Community Calendar

Published 8:15 am Friday, June 20, 2025

Ongoing
• The Varnell Farmers Market is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the picnic area on Main Street in Varnell through Sept. 30.

• The Downtown Dalton Farmers Market, which is sponsored by the Downtown Dalton Development Authority, takes place on Dalton Green, 117 N. Selvidge St., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays through Oct. 6.

Fri. June 20 – Sun. June 22

• Metrotham Con Episode VI Trek Wars will take place at the Dalton Convention Center, 2211 Tony Ingle Parkway, Dalton. Metrotham Con is a multi-fandom pop culture convention that is all inclusive to everyone and features different categories including: Gaming, Cosplay, Livestreaming, Art, Live Music, LARP, Pop Culture, Vendors, Celebrity Guests, Kids Events, Panels, and more. Convention Hours are Friday 2 p.m. to midnight; Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight; Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vendor Hall hours are Friday 2-8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit metrothamcon.com.

Fri. June 20

• Fort Mountain State Park, 181 Fort Mountain Park Road Chatsworth, will host a Bear Talk from 11 a.m. to noon. Come join a ranger for an informative talk about black bears. Begins at the Old Fort picnic area. $5 parking. (706) 422-1932.

• The public is invited to attend “Stories We Carry,” a community storytelling event focusing on the local environment. Authors will read stories at 6:30 p.m. at the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society, 715 Chattanooga Ave., Dalton. The public will be invited to vote on the best story. The top stories will be considered for publication in the Dalton Daily Citizen. The stories will be about what the land and water mean to the authors and what could happen if they aren’t protected. The event is hosted by PFAS Georgia and the Finley Law Firm of Columbus. PFAS Georgia is a legal team and advocacy group focused on PFAS contamination in Georgia, particularly in Northwest Georgia. PFAS are per- and polyfluorinated substances.

• Corey Brown and the TCB Band are the featured act at this week’s Off the Rails Summer Concert Series performance in the Burr Performing Arts Park in downtown Dalton. This event is sponsored by the Dalton-Whitfield NAACP as part of its Juneteenth celebration, The group performs neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop. Rhythm and blues act Auntie Bunny and DLY2 will also perform. The evening starts around 6:30 p.m.

Sat. June 21

• GARTRA: Georgia Recreational Trail Riders Association will hold the first Houston Valley Ohv Park Workday of 2025 at 1033 Capehart Rd, Ringgold. Meet at 9 a.m.  in the parking lot for a safety meeting and work plan. GARTRA will provide lunch and drinks for the volunteers that respond to organizers by Friday afternoon, June 20, Bring liquids to stay hydrated and branch pruning tools. For more info, visit facebook.com/GARTRA1

• Fort Mountain State Park, 181 Fort Mountain Park Road Chatsworth, will host a nature painting program from 9-11:30 a.m. Participants should be prepared to “get messy” as they explore a 1.0 mile hike around the lake and collect fallen objects for a nature-based painting session afterwards. All ages welcome. Begins at the Beach area. $5 parking. (706) 422-1932.

• The Living Bridge Center, the North Georgia Health District’s Ryan White HIV Clinic program, will host a special community event in Dalton from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mack Gaston Community Center. Free HIV rapid testing will be offered, and the first 20 people to get tested will receive gift bags.

• There will be a fish fry and spades tournament at the Kultur Cigar Lounge, 314 S. Pentz St., Dalton, as part of the Dalton-Whitfield NAACP’s Juneteenth celebration. The fish fry starts at 3 p.m. and the spades tournament at 4. The entry fee for the tournament is $40 per team. The winning team will receive a $200 cash prize and bragging rights for an entire year. To enter a team in the tournament, contact Marisa Kelley at (913) 426-7870 or mekelley@hotmail.com. The signup deadline was June 14.

• Dalton Masonic Lodge #105, 102 N Pentz St, Dalton, will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Masonic Hall from 5-7 p.m. with a Cornerstone Rededication Ceremony, conducted by Grand Master Mark Bradley and some of his Grand Line Officers. The historic occasion will honor a century of Masonic brotherhood, tradition, and service to the community. Dalton Lodge was chartered in 1849. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited for dinner and a special presentation reflecting on the lodge’s past, present, and future. The event is open to the public. You do not have to be a Freemason to attend.