Calendar of Events

Bring your children in grades K-6 to the KMA for Second Sunday Art Activity Day. Children will do a hands-on art activity taught by a certified art teacher. FREE and open to the public! 1-4 PM

Join us for a Docent Guided Tour on the second Sunday of every month at 2pm! KMA visitors can follow a trained docent educator through the galleries to learn more about the KMA collection and temporary exhibitions. Tours are 60 minutes; visitors can meet at the front desk at 1:55pm to join the tour. FREE and open to the public!

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

Free / General Admission
At Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave, Knoxville TN 37915

Times: Saturday December 9 @ 3:00, Sunday December 10 @ 3:00, and Monday December 11 @ 7:00. Doors will open 1 hour prior to show time.

"Whatever else be lost among the years, let us keep Christmas - for its meaning never ends."

Come join us for the 55th annual Nativity Pageant of Knoxville. The floor of the Civic Coliseum will become the towns of Nazareth and Bethlehem as we reenact the birth story of Jesus Christ in a 1 hour production featuring a 150 voice choir, a 150 member cast, a full orchestra, and a stable of live animals. Bring the entire family to celebrate together as we remind ourselves how the Prince of Peace entered this world. www.knoxvillenativity.com

Ijams Open House
12/9 • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Join Ijams for a FREE Open House at the Visitor Center on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 11 am-2 pm! You’ll meet animal ambassadors, enjoy activities, and learn about all the great things happening at Ijams Nature Center.

Pickin' on Christmas: A Bluegrass Christmas Concert
12/9 • 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
'Tis the season to join Ijams Nature Center and East Tennessee Bluegrass Association for the Annual Pickin' on Christmas Bluegrass Concert! Get your tickets now!

Self Care Sunday Yoga with Hope Irwin
12/10 @ 1:00 PM
Join Hope Irwin for a weekly Ijams yoga class on Sunday. Release all the holiday stress from the past week and get centered for the week ahead.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Visitor Center open daily 10-6; grounds and trails open daily from 8 AM - dusk. Information: 865-577-4717, https://www.ijams.org/calendar-of-events

By Joseph Robinette
Directed by Caroline King
Performance Dates – December 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13

Public Performances
Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2:30 PM
Sunday Dec. 10 at 2:30 PM

School Matinees
Friday, Dec. 8 at 9:30 AM
Monday, Dec. 11 at 9:30 AM & 12:00 Noon
Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 9:30 AM
Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 9.30 AM
At Clayton Performing Arts Center

This dramatization of C.S. Lewis’ classic, set in the land of Narnia, faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia. The intense action features chases, duels and escapes as the witch is determined to keep Narnia in her possession and end the reign of Aslan.

All the memorable episodes from the story are represented in this exciting dramatization: the temptation of Edmund by the witch, the slaying of the evil wolf by Peter, the witnessing of Aslan’s resurrection by Susan and Lucy, the crowning of the four new rulers of Narnia, and more. The supporting characters are also here: the unicorn, the centaur and other forest animals, along with Father Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, and Tumnus the Faun.

This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a true celebration of life.

Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932. Information: 865-694-6405, www.pstcc.edu/arts

Join us for a weekend of book giveaways, cookie decorating, and holiday shopping!
The Change Center, 203 Harriet Tubman St, Knoxville, TN 37915, USA

Dec 8, 9 and 11, 2:30 PM – 9:00 PM; Sun Dec 10, 6-9 PM

Bring your friends and family, immerse yourself in the magic of books, and make a difference in the lives of others. The "Give the Gift of Reading Book Fair" is not just an event; it's a celebration of literacy, community, and the joy of giving! In the spirit of community, we are proud to partner with East Tennessee Freedom Schools, The Change Center, and UTK Children & Young Adult Lit Center. By joining forces, we aim to promote literacy, education, and empowerment in our community. Kick off the weekend with a sprinkle of sweetness! On both Friday and Saturday, engage your creative side with our first-come, first-served cookie decorating station. Delight in the art of cookie design as you explore the pages of captivating stories. Throughout the event, we'll be hosting exciting book giveaways to help you experience the magic of gifting and receiving. Attendees have the chance to take home some literary gems and share the love of reading with others.

https://www.thebottomknox.com/events-1/give-the-gift-of-reading-book-fair-2023-12-08-14-30

Adapted by Joe Landry
'It's a Wonderful Life' is based on the story, 'The Greatest Gift' by Philip Van Doren Stern

This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve

River & Rail Theatre, 111 State Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-407-0727, www.riverandrailtheatre.com

We invite you to join us for a festive "Visit with Santa"! Come for a day filled with holiday cheer where Santa Claus himself will be taking a break from his busy schedule to meet and greet guests of all ages. You may also take keepsake photos, but please bring your own camera or phone-no professional photography available. Free with general zoo admission and for Zoo Knoxville Members. Presented by Publix Charities.

Santa will be greeting guests from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. daily in the Wee Play Adventure Building on the following dates:

Friday, Dec. 1
Saturday, Dec. 2
Sunday, Dec. 3

Friday, Dec. 8
Saturday, Dec. 9
Sunday, Dec. 10

Friday, Dec. 15
Saturday, Dec. 16
Sunday, Dec. 17

Friday, Dec. 22
Saturday, Dec. 23

Wishing you the happiest of holidays from all of us at Zoo Knoxville!
3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914
(865) 637-5331 or zooknox@zooknoxville.org
9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

KCT Intern Evie Braude will direct the production, Teresa Seals will serve as Musical Director, and Donya Walker-Bacon will choreograph.

Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. Elf JR. features songs by Tony Award-nominees, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, with a book by Tony Award-winners, Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin.

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lionel Bart
DECEMBER 1-17, 2023

This beloved musical, based on the classic Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist,” tells the tale of an orphaned boy who escapes the cruel workhouse where he was raised and finds himself caught up in the criminal underworld of Victorian London. Featuring unforgettable songs such as “Consider Yourself” and “Food, Glorious Food” and memorable characters like the wily Artful Dodger and the greedy Fagin, Oliver! tugs at the heartstrings of audiences of all generations with its themes of resilience, redemption, and the power of kindness.

GENERAL AUDIENCES

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

Christkindlesmarkt is a traditional German Christmas Market. Original markets date back to as far as the late Middle Ages and are a hotspot for German holiday culture. With the growth in business, we’ve chosen 2021 to host our first ever Christkindlesmarkt and we had a blast!

Choosing to incorporate as many traditional Chriskindlesmarkt practices as we could ended up being a great decision. Some of these practices included serving Gluhwein, having Polka bands play traditional Christmas songs, obtaining vendors with only handcrafted products, and providing a variety of German sweets for purchase.

Our market took place four consecutive Saturdays before Christmas and allowed the community to come together for a bit of shopping, drinking, socializing, and celebrating after a long year.

There is much more culture and history of Christkindlesmarkt to uncover. Let’s hope we debut even more traditions next year! Public Event, No Ticket Required. All Saturdays & Sundays from 11.25 - 12.24
http://www.schulzbraubrewing.com/christkindlesmarkt/

Welcome to the 18th Annual East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition, presented by the Knoxville Museum of Art. The ETRSAE showcases the strength and diversity of art education programs in East Tennessee, celebrates talented middle and high school students, and supports arts education. This annual exhibition provides the opportunity for students to participate in a juried exhibition and to have their artworks displayed in a professional art museum environment. We are so delighted by the quality of the artworks, the dedication of the teachers, and the commitment of the museum staff to establish a museum/school tradition for our community.

Public, private, and home schools grade 6–12 in 32 East Tennessee counties were invited to submit up to 15 artworks per teacher. Categories for the competition include ceramic, drawing, digital imagery/video production, mixed media, painting, computer graphics, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. Each participating school is represented by one work of art.

The Best-in-Show winner receives a Purchase Award of $500, and the artwork becomes a permanent part of the collection of Mr. James Dodson, on loan to the Knoxville Museum of Art’s Education Collection. The Best-in-Middle School winner receives $250. If you are a NAEA/TAEA member and the teacher of the student who is selected as this year’s Best-in-Show and Best in Middle School, you will receive a $100 Art Educator Award from the Knoxville Museum of Art. Each student in the exhibition receives a certificate of participation and the “Best” in each of the 10 categories. The winners receive a cash award and a museum family membership.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

HOLIDAYS ON ICE
PRESENTED BY HOME FEDERAL BANK
Friday, November 24, 2023 through
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Market Square

Take a skate on Knoxville's open air ice skating rink.
More information available at KnoxvillesHolidaysOnIce.com.

https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/special_events/christmas_in_the_city