April 20-22
Association for Visual Arts hosts the 18th annual 4 Bridges Arts Festival. Located in the First Tennessee Pavilion, the festival kicks off Friday evening with the Preview Party, a ticketed event sponsored by Barnett and Company. The festival officially opens to the public Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and continues Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. – admission is free both days. www.AVArts.org.

April 20-22
Birds of Chattanooga, A Weekend Adventure presented by The Tennessee Ornithological Society. Registration is $15 and $10 for students.  Admission to the banquet will be $15. The event will be based at The Crash Pad boutique hostel on the Southside. www.tnbirds.org or email gaddy@catt.com.

April 21
Second Life Tennessee, a local nonprofit that helps survivors of human trafficking, hosts Finish for Hope 5K.   Riverfront Pavilion, shelter four, at 4301 Amnicola Hwy.  Registration will begin at 9 a.m. The 5K starts at 10 a.m. and the one mile fun run at 11 a.m.  Cost for 5K is $35, and $20 for students.  Cost for the one mile is $15.  Registration is available here. 

April 21
Alton Park Street Fest & Clean Up. Neighborhood clean up from 11 a.m.-1 p.m along Fagan Street between East 38th Street and Workman Road. Parking is available at Christian Fellowship Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 3709 Seminary St. Community festival at Southside Community Park, 3501 Central Ave., from 1-4 p.m. with food provided by Chattanooga Police Department and area food trucks, entertainment from local artists and Jazzanooga and activities for community members of all ages. For more information and to volunteer call 643-7315 or learn more here. 

April 26
First Things First offers Parenting in the Brave New Digital World class. At the First Things First office at 620 Lindsay St. Tickets are available at www.FirstThings.org. Cost is $25 per couple or $12.50 per parent. 

April 28-29
Repticon at Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge. Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. At the door, tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 5-12, and children under 5 are admitted free. VIP and advance tickets may be purchased online at http://repticon.com/repticon-chattanooga/. 

April 29
Mitch Rossell will perform and speak at Mel’s Derby Day for the MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Foundation.  Chattanooga Westin. Doors will open at noon for a silent auction. Lunch and the program will begin at 1 p.m. Individual tickets are $50 and $30 for children under 10. There is no charge for breast cancer survivors, but survivors must register for the event. Tickets may be secured online by visiting melfoundation.org and clicking on the “Upcoming Events’’ link.

May 3
Siskin Children’s Institute StyleWorks – Fashion with Compassion, 11 a.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center.  siskin.org/styleworks.

May 5
Hits 96, WDOD-FM, welcomes back Chattanooga's biggest Cinco De Mayo tradition, The Running of the Chihuahuas 11, at the First Tennessee Pavilion. Registration is open and available at www.hits96.com on a first come, first serve basis. Spectators and press are encouraged to participate, for free, starting at 2 p.m. at the First Tennessee Pavilion. Music begins at 3 p.m. and racing begins, tentatively, at 6 p.m.

May 5-6
Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts will host a weekend of events supporting arts in education May 5-6 with Damon J. Gillespie, star of the new hit TV show Rise on NBC and CCA alum. Saturday, May 5, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Dance Master Class Taught by Damon J. Gillespie. Sunday, May 6, 9-10 a.m. VIP Breakfast and Meet & Greet with Damon. Participants will also receive admission and reserved seating to the Talent Showcase following the breakfast. Sunday, May 6, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. CCA Talent Showcase featuring CCA students. Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts, 1301 Dallas Road. Admission to the Saturday Dance Master Class is $25.  Tickets to the Sunday VIP Breakfast are $50 (includes meet and greet with Damon during breakfast, a souvenir, and reserved seating, and admission to the Talent Showcase afterwards). Admission to the Sunday Talent Showcase only is  $10. Tickets for all events may be purchased online at www.centerforcreativearts.net  or http://bit.ly/CCA-Rise-and-Shine Tickets may also be purchased at the door to each event if not sold out ahead of time.

May 12
The 6th Annual Chattabrewga, noon to 5 p.m. at the First Tennessee Pavilion. Chattabrewga is Chattanooga’s special-release and rare beer festival. General admission tickets are $50 and include unlimited craft beer samples, no tokens required. Fifty VIP tickets are available for $90 and include early entry to the event and access to the Creation Gardens VIP Lounge with food and special beers. Portion of net proceeds supports the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition. The event is 21+ and guests must present a valid ID to enter. No children or pets will be permitted. Also, please no large bags or backpacks.

May 17
La Paz Chattanooga hosts its annual Sangria on the Bluff fundraising event to benefit Chattanooga’s Latino community. Hunter Museum of American Art from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $85 online at www.lapazchattanooga.org/sangria.  

May 19
The Chattanooga Zoo Spirits in the Wild, 6-10 p.m. Event guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the zoo underneath the stars, encounter animals,  learn about the Zoo’s future plans and conservation efforts, and groove to music provided by the Peter Moon Band. The evening will include tastings of a variety of liquors, craft beers, and wines, along with sampling different cuisines from some of Chattanooga’s restaurants and eateries, all while raising funds for the Zoo. Tickets are $50 for Zoo members and $60 for non-members. Tickets are now available for purchase online at http://www.chattzoo.org/events/spirits-in-the-wild or in person at the Zoo Gift Shop. If not sold out, tickets will be available to purchase at the door the night of the event for $60 each. Ticket price includes admission to the Zoo, open bar, sampling of food, live music, animal encounters, and more.

May 20
Pollinator Festival organized by the Bee City USA groups on Lookout Mountain. 1-4 p.m. at the Lookout Mountain School Gym. Free and open to all. There will be activities for children to learn about pollinators. For adults there will be free gardening advice by experts from Tennessee Wild Ones and the Tennessee Aquarium. Some of the advice that will be available includes how to attract pollinators and butterflies to your yard, organic solutions for common yard problems, how to increase yields of vegetable gardens and what to do about invasive plants. There will also be a beekeeper display and live wildlife that live on the mountain to see up close.

May 27
The Harrison Ruritan Club Open Car Show. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Tennessee Riverpark, 4301 Amnicola Highway. Spectator admission is free. Pre-registration is $20, day of show is $25.  Registration is from 8 a.m.-noon.  Judging begins at noon.  Dash plates go to the first 150 registered.  Door prizes will be given. Sunday morning church service starts at 11 a.m.  Food is available for purchase.  Proceeds benefit various community service projects. Event will be held rain or shine. More information and registration forms can be found on the Harrison Ruritan Club website. You may contact Perry Mayo at perrymayo@gmail.com or 423-645-5424.

June 23
The 2018 Chattanooga Readers and Writers Fair at the Downtown Chattanooga Public Library with an evening event at the Edney Building at 1100 Market St. Activities will include book sales and readings on the Library fourth floor from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and children’s activities on the Library second floor. https://readnwritefair.wordpress.com/