The First Annual Normal-Palooza, a community festival and market celebrating art, music, food and friends, is set for Saturday, Oct. 23.

Five bands and over 30 artists and craftsman are coming together to support Normal Park Museum Magnet’s vision for being a place of inspiration for students, parents and the larger community.

The event is sponsored by Chattem and Pearls, a folk art gallery on Tremont Street.

The street festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1009 Mississippi Avenue in North Chattanooga near downtown.

Bands to perform on stage include Uncle Lightnin’ whose music is often described as “neo-rockabilly” and the Lumbar Five rock-and-roll band featuring Kathy Veasey on vocals. Lumbar Five recently released a CD of their original songs called, “Ask Your Doctor if It’s Right for You.”

The diverse lineup continues throughout the day with the traditional bluegrass sounds of the Ringgold Gap Band, Latin jazz ensemble Mesa Rio and rock-and-roll with Charles Allison.

Normal-Palooza Stage Performance Schedule
10:30-11:30 a.m. Lumbar Five (rock & roll)
11:30 a.m. - noon Unplugged interlude with Moe Savvy (rock & roll)
12-1 p.m. Charles Allison (rock & roll)
1-1:30 p.m. Unplugged interlude with Moe Savvy
1:30-2:30 p.m. Ringgold Gap Band (traditional bluegrass)
2:30-3 p.m. Interlude with Zanzibar Belly Dance
3-4 p.m. Mesa Rio (Latin jazz)
4-4:30 p.m. TBA
4:30-5:30 p.m. Uncle Lightnin’

Festival-goers can taste traditional Japanese cuisine from Sushi Nabe as well as other family-friendly foods that will be available for purchase.

The Children’s Creative Corner will keep young festival-goers engaged with hands-on interactive exhibits sponsored by the school’s museum partners, the Chattanooga Nature Center and the Tennessee Aquarium, an Astro Jump, and other arts and crafts activities.

“Shoppers can expect to find a variety of handmade, one-of-a-kind items for sale just in time for the holidays,” said Susan Paden, chair of the event.

The Normal-Palooza market will animate the stretch of Mississippi Avenue in front of the school’s campus with martial arts demonstrations and artisans selling their wares. Look for painted furniture, handmade greeting cards and botanical soaps, hand blown glass art works, mosaic and iron sculptures, gift baskets, jewelry, portrait painting, and yard art.

“We invite the entire community to stop by, visit with friends and neighbors, enjoy some great music and food, buy some holiday gifts and support our public school," said Susan Paden. "It has been exciting to see the local community come together to support our school. Normal-Palooza reflects the inclusive and artistic flavor of North Chattanooga.”

Proceeds from Normal-Palooza benefit Normal Park Museum Magnet. The fundraiser was created by parents and members of the school’s PTA. The school, now in its third year following a facility renovation, serves neighborhood children and a large number of students from throughout the Chattanooga area. Graduates have gone on to attend both area public and private schools. The school is often called “beyond normal” by principal Jill Levine.

“Normal Park Museum Magnet is one of only a few museum magnet schools in the country,” says Levine. “We are unique because of our close partnership with seven area museums to strengthen and deepen our classroom curriculum. I am pleased that our parents have come together to plan an innovative fundraiser that celebrates the arts and reflects the vision of our school – to provide days of exploration for years of discovery,” adds Levine.

More about Normal Park Museum Magnet:
Upcoming prospective student tours will be held at the school from 9-10:30 a.m. on the following days:
Oct. 21
Nov. 18
Dec. 9
Jan. 8
Jan. 20
Parents interested in learning more about the school’s curriculum are invited to tour the facility and meet members of the faculty.

The facility includes a museum-quality exhibit gallery of student art work, science lab and art studio. The work of noted local artists can be found throughout the campus. Judy Mogul designed 3-D sculptural arches in the main lobby that feature musical instruments, characters from children’s literature, and scientific motifs. Other works by muralist Melony Collins and metal sculptor Charles McFarland add to the creative atmosphere.

An adventure playground and edible landscape are under development and will serve as an outdoor classroom and extension of the science lab.

Now in its third year as a museum magnet school

Partners with seven area museums to bring a fresh, dynamic approach to learning

Museum partners include: Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga African American Museum, Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga Regional History Museum, Creative Discovery Museum, Chattanooga Nature Center and Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

Hosts regular exhibit night openings with student docents

Curriculum focuses on multi-disciplinary approach and offers related arts programs in visual and performing arts, Spanish, music, science, community gardening and physical education

K-5 Hamilton County public museum magnet school

Located at 1009 Mississippi Avenue in North Chattanooga

Jill Levine, principal
Kristina Montague, parent volunteer coordinator

School has historic roots in the community and was originally a prestigious private college at the turn of the century and has as alum many notable civic and business leaders

For further information on Normal-Palooza contact: Debra Price, Volunteer publicity coordinator, Normal-Palooza, Debra is also an involved parent of a student at Normal Park. E-mail: dprice@siskin.org or (423) 648-1708.