. There's hot dogs, book clubs, and vintage treasure hunts with more sparkly flair than a middle school Lisa Frank folder.

So whether you’re scrollin’ in line at Frothy Monkey or takin’ a break from boring emails to read this cool one, just know this: you’re in the right place. We’ve got stories, smiles, and some mighty fine folks to introduce you to.

Let’s get into it, Sugar! Ya won’t believe the things we’ve seen this week.

Today's Issue Includes:

• This week's Front Porch Partner: 1440 Media

• Chattanooga's Upcoming Events

• Community Spotlight: Ugly Duck Vintage

• Stuff I saw on the internet: Hot Dogs to Go

• Chattynooga's First Book Club!

• Clementine's "Things Worth Looking For" Scavenger Hunt

• Wrap Up

Front Porch Partnerships: 1440 Media

Holy moly, we’ve got ourselves a sponsor for this week’s issue! It’s what we call a Front Porch Partnership, meanin’ it ain’t local-local, but it does help keep this digital printing press clackin’ along and allows us to do even cooler things with Chattynooga and our buddin’ community in the future!

Even if ya don’t end up signin’ up, just clickin’ the ad throws a dollar in the ol’ Chattynooga piggy bank, so thanks for at least takin’ a look! I wouldn’t put it in here if I didn’t think my buds wouldn’t enjoy it either. Anyway, take it away 1440 Media!

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

What’s Goin’ On in the Scenic City?

Community

• Chattanooga Stampede Pro Rodeo
  Friday, April 4 and Saturday April 5, 2025 @ First Horizon Pavilion
  Yeehaw and hang onto yer hats, y’all! The Chattanooga Stampede Pro Rodeo is trotlin’ into town faster than a greased pig at a county fair! Saddle up for a rootin’-tootin’ showdown chock-full of bronc bustin’, barrel racin’, and good ol’-fashioned rodeo fun.
  🤠 Giddy up or get left with the hay, partner.

• Day Out with Thomas: The Party Tour
  Saturday April 5 and April 12 and Sunday April 6 and April 13, 2025 @ Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
  If you’ve got a train-lovin’ tot or a grown-up who never outgrew their steam engine phase (lookin’ at you, Uncle Dave), this one’s a must. Thomas the Tank Engine is chuggin’ back into Chattanooga for a weekend of wonder at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Expect engineer hats, whistle blasts, and wide-eyed kiddos shoutin’ “All aboard!” at the top of their lungs.
  🚂 Grab your conductor hat! It’s full steam ahead.

• CDM Free Family Night
  Thursday, April 10, 2025 @ Creative Discovery Museum
  Ever watched a kid lose their mind over a bubble station or a ball ramp? Multiply that by a hundred and sprinkle in some giggles, and you’ve got CDM’s Family Free Night. It’s part science fair, part playground, and all joy. No ticket? No problem. Just show up curious and leave a little more amazed than when ya came.
  🔬 It’s free to play, just let ’em know you’re comin’.

Music & Entertainment

• Throwback Thursday at the Hunter
  Thursday, April 3, 2025 @ Hunter Museum of American Art
  Mosey on over to the Hunter and let the art do the talkin’. Throwback Thursday is your chance to wander through the museum’s gems, from the permanent collection to the latest eye-poppin’ exhibit, The Long View. And the best part? It won’t cost ya a single shiny penny.
  🎨 We’ve got the deets here - Bubby says it’s worth a look-see!

• Chattanooga Ballet Presents: Curveball
  Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13, 2025 @ UTC Fine Arts Center
  What do you get when ballet meets baseball and a whole lotta local flair? A grand slam of a show called Curveball. Chattanooga Ballet’s bringin’ the drama, the leaps, and the legacy to the stage in a performance that’s equal parts athletic, artistic, and all heart.
  🩰 Step up to the plate and let’s boogie!

Outdoors ‘n’ Stuff

• Chattanooga Outdoor Festival
  Saturday,April 5, 2025 @ Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens
  If sunshine, fresh air, and a lil’ dirt between your toes sounds like a good time, this one’s callin’ your name. The Chattanooga Outdoor Festival is servin’ up gear demos, live jams, tasty treats, and pure unfiltered Chattanooga vibes. Whether you’re a seasoned trail junkie or just here for the snacks, there’s a patch of grass waitin’ for ya.
  🏕️ Peep the plan and pack your snacks.

• Bike Camp 2025
  Saturday & Sunday, April 12–13, 2025 @ Reflection Riding, Chattanooga, TN
  Pedals, trails, and big-time smiles. Bike Camp is the perfect summer adventure for young riders lookin’ to roll through the wild. Hosted by Two Bikes, it’s all about confidence, community, and muddy high-fives under the trees.
  🚴‍♀️ No race, no rush: just good folks and good trails.

• Chickamauga Mound Care Day
  Saturday, April 12, 2025 @ Tennessee Riverpark
  Come lend a hand at Chickamauga Mound Care Day—we’re talkin’ leaves, seeds, and a little springtime TLC for the land. Stick around after the work’s done, ‘cause at noon the Tennessee Ancient Sites Conservancy is unveiling a brand new state historical marker for the mound!
  🌾 Dig into the details right here.

Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about? Wanna talk about how cool your weekend was? Tell us all about it! We’d love to yap it up and holler all about it from the porch! Just reply to this message, or send a separate one to [email protected]!

Hand-Picked Community Spotlight: Ugly Duck Vintage

Happy Monday, y’all! Clementine here. Y’all ever walk into a place and immediately feel like Lizzie McGuire in Rome? Like Taylor Dayne is playing in your head while you spin dramatically in front of a mirror, trying on six funky outfits you absolutely do not need (but also absolutely do?)

If that sounds like a dream you’ve had lately, lemme tell ya, Ugly Duck Vintage and the Chattanooga Vintage Market are calling your name! We're talkin’ the glitter-dusted fever dream of your nostalgic little heart: funky lamps, acid-wash denim, board games older than your dad, and maybe even a boxed collection of Highlights magazines practically yells, “Goofus would NEVER!”

That’s right, y’all! The Chattanooga Vintage Market is rolling back into town like a disco ball strapped to a Radio Flyer (we call that the Groovewagon back home), and I, for one, am already picking out my shopping fit. Circle April 6 in bright pink ink on your calendar, and meet us in Coolidge Park for a thrift-lovers playground. You can bop, sip, stroll, and vibe your way through a wild wonderland of weird and wonderful finds.

I caught up with Jackson, Ana, and Elijah over at Ugly Duck to get the lowdown on what’s new, what’s coming, and what absolutely cannot be missed (spoiler alert: there’s a lava lamp involved, and a pair of cowboy boots that might just alter the course of your life).

Ugly Duck Vintage is tucked away on the back side of Frazier Ave, like a little treasure chest waiting to be cracked open. As the name tends to give away, they specialize in vintage threads and getups. Like, the real-deal, time-traveling, pre-Y2K magic. Stuff your mom probably wears. 👀 And the name? It’s got a mighty fine story behind it, just as each and every article of clothing has sewn into every fabric here.

Today I am happy to report that Ugly Duck is thrivin’ and jivin’. Not only are they slingin’ the coolest clothes in town, but they’re also the brilliant minds behind the Chattanooga Vintage Market! Inspired by the vintage vendor scene they loved in Nashville, the team launched this baby two years ago, and it’s grown into a full-blown thrift carnival ever since.

This year’s market is bigger, brighter, and thriftier than ever, with over 50 local vendors bringing their A-game. Expect racks on racks (on racks 🤑) of the coolest clothes, plus magic piles of $5 and $10 finds. We’re talkin’ everything from the 1930s (give or take 137 years) to the 1990s and beyond: original band tees, NASCAR gems, Harley-Davidson gear, Disney memorabilia, and workwear that tells a story. The whole thing is gonna be VINTAGE AS HECK.

But wait... there’s more! This is so much more than just clothes. They’ve also rounded up the best handmade jewelry, local art, exclusive sneaks, food trucks, and tunes to keep your toes tappin’ while you shop till you drop.

Now here’s the scoop regardin’ payment and such: come prepared. Vendors accept all kinds of different forms of payment, like:

• Venmo

• Cashapp

• Cash not-on-an-app

• Bubby’s Meemaw’s banana pudding (seriously, it’s that good)

• Some vendors take card too, so you’re covered

And hey, even if your pockets are a little light, NEVER FEAR! You could win a whole hundred bucks to spend at the market! That’s right, $100 worth of vintage gold. All you gotta do is hop over to the Ugly Duck Vintage Instagram Post (yep, we tagged it down here as well), and tag three of your best pals in the comments. Tag ten. Tag thirty! Tag the whole dang bowling team if you want. Just make sure to do it before April 5 at 7PM.

As for me? I’m taggin’ Bubby, Meemaw, Great Aunt Betty Mae, Mayor Tim Kelly, and Miss Dolly Parton herself. I’m on the hunt for the perfect bell bottoms and a Dale Jarrett trucker hat (A girl can dream, right?)

Don’t sleep on the Chattanooga Vintage Market, y’all! It’s all happening on April 6 at 150 River Street in Coolidge Park from 11AM to 6PM. I’ll be the one elbow-deep in a $5 bin and helping Bubby throw blows like a feral raccoon over a vintage Kermit mug. See you there!

Stuff I Saw on the Internet: Hot Dogs To Go

No, this ain’t Bilmuri, but our feller Harvey has a gift and sure knows how to use it in the best way possible: Makin’ up parodies about Hot Dogs. Move on over, Weird Al!

This 10-year-old legend absolutely devoured his local talent show stage with a parody of Chappell Roan’s “Hot To Go”, except his version? It’s called Hot Dogs To Go, and it’s about — you guessed it — hot dogs. 🌭

We don’t throw around phrases like “star power” lightly, but this kid? He’s got stage presence, pitch, AND choreography. I watched it six times in a row and now I crave a corndog and a standin’ ovation.

Do yourself a favor and witness the future of parody pop right here:

Dog Ears & Deep Thoughts presents: The New Happy

Callin’ all readers, even y’all who aren’t quite fond of readin’ as a hobby like myself ( which if we’re bein real honest is why i’m tryna get a few buds together to read through this together,) I know I chatted about this way back when, but I’ve been flippin’ through this book called The New Happy by Stephanie Harrison, and lemme tell ya: it ain’t yer usual self-help mumbo jumbo. This here book is like sittin’ down with a warm cup o’ coffee and rememberin’ that bein’ your true self (yep, even the weird bits, hate to break it to ya) might just be the secret to a happier life. It's part science, part soul food, and a whole lotta kindness. No spoilers, but it’ll have you thinkin’ big thoughts about joy, purpose, and why we’re all better off helpin’ each other.

So here’s the scoop: we’re spinnin’ up our first ever Book Club, and we’re openin’ it up to just 10 folks for this first go-round! We’ll kick things off in early May 2025, gatherin’ every two weeks at Reve Coffee and Books, and readin’ The New Happy in cozy lil’ sections. We’re plannin’ for about five sessions total—enough time to get into the good stuff without feelin’ rushed.

PLUS: Our pals over at Winder Binder are offerin’ a 15% discount on the book just for y’all who join! That’s what we call community love. We suggest getting a physical copy of the book, but you do you buckaroo!

If your inner bookworm is wiggling with excitement, or ya just wanna hang out with some new buds, click the sign-up form below for more info and to snag your spot:

P.S. There ARE pretty pictures in this one. Just sayin’.

Clementine’s Corner

Spring has officially sprung here in the Scenic City, and I gotta tell ya, I’m eating it up like cornbread at a cookout. Everywhere you look, stuff is blooming, growing, buzzing, and plain ol’ glowing all over town. And since we’re talking about gathering the good this week, I’ve got a little challenge for ya:

🌼 Clementine’s “Things Worth Lookin’ For” Scavenger Hunt! 🌼

That’s right, folks! As we step into April, I want you to slow down, look around, and see what goodness is peeking up in the cracks, corners, and coffee shop windows. There’s beauty out there, y’all, and some of it’s just waiting on you to notice.

So lace up your sneakers, open up those eyeballs, and let’s see what we can find together. Here’s what we’re hunting for this week:

Whew! I’m buzzing like a right June bug just thinking about all the happy little treasures waiting to be found. So, wanna play along? Download your very own scavenger hunt card down below and get to gathering!

Once you start checking things off, head on over to our Instagram page. We’ve got a fancy little template there that is calling your name! Share the goodness you find, tag us, and let’s turn the internet into a big ol’ porch full of joy. It’s all up in our stories... or highlights, if you’re a slowpoke like Bubby and didn’t catch it in time.

Happy hunting, friends! Keep your eyes open and your heart curious. After all, there’s always a little magic hiding in plain sight!

Well dang, guess that’s all we have to yap to ya about.

Whew buddy… I’m more full than a tick on a hound dog after that one. Between vintage lava lamps, bug-spotting scavenger hunts, and a hot dog-themed talent show that made me laugh so hard I snorted lemonade through my nose, I’d say we’ve just about covered it all.

Don’t forget to tag along on Clemmie’s scavenger hunt, sign up for our first Book Club if you’re feelin’ brave (or just want a reason to buy a pretty book), and holler at us if you see somethin’ worth sharin’ in the Scenic City.

We're buildin' somethin' real special here, and if you’ve made it this far, well shoot… that means you’re part of it. ‘Til next time, keep yer eyes peeled for beauty, be kind to the weirdos, and never underestimate the power of a dang good hot dog.

Stay sweet, stay curious, and for the love of Dolly—hydrate, y’all.

Bubby & Clementine