Tennessee
Locally Social Free Event Listings May 12-13
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The 82nd Iroquois Steeplechase at Percy Warner Park Saturday will host a crowd of spectators eager to witness one of the featured events of the weekend in Middle Tennessee. However, there are plenty of other activities happening free of charge around Central Tennessee for you to enjoy from Friday, May 12 to Sunday, May 14.
5/12/23 (FRIDAY)
EVENT: OneGenAway 10th Anniversary Spring Breakfast
PLACE: The Factory at Franklin (230 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN)
TIME: 7 – 8:15 a.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: OneGenAway is celebrating 10 years of sharing hope, honor, and dignity through food as they continue toward the goal of wiping hunger off the face of America, starting in the southeastern U.S. Join us for our free annual Spring Breakfast event for a meal and an opportunity to learn more about our mission and work in Middle Tennessee.
EVENT: Queen City Road Race Health and Fitness Expo
PLACE: Wilma Rudolph Event Center (8 Champion’s Way, Clarksville, TN)
TIME: 4 – 7 p.m.
AGES: N/A
ABOUT: Join us at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center for a 2-day Health and Fitness Expo. The race weekend kicks off with the Health and Fitness Expo featuring vendors with the latest products and services in health, fitness and nutrition.
EVENT: Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival – Concert and Fireworks
PLACE: Downtown Portland, Tennessee
TIME: 5 – 9 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: Join us in Portland, TN for the 82nd Annual Middle TN Strawberry Festival!
5/13/23 (SATURDAY)
EVENT: Franklin Rodeo Parade
PLACE: Downtown Franklin Association (207 E Main Street, Franklin, TN)
TIME: 7 – 8 a.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: Enjoy a free parade to kick off the annual Franklin Rodeo, Franklin’s longest-running event since 1949!
EVENT: Queen City 5K/10K Road Race and fun run
PLACE: Liberty Park (1190 Cumberland Drive, Clarksville, TN)
TIME: 7 – 11 a.m.
AGES: N/A
ABOUT: For more than 40 years, the Queen City Road Race has been the premier running event in Clarksville. The race will feature a 10K, 5K, and one-mile route. All three routes will begin and end at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center in Liberty Park. The one-mile route will take walkers and runners along the park’s pond, while the 5K route will feature multiple views of the Cumberland River and take participants through each corner of the park.
EVENT: Annual Iris Show of the Mid-state Iris Association
PLACE: Northminster Presbyterian Church (708 W Clark Blvd, Murfreesboro, TN)
TIME: Entries at 7 a.m. / Show open from 1:30 – 4 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: This show is open to all. Please contact us if you would like more information on how to enter an iris from your garden!
EVENT: Clarksville Downtown Market
PLACE: 1 Public Square, Clarksville, TN
TIME: 8 a.m. – Noon
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: The Clarksville Downtown Market is a weekly open-air market featuring farmers and artisans who offer locally-grown fresh produce, food items, and handcrafted products.
EVENT: West Tennessee Strawberry Festival 5k/10k Road Race
PLACE: 1200 E Main Street, Humboldt, TN
TIME: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: The West Tennessee Strawberry Festival is an 84-year tradition in Humboldt, an opportunity for a classic West Tennessee homecoming as people travel from across the country to enjoy the events, the food, and the fellowship of family and friends.
EVENT: Music City Fit Expo
PLACE: Nashville Fairgrounds (401 Wingrove Nashville, TN)
TIME: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
AGES: N/A
ABOUT: The Music City Fit Expo is the Largest Fitness Expo in the south encompassing over 70,000 sq ft and be filled with over 100 Fitness based business vendors, 6 competitions going throughout the day and a special meet and greet with 4X Mr Olympia Jay Cutler.
EVENT: Tennessee WWII Maneuvers Remembered
PLACE: 122 Turner High Circle, Carthage, TN
TIME: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: This event commemorates the US Army’s WWII field training exercises called the TENNESSEE MANEUVERS.
EVENT: Arts and Crafts Fair at Bowie Nature Park
PLACE: 7211 Bowie Lake Road, Fairview, TN
TIME: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: The City of Fairview will be hosting its 3rd craft fair day at Bowie Nature Park on Saturday, May 13th. This will be a great day to sell and purchase items from local vendors. There will be vendors and multiple food trucks on site.
EVENT: Strawberry Jubilee Festival
PLACE: Nashville Farmer’s Market (900 Rosa L Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN)
TIME: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: Join us for all things strawberry! We’ll have tons of fun activities for the whole family, live music from bluegrass band Greenwood Rye, boozy strawberry beverages, food trucks, strawberry-themed specials, and, of course, fresh, local strawberries.
EVENT: 82nd Annual Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival
PLACE: Downtown Portland, Tennessee
TIME: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: Join us in Portland, TN for the 82nd Annual Middle TN Strawberry Festival!
EVENT: Boro BBQ Festival
PLACE: Oaklands Mansion (900 N Maney Ave, Murfreesboro, TN)
TIME: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: Family and friends, both old and new, can join in the celebration of BBQ at the 9th Annual Boro BBQ Festival on the historic grounds of Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Smell that smoke, cast your vote in the People’s Choice, tour Tennessee Whiskey’s or craft beer, jump around in a bouncy house, or watch some of the top cookers in Middle Tennessee compete in the KCBS Competitive Series-sanctioned Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl. This event annually attracts thousands of visitors to a day of family fun and adventure.
EVENT: Block Party & Touch A Truck!
PLACE: Veterans Memorial Park (115 Floyd Mayfield Drive, La Vergne, TN)
TIME: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: The City of La Vergne will host its annual Block Party at Veterans Memorial Park. There will be food trucks, vendor booths, and activities for the whole family.
EVENT: Shop Black Fest
PLACE: Hadley Park Community Center (1037 28th Avenue N, Nashville, TN)
TIME: Noon – 7 p.m.
AGES: N/A
ABOUT: Shop Black Fest is a two-day festival for Black-owned small businesses to connect with their next customer, gain more visibility, and prepare for growth with a suite of vendor events, empowering workshops, training seminars & networking opportunities.
EVENT: May Craft Day at St Andrew Lutheran Church
PLACE: 908 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, TN
TIME: Noon – 7 p.m.
AGES: ALL
ABOUT: If you’re available, come join us! Crafting at home is never a bad thing, but crafting with friends is even better! Feel free to bring your meal or snacks to eat or share.
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Tennessee
Watch: Gretchen Walsh Cracks NCAA Record in 100 Butterfly (Tennessee Invite Day 2 Race Videos)
2024 Tennessee Invite
The third day of the 2024 Tennessee Invite saw lots of action, with the unique setup of the meet, the A-finals were contested in a 1-on-1 format that brought many fans to their feet and proved to bring an extra layer of excitement to the meet. UVA’s Gretchen Walsh built on that excitement to continue her record-breaking streak, shattering her own American, US Open, and NCAA Record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 47.35.
Even though the day might be over, you can relive all of the action with the race videos below. Courtesy of the University of Virginia.
WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY- TIMED FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:31.73, Virginia- 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:36.24
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:36.76
- Virginia A- 1:32.58 A
- Tennessee A- 1:34.35 A
- Virginia B- 1:35.89
- Tennessee B- 1:37.94
- Kentucky A- 1:39.66
- Kentucky B- 1::41.35
Race Video:
MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY- TIMED FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:20.15, Florida- 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:23.62
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:23.90
- Tennessee A- 1:21.71 A
- Tennessee B- 1:25.31
- Kentucky A- 1:26.75
- Kentucky B- 1:27.48
- Virginia A- DQ
- Virginia B- DQ
Race Video:
WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS
NCAA Record: 47.42, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 202447.35, Gretchen Walsh (UVA)- 2024- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.52
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 53.34
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.88
- Gretchen Walsh (UVA)- 47.35 *New NCAA Record*
- Claire Curzan (UVA)- 49.50 A
- Josephine Fuller (TENN)- 51.51 B
- Sara Stolter (TENN)- 52.15 B
- Maggie Schalow (UVA)- 52.33 B
- Emily Brown (TENN)- 52.85 B
- Lydia Hanlon (UKY)- 53.85
- Maddy Hartley (UKY)- 54.33
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.51
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 46.80
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.37
- Jordan Crooks (TENN)- 43.77 A
- Spencer Nicholas- 44.41 A
- Gui Caribe (TENN)- 45.18 B
- Hayden Bellotti (UVA)- 45.85 B
- Martin Espernberger (TENN)- 46.29 B
- Ryan Merani (UKY)- 47.12
- Simon Lins (UVA)- 47.43
- Logan Ingerick (UKY)- 48.29
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (STAN) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 4:16.78
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 4:10.74
- Leah Hayes (UVA)- 4:01.34 A
- Ella Jansen (TENN)- 4:06.29 B
- Ella Bathurst (UVA)- 4:09.53 B
- Emma Redman (4:11.33)- 4:11.33 B
- Kate McCarville (TENN)- 4:11.39 B
- Emily Brown (TENN)- 4:13.17 B
- Marie Bell (UKY)- 4:17.57
- Fernanda De Goeij (UKY)- 4:19.56
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:38.37
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 3:49.53
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 3:42.93
- Levi Sandidge (UKY)- 3:42.52 B
- Tony Laurito (TENN)- 3:44.06 B
- Matt Styczen (UVA)- 3:44.95 B
- Dillon Wright (UVA)- 3:45.45 B
- Colin Bitz (UVA)- 3:46.13 B
- Gus Rothrock (TENN)- 3:46.47 B
- Aidan Crisci (TENN)- 3:47.84 B
- Jackson Mussler (UKY)- 3:54.39
Race Videos:
A-Final
No Race Video Currently Available
B-Final
C-Final
WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (CAL) – 2015
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.60
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:46.85
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:44.80
- Aimee Canny (UVA)- 1:42.67 B
- Camille Spink (TENN)- 1:43.57 B
- Anna Moesch (UVA)- 1:43.12 B
- Cavan Gormsen (UVA)- 1:44.85 B
- Julia Mrozinski (TENN)- 1:45.64 B
- Sara Stolter (TENN)- 1:46.33 B
- Lauren West (UKY)- 1:46.46 B
- Katy Jost (UKY)- 1:48.10
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:28.81, Luke Hobson (TEX) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.21
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:35.35
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:32.93
- Nikoli Blackman (TENN)- 1:32.12
- Sebastien Sergile (UVA)- 1:32.38
- David King (UVA)- 1:33.19
- Joaquin Vargas (TENN)- 1:34.67
- Jack Stelter (TENN)- 1:35.82
- Connor Boyle (UVA)- 1:36.54
- Justin Peresse (UKY)- 1:36.66
- Caue Gluck (UKY)- 1:36.93
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (IU) – 2019
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.01
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:01.22
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 59.75
- McKenzie Siroky (TENN)- 58:00
- Aimee Canny (UVA)- 58.64
- Emelie Fast (TENN)- 58.41
- Emma Weber (UVA)- 58.67
- Zoe Skirboll (UVA)- 59.23
- Bridget Engel (UKY)- 59.83
- Hannah Marinovich (TENN)- 1:00.54
- Olivia Mendenhall (UKY)- 1:03.08
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 49.53, Liam Bell (CAL) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.02
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 53.43
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.89
- Noah Nichols (UVA)- 51.32 B
- Adomas Gatulis (UKY)- 52.85 B
- Kevin Houseman (TENN)- 53.10 B
- Jed Garner (TENN)- 53.30 B
- Jay Gerloff (UVA)- 53.40 B
- Jonathan Rom (UKY)- 53.73
- Grayson Nye (TENN)- 53.79
- Matt Heilman (UVA)- 53.84
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.66
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 53.53
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 52.28
- Claire Curzan (UVA)- 49.37 A
- Josephine Fuller (TENN)- 51.06 B
- Charlotte Wilson (UVA)- 52.01 B
- Reilly Tiltmann (UVA)- 52.51 B
- Lexi Stephens (TENN)- 52.55 B
- Sophie Brison (TENN)- 53.21 B
- Grace Frericks (UKY)- 53.47 B
- Torie Buerger (UKY)- 53.83
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 43.35, Luca Urlando (UGA) – 2022
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.48
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 47.16
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.56
Results:
- Harrison Lierz (TENN)- 45.25
- Jack Aikins (UVA)- 45.84
- Lamar Taylor (TENN)- 46.32
- Nick Simons (TENN)- 46.67
- Will Thompson (UVA)- 46.99
- Devin Naoroz (UKY)- 47.06
- Szymon Mieczkowski (UKY)-47.67
- Max Berg (UKY)- 48.93
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
Tennessee
Tennessee reading law: Less than 1% of third graders held back in 2024
Just 0.88% of Tennessee public school third graders were held back this year under the state’s controversial reading law, despite 60% of the class falling short of a state reading benchmark this spring.
With around 74,000 third graders enrolled in the 2023-24 school year statewide, that works out to 655 students who were retained, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Education. The state reading law took effect last year and led to the retention of 1.2% of third graders in 2023, which came out to 898 students.
The law primarily determines children’s reading proficiency by their English language arts scores on the standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP, test.
The 60% who fell short on this year’s TCAP represent roughly 50,000 students. However, that number does not include students who were exempt from being held back. Here are those exemptions, including how many students met them:
- 11,468: Students with disabilities or suspected disabilities that may impact their reading
- 3,511: Students who are English learners with less than two years of English language arts instruction
- 2,596: Students who were held back in a previous grade
- 2,345: Students who had other exemptions determined by their local education leaders
Exemptions were up to the districts to sort out. The remaining students had to successfully take one of the state’s many “pathways” to avoid being held back.
Here’s a look at how those students fared.
How Tennessee third graders moved on to fourth grade
Third graders who scored “below” or “approaching” expectations on the English language arts section of the TCAP had several options to avoid being held back.
Retakes were offered to third graders shortly after the spring TCAP. A total of 3,274 made a passing score and moved on to fourth grade. Another 99 students won an appeal because they faced a catastrophic circumstance around the time they took the TCAP.
Third graders who scored as approaching proficiency had three options to move on to fourth grade. Here’s how many qualified for each one:
- 1,124: Enrolled in summer school, met 90% attendance and showed adequate growth
- 7,426: Opted into state-provided tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade
- 3,262: Scored in the 50th percentile or higher of a state-approved universal reading screener and opted into state-provided tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade
- 2,895: Won a parent appeal and opted into an academic remediation plan in fourth grade, which includes tutoring
Third graders who scored as below proficiency had one option to move on to fourth grade. Here’s how many qualified:
- 3,411: Enrolled in summer school, met a 90% attendance rate and opted into state-provided tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade
Students who qualified for tutoring in fourth grade must meet an individualized growth goal by the end of fourth grade. This growth goal does not apply to two groups who opted into tutoring: Those who won an appeal, or those who scored as “approaching” on the third grade TCAP and scored in the 50th percentile or higher on the third grade universal reading screener.
A total of 1,950 third graders who fell short on the spring TCAP either did not enroll again or had data that has not been reported to the state. The data reflects reports from districts as of Sept. 6, according to the state department of education.
How the Tennessee reading law affected fourth graders
Fourth graders who enrolled in yearlong tutoring to avoid being held back in third grade must pass the English language arts section of the TCAP or hit individualized growth goals set by the state. However, the reading law does not mandate that they be held back if they do not meet those goals.
Instead, it requires the student’s parents or legal guardians, principal and English language arts teacher to determine what’s best. They can either decide to retain the child or promote them to fifth grade with state-provided tutoring in place.
According to the state department of education, here’s how fourth graders enrolled in tutoring this year fared:
- 5,389: Promoted to fifth grade with tutoring in place
- 3,996: Met adequate growth goals
- 1,740: Scored proficient on their spring TCAP English language arts section
- 132: Retained in fourth grade
A total of 906 fourth graders either did not enroll again or had data that was not reported by their district, according to the state education department.
Where can I learn more?
More information on the third grade reading and retention law from the Tennessee Department of Education can be found at tn.gov/education/learning-acceleration.
Tennessee
Former Titans Coach Named Top Candidate for Jets
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel remains a hot name, and he may have another head-coaching job as soon as next season.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently named a bunch of potential candidates for the New York Jets job in 2025, and Vrabel was at the top of his list.
“Mike Vrabel makes the most sense to me, mostly because he won’t stand down to an owner, and that’s exactly what the New York Jets need,” Breer wrote.
The problem with that is Jets owner Woody Johnson is known to be a meddler, so he a Vrabel-Johnson partnership may never actually come to fruition.
Still, Vrabel could end up being a perfect fit for the Jets from a stylistic perspective given that New York is built upon a strong defense.
It’s not the first time that Vrabel has been linked to Gang Green, either.
Vrabel actually did a very solid job during his time with the Titans, going 54-45 while making three playoff appearances—including a pair of AFC South titles—across five seasons.
Things went south over Vrabel’s final two years in Tennessee, with the Titans going just 13-21 during that span. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the problem was not with Vrabel.
Vrabel is currently serving as an assistant for the Cleveland Browns, but it seems like only a matter of time before he lands a better job elsewhere.
The 49-year-old also had a 14-year NFL playing career from 1997 through 2010, spending time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and also made a Pro Bowl with the squad in 2007.
The Jets have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams this season, as they are just 3-8 in spite of having one of the most star-studded rosters in the sport.
Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
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