For the Locals: Touch a Truck

Even my older kids love this event. Your kids get to touch trucks and climb all over inside and out. It is actually very interesting. The last time we went there were large semi type trucks that you could see the apartments in behind the driving area. I always wondered what those looked like. This is a great event to add to your calendar!


Touch A Truck
October 13th, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Thompson Station Church, 2604 Thompson’s Station Rd.
Free.
Kids can climb on and sound all the horns and whistles on 40 different trucks. Entertainment, crafts, prizes and concessions.
Contact for more information: 615-302-0971, ext. 16.

For the Locals: Frist Family Free Day

Here's a date to put on your calendar! The Frist is having a free family day on Sunday, October 21st from 1 to 5:30 pm. Go HERE for more information about family activities!

For the Locals: Free Youth Soccer Instruction!

We have attended these in the past for football and baseball. I am sure soccer will be just as great! Here is the email that I received:

Greetings from Chevy Youth Soccer!

As part of the Chevy Youth Soccer Program, your Selected Chevy Dealers are hosting FREE youth soccer instructional clinics in your area for ages 6-14 with U.K. Elite! You are receiving this email because you signed up for a Chevrolet clinic in the past and I wanted to make sure you were aware of this upcoming opportunity as well! You have not been added to a distribution list and this is the only email you will receive unless you do in fact sign up for one of these events.

Please share the attached invitation with other members of your community as soon as possible! The invitations contain important information about the RSVP site www.chevyyouthsports.com/soccer, which participants will use to register. They will choose Nashville for market and enter kickit for the password!

Here are the details:

Saturday, September 8

Check-in 5:00-5:45pm

Clinic 6:00-9:00pm

Snack 9:00pm

E.S. Rose Park and Sports Complex

1000 Edgehill Avenue

Nashville, TN 37203

--OR--

Sunday, September 9

Check-in 12:00-12:45pm

Clinic 1:00-4:00pm

Snack 4:00pm

E.S. Rose Park and Sports Complex

1000 Edgehill Avenue

Nashville, TN 37203

More on our professional instructors from UK Elite:

UK Elite Soccer Trainers represent professionalism, integrity, act as role models to young athletes and have a wealth of soccer knowledge. All UK Elite Soccer Trainers hold coaching licenses from multiple countries are fully insured and have had a complete background check confirming their suitability to work with children. The UK Elite Curriculum is a blend of all the best known practices and coaching methods from around the globe!

U.K. Elite incorporates methods from England, USA, Brazil, Holland, France, Germany, Italy and emerging soccer countries such as Australia and African Nations. They have active associations with professional clubs, national and International Soccer associations, keeping their curriculum fresh and challenging for every level of player.

For more information on U.K. Elite, check out their blog at www.UKElite.com/blog.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions.

Best,
Jen

--

Jen Stoltz
GM Dealer Programs Senior Coordinator
1720 Windward Concourse | Suite 100 | Alpharetta, GA | 30005

Desk: 770.407.8564 | Mobile: 678.313.2470 | Fax: 770.407.8566

Email: jstoltz@gmdealerprograms.com

Web: www.youthsportswired.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/youthsportswired

Twitter: www.twitter.com/youthsportswire

For the Locals: Free Haircuts for Kids

Check out Ms. Cheap's post on how to get free haircuts for kids! Hair-cutting days include Monday, July 9 through Friday, July 13 and then again from Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 27 at Remington College-Nashville Campus.

For the Locals: Free Gardening Classes for Kids in Franklin

Check out the article in the Sunday Tennessean about free gardening classes in Franklin hosted by the Franklin Farmer's Market. Better yet, parents are required to stay so we get to learn to garden too! HERE is the site where you can download the form to register.

For the Locals: Leiper's Fork Lawn Chair Theatre Summer Schedule

For those of you who enjoy watching movies outside (free) in the beautiful town of Leiper's Fork, HERE is the schedule of movies showing. Click on "Next Movie Showing" for a complete summer list.

For the Locals: Franklin's Main Street Festival This Weekend!

Franklin, TN – Downtown Franklin’s 29th annual Main Street Festival is April 28-29,2012, featuring more than 200 artisans & crafters, three stages, two carnivals and an international food court to round out a full weekend of entertainment.

Hours for the free street festival are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, with the Fourth Avenue Street Dance continuing until 10 p.m., and all activities re-opening noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Presented by First Tennessee and produced by the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County and the Downtown Franklin Association, the weekend event is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors to a full slate of family-oriented activities, non-stop musical entertainment and international flavors of more than 20 food vendors.

Handmade work to be exhibited includes original oil and watercolor paintings, pottery, jewelry, furniture, woodworking, ornamental iron, stained glass, photography, home and garden accents, birdhouses, leatherwork, and much more.

In addition to a juried arts and crafts show with more than 200 entries, the festival offers a special area of children’s activities on Third Avenue South between City Hall and the Old Courthouse.

Free entertainment is offered continuously on three stages—the First Tennessee Stage on the Public Square, the Heritage Stage on Fourth Avenue North and the Beer/Wine Garden Stage on Fourth Avenue South.

Three food areas offer a tasty variety of everything from roast corn on the cob and stuffed baked potatoes, Polish sausage, Greek gyros, and Asian and Mexican cuisines. Southern fare includes barbeque, burgers and hotdogs, smoked turkey legs, funnel cakes, kettle corn and more.

There will also be a full-scale, traditional carnival at North Margin Street and Second Avenue North–the site of the future City of Franklin Bicentennial Park. The carnival opens earlier than the festival on Thursday and goes through Sunday.

Carnival hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28 through May 1. Thursday nights and all day Sunday are “wristband” days at the carnival, during which a $20 wristband offers unlimited access to the rides.

Entertainment Schedule: Saturday, April 28 4th Ave Stage

10 a.m. – Kristin Butke School of Irish Dance
11 a.m. – Freedom Elementary “Hot Shots” Jump Rope Team
11:30 a.m. – Moore Elementary “Eagle Jump Force” Jump Rope Team
Noon – Oak View Jump Rope Team
1 p.m. – Bluegrass
2 p.m. – Kelsey Muse
3 p.m. – Williamson County Fair Showcase
3:30 p.m. – Tommy Jackson’s Rocky Top Revue
5 p.m. – Peter Pandemic
6:30 p.m. – “10 Most Wanted”
8:30 – 10 p.m.- Make Me Smile

First Tennessee Stage
9:30 a.m. – B. W. & Company, Dixieland Strollers
9:50 a.m. – Ribbon Cutting
10 a.m. – Ann Carroll School of Dance
11:30 – Columbia State Community College showcase
Noon – Centennial High School Chorus
1p.m. – In Motion Dance Company
2 p.m. – Franklin School of Performing Arts
3 p.m. – Williamson County Community Band
4:45 p.m. Hinckley Brothers

Beer/Wine Tent 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. D.J. Entertainment

Sunday, April 29

First Tennessee Stage
Noon – Calling Glory
2:00 – Anthony Burnhauser
4:00 – Sugar Lime Blues

4th Avenue North Stage
12:30 – Vizcaya
2:30 – Roux du Bayou
4:30 – Reggae Infinity

Beer/Wine Tent Noon – 6 p.m. D.J. Entertainment

The Main Street Festival is produced by The Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County and it division, the Downtown Franklin Association. Proceeds from the event are used to fulfill the mission of the organization, which is to protect and preserve the architectural, geographic and cultural heritage of Franklin and Williamson County and to promote the ongoing economic revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation.

The Main Street Festival is located in Historic Downtown Franklin, Tenn., exit No. 65 from I-65, three miles west to the Public Square.

For sponsorship information, contact nwilliams@historicfranklin.com

For food vendor or arts/crafts vendor info, contact cshelton@historicfranklin.com

School and community groups that would like to perform, contact nwilliams@historicfranklin.com

Professional bands, please apply through www.tneventinfo.com

For more information, see www.historicfranklin.com or call 615-591-8500.

For the Locals: Chevy Youth Baseball Event!

My kids love these events! It is a half day event at the Sounds Stadium with some of the players teaching kids baseball. Your kids can be clueless about baseball and still have a good time! The RSVP login password is playball. Go HERE to sign up! Here is the email sent to me, and they always request the recipient to forward to friends who may be interested.

Greetings from Chevy Youth Baseball!

As part of the Chevy Youth Baseball Program, your Selected Chevy Dealers are hosting youth baseball instructional clinics for ages 7-13. You are receiving this email because you signed up for a Chevrolet clinic in the past and I wanted to make sure you were aware of this upcoming opportunity as well! You have not been added to a distribution list and this is the only email you will receive unless you do in fact sign up for one of these events.

You will see that participants have the option to sign up for one of two clinics:

WHEN: Friday, June 15

Check-In 8:00-8:45 AM
Clinic 9:00-12:00 PM
Post-Clinic Snack 12:00 PM

WHERE: Greer Stadium

534 Chestnut Street, Nashville, TN 37203

– OR –

WHEN: Saturday, June 16

Check-In 8:00-8:45 AM
Clinic 9:00-12:00 PM
Post-Clinic Snack 12:00 PM

WHERE: Greer Stadium

534 Chestnut Street, Nashville, TN 37203

The invitations contain important information about the RSVP site www.ChevyYouthSports.com/rsvp, which participants will use to register for one of the available clinic days. Spots will fill on a first-come, first-served basis, and registration will close TWO DAYS before each clinic date.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions!

Jen

--

Jen Stoltz
GM Dealer Programs Senior Coordinator
1720 Windward Concourse | Suite 100 | Alpharetta, GA | 30005

Desk: 770.407.8564 | Mobile: 678.313.2470 | Fax: 770.407.8566

Email: jstoltz@gmdealerprograms.com

Web: www.youthsportswired.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/youthsportswired

Twitter: www.twitter.com/youthsportswire

For the Locals: Free Vanderbilt Football Game Tonight

Check out the post by Ms Cheap which talks about tonight's free Vanderbilt Black and Gold Game!

For the Locals: Free Kid Movie at Franklin's Main Library Tomorrow!

If you are looking for a frugal event to take your kids to while on spring break, check this out!

"April 5th at 2:30 pm. Join us at the Main Library for a family movie matinee. Admission is free, and parents and children of all ages are invited. Our movie license won't allow us to advertise the title of the movie online, but it's a live-action film based on a classic children's story about three animal friends, two dogs and a cat, and their adventures as they try to find their way back home. Free popcorn! No reservations needed."

For the Locals: Spring Break Party at Arrington Vineyards

Here is a great free event to put on your calendar!

Bring a picnic, listen to a live calypso band and enjoy free wine tastings. Arrington Vineyards is located in Arrington, TN. Founded by Kix Brooks of "Brooks & Dunn" located 25 minutes south of Nashville, sits among the beautiful hills of Arrington. Award winning wines, spectacular vineyard views, covered deck and breathtaking sunsets.

SPRING BREAK PARTY

What: Live music with Calypso band. Patrons are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets and chairs.

When: 4-8 p.m. Saturday, March 31

Where: Arrington Vineyards, 6211 Patton Road, Arrington

Why: It’s spring!

Cost: Free

For the Locals: Ride MTA for Free Today!

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, ALL DAY AND NIGHT

Nashville MTA will offer free bus rides on Friday, March 9 to encourage people who do not ride public transit to try it. The free rides will last all day and are unlimited. Save gas and use the bus on Friday to get to work, your favorite restaurant, a honky tonk, a downtown museum or anywhere else life takes you! And finding when and where to catch the bus is super easy with Google's Transit Trip Planner. Or, use MTA's traditional bus schedules.

For the Locals: FSSD Child Find

I wanted to share this bit of emailed information which is particularly important to families zoned for Franklin Special School District in Williamson County:

"Child Find" event aims to assess and serve preschoolers with special needs

In an effort to identify children who have disabilities and may need special services as a result of their disability, the FSSD is holding its annual "Child Find" event on Friday, February 24, from 9:30-12:00 at the Williamson County Public Library, 1314 Columbia Pike. Child Find is a drop-in event for children zoned for the Franklin Special School District. As part of the program, parents will be offered an opportunity to have their children (ages 2 ½ to 5 years) undergo a free developmental screening.

"The purpose of our Child Find event is to identify children with special needs so we may begin to offer them the services they need prior to entering school for the first time," said Brenda Hughey, FSSD Supervisor of Special Populations. "Sometimes what parents may need for their child includes a complete evaluation, an individualized education program designed specifically for the child, or a referral to other agencies providing special services."Free developmental screenings include hearing, speech and language, motor skills and learning skills. This is not a screening for kindergarten placement, but a public service for early detection of possible delays in development. Parents must stay with their children throughout hte screening process. A Spanish translator will be available.

For more information, please contact Nathan Travis at 472-3849.

For the Locals: Last Week to Get a Fantastic Deal at the Franklin Recreation Center

Several years ago I finally ended my love/hate relationship with the YMCA. I adored having access to all the great machines and classes. But I hated the guilt of rarely going and the $100+ monthly family fee that I was obviously wasting. The timing was always wrong for a working mom to take the classes. For some people it is perfect for their needs, just not for me. I thought that was the end of ever seeing the inside of a lovely gym.

Two years ago I discovered that in January the Franklin Recreation Complex has a sale on their visits and memberships. Woohoo! Until the end of this month you can purchase 30 visits for $30. Now that is a deal! I might add that next to the gym there is a public park with a walking/running track. I point this out because if you are a once a week gym visitor and don't think 30 visits would cover you, on pretty days you can spend your gym time on this track without using up one of your visits. It winds around a sports field and beside a river which makes it a beautiful walk.

There are also some great package deals like a family membership for the year for $200 (that would barely cover two months at the Y). I can really see this coming in handy when my kids are older.

If you are not local, I would suggest you check out your local recreation department to see if they have any good deals this month!

Here is the price list for January:

Family (youth & adult) was $225 NOW $200

Single (youth and/or adult) was $150 NOW $125

Family Senior (55 and older) was $160 NOW $135

Single Senior (55 & older) was $100 NOW $75

Yearly passes include 12-months use of the wellness centers, indoor and outdoor pools, gyms, walking tracks, racquetball courts and game rooms at the Franklin, Brentwood, Fairview and Spring Hill locations. Amenities vary by facility. Prices given are for Williamson County residents. Non-resident pricing is also available.

Stop by the Franklin Recreation Complex, 1120 Hillsboro Road. for a tour of the new 4,200 square foot state-of-the-art wellness center. The new center has 78 pieces of equipment, stretching area, 11 flat screen tvs, audio ports on cardio equipment, free weight area and more.

For the Locals: Flea Market Weekend!

The Holiday December Flea Market is Friday – Sunday (Dec 16 - 18) at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Hours are 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday. Parking is usually $5, or free if you park on the street.

It's a great place to finish your Christmas shopping! Just fyi, when I was there last month, they had some really cool winter hats like mo-hawks and characters like Angry Birds. There were also some great deals on tools. For you men out there who have no clue what to buy for the ladies in your life, there was a booth in the middle of one of the buildings with Amish ladies selling homemade soap which smelled fantastic and was very reasonably priced. Happy shopping!

For the Locals: Fort Nashborough Winter Activities Day & Second Harvest Food Fight

The Metropolitan Historical Commission is hosting a living history day on Saturday, December 10 from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at Fort Nashborough on First Avenue North in Nashville.

The event is a celebration of Fort Nashborough’s history and importance to our community. Members of 2nd Company North Carolina Militia, a Tennessee based 18th century reenactment group, will demonstrate daily life at the fort. Living history demonstrations will include cooking, spinning, tanning, trapping, and hunting. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public.

The event is jointly sponsored by the Metropolitan Historical Commission (MHC), the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation, and Historic Nashville, Inc. For more information, please call the Historical Commission at 862-7970.

For the Locals: Tour the Governor's Mansion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam have started a new holiday tradition by inviting the public to tour Tennessee's executive residence.

"Tennessee's Home for the Holidays" is a free open house event at the executive residence during the first two weeks in December.

Crissy Haslam actually started planning and choosing decorations back in June. Each live tree was selected by a Tennessee tree farm and is unique to each room.

In Conservation Hall alone, there are 16 trees. Students sent in ornaments based on their favorite children's book.

Self-guided tours of the mansion start next Monday and run daily on the weekdays through December 16.

Those interested should register online at the First Lady's website: www.tn.gov/firstlady

For the Locals: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster

Stranger in Paradise: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster
November 11, 2011 — January 15, 2012

Currently on view at the Tennessee State Museum is a special exhibition featuring the work of the late folk artist Howard Finster. The exhibition, Stranger in Paradise: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster, is free and on exhibit in the museum’s Changing Galleries. A self-proclaimed "Man of Visions," Finster was one of America’s most widely known and prolific self-taught artists, producing more than 46,000 pieces of art before his death in 2001.

Go HERE to learn more about the artist and display. The entrance of the museum is the same entrance as TPAC.

For the Locals: Tuba Christmas!

I went to Tuba Christmas for the first time several years ago. I was not sure I would enjoy listening to a hundred or so Tubas (that's what it seemed like but was probably less) playing Christmas music at one time. It was actually quite amazing and a lot of fun. Everyone is so happy to be there and the music is great. It is also free and a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit. Here is the information for this year's Tuba Christmas. If you have never been, I recommend it! Also, kids love it. Get there early because it is always packed.

NASHVILLE - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

TIMES: 11:00 am - First Baptist Church, corner of Broadway & 7th Avenue South
12:30 pm - First Baptist Church

REGISTRATION: 8:30 am, Fellowship Hall

REHEARSAL: 9:30 am, Sanctuary

PARKING: Free parking for performers and audience in Church lots.

NOTE: Directions: I-40, I-65 or I-24 to downtown Nashville, Broadway exit. Head toward downtown to just past 7th Ave. South. Turn off Broadway into driveway that goes under building. Unload at Fellowship Hall entrance.

CONDUCTOR: G.R. Davis

COORDINATORS: G.R. Davis 615-714-0247, Nancy Holland 615-419-2837

For the Locals: Flea Market Weekend!

The “Holiday Preview” November Flea Market is this weekend through Sunday, November 27th at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Hours are 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday.

It may be a great alternative to the super busy mall!