Calendar of Events

If you haven’t heard, you can light up your nights this winter when you experience the all new outdoor lantern light-up at Zoo Knoxville! See a variety of animal lanterns, an enchanted forest, moravian stars, and a snake tunnel! Plus, hot chocolate, spirits, and some authentic Chinese wares! Starting November 27 and lasting until January 3, 2021, nightly from 5-9 PM

*Closed December 24th, 25th, 31st and January 1st.

https://www.zoolightsknoxville.com/

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Follow the Peppermint Trail - November 27 thru January 3

Follow the peppermints along the sidewalks in Downtown Knoxville to discover all sorts of treats featuring the favorite red-and-white candy, plus plenty of gingerbread, cinnamon, cranberry, apple spice, and other holiday flavors. From candy cane coffees and hot buttered rum, to eggnogs and peppermint martinis, you'll feel the holiday magic with every sip!

That's not all. Restaurants make holiday cheesecakes, fudge, donuts, cookies, and macarons, and boutiques and gift shops sell holiday t-shirts, soaps, and scented candles.

A list of businesses – and their treats – is below. Come back to this site often as we add new holiday specials.

We're excited to welcome you to the Peppermint Trail, but remember to make health and safety the top priority. Wear your mask (more festive, the better), practice physical-distancing, and stay home if you're sick.

Holiday magic awaits along the Peppermint Trail. Come back to this site often, as we add holiday specials throughout the season. Post photos of your peppermint adventures with #KnoxPeppermint. You’re MINT to be downtown this season! https://www.downtownknoxville.org/holiday/peppermint/

Every evening at dusk from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1, thousands of lights come on at Founders Park at Campbell Station for the annual Light the Park event.

During Light the Park, a slate of socially-distant activities will be offered, including grab-and-go items and storybook trails. A calendar detailing events will be available closer to the event. For updates and more info, check out the Visit Farragut Facebook event page for Light the Park.

Park restrooms will be open until 10 p.m. during the light display, except on Dec. 25.

The Town of Farragut and Visit Farragut are hosting the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/366965894349125/

Beginning Monday, Nov. 23, downtown Knoxville will be decked out in lights and greenery—including Krutch Park’s forest of twinkling trees and the 42-foot Christmas tree in the Krutch Park Extension on Gay Street—in time to serve as the background for fun family photos and selfies.

The Holidays on Ice skating rink will relocate from Market Square to the Civic Coliseum. The larger rink will allow skaters additional space to practice physical distancing while skating on the same ice where Knoxville Ice Bears play hockey. Starting Friday, Dec. 11, Holidays on Ice will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday with extended hours during Knox County Schools’ winter break. The full schedule will be posted at www.HolidaysOnIce.com.

Market Square will shine with new, peppermint-themed lighting displays provided in partnership with the Downtown Knoxville Alliance. Downtown visitors should look out for Window Wonderland decorations and special holiday treats on the menus and shelves of businesses participating in the Peppermint Trail.

Learn how to protect your trees while helping ours!

Looking for a way to help the Gardens and learn at the same time? The next round of Dr. Syd Hamilton's webinar series is coming up so if you missed them the past months, you can still take them! Courses are offered throughout November & December. The registration fee for these classes will be used directly to help treat diseased and at risk trees on KBGA's property.

Offered will be the following:
• Integrated Pest Management
• Oak Decline Diseases
• Sycamore Anthracnose- What it is and how to treat it
• Beneficial Bugs- What they are, what they do, and how to keep them safe
• And more!
You can find out more and sign up here!

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/dr-hamilton-biologist-and-tree-doc-of-better-nature-llc-31121833465

The Maker City: Holiday Gift Guide and Holiday Monday Marketplace
www.themakercity.org
Instagram @themakercity

With no end in sight to the pandemic, and with talented small business owners continuing to struggle, there’s every reason for shoppers to buy their Holiday gifts locally this year. The Maker City has made this easy to do with two very safe, very user-friendly online options.

The Holiday Gift Guide puts the best of over 300 local Makers front and center in a captivating online catalog. Convenient links direct to each Maker’s web page provide a smooth, stress-free shopping experience, and with categories such as Jewelry, Home Goods, Nature Lovers, Fashion, Grooming, Kitchen and much more, there really is something for everyone. http://themakercity.org/giftguide

By spending their dollars close to home, Holiday shoppers support the local economy -- not only the Makers’ families, but also the many local suppliers and service providers with whom the Maker works. In addition, they support sustainability; Knoxville’s Makers use ecologically responsible practices, and cherished handmade items tend to get handed down through the generations rather than sent to the landfill. Most of all, nothing says “you mean a lot to me” better than a one-of-a-kind gift made with love, and carefully selected for that special someone.

Those who would like a little more excitement during this festive season can support Knoxville Makers in real time by bidding on auction items on the Holiday Monday Marketplace, live from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Monday, on Instagram. Bid on favorite pieces, and know that 100% of the purchase price goes to the Maker. Check out Instagram @themakercity #MondayMarketplace.
https://www.instagram.com/themakercity/

Looking for more? 100s more Maker City Makers can be found in the Maker Directory.
http://themakercity.org/makerdirectory

With the holidays approaching, the Arts & Culture Alliance has coordinated the presentation of more than 125 unique works of art by local artists via its online shop so that patrons and the general public may purchase work.

The Holiday Sale, featuring 43 local artists, includes visual arts media (ranging from acrylic to photography), sculptural works, fiber works, glass, jewelry, and more, as well as ornaments, commissions of portraits, and musical performances. Artists will receive 100% of the proceeds after credit card processing fees.

Shop now! https://www.knoxalliance.store/product-category/holiday/

“Our artists are always trying new ways to interpret the world around them, so we are excited to try new ways for them to share that new work,” says Liza Zenni, Executive Director of the Arts & Culture Alliance. “These days, so many art buyers are increasingly going online to discover and add to their collection of local artwork, and we wanted to help them find it. And if they happen to also find a one-of-a-kind holiday gift, so much the better!”

All artworks are available for sale at www.knoxalliance.store and may be purchased 24/7 using a credit card. Work may also be purchased by calling the Alliance, Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM, at (865) 523-7543.

The Online Holiday Sale runs Sunday, November 1, 2020 – Friday, January 1, 2021. Additionally, some of the works will be included in Black Friday through Cyber Monday and End-of-Year sales offering 10% discounts. For more information, contact: Suzanne Cada at (865) 523-7543 or sc@knoxalliance.com.

We’ve added more tour dates in November and December, and a few October dates are still available. We’ve also added a Family Tour, which is great for kids and adults alike, but has added elements to spark awe in children and includes activity and coloring sheets for them to take home to remember their visit and what they will learn. Join us for a behind the scenes tour and learn details about the history, performances, and complete renovation of the Official State Theatre of Tennessee. You’ll go to areas not usually open to the public, and walk away with a better understanding and appreciation for this architectural and cultural gem.

Once a tour reaches capacity, it will no longer appear in the list of available dates.
https://www.tennesseetheatre.com/visit/tour-the-tennessee/

Deluxe Tours are offered on Saturdays at 11AM and 1PM.
Tuesday, December 1 at 11am
Saturday, December 5 at 11am
Saturday, December 5 at 1pm
Tuesday, December 8 at 11am
Saturday, December 12 at 11am
Saturday, December 12 at 1pm
Tuesday, December 15 at 11am
Saturday, December 19 at 11am
Saturday, December 19 at 1pm
Monday, December 28 at 1pm
Tuesday, December 29 at 1pm
Wednesday, December 30 at 1pm

Family Tours are offered select weekdays at 11AM, especially during school breaks.
Monday, December 28 at 1pm
Tuesday, December 29 at 1pm
Wednesday, December 30 at 1pm

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information: 865-684-1200

We've watched a few great new releases slip by us in recent months, so we jumped at the opportunity to include Brandon Cronenberg's Possessor in this year's horror film fest, and have decided to take the plunge back into business in order to share the acclaimed thriller with Knoxville audiences at large, starting Friday October 23.

As you may be able to guess, this wasn't an easy decision. We put a lot of work and hope into June's trial re-opening, only to have our plans dashed by skyrocketing COVID diagnoses. Things are, of course, not much better now. But the show must eventually go on, so we're going to take things week by week (usually with just one showing per day) and go from there! We hope that some of you will come out, but as always we respect and support individual health decisions that may keep you away. We want you safe.

The bulk of next weekend will be dedicated to Knoxville Horror Film Fest programming, but we will be offering general public screenings of Possessor at 9pm on Friday (10/23) and 7pm on Saturday (10/24). We plan to hold Possessor over through Halloween weekend, dates/showtimes TBA.

For anyone interested in local film productions, we'll also be offering a general public screening of this year's Knoxville Horror Film Fest "Tennessee Terrors" regional film block at 7pm on Friday. This hourlong program features the short films Crones Haulin' Bones, Secret Shed, The Lion's Den, Timekeeper, The Nice House, The Getaway, The Gift and That Kind of Friend.

Safety note: Facemasks are required at Central Cinema when not actively eating or drinking, and our capacity remains limited to 35% to facilitate proper distancing.

We also continue to offer and encourage private rentals, including discounted rates for films in current release at Central Cinema.

Central Cinema, 1205 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37917
http://centralcinema865.com/

Muse Knoxville Reopens to Public
Knoxville’s children's museum opens doors to visitors for weekend and fall break hours

After being closed for seven months, Knoxville’s children’s museum has reopened for visitors, with exciting new exhibits and ways to play. The museum has taken precautions to ensure the health and safety of their guests. Visitors reserve their playtime in two hour time slots using the online platform, Bookeo. All guests ages 5 and up are required to wear masks and are encouraged to follow safe distancing practices. Muse Knoxville has placed Ionopure air sanitizers throughout the museum, and will also conduct temperature screenings and shoe sanitizing for all guests and employees.

“Our team has worked very hard to reopen safely for children and the adults that love them,” said Ellie Kittrell, executive director of Muse Knoxville. “Play is critical to early childhood development and we can’t wait to share all our new ways to play!.” During their closure, the museum has added two new exhibit areas, and reimagined old favorites for an enhanced play experience.

Muse Knoxville will expand their hours of operation during Oct. 12-16, in accordance with Knox County Schools’ fall break schedule. To view the most updated list of hours, visitors can visit www.themuseknoxville.org.

Muse Knoxville is a non-profit children’s science museum located in Chilhowee Park with a mission to inspire and empower all children through transformative learning experiences. We exist to serve East Tennessee by bringing hands-on, inquiry-based programming to children ages 6 months to 12 years old. In 2019, Muse Knoxville served over 200,000 individuals throughout 24 East Tennessee counties.

The Muse Knoxville, 516 N. Beaman Street, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: 865-594-1494, www.themuseknoxville.org

East Tennessee Foundation / 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101

Tri-Star Arts is pleased to present Knoxville Local at the East Tennessee Foundation (520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, Tennessee), the first in our new Local exhibition series highlighting TN Artists. The show’s curator is East-Tennessee native Ashley Layendecker.

Knoxville Local features the work of 23 Knoxville-area artists including Ashley Addair, Eleanor Aldrich, Nuveen Barwari, Brianna Bass, Joshua Bienko, Eric Cagley, Nick DeFord, Lynne Ghenov, Michael Giles, Spencer Grady, Daniel Hughes, Quynh Lam, Mary Laube, Marta Lee, Paul Lee, Nyasha Madamombe, Erica Mendoza, Althea Murphy-Price, Jing Qin, Kayla Rumpp, Jered Sprecher, Megan White, and David Wolff.

The exhibition will be on view virtually at its outset, with expected in-person viewing opportunities coming in late 2021 (more details and interactive media to come). Knoxville Local will run from October 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021. The show coincides with the 35th anniversary of the ETF in 2021.

For more information, visit www.easttennesseefoundation.org.

https://locatearts.org/exhibitions/knoxville/knoxville-local-curated-by-ashley-layendecker

Explore the Knoxville Museum of Art’s collection of rare miniature rooms in this fascinating virtual tour. The KMA’s nine Thorne Rooms, each inspired by a different historical period, were created by Mrs. James Ward Thorne in the 1930s and 40s and were among the museum’s earliest acquisitions. You’ll get close enough to appreciate the tiniest details of these antique miniatures, and go behind the scenes to learn about the technology that illuminates and preserves these treasures. You’ll learn the fascinating story behind Narcissa Thorne’s obsessive passion for miniatures and how she created these 1-inch-to-12-inch scale models of historic interiors.

The Thorne Room collection was gifted by IBM in 1962 to the Dulin Gallery of Art, which later became the Knoxville Museum of Art. The 2007 restoration of the Thorne Rooms was made possible by the generous support of Sherri Lee in honor of Mrs. McAfee Lee.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Information: 865-525-6101, https://knoxart.org/kma_events/thorne-rooms-virtual-tour/