Chattanooga has officially been named North America’s first National Park City, joining London and Adelaide (the capital city of South Australia) as only the third city worldwide to receive this prestigious designation. The announcement comes after a comprehensive peer review process coordinated by the National Park City Foundation, with support from Salzburg Global and World Urban Parks.
To celebrate this historic achievement, Chattanooga will host a free concert on Saturday, April 19 from noon-7 p.m. on the Chattanooga Green, across from Ross’s Landing and the Tennessee Aquarium. The event kicks off Earth Week with performances from Soul Aerobics, MillionDollaMan, Rachel McIntyre Smith, The Essentials, Slim Pickins, and Cupid–creator of the global hit Cupid Shuffle.
“Here in Chattanooga, we’ve used the National Park City movement to encourage folks to think about Chattanooga as a city in a park, rather than a city with some parks in it,” said Mayor Tim Kelly in a video message celebrating the achievement. “The outdoors is our competitive advantage. It’s at the heart of our story of revitalization, and it’s core to our identity.”
The journey to this designation began in late 2023, driven by widespread community support including more than 5,600 signatures, dozens of grassroots organizations, local businesses, and city government. In November, Chattanooga submitted its “Journey Book,” showcasing the city’s transformation from one of America’s most polluted cities in the 1970s to an unrivaled outdoor destination and biodiversity hotspot.
Alison Barnes, trustee of the National Park City Foundation, praised Chattanooga’s application: “During our peer review we saw first-hand the extraordinary breadth and depth of engagement with the Chattanooga National Park City vision informed by outstanding experts in design, ecology, culture and arts.”
The city’s National Park City charter outlines commitments to provide unrivaled access to nature, foster a culture of outdoor activity, promote environmental stewardship and education, ensure inclusive and sustainable development, enrich community and culture, and improve support for food, agriculture, arts, and creativity.
In addition to musical performances, the April 19 celebration will feature a presentation by Dr. Daniel Raven-Ellison, creator of the National Park City movement and National Geographic Explorer.
The city, in collaboration with National Park City supporters, will host more than 50 events during Earth Week, scheduled for April 16-22. Centered around the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” Earth Week 2025 will spotlight renewable energy and sustainable practices, concluding with Earth Day on April 22. “We’re excited to see how the city will use their new status to make Chattanooga a place where people and nature are better connected,” said Mark Cridge, executive director of the National Park City Foundation, “and how they might inspire more cities to ask: what if our city was a National Park City?”