3rth of July Party Moves to Bongo Java East Lot
Ever the vanguard, East Nashville annually gets its red-white-and-blue on a day early with the 3rth of July party, this year at a new location in the lot next to Bongo Java East, 109 S. 11th St. Organizer Chris Thompson says the move to the new spot this year was due to some concerns about safety with regard to stages closing off streets. “The new Fire Marshall is kind of cracking down on the placement of stages if they are closing off streets. I found out about a week ago that it [the block party] wasn’t going to be where it normally was, so we were really glad the folks at Bongo Java could accommodate us at the last minute,” Thompson says. While the new spot doesn’t offer enough space for the all food trucks that have fed the guests at previous years’ block party festivities, Yazoo Brewing will be on hand to pour the beer and, Thompson adds, “I Dream of Weenie is going to stay open late and Five Points Pizza is one of our sponsors, and there are lots of other good dining options nearby.”
Music features Lady Couch, Smart Objects, and The Last Bandoleros. “If you have never heard of The Last Bandoleros, you will soon. They were with Sting on his last world tour, and though they aren’t a household name yet, they will be,” Thompson says.
Gates open on Wednesday July 3 at 4 p.m., and the party goes until 11:30 p.m. For more information and to get tickets, check out The 3rth. Early bird ticket prices are available through July 1. Admission covers entertainment and beer, with a portion of proceeds benefiting local non-profit organizations.
Art and Invention Property Sold
Although a cornerstone of East Nashville’s art community and Tomato Art Festival has been sold, the annual Tomato Art Show is still on for this year at the same location. Formerly the Art and Invention Gallery, the property at 1106 Woodland St. and adjacent shops in the Idea Hatchery were recently purchased for $2.5 million by developer Christian Paro, who also created the co-working spaces at Center 615 on Main Street. Former Art and Invention owners Bret and Meg MacFadyen retired and closed up shop at the gallery in May. The Tomato Art Festival they founded carries on their legacy under the auspices of Jack Davis’s Good Neighbor Festivals, which has been producing Tomato Art Fest for the past several years. Be sure to check out this year’s festival in Five Points August 9 and 10, including the Tomato Art Show Preview Party the evening of August 9.
14th Annual Hot Chicken Festival at East Park
The Music City Hot Chicken festival returns to East Park at 700 Woodland St. on July 4. Celebrating what has become Nashville’s spicy signature dish, the event features vendors from some of Hot Chicken City’s favorite chicken shacks serving up their version of the specialty. This year’s food lineup includes Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish, Pepperfire Hot Chicken, Deezies, and Hattie B.’s Hot Chicken. They’ll be dishing out the heat alongside a half dozen amateur chefs competing for the title of hot chicken king or queen and bragging rights. The day’s festivities begin with a Fire Truck Parade at 10:30 a.m. Festival gates open at 11 a.m. and the party goes until 3 p.m. Admission to the event is free, and the first 500 people in line will get free hot chicken samples.
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Anaconda Vintage Celebrates 1st Year with Nashville Canon Revue
Anaconda Vintage is throwing itself a little birthday party on Saturday, June 29, marking one year of doing business on the East Side, and they’ve invited area musicians and poets to help them celebrate. Regulars from the monthly reading series the Nashville Canon Revue will appear, including poets Meg Wade, Blair McMillan and Crystal Wood, with music from Hannah and Grant, Rainsticks, Caitlin Rose, and others. In addition to discounts on everything all day long, the good folks at Anaconda Vintage will have drinks and food for free while they last. Check out the party from noon to 6 p.m., and maybe score yourself some groovy new old threads at 1062 E. Trinity Lane #101 behind Grimey’s New and Preloved Music.
Council and Mayoral Candidates Hold East Side Community Events
With the start of early voting on July 12, candidates for Mayor and Metro Council are busy reaching out to voters. Several candidates will have public events in East Nashville in the coming days. On Friday, June 28 Metro Council District 7 Candidate Emily Benedict will be at Southern Grist Brewing Company, 1201 Porter Road, from 5-6:30 p.m. for a Happy Hour discussion of local issues. She’ll also be hosting a Greenway Grillout at Cornelia Fort Airpark, 2640 Airpark Drive from 1–3 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. Another District 7 Candidate, Cole D. Rogers, will also be at Southern Grist on Friday, June 28 for a Community Happy Hour from 6:30–9 p.m. David Briley’s campaign will hold a Meet Up with the Mayor at 1202 Forrest Ave., on Saturday, June 29 from 1–2:30 p.m.
Council-at-large candidate Zulfat Suara hosts a fundraiser at Oz Arts, 6172 Cockrill Bend, 37209, on Tuesday, July 2. While the location isn’t on the East Side, the event features a performance by long-time East Nashvillian Ketch Secor from Old Crow Medicine Show.
For more on what candidates for mayor are saying about the issues, check out video of the June 25 mayoral candidates’ debate on NewsChannel5 and see their answers to a survey issued by The Tennessean.
Quick Bits
–The Hands Free Tennessee Law goes into effect on July 1, making it illegal to hold a cellphone while driving. It stipulates that drivers reach for a cellphone or mobile device in a manner that requires the driver to no longer be in a seated driving position or properly restrained by a seat belt.” Phones can still be used for GPS navigation, that is if you don’t have to reach for them, and for hands-free conversation. For more on the new law, see Hands Free Tennessee.
–The Getalong collective of shops and gathering space has left their former digs in The Shoppes on Fatherland as of June 22 to take up residence just a few blocks down at 700A Fatherland St. in the storefront alongside Sky Blue Cafe and Wildflower Salon. They plan to be open in the new location by July 8. For more, follow them on Instagram at thegetalong.
–Tree removal and site preparation will begin soon for Buffalo Trail Apartments, an affordable housing community slated for 3711 Dickerson Pike in Madison. According to Metro records, Louisville-based LDG Development LLC obtained a tree-removal permit on June 19, and a stormwater grading permit is pending.
–The Nashville Post reports that a large retail parcel at 1214 Gallatin Ave. has been offered for sale at an undisclosed asking price. The Shoppes on Gallatin on a former Walmart site is currently owned by an LLC affiliated with Childress Klein, which operates out of Atlanta and Charlotte. Retail spaces are currently fully leased at the 1.3-acre parcel.
–A U.S. Supreme Court ruling has struck down a Tennessee law that requires vendors of alcohol to be in-state residents and to have lived in the state for at least two years before being licensed. The decision means that out-of-state vendors, including chain retailers can set up shop in Tennessee to compete with locally-owned businesses. For more on the story see CNN.com
–The Universal Life Church, an internet church that ordains ministers, is suing the state of Tennessee over recent legislation that will bar ministers ordained via the internet from performing wedding ceremonies. The law was passed by the Tennessee House in April and stipulates that “persons receiving online ordinations may not solemnize the rite of matrimony.” For more, see this story in The Washington Post.
–Tennessee is facing the closure of rural clinics and hospitals at an alarmingly rapid rate. The state also has one of the highest rates of uninsured people when it comes to health care. The two problems are clearly related, according to a recent opinion piece in The New York Times.
–Mayor Briley announced last week that he will ask Metro Council to terminate the controversial scooter pilot program, effectively issuing what will amount to a temporary ban on the devices as Metro reevaluates how they can best be incorporated into existing transit.. For more on the story, see The Tennessean.
–Mayor Briley announced the planned acquisition of over 700 acres of greenspace in Bells Bend, a move that will add large tracts of land to the city’s parks and greenways system. The parcels will be paid for via Metro Parks Department greenways acquisition funds. For more on the new green space, see the press release from Mayor’s office.
–Due to recent cut backs, the Metro Nashville Convenience Centers for recycling will be operating under new hours beginning Monday, July 1. The East Center off of Trinity Lane will be closed on Wednesdays and Sundays and open all other days from 7:30–11:30 a.m. and 12:30–4:30 p.m. See Metro Public Works Facebook page for information about other centers.
