⚔️ Things To Do In Chattanooga This Weekend May 15–21

Happy Thursday!

Apparently Friday is National Chocolate Chip Day, which feels like a perfectly reasonable excuse to buy yourself a cookie this weekend. This feels like the perfect opportunity to “Treat Yo Self.” Life is stressful enough already.

Now here’s where we need your help: who actually has the best chocolate chip cookie in Chattanooga? We’re talking crispy edges, gooey middle, warm enough to ruin your self control kind of cookie. Reply back with your recommendations because this feels like important community research.

Let’s get into it!

Thursday    73° / 47°    ☀️      💧0%

Friday    79° / 47°     ☀️         💧5%

Saturday    83° / 58°   ☁️       💧5%

Sunday    88° / 63°    🌤️         💧10%

Mornings are still cool enough for a light jacket, but by the afternoon it’s straight t-shirt weather.

Thursday and Friday especially feel really nice outside, no heavy humidity, no weird weather, just easy spring days.

Saturday warms up a bit more, and by Sunday it’s fully giving late spring energy with highs pushing into the upper 80s.

If your date nights have started feeling a little too predictable, this is the kind of thing that breaks people out of autopilot fast. You’re cooking side by side, arms around each other, laughing, tasting, learning, and actually interacting instead of staring across a table waiting for the check.

The Sweet & Savory Classroom creates a fun, relaxed atmosphere where you can flirt a little, mess up a little, and leave feeling more connected than when you walked in. No pressure, no awkwardness, just good food and a genuinely good time together.

Upcoming classes like A Night in Havana, Savannah in Style, and Spanish Tapas fill up quickly, so grab your spot and use code Explorer for $20 off.

• Cigars International Block Party: Cigars, food, live music, vendors, and the kind of daytime crowd that slowly turns into a full night out once the DJ takes over

• The Prince of Egypt: A big, emotional stage production with powerful music and one of those stories that always hits a little harder live

• DJ Minkz at Wanderlinger: Loud in the best way, packed with energy, and the kind of DJ set where nobody’s pretending to have fun, they actually are

• Arts for Older Adults: Floral Embroidery: A slower, creative kind of night with beginner-friendly embroidery, good conversation, and something handmade to take home

• Highland Park Block Party: A neighborly, hands-on block party with snacks, a kids makers market, and a chance to help slow traffic by turning the street itself into part of the project

• Spring Flea: A full day of vintage finds, antiques, clothing, random treasures, and the kind of browsing where you always end up leaving with something unexpected

• St. Elmo Flow Yoga: Free outdoor yoga that feels more relaxed and community driven than intimidating, just show up, stretch, and enjoy being outside

• Hip Hop Festival: Live performances, local art, vendors, and a crowd bringing real energy to downtown all day long

• Yappy Hour: Dogs, beer, and an easy afternoon hang where every pint helps support local rescue pups

• JFest: An all day Christian music festival with live performances, food, fireworks, and families camped out along the Riverpark lawn

• New Moon Crystal Matchmaking: A slightly mystical drop in event where you get paired with crystals based on your current energy and whatever season of life you’re in

• Killer Beaz Moonshiner Mash In: Comedy, Moonshiners legends, and exactly the kind of Southern chaos you think this might be

• Teen Flavor Lab: A hands on cooking class where teens learn real kitchen skills and make food they’d actually want to eat at home

• Collegedale Pickle Festival: A full afternoon dedicated to pickles, weirdly enough, this might end up being one of the most fun events of the weekend

• Clumpies Ice Cream Social: Sample new ice cream flavors, vote for your favorite, and wander the market with something sweet in hand

• Hair of the Dog Block Party: Dogs, patio beers, flash tattoos, pet portraits, and a crowd that’s mostly there to hang out and love on animals together

🎤 Spoken Word & Poetry
Monday, May 18 | WanderLinger | Free | More Info

A room full of people sharing poems, stories, and whatever’s been sitting heavy on their mind. It’s raw, unpredictable, and way more welcoming than you’d expect

🎾 NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships
Tuesday, May 19 | Sewanee | More Info

High level college tennis with real stakes and a surprisingly good atmosphere even if you don’t normally follow the sport

🚣 Intro to Whitewater Kayaking
Wednesday, May 20 | Outdoor Chattanooga | First Class Free | More Info

A beginner friendly way to learn whitewater kayaking without feeling thrown into the deep end. You show up curious and leave knowing way more than you thought you would

🎤 Patio Karaoke
Thursday, May 21 | Station Street | Free | More Info

Open mic, no cover, and the kind of night where you either sing or end up cheering for someone who shouldn’t be

Closets By Design: If you’re constantly rearranging your closet and it still never feels right, it’s not you, it’s the space. Get a free design and see what it looks like when everything actually fits your life. Get a hassle-estimate.

C&C Nursery and Landscape: If your yard is one of those “we’ll get to it eventually” projects, you’re already behind for the season. Get a free quote and score free pruning with installation while you’re at it. Get a free quote.

Restoration 1 of Chattanooga: Spring humidity and rain can bring out mold in places you’re not checking. If your home smells off or feels damp, get it inspected before it spreads. Get a hassle-estimate.

The Sweet and Savory Classroom: If your date nights are starting to feel repetitive, this is a solid way to change it up. Learn to make real ramen together and actually leave with something better than just another dinner, use code Explorer for $20 off.

Down Home Bakes: Rich pound cakes, scratch made Southern desserts, turtle brownies that barely make it home before getting eaten, this is the kind of baking that feels personal from the first bite. From sour cream and sweet potato pound cake to lemon blueberry glazed cakes, everything tastes like it came straight out of somebody’s family kitchen, because honestly, it did.

Built from recipes passed down through his father and grandmothers, Down Home Bakes makes desserts that feel like the best part of Sunday dinner lingering a little longer at the table.

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River Street Deli: Maybe it’s the focaccia, maybe it’s the Triple Cream Black Forest Ham, or maybe you really do take the gun and leave the stromboli. Either way, River Street Deli has been holding down some of the best sandwiches in Chattanooga since 1998, with scratch made soups, fresh salads, and daily specials that keep regulars coming back.

It’s one of those rare spots that somehow feels like both a local staple and a hidden gem at the same time. If you want a real deli sandwich made with care and zero shortcuts, this is the move.

📍 151 River Street, Chattanooga, TN, United States, 37405