23rd Annual Nashville Lawn & Garden Show

March 1-March 4, 2012
The timeless appeal and importance of gardens will be celebrated at the 23rd annual Nashville Lawn & Garden Show on Thursday, March 1, through Sunday, March 4, 2012, at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

Gardens Past, Present & Future is the theme for the 2012 presentation of Tennessee’s largest and most popular annual gardening event that includes an acre of live gardens, a series of free lectures and workshops, a floral design gallery, and more than 250 exhibit booths featuring horticultural products and services, outdoor living décor, and plants and flowers.

A new feature at the 2012 show will include a Gardeners Boot Camp, a hands-on introduction to the art, science and fun of gardening on Thursday, March 1. This year’s show will emphasize the crucial role that plants play in creating and maintaining a healthy, sustainable environment. From rivers to rooftops to roadways — plants, planting practices and planning can have a huge impact on the quality of life in our backyards and throughout our communities.

The proceeds from the 2012 show will benefit The Cumberland River Compact, a non-profit educational and advocacy group focused on promoting a healthy natural and economic environment in the Cumberland River watershed.

The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show annually attracts more than 20,000 people from throughout the Midsouth region. All events are indoors and there is ample parking for only $5. The show is fully handicapped accessible.

Nashville Boat & Sportshow

January 12-January 15, 2012
The Progressive Insurance Nashville Boat and Sportshow returns to Music City Jan. 12-15, 2012 at the Nashville Convention Center with more than 300 boats from fishing boats to large yachts and houseboats, giving outdoor enthusiasts the Mid-South’s largest selection of watercraft in the state. There’s no better place to see and buy boats, gear and accessories. This 4-day event packs the Nasville Convention Center with everything you need for a summer full of boating and fishing fun! Shop the area’s best selection of new boats and browse booths showcasing the latest in marine gear, motors, electronics, tackle and accessories. Visit charter companies and resorts to book you next vacation, too. And there’s no better time to buy! It’s your once-a-year chance to compare makes and models, secure insurance and financing and gear up with the latest accessories all at one time!

See Twiggy, the water skiing squirrel. Get tips from Mark Menendez, Jay Yelas, Randy Howell, Joey Monteleone at daily fishing seminars and learn dog training secrets at Keith Milby’s Dog training seminars. Try to bag-a-buck at the KDFW’s hunting simulator. Boaters learn how to keeping your boat running smoothly at the DIY Boat Shop.Young mariners will enjoy meeting SpongeBob SquarePants’ best friend and neighbor Patrick Star. There really is something for everyone!

28th Annual A Country Christmas 2011

November 18, 2011-January 3, 2012

Gaylord Opryland’s 28th annual A Country Christmas? brings back your favorite
holiday events like Louise Mandrell’s Christmas Dinner Party? and the 10th
anniversary in Nashville of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular? starring The
Rockettes?.

And now you can animate your holiday getaway with The DreamWorks? Experience!
Vacation with the beloved characters from such films as Shrek?, Kung Fu Panda? and
Madagascar? through interactive experiences including ICE!? featuring Merry
Madagascar?, ShrekFeast character meals, character meet and greets, Gingerbread
Decorating with Gingy, DreamWorks? Character Parade and DreamWorks? Themed Scavenger
Hunt.

Music City Roots

October 19, 2011 – Music City Roots, Live From The Loveless Cafe is a weekly, two-hour radio show that revives the historic legacy of live musical production. Broadcast on Wednesday nights on Lightning 100 on Wednesday nights from 7:00pm to 9:00pm,CST, Music City Roots, Live From The Loveless Cafe showcases Nashville’s astonishing music scene, from country and Americana to more progressive interpreters of tradition — a “roots and branches” format that brings together fans of different tastes and generations. Presented live from the stage of the Loveless Barn, this show will showcase purveyors of authenticity across many genres.

Music fans worldwide know Nashville as the epicenter of country music, and Music City Roots, Live From the Loveless embraces and builds on that foundation. MCR is broadcast to a global audience, not just as the keeper of the traditional flame, but as a trusted tastemaker that looks to the future of music in all its forms and sub-genres: bluegrass, folk, alternative, western, rockabilly and crossovers into rock, jazz and world music. There has never been a time of greater variety, abundance and quality in Nashville’s creative community, and Music City Roots looks to put that talent on a worldwide stage.

Each broadcast will feature 4-5 artists in 20 minute segments and short interviews, and also encourages collaboration with a nightly Loveless Jam where all musical guests embrace the spirit of Music City as the collaborative epicenter of tradition and innovation. Nashville’s legendary Keith Bilbrey is the announcer; Jim Lauderdale and other leaders of the music community host the festivities.

28th Annual Pumpkinfest

October 29, 2011 – Pumpkinfest, the Heritage Foundation’s annual fall festival, attracts a crowd of 50,000 local and out-of-town visitors for a full day of autumn-inspired food, children’s activities, music, storytelling, hayrides, a chili cook-off, a costume contest, All Things Pumpkin and outstanding arts and crafts from 50 vendors.

The family oriented street festival held around the public square is going green for Halloween with a new emphasis on recycling and sustainability, lead by presenting sponsor Waste Management of Franklin. There will still be plenty of orange, but there will be a new emphasis on recycling, sustainability and saving the environment during the free event that happens on Franklin’s historic Main Street on the Saturday before Halloween.

The seventh annual Franklin Wine Festival

October 21, 2011 – You are invited to join us for an unprecedented celebration enjoying over 300 wines, culinary offerings from more than 30 Middle Tennessee restaurants and caterers, a live and silent auction, celebrity wine pourers, and live entertainment on two stages. There are additionally exclusive Vintner’s Dinners that represent the ultimate pairing of food and wine on a very intimate scale. Check back late summer for details on these one-of-a-kind experiences.

Tennessee Renaissance Festival

Presented by Tennessee Renaissance Festival May 7-May 30, 2011

Travel back to 16th Century England. Our Village of Covington Glen comes alive with the bustle of a Renaissance Marketplace. Over 60 skilled Artisians from all over the country display their wares from silks to swords, gems to jewels. Flavors, aromas and tastes of specialty foods and drinks greet the festival-goer. Hear the sounds of Renaissance musicians and merrymakers as they echo through the trees. Color, movement, and peals of laughter welcome those who thrill to the challenges of Games of Skill and Man-Powered Rides.

Helpful Information: Tennessee Renaissance Festival is easily accessible from I-24, or I-65, or I-840. Our Festival is located off Highway 96, between Franklin and Murfreesboro.

The 70th Annual Iroquois Steeplechase

Presented by Iroquois Steeplechase May 14, 2011

The sound of hooves pounding on turf…the sight of colorful silks flying over jumps…the scent of spring blooms carried by the balmy breeze…the taste of epicurean delicacies under the warm Tennessee sun. The Iroquois Steeplechase satisfies all the senses. Come to Percy Warner Park for the 69th running of the Iroquois Steeplechase presented by Bank of America. The Iroquois is one of the oldest, most prestigious, and most challenging steeplechase races in the country.

Seven races offer total purses, awards and bonuses of $415,000 – the richest race day on the National Steeplechase Association (NSA) spring circuit. Attendance at the 2008 races exceeded 21,000. In addition to offering great entertainment, the Iroquois supports the vital work of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. The Iroquois has raised more than $9 million that has been used for medical equipment, pediatric critical care and research into childhood diseases.

Mule Day 2011

Presented by the city of Columbia, TN March 31-April 3, 2011
Mule Day is an annual celebration of all things related to mules and is held in Columbia, Tennessee, the “Mule Capital” of the world. Begun in 1840 as “Breeder’s Day”, a meeting for mule breeders, it now attracts over 200,000 people and takes place over four days. In addition to mules, traditional Appalachian food, music, dancing, and crafts are featured. The smell of barbecue specialties and homemade pies blends with the smoky aroma of roasted corn and funnel cake sweetness. The highlight of the Mule Day festivities is the Mule Day Parade. The Parade is held on Saturday; entries are judged and cash prizes and ribbons are awarded in several categories.

Video-January is Radon Action Month by TN Home Inspector

RADON… WHAT EVERY HOME BUYER SHOULD KNOW!

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless and colorless gas which is a byproduct of the nuclear decay of Uranium entrapped in the earth’s soil and rock formations.
In Tennessee this is typically Granite. Radon Gas is in the environment throughout the world and has a tendency to collect within building structures. Radon Gas can collect in homes of any foundation design (Basement, Crawlspace & Slab) regardless of the age of construction. The EPA recommends that all homes be tested for Radon Concentration Levels. This is typically performed at the time of sale.
The decay products of Radon Gas are radioactive particles which, when inhaled over a period of time, can induce Lung Cancer. The World Health Organization believes that in 2003 alone, over 22,000 people within the United States died of Lung Cancer related to Radon Gas. This makes it the second leading cause of Lung Cancer after smoking (which includes second hand smoke).
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates Middle Tennessee Area as a Level 1, which has the potential for some of the highest levels of Radon Gas within the United States. High
concentrations of Radon Gas can be found throughout Middle and East Tennessee.
An elevated level of Radon Gas can typically be brought to an acceptable level within a very short
timeframe when the mitigation is properly performed by a National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Certified Mitigation Company.
For more information concerning radon and mitigation programs visit:

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/hmbyguid.html

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