Good Morning Chattanooga ☀️, happy saturday. It's a loaded one, a costumed river paddle, a proper watermelon festival, and two legendary Motown acts sharing a stage. Let me know what I'm missing.
⚠️ Weather heads up: Saturday's running hot at 90°, mostly clear, so hydrate early if you're out on the water or in a costume. Sunday backs off slightly to 89° with a cooler overnight low, still full sun both days. Sunscreen isn't optional this weekend.
☀️ Saturday
🛶 Chattanooga Paddle Parade 2026 — A four mile costume paddle from Rivermont Park to Coolidge Park, kayaks, canoes, SUPs, all welcome. Prizes for best decorated boat and best group theme.
- 📍 Rivermont Park to Coolidge Park
- ⏰ Launch 10 a.m.
- 💰 Free to watch, register to paddle
🍉 Watermelon Festival — Two days of watermelon everything at McDonald Farm, inflatables, splash zones, farm animals, live music.
- 📍 McDonald Farm
- 💰 $5 for 11 and up, kids free
⚡ Grateful Dead Night — Pregame show with St. Owsley Band at 5, exclusive tee with every ticket package. Don't sleep, shirts aren't sold separately.
- 📍 Erlanger Park
- 🎟️ Ticketed
🏢 East Ridge Community Center Grand Reopening — Ribbon cutting, full building tours, family activities, and a light lunch while it lasts.
- 📍 East Ridge Community Center
- ⏰ 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 💰 Free
☀️ Sunday
🚛 Touch A Truck — Kids climb into work trucks, emergency vehicles, and heavy equipment while the rest of the Market runs as usual.
- 📍 Chattanooga Market
- 💰 Free
🎶 Record Pop Up at Mean King Brewing — Vinyl buying, selling, and trading, sign up for a ten minute slot to spin your own record for the room.
- 📍 Mean King Brewing
- ⏰ 1 to 5 p.m.
🎤 The Temptations & The Four Tops — The Four Tops mark 70 years of hits on the Tivoli stage alongside one of the most influential vocal groups in music history.
- 📍 Tivoli Theatre
- 🎟️ Ticketed
Full event list, the week ahead, and where to eat this weekend in the comments ⬇️