Discover West Tennessee July 2022

DISCOVER DISCOVER O OV July 2022 - Volume 2 - Issue 8

Discover Steampunk at Discovery Park of America

McKENZIE SWEET TEA FESTIVAL

contents

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04-Shiloh Battlefield and Memphis’ King Beez Team up to Celebrate 106 Years of the National Park Service with a Concert-in-the-Park Dynamix Physical Therapy specializes in manual therapy, a hands-on based treatment which is unique to this region. Our customized approach to care has established us as the elite provider for orthopedic and

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07 - Prospect League Team Has A New Name & Logo 14 - Nance to Ride 300th Bull at PBR In Paris 17- McKenzie 38201 20 - Discovering SteamPunk at DPA.

MCKENZIE MILAN MILLINGTON PARIS TRENTON UNION CITY

ON THE COVER - A young lady enjoys time on Beale Street. Photo by Alex Shansky.

DISCOVER P.O. Box 888, Huntingdon, TN 38344

731.415.6489

jmoody@magicvalleypublishing.com Editor: Jonathan Moody Creative Director: Christy Slaman Copy Editor: Joan Phillips

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For over 20 years, the King Beez have set the standard for R&B bands in Memphis elegant and tasteful when required, funky and booty shakin' when needed.

Shiloh Battlefield and Memphis’ King Beez Team up to Celebrate 106 Years of the National Park Service with a Concert-in-the-Park

106 On Saturday, August 27, Shiloh National Military Park, will celebrate the 106th anniversary of the National Park Service (NPS) which falls on August 25, 2022. From sea to shining sea, park visitors and NPS employees will commemorate the founding of the Park Service with special programs and events all around the country. Shiloh Battlefield celebrated the NPS anniversary from 2016-2019 with its Concert-in-the-Park music series. After a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, Shiloh will again host the August 27 NPS Birthday Bash show with world class entertainment for concert goers.

Shiloh National Military Park, in

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partnership with the Friends of Shiloh and Tour Hardin County, are proud to present another night of music on the battlefield starring rhythm and blues artists The King Beez from Beale Street in Memphis. “This is the first concert in the park in three years and it should prove to be a night to remember as we celebrate the NPS birthday,” said Park Superintendent Allen Etheridge.

The King Beez have been a staple on Beale Street for more than two decades and have set the standard for R & B bands in Memphis. They have taken Memphis music around the world performing with artists such as Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, Shir-

ley Brown, and Jay Blackfoot. At B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street they served as the backup band for the late Ruby Wilson for more than 10 years.

The opening act on the bill will be The NPS Arrowhead Jazz Band from New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park in New Orleans. These world class musicians preserve the New Orleans music traditions with daily performances of jazz and blues. “We are excited to bring these musician/historians to play at Shiloh so the community can appreciate the preservation of a truly American artform,” said Etheridge. As their motto says, “Only in New Orleans could there be a national park dedicated to jazz music.”

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Lisa Bastien and husband Dennis own the Jackson Rockabillys of the Prospect League

Prospect League Team has a New Name & Logo

We have a name for the new summer-collegiate Prospect League team to be playing out of The Ballpark at Jackson beginning in 2023: the Jackson Rockabillys.

This comes after a name-the-team process that narrowed the potential names from an initial 1,000 entries down to the Jackson 5 finalists: the Hub City HubCaps, Hub City Heroes, Jackson Rockabillys, Jackson Locomotives and the Jackson Blue Suedes.

Of all the entries, the leading name that kept getting entered was the Rockabillys. The results of the WBBJ-TV online survey poll on fans’ favorites and choices closely matched the Guess the Name contest ran by the team. In fact, 2,118 (44 percent) of 4,804 submitted named “Rockabillys” as their name choice. Their poll had Hub City Heroes in second at 891 (19 percent), Jackson Blue Suedes at 692 (14 percent), Hub City HubCaps at 555 (12 percent), and in fifth, the Jackson

Locomotives at 548 (11 percent).

“After much deliberation, reasoning, research, opinions, and reckoning, we decided that the name that best exemplified Jackson, and the area was a salute to the heritage of the rockabilly music,” said Rockabillys President/CEO Dennis Bastien via press release. “The name lends itself to a unique logo. We salute the era of music that made the Jackson area renowned for its sound,” The Rockabilly era was inaugurated

by Jackson’s own Carl Perkins and made famous by many artists after. Jackson is home to the International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame. The Billy Goat featured in the primary logo harkens to the Johnny Cash smirk, with the neck of the guitar being a copper bat. Other logos and designs unveiled other logos and designs that will add to the legend of the Rockabillys, incorporating the concept of several names tied to the Rockabilly era.

The Rockabillys official colors are

No-Hitter Navy, Perfect Game Purple, Full Count Copper, Shutout Silver, Grand Slam Gray, and Home Plate White.

“We hope West Tennessee, Madison County, and of course, the Jackson region embrace and take pride in the Rockabilly name. Although it has been around this area for many years, this can create a memorable image and look. We hope to showcase the name over many states to make Jackson even more recognizable,” Bastien added.

“Finally! We have an identity!,” said General Manager Steve DeSalvo via press release. “We’ve been handing out temporary Play Ball Jackson business cards, been asked countless times to give out a hint of what we were leaning toward, and now, we are proud to announce our name.

We felt Rockabillys best personified not only a great name, a fun logo but also allows many spin-offs from it. Now we are really ready to Play Ball Jackson.”

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Cody Nance to Ride for 300 at PBR In Paris

In addition to the recent news of the PBR in Paris on July 1 and 2 being upgraded to a Tier One PBR event and being recorded for Pluto TV, Cody Nance will now have the opportunity to ride for his 300th bull in the Elite Series in his hometown. Only 19 other riders hold the honor of riding 300 bulls on the tour.

Nance has a decorated career with close to 700 career rides and 12 World Final appearances.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” commented Travis McLeese. “If nothing else, we want to fi ll this place for Cody.

The word is getting out and people are coming from all over.”

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The competition has also attracted some of the biggest names in the business. This list includes 3-time world champion Silvano Alves, Chase Dougherty, and the 2018 Rookie of the Year Keyshawn Whitehorse.

A full press release on the riders will be published the first of next week.

“The sponsors for this event have been overwhelming,” added Cody Nance. “In addition to Allegro Marinade being the title sponsor, and Chris Dowdy being the presenting sponsor, we have so many people step up to help us make this event grow. The only way I can think to repay them is to pack the Henry County Fairgrounds and get this 300th bull under

my belt!”

Tickets for the two-day event will be $35 for General Admission each night.

VIP tickets are $100 per night and will include premier seating, a parking pass for exclusive parking, and a souvenir shirt. VIP guests will also get access to a “Meet the Riders” event before the competition begins.

Fireworks will be shot at the conclusion of each night compliments of Servpro.

Tickets will be available through Eventbrite at www.pbrinparis.com. For more information, contact the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce at (731) 642-3431.

Silvano Alves

Chase Dougherty

Keyshawn Whitehorse DISCOVER | 15

McKenzie 38201

The City of McKenzie is a paradise for antiques, and we have a variety of great booths full of oddities and vintage clothing, furniture, décor and housewares in our Antique Mall and our Merchants Outlet Mall. Over 600 of their inside booths will be featured in our Sweet Tea and Southern Pickin’s Festival. In addition, we will have outdoor booths, great music, and food throughout the downtown.

Downtown revitalization in McKenzie is always one of our top priorities. McKenzie is the only city is West Tennessee that has both the status of a Tennessee Downtown and a Mainstreet Community. This year was the inaugural year for

the McKenzie Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the organization has over 100 members who recently gathered to celebrate the many events they sponsored this year which focused on promoting the success of our businesses and industries.

For the past few years, McKenzie has celebrated our Mistletoe Christmas which touts the world’s largest Mistletoe ball in the downtown Veterans Park. Visitors and residents participate in a variety of events celebrating the Christmas season with luncheons, parades, mistletoe runs, and more.

McKenzie also has the only indoor and outdoor Farmers Market in West

McKenzie Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrates their inaugural banquet.

Tennessee. The city took an old Studebaker dealership building, renovated it and turned it into one of the most successful Farmers Markets in our area.

Each week over 300 visitors browse the booths for home grown produce, hand made crafts, baked goods, fresh, organic poultry products, and more.

McKenzie is the home of Bethel University, a Christian university, founded in 1842, by the Presbyterian Church. Bethel is home to numerous championship sports teams, and their diverse educational options include on-campus, online and blended coursework. Students can pursue associate, bachelors, and masters degrees. The current enrollment is 3,500.

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The Chamber Egg Drop was a tremendous success attracting over 2,000 visitors to our park.

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Come visit McKenzie

On behalf of our City Council and all of us here, I extend a very warm welcome to all who visit or choose to make McKenzie their home.

Like so many of our citizens, McKenzie is my hometown, and many of us came back home as we discovered that our small city is ideal for raising our families, starting businesses, civic and church opportunities, sports, culture, education, and recreation.

McKenzie strives to offer activities and events for all age groups. For the youth, our organized sports of baseball, softball, football, and soccer have youth in all age groups participating. In addition, Upward Basketball is offered during the winter months. Spectator sports include both high school and Bethel University.

Bethel has over 30 sports teams including football, basketball, softball and national championship soccer and bass fishing teams. McKenzie High School Rebel sports teams are well known throughout Tennessee for their championships at the state level in all sports.

The skateboard park attracts beginners and those who are more advanced.

The splash pad and adjoining Harmony Park draw children and parents from McKenzie and neighboring communities to cool off and have fun during the hot summer months. All ages enjoy our 18-hole disc golf park, and the walking trails through our parks and University Drive. For our 4-legged friends we have our shaded dog park, complete with water stations, benches and disposal receptacles.

If you are looking for a quiet respite to enjoy your lunch or relax by the waterfall fountain feature, drop by The Nook, our newly renovated pocket park at 22 Lee Street. McKenzie Senior Citizens group is anything but stationary. Our seniors meet for great lunch and learn sessions, have discounted movie days at the theatre, meet for crafts, cards, pool tournaments and more.

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You will want to visit the historically renovated Park Theatre for the latest movies and community performances, and it won’t break your wallet with the $5 tickets.

The Farmers’ Market is growing bigger and better every year. Over 300 people visit the vendors every Saturday for the freshest produce, delicious baked goods and beautiful handmade crafts. It is also open Tuesday afternoons with a smaller number of vendors.

Everyone looks forward to the summer outdoor music series, Nights on Broadway, when friends and neighbors bring their lawn chairs to Broadway Street downtown to hear some of the best live music in West Tennessee. August 26 and 27, are dates to save on your calendar when the city hosts the Sweet Tea and Southern Pickin’s Festival. Over 600 vintage booths in our Antique Mall, Merchants Outlet Mall, and open booths downtown are featured along with great music and of course the best food to satisfy all cravings.

Fall brings the Scarecrow Grove when businesses, schools, families, civic clubs, and individuals create spectacular scarecrows and decorate Veterans Park downtown for Scarecrow Grove. Children are delighted and look forward to the fun and activities featured in the annual Boo Bash every October. December kicks off the holiday season with Mistletoe Christmas. In addition to parades, activities, and Christmas events, we feature the world’s largest mistletoe ball for pictures and fun in Veterans Park. Christmas also includes performances by Bethel University’s renowned performing arts program, Renaissance. February brings our Chocolate Tour when participants sample delicious chocolate treats offered by the many participating businesses. We celebrate our country’s birthday with our Freedom Festival and an award-winning fireworks show, and Veterans and those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom are memorialized and commemorated on

Memorial Day and Veterans Day with ceremonies in the park and our schools.

If you’re hungry, McKenzie is a mecca for a large and diverse selection of restaurants. The meat and three restaurants and coffee shops will serve you some of the best ham and biscuits, fried catfish, meatloaf, hamburgers, and fresh vegetables you can get. You can order pizza from Tennessee’s #1 pizza restaurant. We have great Chinese and two unique Mexican restaurants offering the best and most authentic Mexican food in West Tennessee. If you’re in the mood for BBQ we have you covered. You might want to visit one of our sports grills and have a great hamburger or steak while watching your favorite sports team. We also have Jamaican and Puerto Rican Cuisine in addition to the other varieties of food we have.

Our McKenzie Chamber of Commerce and Industry invites both businesses and individuals to join and become a part of our growing economy. They work handin-hand with the city and the industrial board to retain and promote the success of our businesses while recruiting new business and industry. McKenzie’s proximity to the Blue Oval Ford Plant makes us a sweet spot for the satellite industries to supply products to the plant, and our area universities and TCATS are including the required skills for these industries in their courses of study.

McKenzie has so much to offer and all in a small town setting, without the challenges, frustrations and safety issues of living in a large city. We enjoy our growing economy, and great education system which boasts our McKenzie Special School District, Tennessee College of Applied Technology and Bethel University. Our sports, culture and many activities provide the amenities of big city living in a small, safe and friendly environment. With open arms, we welcome you to McKenzie, a treasure in West Tennessee.

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(Left to right) Petty Scherer and Anastasia Atmadja experiment with electricity using the "Magneto" by turning a magnet past an iron bar, creating an electric current.

“Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-on Adventure” Open at Discovery Park of America

“Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-On Adventure” is now open at Discovery Park of America in the museum’s ATA Temporary Exhibit Hall and will remain open through Jan. 10, 2023.

The exhibit, created by Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. in partnership with The Franklin Institute, features eight galleries, each inspired by different visionaries from the Victorian Age and focused on how their philosophy, art, innovation and science have shaped our world today.

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction inspired by the Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style and

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art, along with a celebration of 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.

Authors featured are: Mary Shelley, the English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel “Frankenstein;” Jules Verne, the French novelist, poet and playwright who wrote bestselling adventure novels including “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and “Around the World in Eighty Days;” and H.G. Wells, the science fiction author who wrote “The Time Machine,” “War of the Worlds” and “The Invisible Man” and who is often remembered today as the “father of science fiction.”

Along with the visionary authors, the exhibit features four influential Victorian-era inventors: Isaac Singer, who developed the sewing machine; Thomas Blanchard, who worked on automation and the first automobiles; George Eastman, who helped popularize photography; and Jan Matzeliger, the son of a Surinamese slave, whose inventions made decent footwear accessible to the masses.

The exhibit uses steampunk to provide a fun opportunity for children and adults to experience the humanities, science, technology, engineering, art and math. It includes robotics, photography, automa-

tion and sculpture along with a variety of opportunities for hands-on learning.

“Having ‘Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-On Adventure” at Discovery Park is the perfect way to further the vision of the museum’s late founder, Robert Kirkland,” said Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s CEO. “On opening day, Robert Kirkland shared that he hoped in the future, guests would arrive for each

visit with an expectation that they would experience innovation presented in a fun way. This exhibit certainly does that.”

Teachers and administrators wishing to book a school group should download Discovery Park’s Student Group Planning Guide, e-mail reservations@discoveryparkofamerica.com or call reservations at 731-885-5455, option 6.

“Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical

Hands-On Adventure” is free with park admission or membership and will be at Discovery Park June 18, 2022 to Jan. 10, 2023. Visit DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com to plan your visit.

“Discover Steampunk” is funded in part by a grant from the Humanities Tennessee, an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

(Left to right) Ellis Gray, Houston Gray and Calvin Gray use the "Van de Graaf Generator" to create static electricity.

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