To steal a phrase you may have heard, "It's election time in Tennessee." Early voting begins this week.

 

If you're heading out to the Spring Festival in Townsend May 2-3, be sure to buy your two-day parking pass online for $10. It will save you $6 on the regular parking rate. Online orders will be mailed. Or, stop by the Chamber office and pick one up.

 

To get the most out of your Blount County Chamber of Commerce membership, we give you an opportunity to get involved with many events and committees. So check them out and find one that appeals to you.

 

The Blount Partnership is encouraging all its registered voters to please vote in the May primary coming up on May 6. If you can't make it to the polls then, please take advantage of the two-week early voting period which April 16-May 1. It's an important election for many county seats. Here's where you can early vote and here's a sample ballot. Be sure to bring your ID with you to vote!

 

Election Commission Office, 383 Court Street, Maryville, TN
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

 

Everett Recreation Center, 318 S. Everett High Road, Maryville, TN
Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

Pellissippi State, 2731 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Friendsville, TN
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

 

Want to go watch the Tennessee Smokies play baseball for FREE? The Blount Partnership and the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center have partnered to take 18 people to game on Saturday, April 26 at 6:15 p.m. against the Huntsville Stars.

 

A Heritage Center bus will pick up at the Townsend Visitors Center at 3:30 p.m. and the Chamber office (201 S. Washington St., Maryville, TN) at 4:15 p.m. and return after the game. You must ride the shuttle to use the tickets. If you are interested, please RSVP by Friday, April 18 to Deborah (865-273-1257) with your name, phone number and number of tickets. This is first come, first serve.

 

This week I'm going way back in time, 54 years to be exact to bring you the No. 1 song from this week in 1960, "The theme from A Summer Place" performed by the Percy Faith and his orchestra. The 1959 film starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue. It spent an at-the-time record of nine consecutive weeks at number one on the still-young Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in early 1960. It remains the longest-running number-one instrumental in the history of the chart.

Percy Faith - Theme From A Summer Place (1960)

April 15-19 -- UT-Led Wildflower Pilgramage
April 15 -- Stewards of Children Training Program
April 16 -- Chamber Ambassadors Meeting
April 17 -- CPR Training
April 18 -- Blount County Salvation Army Easter Carnival
April 19 -- Alcoa Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast
April 19 -- Maryville Farmer's Market Opening Day Arts & Craft Show

April 21 -- Women in Business
April 22 -- Pellissippi State Blount County Campus Recruiting Fair
April 24 -- Coffee Club at Asbury Place
April 24 -- BYLD Social at Buffalo Wild Wings
April 25 -- State Legislative Briefing
April 25 -- Good Thymes Ceidigh Band Concert at Heritage Center
April 26 -- Bloomin' for Babies Vendor Fair for Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee

April 24 -- Coffee Club at Asbury Place
April 24 -- BYLD Social at Buffalo Wild Wings
April 25 -- State Legislative Briefing

You can access the entire calendar here to see other community events and submit your own.

Don't forget to check out the Hot Deals brought to you from other Chamber members. Add your Hot Deal by emailing Amy to get your login info.