Calendar of Events

Saturday at 2 PM – 4:30 PM
Lindsay Young Auditorium John C. Hodges Library
1015 Volunteer Boulevard, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996

Noel Quiñones is a Puerto Rican poet, actor, organizer, and performance artist born and raised in the Bronx. He travels the country giving his talk "Beyond the Black/White Binary: The Inner Ethnic Conflict of Latinidad", seeking to explore the challenges that face Latinx people as well as the false narratives they carry in 21st century America.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1564803986998787/

The Contemporary Dance Ensemble ‘Holiday Spectacular’ is a holiday performance filled with excitement, laughter, and emotion. Enjoy the passion of the season with dance numbers ranging from the graceful lyrical to the ever-popular upbeat HipHop. The antics of Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and the Grinch combined with the athleticism of the dancers are sure to please even the most humbug of audience members!! Come and join us for an evening of joy and delight. A must for your Holiday Season!

https://www.knoxvillecoliseum.com/event/oak-ridge-academy-of-dance-contmeporary-dance-ensemble-holiday-spectacular/

Opening Friday, December 7 from 5-8 p.m - Enjoy cozy seasonal fare, meet the artist, and take advantage of a special in-store promotion for your holiday shopping.

A collection of new works from the longtime Knoxville resident and locally beloved artist. "I'm looking for what this world doesn't give us anymore… a place outside where we can hear the world wake up and just be," says Odom.

This event is free and open to the public.

The District Gallery, 5113 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-F 10-5:30, Sa 10-4. Information: 865-200-4452, www.TheDistrictGallery.com

We are excited to announce Brian Pittman as our featured artist for the month of December! Please join us for a show opening and to meet the artist. A display of Brian's new original work and new print design will be available for purchase.

Fri Dec 7, 6-9 PM. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/250560902307423/

Local artist ACF Jewelry will also be up until the end of December. More Info: https://shoprala.com/blogs/blog/first-friday-w-acf-jewelry

Rala, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Phone: (865) 525-7888
Instagram: @ShopRala
https://shoprala.com/

Don't miss this month's gallery artist, Melanie Fetterolf! Her acrylic and watercolor pieces, including her fascinating rain paintings, add vibrant color to gray winter days.
http://www.paintingyourworldstudio.com

More events at http://ijams.org/events/. Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Recent works by painter Lil Clinard and fiber artist Elaine Fronczek will be featured throughout December at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for the artists, including complimentary refreshments and live music performed by Brad Hitch and Friends, will begin at 5:30 p.m. on December 7th, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk. The show will highlight watercolor scenes of the Great Smoky Mountains by Lil Clinard, and 3-D functional fiber pieces by Elaine Fronczek.

Lil Clinard: Established Tennessee artist, Lil Clinard, is inspired by the unique way light affects the scenes that surround her. Drawing since an early age, Lil was already receiving art commissions while in high school. Interior design and freelance art also helped pay her way through college. Having no formal training in fine art, to challenge and supplement her understanding of painting, she has studied extensively in workshop settings with distinguished international and national watercolor artists including Frank Webb, Paul Jackson, Keiko Tanabe and Linda Kemp. Lil has won recognition in regional and national juried exhibitions including Best in Show, Best Watercolor and Best Plein Air Watercolor. In the fall of 2018, the Tennessee Artists Association juror chose “Acqua Alta”, a watercolor night scene at San Marco Square during a tidal flood, as Best in Show. Her works are in private and public collections across the county.

Elaine Fronczek: I come from a family that has made beautiful and functional objects with their hands. At an early age I could be found in my grandmothers sewing room creating my first designs. Fiber was an avocation for almost 50 years. In 2008 I attended a class at Arrowmont where I learned to felt. Here I realized that wool, silk and other natural fibers could be manipulated into both 2- and 3-dimensional creations in the shape and color of my choosing. Thus I began my current pursuit in the world of fiber. I am inspired by the colors of nature and the simplicity and functionality of pieces created by contemporary artists and designers. Using natural renewable materials and repurposed items allows me to create simple pieces that bring beauty and comfort to the eye.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Th & Sa 11-6, Fri 11-9, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net

The Gaudy Gold Frame Show
On exhibit from Friday Dec 7th until Saturday Dec 29th.
Open Friday - Saturday 10am-6pm and by appointment.
Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 N. Broadway

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: Fri-Sat, 10-6, by appointment, or when the "open" sign is illuminated. Information: 865-556-8676, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com

Christmas in the Cave: Dec. 7-16.
Celebrate the holidays in a cave this December. Cherokee Caverns will host its Christmas in the Cave events 5-8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 14 and 3-8 p.m. Dec. 8-9 and 15-16. Admission costs $10 for those 4 and up. Christmas in the Cave features photo ops with Santa, vendors, food trucks and opportunities to interact with characters like the Grinch and cousin Eddie from "Christmas Vacation."

Info: cherokeecaverns.com.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – THE CIVIL WAR IN KNOXVILLE - DECEMBER 7, 2018 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
A City Divided - It’s been over 150 years since the battle of Knoxville, one of the most sharply divided cities during the civil war. Occupied by both sides with recruiting offices set up on Gay Street on the same day, Knoxville was home to spies, street fights, and family feuds that outlasted the war. Visit the downtown sites and then get an overview of the battles and fortifications from the observation deck of the Sunsphere. Meet on the porch of the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – GUNSLINGERS - DECEMBER 8, 2018 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
When Knoxville was the Wild West - Knoxville’s history is colorful and the predominant hue is blood red. Take a walk on the wild side, from the Old City to Gay Street, down to the river and beyond. The now peaceful streets were once the scene of violence and mayhem of all descriptions—family feuds, duels, lynchings, and riots. Telling all the stories might take years, so this tour varies its route and our guide is always finding fresh tales to share. Meet in the Knoxville Visitor Center, 301 S. Gay Street.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – THE EARLY YEARS
DECEMBER 14, 2018 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM AT EAST TENNESSEE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
EARLY YEARS
Step back over two centuries and visit Knoxville’s founders as you listen to the stories of the settlement of White’s Fort and establishment of the capital of the Southwest Territory at the headwaters of the Tennessee. Meet on the porch of the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – GUNSLINGERS
DECEMBER 16, 2018 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM AT KNOXVILLE VISITOR CENTER
When Knoxville Was the Wild West
Knoxville’s history is colorful and the predominant hue is blood red. Take a walk on the wild side, from the Old City to Gay Street, down to the river and beyond. The now peaceful streets were once the scene of violence and mayhem of all descriptions—family feuds, duels, lynchings, and riots. Telling all the stories might take years, so this tour varies its route and our guide is always finding fresh tales to share. Meet in the Knoxville Visitor Center, 301 S. Gay Street.

Tours last approximately 90 minutes. Adults: $15. Children 6-12: $10 (Group rate available). For more information or to book your tour, please visit the Knoxville Walking Tours Website at http://knoxvillewalkingtours.com/.
*Proceeds from this tour help to support the Knoxville History Project

Knoxville History Project, 516 West Vine Avenue #8, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-300-4559, www.Knoxvillehistoryproject.org

Part of the 11th Anniversary Season of Broadway at the Tennessee Theatre

Two worlds collide in this “breathtaking and exquisite” (The New York Times) musical, based on the 2015 Tony Award®-winning Lincoln Center Theater production. One of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, THE KING AND I boasts a score that features such beloved classics as “Getting To Know You,”“I Whistle a Happy Tune,”“Hello Young Lovers,”“Shall We Dance” and “Something Wonderful.”Set in 1860’s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children. THE KING AND I is “too beautiful to miss".

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com, www.ticketmaster.com

Zoo Knoxville is offering $5 off admission tickets during Kroger Discount Days. Guests can discover why winter is an enjoyable time to visit the zoo. Many animals, including red pandas, river otters, elephants, gorillas, red wolves, lions and tigers, enjoy the cooler temperatures. On days when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, some animals will be moved indoors, but visitors can still see most in their indoor viewing areas. The Pilot Flying J Wee Play Adventure is a popular indoor area that’s a warm stop for creative play and reptile viewing during visits as well.

A December trip to the zoo can even include a visit to Santa’s Village, a special holiday encounter and photo opportunity with Santa Claus. Santa’s Village will be open for holiday photos and Christmas wishes Thursday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day in the heated Kids Cove Tent. Santa’s Village is included with general admission. Discounted tickets can be purchased at the zoo ticket window during regular zoo hours and online at zooknoxville.org. Discounted admission tickets must be used by Feb. 28, 2019, and cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, or coupon.

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Knoxville Children’s Theatre, in partnership with Clayton Foundation, will present 16 live performances of “Best Christmas Pageant Ever,”
based on the classic novel by Barbara Robinson. In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids: probably the most inventively awful kids in history! You won't believe the mayhem - and the fun - when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on! This delightful comedy is adapted from the best-selling book and has become a holiday staple for theatre audiences everywhere, featuring lots of laughs for audiences of all ages.

The live stage musical will be performed:
Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1PM & 5 PM, Sundays at 3 PM

The play is performed by 22 talented young actors, from ages 9 to 16. Derrick Washington, Jr., a senior at STEM Academy will direct the
production. STEM Academy student Quintin Rhodes will serve as the Stage Manager.

TICKETS are $12 per Adult, $10 per child. Reservations are strongly recommended. Group rates are available for groups of 12 or more. To obtain a group rate, reservations must be placed by telephone. Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com