Calendar of Events

Part of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s 2015-2016 Chamber Classics Series, which marks the KSO’s 80th season.

This festive Chamber concert includes holiday highlights such as Mozart’s arrangement of Sleigh Ride, Greensleeves, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and many recognizable carols. This concert will feature the Chamber Orchestra and Knoxville Chamber Chorale, conducted by KSO Resident conductor James Fellenbaum.

At the Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Tickets and information: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

Ajeet Khalsa, founder of local yoga studio LightTree, announces an upcoming Knoxville Family Yoga event, KIDFIT, as part of her Kickstarter campaign, Yoga for the Family. A manual of poses and songs that she hopes will help children and their parents stay healthy.

Obesity, stress, ADHD and concentration problems, anxiety, depression, and family estrangement are prevalent issues that impact children from all economic walks of life. Khalsa, a yoga expert with over 25 years’ experience, has developed a program to address these issues, on a local, national, and even international scale. According to Ajeet Khalsa, a children's yoga specialist for over 20 years, “yoga is proven to build strength, coordination and body awareness, and helps increase concentration for children and adults alike.” Dancing Spider Yoga, a program that any organization working with children can benefit from, says Khalsa, is based on her extensive experience working with children, most notably as the walk about Kermit with Jim Henson's Muppets in New York in her younger days and as a Tennessee Arts Commission dance educator. “I’m looking forward to spreading awareness of my Children's Yoga Teacher-Trainings, as well as giving lots of tips to parents on how to create fun, healthy environments for children to learn and grow.”

Cathy Vangieri of the popular Sing & Spell says of Khalsa's program, "It’s about fun, connection and playfulness. Ajeet is not only providing new programs that are great for kids, but as a teacher myself, I love that it’s also about getting the entire family involved in staying healthy and whole.”

At Ijams Nature Center. Information: 865-282-6515, http://www.knoxmercury.com/event/dancing-spider-yoga-hoedown-and-hootenanny-family-fundraiser-and-yoga-class/ or https://www.facebook.com/ajeetyoga

At the new Everly Brothers Community Park.
Gather with City Council representatives and members of the Bearden Council to enjoy delicious apple cider, Starbucks coffee and cookies at the park site, on the corner of Kingston Pike and South Forest Park Blvd in front of the Earth Fare Shopping Center.
Santa Claus will be on hand to pass out goodies to children, and the West High School Chorus Studio West will entertain the crowd.

Returns for 10th season with expanded schedule! Locally owned Home Federal Bank joins its love of downtown Knoxville and Christmas this winter through its continued role as presenting sponsor for the City of Knoxville’s Holidays on Ice. Knoxville’s only open-air ice rink opens to the public on Friday, Nov. 27. This year marks the 10th season for the ice rink on Market Square. In celebration of its anniversary and based on popular demand, the rink is extending its season by 15 days. “This is an exciting time for Holidays on Ice,” City of Knoxville Director of Special Events Judith Foltz said. “For the first time in many years, the rink will be completely open air. We’re removing the tent, enhancing the rink with overhead lighting and extending the season by 15 days.” In 2014, the rink hosted 19,000 skaters and 20,000 spectators. For more information including operating hours and admission rates, visit http://www.knoxvillesholidaysonice.com.

For information on Christmas in the City: City of Knoxville Special Events, 865-215-4248,
http://www.knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/special_events/christmas_in_the_city/

Students, family, friends, and the public are invited to a reception and awards ceremony Tuesday, December 8 from 6 to 8pm at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The event is free and open to the public.

The Knoxville Museum of Art and the Tennessee Art Education Association celebrates the 10th anniversary of the East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition Friday. Now in its tenth year, the exhibition offers middle and high school students from around East Tennessee the opportunity to participate in a juried exhibition and to display their talents and be honored for their accomplishments in a professional art museum environment. The East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition is open to students in grades 6-12, attending public, private, or home schools in 32 counties across East Tennessee. Fewer than a third of the more than 964 entries in this highly competitive show made it through a rigorous jury process. The best-in-show winner will receive a purchase award of $500, and the artwork will become a permanent part of the collection of Mr. James Dodson, on loan to the Knoxville Museum of Art's Education Collection.

Since 2005, the East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition has presented the work of nearly 3,000 students who have competed for a total of $7 million in scholarships made available to eligible juniors and seniors by colleges and universities from around the nation.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

By Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams. In this hilarious sequel to Greater Tuna, it's Christmas in the third smallest town in Texas. Radio station OKKK news personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie report on various Yuletide activities, including hot competition in the annual lawn display contest. In other news, voracious Joe Bob Lipsey's production of "A Christmas Carol" is jeopardized by unpaid electric bills. Many colorful Tuna denizens, some you will recognize from Greater Tuna and some appearing here for the first time, join in the holiday fun.

"A hoot!" —NY Times
"So funny it could make a racoon laugh affectionately at Davy Crockett ... It's far too good for just Christmas." —The New York Post
"The hilarity ... never lets up." —The Village Voice

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

A group of fifteen students from across the Lakeway area have been hard at work these past two months writing and rehearsing an original drama that they hope will make a positive impact in their community. The Rose Center Council for the Arts is proud to present the third YouthWorks student-written production, Out of the Dark.

Rose Center’s Nathan McGhee serves as the director for this project. “The script really doesn’t follow the typical format of a show. It comes across more as a work of performance art rather than a run of the mill production. The piece goes through a plot line but during the performance, we will have collections of monologues, speeches, and poems as well. It’s really a beautiful piece that focuses on various problems that many of our students face daily: bullying, abuse, depression, suicide and how each issue correlates with the next. The level of commitment and maturity these students have put in on such difficult subject matter is inspiring.” The students began writing the script two months ago under the supervision of McGhee and various guest instructors including child psychologist, Allison East.

Out of the Dark runs for only one weekend, November 27-29. Performance times are November 27th and 28th at 7:30PM and November 28th and 29th at 2:30PM. Due to the mature themes explored, this show has been rated PG-13. Tickets are only an eight dollar donation towards the Rose Center educational programs. To reserve your tickets, please visit www.rosecenter.org or call the Center at 423-581-4330.

by Charles Dickens; adapted for the stage by Dennis Elkins; directed by Micah-Shane Brewer. At the Clarence Brown Theatre.

“Don’t miss this one….it’d be like celebrating the season without a Christmas tree or carols or gifts!” Knoxville News Sentinel

Whether you are continuing your annual family tradition or beginning a new one…join us as we tell the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly businessman who needs the intervention of a few spectral guides to show him the true meaning of Christmas. Featuring beautiful live music, wonderful costumes, and exciting stage effects, Dickens’ tale of hope and redemption reminds us all what’s really worth celebrating.

Clarence Brown Theatre / Carousel Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com. For tickets: 865-974-5161, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

East Tennessee Children's Hospital presents the 31st Annual Fantasy of Trees Premier Christmas Event in Knoxville. This year's event is entitled "An East Tennessee Christmas" and takes place from November 25 - 29, 2015 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Get your tickets online today! Daily Show Hours:
Wednesday, November 25, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Thursday, November 26, 3 - 7 p.m.
Friday, November 27, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday, November 28, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday, November 29, Noon - 6 p.m.

At the Knoxville Convention Center, http://www.fantasyoftrees.org/

This month, nine local teams of architects, engineers, construction companies and other organizations will construct massive holiday-themed art sculptures made of canned food items – all to help fight hunger in the region.

For the third year, Messer Construction Co. is presenting the “Holiday Canstruction” art exhibition, which will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. The sculptures will be on display Nov. 21-Dec. 3 at the Knoxville Convention Center. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

On Nov. 20, the teams will gather at the Knoxville Convention Center for an eight-hour build of their holiday-themed sculptures. Each Canstruction sculpture typically uses between 1,500 and 5,500 canned food items, with only one-quarter-inch plywood or Plexiglas between the rows of cans and one-quarter-inch cardboard tubing for support. The color of the sculptures is determined by the colors of the cans and labels.
After the exhibition, the sculptures will be dismantled and the canned foods donated to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. Last year’s event contributed 19,000 items to Second Harvest, and organizers expect the donation to surpass that mark this year.
The Holiday Canstruction art exhibition will be open to the public Nov. 21-Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with expanded hours during East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s Fantasy of Trees event, Nov. 25-29.
Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St, Knoxville, TN 37902
For more information, visit http://www.holidaycanstruction.com

Based on the movie classic, the musical follows 9-year-old Ralphie and his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts—an Official Red Ryder carbine-action air rifle. Set in the 1940s Midwest, Ralphie plots numerous schemes to fulfill his desire for the cov-eted BB gun only to be constantly rebuffed with echoes of “You’ll shoot your eye out!” With tongues stuck to frozen flagpoles; Christmas at the Chinese restaurant; and the “major award,” all the iconic scenes from the film are here, along with exciting new treats for both long-time fans of the film as well as those encountering this delightful coming of age tale for the first time.

Oak Ridge Playhouse, 227 Broadway, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Information and tickets: 865-482-9999, www.orplayhouse.com

An exhibit of contemporary art featuring work by: Denise Stewart-Sanabria, Bobbie Crews, Bill Long, Millie Jarrett, Susan Roberts, Heather Hartman, Mustafiz Karigar, and Mike Cagle.

Opening reception Friday, November 13, 6-8 pm with live music by saxophonist Kyle Jones.

The Rose Center, 442 West Second North St., Morristown, TN, 37814. Hours: M-F 9-5. Information: 423-581-4330, www.rosecenter.org