Nightfall 2021 started its 34th season with free live concerts last Friday at Miller Plaza, and will continue every Friday through September 10. Chattanooga’s longest-running outdoor concert series, Nightfall features music on the Miller Plaza stage, with food trucks, local artisan vendors and lawn games in Miller Park.
The remaining three shows in June will continue to celebrate local talent with a co-bill of two Chattanooga bands each night, before resuming the regular Nightfall format of featuring a local opening band and national headliner in July, August and September.
This Friday we are proud to present local artists Emily Kate Boyd and Ben Vanwinkle & The Figment, with awe-inspiring dances from local dance group The Pop-up Project.
Drawing inspiration from the jazz, blues, and country music of her Tennessee upbringing, Emily Kate Boyd will bring some soul to Miller Plaza this Friday. In the past, Boyd has performed alongside Pierce Pettis, Angie Aparo, and has even shared a stage with John Mayer. She has also made five albums/EP’s, collaborating with Zac Brown Band’s Clay Cook and singer-songwriter Shawn Mullins. You don’t want to miss Boyd’s roots-rock sound at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Following Boyd’s act, Ben Vanwinkle and The Figment will be taking the stage at 8 p.m. VanWinkle’s music is focused on the human experience, and the way in which music affects human emotion. Ben Van Winkle and The Figment will be a massive spectacle of 14 of Chattanooga's best musicians playing together in a way that has been described as “a vision, dream, or psychedelic outpouring that has been notated by a magician.”
During the set by Ben Van Winkle, a special dance performance by the Pop-Up Project will take place, featuring Lily Everett, Crystal Newson, Jess Ortega, and Jenison Owens. This dance and production company’s vision is a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable arts community, and they are quoted as saying that they “recognize that artists bring life, perspective, and a unique sense of place to a community.” The Pop-up Project has recently produced a feature-length film entitled "The Light We Share," which highlights stories from everyday people and the process of creating vulnerable work in the midst of a pandemic. This project raised over $130,000 in revenue for local artists.
Registration for artist booth spaces in Miller Park can be found at nightfallchattanooga.com/nightfall-registration-form.
Immediately following Nightfall this year, the Lookout Wild Film Festival will be showing an hour of free short adventure films in Miller Park from 9:45-10:45pm.
Nightfall bulk discount beer and wine tickets will again be available this year at each show, offering a 20% savings on a packet of 20 beer and wine tickets. Food trucks and non-alcoholic drink concessions are also available on site. No outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought in to Nightfall since concession sales are a primary funder of Nightfall.
Known for its family-friendly environment as well as being recognized nationally for the quality of its musical programming, Nightfall is a family-friendly concert series that brings the Chattanooga community together in the heart of our city.
Nightfall is made possible this year thanks to sponsorships from Mich Ultra, Fletcher Bright Company, SouthEast Bank, Transcard, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Crown Subaru, River City Company, Southern Honda Powersports, Gate 11, Lass & Lion, and Chattanooga Whiskey. Media Support comes from NPR/Music 88.1, Chattanooga Times Free Press and Ruby Falls.
Nightfall is locally produced by Chattanooga Presents.For more information on this FREE community concert series, call 423.304-5835 or visit NightfallChattanooga.com for a complete, interactive website that includes music samples by each headliner, as well as other important information for first-time attendees.