Market Square has become a prime location for festivals and special events in Knoxville, whether they be annual extravaganzas or one-time affairs you don’t want to miss. Presidents have made speeches, world-famous musicians have given concerts, and celebrities from every industry you can imagine have come to show Knoxville residents what they have to offer, and you want to make sure you’re here to see it.
ON THE SQUARE
March
Mardi Growl Dog Parade
www.MardiGrowl.org
Gay Street and Market Square
Show the dogs of Knoxville just how much you love them! A parade followed by a party with prizes, vendors, and pets to go around.
May-August, and October
Concerts on the Square
www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/concerts
Market Square
865-215-4248
Satisfy that musical craving with an outdoor concert every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Experience new artists, new styles, and new songs while meeting your neighbors.
May-August
Jazz on the Square
www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/concerts
Market Square
865-215-4248
Get your foot tapping and savor some top-tier musicianship with this series of free jazz concerts at Market Square. The outdoor setting will make it memorable every time you attend.
July-August
Shakespeare on the Square
www.TennesseeStage.com
Market Square
This isn’t high school English class. Enjoy Shakespeare’s works as they were meant to be enjoyed, in the open air on a stage. Performed by the exceptional Tennessee Stage Company.
August
Asian Festival
www.knoxasianfestival.com
Market Square
Celebrate the diversity and richness of Asian cultures and traditions in an engaging way. You’re sure to learn something new and have fun doing it!
September
Hola Festival
www.HolaFestival.org
Several Locations in Downtown Knoxville
Hola Hora Latina brings us this festival, celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a hands-on experience to teach visitors about Hispanic traditions and culture.
JUST OFF THE SQUARE AND AROUND GREATER KNOXVILLE
Alive After Five
www.KnoxArt.org
39 weeks per year
Knoxville Museum of Art
Bring that spice to your Friday night that only live music can provide. Local Knoxville artists help to keep the streets alive well into the evening.
January
Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
www.MLKKnoxville.org
Throughout Knoxville
Remember the contributions and ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. with the annual parade, accompanied by other events to educate and promote tolerance.
February
Auto Show
www.KnoxAutoShow.com
Knoxville Convention Center
If you can’t get enough of cars, you can’t miss this event. Local Knoxville dealers bring out the best they’ve got in new and stylish automobiles. Produced by the Knoxville News Sentinel.
March
Big Ears Festival
www.BigEarsFestival.com
Downtown Knoxville
A specialty arts festival that aims to bring together musicians, actors, filmmakers, photographers, and artists of all stripes, exploration connections between disciplines and genres like you’ve never seen.
Women Today Expo
www.WomenToday.com
Knoxville Convention Center
Discover products and services made just for women at the Women Today Expo. Produced by the Knoxville News Sentinel, the Expo is the largest gathering of products just for your feminine side in East Tennessee.
March-April
Tulip Time at Crescent Bend Festival
www.CrescentBend.com
Crescent Bend
See the unforgettable sight of more than twenty thousand tulips here in Knoxville and learn more about this unique and storied flower.
April
Dogwood Arts Celebration
www.DogwoodArts.com
Throughout Knoxville
An art festival focused squarely on East Tennessee culture, Dogwood Arts brings together artists of every discipline, as well as artists, chefs, and more, all displaying the beauty and creativity of our region./em>
Earthfest
www.Knox-EarthFest.org
World’s Fair Park
Celebrate the environment and learn how you can do more to protect it with live entertainment, Earth-themed arts and crafts, and special exhibits and snacks you’ll love. Sponsored by the Solid Waste Office of Knoxville.
Outdoor KnoxFest
www.OutdoorKnoxville.com
Several Locations in Knoxville
Spend three days packed wall-to-wall with activities for the adventurer in all of us. Outdoor recreational venues around the city will be hosting events to promote all of us to get a bit more time outside in the beautiful weather we’re afforded in East Tennessee.
Rhythm ‘n Blooms Fest
www.RhythmNBloomsFest.com
Throughout Knoxville
Celebrate the coming of Spring with a bit of music and a bit of gardening.
Rossini Festival Italian Street Fair
www.KnoxvilleOpera.com/rossini
Gay Streett
See Italian opera like you never have before. Food, drink, activities, and entertainment of all kinds will adorn three outdoor stages for a truly unique experience.
May
Biscuit Festival
www.BiscuitFest.com
Downtown Knoxville
This event needs no introduction: the International Biscuit Festival has quickly achieved national prominence with celebrities, foods, events, and entertainment all centered around that wonderful Southern icon, the biscuit.
Tennessee Statehood Day
Blount Mansion, Crescent Bend, James White’s Fort, Mabry-Hazen House, Marble Springs and Ramsey House Plantation
Celebrate Tennessee’s birthday with crafts, demonstrations, and art depicting period pieces from Tennessee’s history.
June
Bark in the Park
www.HumaneSocietyTennessee.com
World’s Fair Park
Have fun with dogs and support their health and protection with this event put on by the Human Society of the Tennessee Valley. Thousands of dogs and their owners will have fun in the park with games, events, and treats galore.
Cherokee Heritage Festival
www.JamesWhiteFort.org
James White Fort
Learn something new and exciting as the Cherokee demonstrate traditional dancing, storytelling and crafts as well as exciting techniques like tomahawk throwing and blowgun shooting.
Kuumba Festival
www.KuumbaFestival.com
Chilhowee Park
Kuuma is Swahili for “creativity,” and the showcases at this festival highlight art, dance, theater, food, games, and more from that culture.
Meadow Lark Music Festival
www.Ijams.org/signature-events/meadow-lark
Ijams Nature Center
Experience heartwarming Americana music in the peaceful Ijams Nature Center.
PrideFest
www.KnoxvillePridefest.com
World’s Fair Park
Celebrate inclusion and tolerance with music, entertainment, and inspirational speakers.
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Induction
www.WBHOF.com
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame u0026amp; Bijou Theatre
Celebrate the sport’s best with autograph sessions, auctions, and dinner as a leadup to the induction ceremony of this year’s Hall of Fame entrants.
July
Festival on the 4th
www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/4th
World’s Fair Park
865-215-4248
An American classic celebration with Knoxville flair. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and a stunning fireworks show highlight a day of games, food, and fun.
August
Davy Crockett’s Birthday Party
www.EastTNHistory.org
East Tennessee Historical Society
That old American folk hero is celebrated in an event for families and kids of all ages. Hands-on events are the name of the game, along with storytelling and — what else? — birthday cake.
East Tennessee History Fair
www.EastTNHistory.org
East Tennessee History Center and Downtown Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville’s rich history is told with music, crafts, tours, and free admission to historical sites.
September
Greek Fest
GreekfestTN.wordpress.com
St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Join Knoxville’s Greek residents to experience live music, folk dancing, authentic Greek cuisine, and even a special shop with imported items for a truly unique experience.
John Sevier Days
www.MarbleSprings.net
Marble Springs State Historic Site
This living history weekend will feature demonstrations of late 18th and early 19th-century life.
Period fans rejoice with John Sevier Days, a special historic weekend featuring how life was like back in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Tennessee Valley Fair
www.TNValleyFair.org
Chilhowee Park
A good slice of old Tennessee life with livestock contests, tractor pulls, and of course more food, music, and rides than you can shake a stick at.
October
Brewer’s Jam
www.KnoxvilleBrewersJam.com
World’s Fair Park
Get a taste of craft beers you’ve never had before as regional brewers show off samples of their works to accompany entertainers and, of course, fantastic food to pair it with.
Tennessee Fall Homecoming
www.MuseumOfAppalachia.com
Museum of Appalachia
Appalachian life is thrust to the forefront as country and bluegrass musicians join craftspeople and pioneer enthusiasts in recreating the rural mountain life they all love.
November
Fantasy of Trees
www.fantasyoftrees.org
Knoxville Convention Center
Get in that holiday mood by touring the events, decorations, and lights in the convention center, along with many activities for the little ones and shops for the grownups
Foothills Craft Guild Fall Show
www.FoothillsCraftGuild.org
Jacob Building at Chilhowee Park
The finest artisans of our region gather together for the Foothills Craft Guild Fall Show. Over one hundred booths mean you’ll be hard pressed to see it all!
November through December
Christmas in the City
www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/christmas
Throughout Knoxville
865-215-4248
A two-month-long event featuring lights, a Christmas parade, and other events full of holiday cheer throughout the city.
December
Nativity Pageant of Knoxville
www.knoxvillenativity.com
Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Remember the reason for the season with a classic nativity pageant. Features over 90 actors, realistic sets, authentic costumes, and even life animals to truly bring the oldest Christmas story to life like never before.
