Events There is a wide array of activities for people of all ages and interests in Chattanooga. Whether you live here or are visiting the Scenic City of Chattanooga, there is something for you to do for entertainment, something for you to develop a skill in the arts, and something for you to do to enrich our community. For an up-to-date listing of all community events, check the community calendar kept by one of our partners, Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga. Performance Centers The City of Chattanooga has three venues in two performance Centers. The Tivoli, built in 1921, is a showcase of the Beaux Arts style so popular in theaters at that time. On the National Historic Register, the beautifully renovated theater is home the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, the Chattanooga Opera, broadway shows and concerts. Artists consistently rave that this is their favorite place to play in the United States. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium has a large main theater that showcases the larger concerts and performances in Chattanooga. Inside the Auditorium is the Community Theater, a smaller venue that also shows the artistic glory of the early 1920's. Events for Students The following arts organizations--some local, some national--regularly present performances for school groups at either the Tivoli Theatre, Memorial Auditorium, or the Community Theatre. Click on the organizations listed below to link to their web sites. Or phone for reservations and show information. And please be aware that bookings can change! American Theatre Arts for Youth (ATAFY) (800) 523-4540 A Christmas Carol (Nov. 17, 2005) Pippi Longstocking (May 17, 2006) Arts & Education Council (AEC) (423) 267-1218 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Nov. 2, 2005) The Prince and the Pauper (Feb. 27, 2006) The Rainbow Fish (May 3, 2006) Ballet Tennessee (423) 821-2055 A Christmas Carol (Nov. 22, 2005) Blue Apple Players (800) 587-7990 Santa and the Unhappy Elf (Nov. 15, 2005) Boston Flamenco Ballet (800) 435-8687 Chamber Theatre Productions (800) 225-7988 Encore! (Nov. 17, 2005) Chattanooga Ballet (423) 870-1518 The Nutcracker (Dec. 7-9, 2005) Chattanooga Boys Choir (423) 622-3033 The Singing Christmas Tree (Dec. 2, 2005) Chattanooga Girls Choir (423) 266-9422 Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Association (CSO) (423) 267-8583 Student "Operatunity," Orfeo ed Euridice (Sept. 27, 2005) CSO Young People's Concert (Nov. 1, 2005) Student "Operatunity," Don Giovanni (Jan. 24, 2006) Classic Productions (800) 272-8874 Junie B. Jones (Oct. 10, 2005) A Christmas Carol (Dec. 7, 2005) Freedom Train (Feb. 21, 2006) Charlotte's Web (March 6, 2006) Sail Productions (908) 788-6871 Slim Goodbody (800) 962-7546 Bodyology! (Feb. 10, 2006) Theatre IV America (800) 275-5005 A Christmas Carol (Dec. 19, 2005) Travel Adventure Cinema Series (423) 624-3313 Canada's Incredible Parks (Dec. 5, 2005) Along the Continental Divide (Jan. 9, 2006) Italy's Fabled Islands (Feb. 13, 2006) South African Safari (March 13, 2006) Israel: Stories from the Holy Lands (April 10, 2006) La Belle France (May 1, 2006) Tivoli Theatre About/History Seating Chart Technical Specs Directions and Parking Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium 399 McCallie Avenue Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 Equipment & Technical Specifications Seating Chart Directions Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium opened on February 22, 1924, a living memorial to Hamilton County war veterans. First proposed at a Kiwanis Club meeting in 1918, Memorial Auditorium was designed as a municipal auditorium and all-purpose exhibition hall. Built by the City of Chattanooga at a cost of $700,000, Memorial Auditorium was designed by renowned architect R.H. Hunt. For forty years, the Auditorium served as Chattanooga's primary meeting hall and largest capacity indoor entertainment venue. Its flat floor and flexible seating allowed it to accommodate a wide variety of events, including boxing matches, roller derby, ice shows, religious revivals, tennis tournaments, circuses, even aquacades. It also hosted dances, banquets, civic meetings, political rallies, and Chattanooga's annual Cotton Ball. But by the 1960's Memorial Auditorium was in desperate need of repair. Civic groups including the Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce and Allied Arts Council spearheaded a renovation, which was approved by the City Commission in 1964. The City authorized a $4 million bond issue, of which $1 million was earmarked for renovation of Memorial Auditorium. A few months later, an expanded renovation plan was approved, with a budget of $2.1 million. The Auditorium closed for almost a year, reopening on November 6, 1966. The 1966 renovation added such amenities as escalators and air conditioning, and converted the basement-level parking garage into exhibit space. Memorial Auditorium would become a convention center and exhibit hall competitive with any in the southeast. By 1985, its mission had changed. The completion of UTC's McKenzie Arena and the Chattanooga Convention and Trade Center had eliminated the need for an all-purpose hall. Instead of trying to do everything passably, Memorial Auditorium would concentrate on doing one thing well. It would fill Chattanooga's need for a mid-sized theater and concert venue. A coalition of civic and veterans groups led by former Chattanooga Mayor Robert Kirk Walker persuaded the community that it was time to reinvest in Chattanooga's great hall. $5 million in public funds and almost $2 million in private contributions were raised. After an 18-month renovation, the Auditorium was rededicated on January 31, 1991 as a near-capacity crowd honored the men and women of the Armed Forces. Technical improvements included new dressing rooms, a hydraulic orchestra lift, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, and increased stage depth. However, the major change was that the Auditorium had been converted from an all-purpose exhibition hall with a flat floor and movable seating, to a sloped concert hall with permanent seating and greatly improved sightlines. These technical improvements, along with a complete cosmetic overhaul, have made Memorial Auditorium a first class performing arts facility second to none in style, comfort and acoustics. Since its reopening, Memorial Auditorium has hosted a wide variety of events, from national tours of "Cats," "Les Miserables," "Grease" and "Riverdance," to Baryshnikov, Isaac Stern, Bill Cosby, Bob Dylan, David Copperfield, Patti Labelle, Garth Brooks, Prince, and many others.