Upcoming Events
From music festivals, racing, history, heritage, food and everything in between. Here's your guide.
A Spot on the Hill
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, repeating until October 18, 2025
One event on October 11, 2025 at 2:00 pm
This October, the McKinney Center is proud to present the 11th year of A Spot on the Hill, the original, research-based play all about the inhabitants of the Old Jonesborough Cemetery. Created by Anne G’Fellers-Mason, this edition of Jonesborough’s cemetery play features new characters. Stories include Dr. Matthew Mahoney, one of the founders of the Herald & Tribune newspaper, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Johnson, a descendant of John Sevier and Mr. Henry Shade whose work with the Southern Railway did not go as planned. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to sit on. Seats are not provided at the cemetery. Come and listen to real stories of real lives among real tombstones.
Performances for A Spot on the Hill will take place at 6:30 p.m. on October 10, 11, 17, and 18. There will be a 2:00 p.m. matinee performance on October 11 at the McKinney Center (103 Franklin Avenue) and a 2:00 p.m. matinee in the cemetery on October 18. At the outdoor matinee, there will be ASL interpretation provided by BridgesEAST. The indoor performance on October 11 is ADA accessible. Tickets are limited and sell out fast, so make sure you buy yours today. Tickets are $10.00.
Audience members should arrive 15 minutes prior to show time. Parking is available at the First Baptist Church and downtown. It is a short walk up East Main Street to the cemetery from the First Baptist Church lot. A golf cart courtesy shuttle will be available for guests who need it. This program is not suggested for children less than 10 years of age. In case of inclement weather, the show will be relocated to an indoor location.
To purchase tickets, please call the Jonesborough Visitor’s Center at 423.753.1010. Tickets can also be purchased online at jonesborough.com/tickets.
#####
About the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington: The mission of the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington is to provide a comprehensive program through Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts, which teaches various art skills to all participants through a quality program of instruction open to all segments of Jonesborough’s population. In addition, a primary mission of the Center is to enhance minority participation in the planning and implementation in all activities in Jonesborough while specifically celebrating the contribution of the African-American community in the growth and development of the Town. The activities of the McKinney Center are designed to enhance the quality of life of all Jonesborough residents.
