Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium is pleased to present a spectacular music and visual program in the planetarium theater this spring – “Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon.”

Experience Pink Floyd’s iconic album ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ like never before. This 45-minute program combines an incredible surround mix of the music with breathtaking views of the solar system and beyond.

NSC Creative led the visual production efforts, working closely with Pink Floyd’s long time creative collaborator Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis, to create this spectacular experience.

Each song has a different theme with some futuristically looking forward and some a retro acknowledgment to Pink Floyd’s visual history. Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is a truly immersive experience that will transcend reality and take you beyond the realms of a 2-D experience.

“All of the visuals relate to a time and space experience, embracing up-to-the-minute technology that only a planetarium can offer,” said Planetarium Director Jason Dorfman. “We believe fans of astronomy and Pink Floyd will be blown away by this program, so be sure to get your tickets now.”

Thanks to the generous support of the Bays Mountain Park Association, this program will be shown several times a month until the end of the year. Ticket prices are $10 per person for park members and $15 per person for non-members.

To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/4rTxy3P. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “Pink Floyd” in the search bar.

For more information about Bays Mountain Park and its programs, events and activities, visit www.baysmountain.com.

Pickleball continues to dominate the nation with its fast-paced gameplay and accessibility for players of all ages. Now’s your chance to find out what the hype is all about.

Kingsport Parks and Recreation is hosting Beginner Pickleball classes every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., March 12 to April 9 at the Riverview Park pickleball courts.

The classes are for participants ages 14 and up and the cost is $40 for city residents and $45 for non-city residents.

Students will enjoy an instructor-led course covering all aspects of basic pickleball, including the rules of the game, serving, the return serve and dinking. All equipment will be provided.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/4kJ01X0. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “pickleball” in the search bar.

For information about other programs, activities and classes offered by the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

The Kingsport Farmers Market is now accepting vendor applications for its 2026 season.

The application is available online at kingsportfarmersmarket.org by clicking on “Become a Vendor.” Every vendor must reapply to the market each new season.

Paper applications will be available if needed. Vendors can pick up and drop off completed paper applications at Kingsport City Hall (415 Broad Street) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Before applying, vendors should take time to review the Vendor Handbook on the Kingsport Farmers Market website, linked on the “Become a Vendor” page. A paper copy will accompany a paper application. This handbook lists the market’s policies regarding what types of vendors are eligible to sell at the market, as well as what kind of documentation you might need.

The 2026 season will begin on Saturday, April 25. Stay tuned for more details.

Mayor Paul W. Montgomery has created a Kingsport Citizens Museum Committee to conduct a focused, fact-based assessment of whether—and how—the city should preserve, interpret and share its history for residents, students and visitors.

The committee will evaluate a range of museum options, such as a traditional facility, lower-cost alternatives such as a “museum without walls” using digital exhibits, heritage trails, or rotating displays, and the possibility of a phased or hybrid approach.

Committee members are not tasked with advocating for a specific project or designing a building.

“This committee is about stewardship, sustainability, and fit,” Montgomery said. “Kingsport already has a rich collection of historic sites, museums, archives, and cultural assets. The question is whether there is a responsible way to strengthen, connect, or interpret those resources more coherently—and if so, what model makes sense for Kingsport.”

To carry out its work, the committee has been organized into small working teams, each with a clearly defined scope:

• Local Asset Scan and Alignment Team – Led by Liza Brown
  This team will inventory existing museums, historic sites and digital resources in the region and focus on identifying gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for better coordination.
• Peer Examples, Governance, and Stewardship Team – Led by Russ Brogden
  This team will examine comparable communities in Tennessee and surrounding states that use different models to tell their local stories. The team will also assess governance and operating structures, with particular attention to nonprofit-led or partnership models rather than city-run operations.
• Cost and Operations Reality-Check Team – Led by Elaine Bodenweiser
  This team will develop preliminary, order-of-magnitude cost ranges for each option under consideration, including startup costs, annual operating expenses, staffing or volunteer needs, and long-term sustainability.

Across all teams, the committee will evaluate its findings through four core questions: purpose, audience, sustainability and stewardship. The work will be consensus-driven where possible, practical in scale, and grounded in what Kingsport can reasonably support over time.

The committee is chaired by former Kingsport City Manager Jeff Fleming with Russ Brogden serving as vice chair. The committee’s goal is to deliver a recommendation to the city by the end of 2026.

Community members with relevant experience or interest who would like to be considered for participation are invited to contact Renee McBryar at 423-229-9412.

Cornhole is a popular game played across the country by people of all ages. It’s an easily accessible game, one that’s quick to learn and fun for players of all skill levels.

As such, the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department is hosting an inclusive cornhole event on February 20 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex (301 Louis Street).

The event is free and open to all with intellectual and physical disabilities.

The Inclusive Cornhole event is part of the department’s A.S.P.I.R.E. (Adaptive: Sports Programs Inclusive Recreation Experiences) program. Adaptive programs are for people with disabilities or physical limitations and are designed to ensure fair and equal competition among participants.

Though the event is free, officials are asking folks to register to know approximately how many people will be showing up. To register, please visit https://bit.ly/4sqErtM.

For information about other programs, activities and classes offered by Kingsport Parks and Recreation, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.