The Big 9 Festival will be Oct. 5
The parade will feature show cars courtesy of Chattanooga Old School Cruisers
Chattanooga’s longest performing cover band Love, Peace and Happiness, who regularly played on the Big 9, will be joined by other legendary musicians on stage at 7 p.m.
Wilson Meadows, “The Gentleman of Soul”
A new festival is coming to Chattanooga to celebrate the history of what was once known as “The Big 9”. The festival will take guests back to the days when M.L. King Boulevard was referred to as “The Big 9” and it was alive with businesses, music, food, dancing, revelry and where history was made.
The Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation and the Bessie Smith Cultural Center will host the Big 9 Roots Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5, along MLK Boulevard from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. This one-day event is presented by Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union and has been developed to highlight and preserve Chattanooga’s African American history, and to honor those who have made history and are continuing to make history.
The MLK area has become a more diverse community, and as we embrace this change, we don’t have to lose its phenomenal history, said organizers.
“Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union has a history of working with organizations that celebrate Chattanooga’s unique history,” said Todd Fortner, TVFCU CEO. “We’re excited to collaborate with Bessie Smith Cultural Center and the Mary Walker Foundation in presenting the new Big 9 Roots Festival.”
The organizers said this festival will educate and impress upon citizens and leaders that this historic district, with its collective history, can be developed into a must-see tourist destination. It will complementing other areas of Chattanooga by bringing foot traffic and millions of tourism dollars to MLK merchants and the city.
The Big 9 Roots Festival kicks-off with the Volkswagen Atlas Parade of History at University Street and MLK Boulevard, ending in front of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. There will be reenactors portraying early African Americans responsible for shaping Chattanooga’s Black community as well as those who became famous in their respective fields.
Individual achievers who have brought national and regional attention to Chattanooga will be recognized as they cruise down MLK in show cars provided by Chattanooga Old School Cruisers.
"We’re looking forward to this celebration of Chattanooga’s history and rich musical roots in the spirit of the Big 9,” said Amanda Plecas, head of communications for Volkswagen Chattanooga. “Volkswagen is proud to call Chattanooga home, so we are honored that our locally assembled Atlas will be part of this tribute to Ninth Street’s legacy.”
There will be two stages, one located near the Train Trestle, while the main stage will be located on the grounds of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. Both stages will feature local entertainers throughout the day. On the Bessie stage the longest performing cover band, Love, Peace, & Happiness (1970-2019) will re-introduce guests to a showcase of local musicians who once entertained generations of people enjoying nightlife on the legendary street at 7 p.m. Other local performers have been invited and will be featured in the coming weeks.
Closing out the day and night of education and entertainment is Chattanooga’s own national R&B recording artist, Wilson Meadows, “The Gentleman of Soul”, who will perform at 9:30 p.m. on the Bessie Stage.
The event is free to attend and is family friendly. No alcohol will be allowed on the streets until 4 p.m. The Bessie Smith Cultural Center will have a children’s area on its lawn. Gates will be located at Lindsay Street and MLK Boulevard, King Street at 10th Street, Train Trestle on MLK Boulevard, and at Douglas and 8th Street.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Coca Cola will be hosting a Chop Weiner Cook-Off Contest celebrating one of Chattanooga’s cuisines originating in the prime of East Ninth Street. With an entry fee of $150, contestants will compete on Oct. 5 for a first-place prize of $1,000 and a trophy. Festival goers can judge the best recipe through taste testing.
Additionally, there will be a Line Dance Competition with a $1,000 first place prize. Teams of 6-10 members may sign up for the preliminary competition to be held at Eastgate Town Center Food Court, 5600 Brainerd Road on July 25 from 6-10 p.m. The two finalist teams will compete the day of the Big 9 Roots Festival for the first-place prize and trophy.
For more information on the Chop Weiner Cook-Off or Line Dance Competition, contact the Mary Walker Historical & Educational Foundation at 757-5889 or email Arthur Benton at arthurbenton3@gmail.com.
There is still availability to be a sponsor or vendor for the Big 9 Roots Festival. For more information contact the Bessie Smith Cultural Center at 266-8658 or email big9rootsfestival@bessiesmithcc.org.
Sponsors for the Big 9 Roots Festival include:
Presenting Sponsor: Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union
Platinum Sponsors – Benwood Foundation and Volkswagen Chattanooga
Elite Sponsor: EPB Fiber Optics; Premier Sponsor: Unum;
Gold Sponsors: Dwell Hotel; Erlanger Health System; and First Tennessee Foundation.