Author and professor Jeff Sharlet will discuss the intersection of religion and politics in America at the second annual David L. Dungan Memorial Lecture at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 28, in the Cox Auditorium of the Alumni Memorial Building at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Sharlet’s lecture is titled “The Noise of Democracy: Faith, Faithlessness, and the Country In Between,” and is presented by UT’s Department of Religious Studies.

“It is an honor to have Jeff Sharlet speak on campus,” said Rosalind Hackett, department head of Religious Studies. “Jeff is a major voice in discussions about religion in the public sphere.”

Sharlet, who teaches creative nonfiction at Dartmouth College and is a contributing editor to Rolling Stone and Harper’s, will discuss what he describes as the “cacophony choir” of religion in the United States and the tension between the American belief in the liberty of conscience and the problem of its practice.

“The sound of democracy isn’t perfect harmony but cacophony, many voices together and apart,” Sharlet writes.

Sharlet is the author of the best-selling book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, an expose of a secretive Christian community in Washington, DC, that ministers specifically to members of Congress. His latest book of essays is titled Sweet Heaven When I Die.

After the presentation, Sharlet will participate in a question-and-answer session, and a reception and book signing will follow.

Both events are free and open to the public. Public parking is available in the University Center parking garage.

Sponsors include the Department of English and the UT Issues Committee.

Knox County Public Library's popular outdoor movie series returns to Market Square for the eighth year of free family fun in front of the silver screen—and this time it’s gone to the dogs! Partnering with PetSafe, this year's Movies on Market Square is gunning to be the most pet friendly movie series ever. Join us each Friday night at 7:00 for a BONE-ANZA for our four-legged festivities. The movie will begin at 8:00.

Showing Friday, October 7: Clue (PG - 1985)

*Footloose was originally scheduled for 10/7; however, its license is no longer available due to the anticipated release of its remake. We apologize for the confusion.

This week's preshow activities include:

Knox County Public Library's popular outdoor movie series returns to Market Square for the eighth year of free family fun in front of the silver screen—and this time it’s gone to the dogs! Partnering with PetSafe, this year's Movies on Market Square is gunning to be the most pet friendly movie series ever. Join us each Friday night at 7:00 for a BONE-ANZA for our four-legged festivities. The movie will begin at 8:00.

Showing Friday, September 30: Star Trek (PG-13 - 2009

This week's preshow activities include:

Knox County Public Library's popular outdoor movie series returns to Market Square for the eighth year of free family fun in front of the silver screen - and this time it's gone to the dogs!

Partnering with PetSafe, this year's Movies on Market Square is gunning to be the most pet friendly movie series ever.

This week's movie is How to Train Your Dragon.

Join us each Friday night at 6:30 for some four-legged festivities. The movie will begin at 8:00.

All movies are rated PG-13 or less, but parents are encouraged to check the films to make sure they are right for their family. The series will run for six Friday nights, from September 9 through October 14.

Pre-show activities will feature pet tips and advice, as well as an array of four-legged festivities sure to please even the most sophisticated Fido. The furry fun will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk. Of course, all pets must be very well behaved and all city rules regarding pets must be observed.

Each year, the Library puts on Movies on Market Square to highlight its vast collection of film and music. Audiovisual items now account for just over half of all circulating items at Lawson McGhee Library. Last year, over 454,000 DVDs, CDs, and audio books were checked out throughout the county.

For more information, please call 215-8767.

Knox County Public Library's popular outdoor movie series returns to Market Square for the eighth year of free family fun in front of the silver screen—and this time it’s gone to the dogs! Partnering with PetSafe, this year's Movies on Market Square is gunning to be the most pet friendly movie series ever. Join us each Friday night at 6:30 for some four-legged festivities. The movie will begin at 8:00

This week, the first 150 dogs will receive a Doggy Bag from PetSafe, and you can sign up for the K9 Cancer Walk

The Line Up:

9/9 - Hook (PG - 1991)
9/16 - How to Train Your Dragon (PG - 2010)
9/23 - Lady and the Tramp (G - 1955)
9/30 - Star Trek (PG-13 - 2009)
10/7 - Footloose (PG - 1984)
10/14 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG - 2009)

All movies are rated PG-13 or less, but parents are encouraged to check the films to make sure they are right for their family. The series will run for six Friday nights, from September 9 through October 14.

Pre-show activities will feature pet tips and advice, as well as an array of four-legged festivities sure to please even the most sophisticated Fido. The furry fun will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk. Of course, all pets must be very well behaved and all city rules regarding pets must be observed.

Each year, the Library puts on Movies on Market Square to highlight its vast collection of film and music. Audiovisual items now account for just over half of all circulating items at Lawson McGhee Library. Last year, over 454,000 DVDs, CDs, and audio books were checked out throughout the county.

For more information, please call 215-8767.

East Tennessee's favorite history festival is back and bigger than ever this year! Make plans to bring your friends and family and have a blast with your East Tennessee past in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, August 20 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. The event is free and has something for everyone to enjoy.

The Fair will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War with special reenactments, activities, and tours. Presented by the East Tennessee Historical Society, along with dozens of businesses, historical organizations, museums, musicians, and individuals, the East Tennessee History Festival features fun and educational activities highlighting the people, places, stories, and events that comprise the shared history of our 35-county region.

Special highlights include:

Knoxville's 12th annual Earth Day Event, EarthFest 2011 will take place on Saturday, April 16 from 10am to 5pm at Pellissippi State Community College. Admission and parking are free.

EarthFest is a "Zero-Waste Event" and organizers, sponsors and volunteers will provide recycling and composting opportunities for everything distributed at the event. There will be not trash cans on site. Last year at EarthFest '10 with 9 thousand attendees, we recycled or composted over 880 lb. of materials and only 6.50 lb. went to the landfill from the entire event.

EarthFest has had a major impact on the community promoting environmental awareness and opportunities for individuals to reduce their environmental footprint on East Tennessee.

EarthFest events this year include a youth environmental learning area with projects like Enviro-Scape: Interactive water quality demonstrations for all ages.Arts and Crafts: Reusable Shopping Bags, Pet Rocks, Coloring Books. Creepy Crawlers: Kids will dig for worms in compost piles. Recycling Relays, Seed Planting, and much more!

Speaking sessions at the Green Living Tent include:

One of the most popular outdoor events in Knoxville, Sundown in the City presented by Regal Entertainment Group, returns to Market Square on April 21!

For five Thursdays this spring music lovers can enjoy a variety of exciting live musical performances in the heart of downtown Knoxville.

Sundown in the City is absolutely free, open to the public and a great way to get your weekend started early.

"Sundown's an exciting event, and we're especially proud of it," says Ashley Capps, President of A. C. Entertainment, which created and produces the series. "It's not just a concert, but a community celebration. It's helped to demonstrate the tremendous spirit and vitality of our city - and that spirit has been contagious. Plus, it's a lot of fun."

Gates will open at 6 p.m. and all performances begin at 7 p.m. Free parking is available after 6 p.m. at the Locust Street, Market Square and State Street garages. Downtown map available here.

The shows are:

For up-to-date and additional information, please check www.sundowninthecity.com.

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