Calendar of Events

Experience an unforgettable night as ORCMA (Oak Ridge Chorus & Symphony Orchestra), Knoxville Opera, and the Pellissippi State Variations Choir bring Beethoven’s legendary Symphony No. 9 to life! Plus, don’t miss Gabriela Lena Frank’s Pachamama Meets an Ode—a breathtaking fusion of classical and indigenous South American music.

April 5 | 7:30 PM – Clayton Center for the Arts, Maryville
April 6 | 6:00 PM – ORHS Performing Arts Center, Oak Ridge

Join us Sunday night as we celebrate ORCMA’s 80th Season!
Get your tickets now: www.orcma.org/concerts

Knoxville, 18 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902, USA
Artists Working: 8AM-5PM
Award Ceremony: 7PM (Market Square Stage)

Thousands of art lovers head downtown each year to experience this live art competition in Market Square. Chalk Walk features over 300 artists and collaborative teams working on-site from 8am-5pm to complete their artwork. Cash prizes and ribbons are awarded to select artists who have created imaginative and inspiring artworks in their age division.

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

Caswell Park, 570 Winona Street

We’re thrilled to announce our first-ever Tree Fest fundraiser event on April 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Caswell Park in East Knoxville! We will be planting 50 trees, giving away 200+ saplings, and engaging over 20 partner organizations. Tree Fest t-shirts, Trees Knoxville hats and stickers, and tasty food will be up for purchase, plus we'll have games, prizes, music, and more! EVERYONE is invited to come celebrate trees with our community!

Whether you’re there for the tree planting, the free tree giveaway, or just to have fun, there’s something for all to enjoy. Share the news with your friends and followers, and we'll see you there!

www.treesknoxville.org/tree-fest

April 5, 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Spring is returning to Marble Springs State Historic Site, and so is our Annual Spring Craft Fair! Ring in spring with our first event of the year, where local artisans, family-friendly activities, and history come together! Shop Local: Discover handcrafted goods and artisan creations from talented vendors across East Tennessee. Step Into History: Tour our historic cabins and explore our scenic arboretum as nature awakens for spring. This annual celebration is a perfect way to enjoy the beauty of spring while supporting local artists and makers. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details!

Admission is FREE, and all are welcome! https://www.facebook.com/events/927511916161729/

Children’s art activities and dance performances will be among the activities planned for the first-ever Creative Kids Fest from 10 am - 4 pm on Saturday, April 5, at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, 461 West Outer Dr. Activities will be based in the museum’s gym and the Kids Go Green! Environmental Center and Gardens. Flamenco Dance Academy of West Knoxville and Creative Edge Dance Studio of Oak Ridge will perform in the gym. Individual art activities in the gym include flower crowns, bird nest mixed media, thumbprint collages, crazy hair self-portraits, henna hand art, and birthday cake washi tape collages. Collaborative art activities in the gym include a flower mural, Kandinsky circles, squish painting, a 3D mobile sculpture, and decorating a museum bench. Activities in the Kids Go Green! Environmental Center and Gardens include music, en plein air painting, and flower seed spreading to help the museum’s pollinator garden. Exhibits will be open throughout the Museum. A low sensory area will be provided by Xander’s Place.

As part of the Week of the Young Child celebrated April 5 - 11 across the country, the Children’s Museum is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives. The Creative Kids Fest is supported by the Tennessee Arts Commission.

The Creative Kids Fest is free with Museum admission: $10 for adults, $9 for veterans, $8 for children 3 - 17, $5 for seniors 62 and older, and $5 for educators with school I.D. Children 2 and younger, Children’s Museum members, and Museums for All participants receive free admission.

The Children’s Museum, offering children and families the opportunity for learning through play, is open from 10 am- 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 - 4 pm Sunday. For more information, see the Children’s Museum website at https://childrensmuseumofoakridge.org/ or call (865) 482-1074.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, April 4, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Robinella and friends.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley: Seasons of Change in the Atrium
Seasons of Change embraces the vibrant artwork of young artists from the Youth Arts Initiative Program at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. Through classes and workshops, these young creatives are encouraged to explore and grow in their artistic practice. Featured in the exhibit are a diverse range of works, including fiber arts, ceramics, photography, and more. Each piece reflects the theme of change, inviting students to reflect on their personal experiences of transformation.

Over the course of several months, students have honed new skills and built confidence, often working in art forms they are discovering for the first time. We are proud to share the art created by our talented students and celebrate their journey as emerging artists within our community. For more information, visit www.bgctnv.org

The exhibitions will be on display April 4-26, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM; and additional hours TBA. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, April 21, for the holiday. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

Growing up in the court of his guardian Sir Ector, Arthur plays at sword fighting, and, although he’s destined to become a Squire to his half-brother Kai, he dreams of becoming a great knight. But when the wizard Merlin arrives, Arthur starts an education that will not only touch his dreams and alter his destiny, it will forever change the lives of his young friend Guenever and the entire Kingdom of England, as well.

The play will be performed from April 4 – April 19, with showtimes on Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM.

The production will serve as KCT’s debut in their exciting new location at 747 World’s Fair Park.

https://knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com/tc-events/the-sword-and-the-stone/
Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

4/4 • Big Night Hike
4/5 • Spring into Hope: A Mental Health Awareness Festival
4/6 • Reset, Renew, Rejuvenate: Yoga Workshop and Sauna Session
4/9 • 10-Minute Play Festival with Company West

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, www.ijams.org

States of Becoming examines the dynamic forces of relocation, resettling, and assimilation that shape the artistic practices of a group of contemporary African diaspora artists in the United States. The exhibition is inspired by curator Fitsum Shebeshe’s 2016 move from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Baltimore, and subsequent firsthand experience with cultural assimilation. States of Becoming is a traveling exhibition curated by Fitsum Shebeshe and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York.

States of Becoming Opening Reception
Friday, January 31, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm
Members Only Hour, 6:00-7:00 pm
Gallery Talk with Curator Fitsum Shebeshe, 6:15 pm
Reception Opens to Non-Members, 7:00 pm
Musical Performance by Artist Miatta Kawinzi, 8:00 pm
Food by Tarik’s North African + Cash Bar + Specialty Beverage
https://knoxart.org/event/states-of-becoming-opening-reception/

For additional information and updates, follow the Knoxville Museum of Art on social media:
Facebook: Knoxville Museum of Art, Instagram: @knoxvillemuseumofart, X: @knoxart

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.

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, announces a new exhibition, “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art,” opening to the public on January 25, 2025. The project sets a new standard for collaborative exhibition practices at the McClung and represents the museum's most significant renovation in more than 20 years.

"‘Homelands’ is a defining moment for the McClung Museum. It’s the largest project we’ve undertaken in over two decades, but its impact goes far beyond its scale,” said Claudio Gómez, Jefferson Chapman Executive Director of the museum. “This exhibition has challenged us to rethink how we collaborate, bringing in new perspectives and allowing us to honor Native voices in ways that are both respectful and forward-thinking.”

“Homelands” showcases contemporary art by 17 Native artists to emphasize the enduring ties between Native Nations and Knox County. As a result of the exhibition, the museum has acquired 22 new works for its permanent collection.

https://news.utk.edu/2025/01/07/mcclung-museum-to-open-exhibition-centering-native-voices-and-contemporary-art/

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

The WDVX Blue Plate Special is a live performance radio show held at noon at Visit Knoxville (301 S. Gay Street) every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with your host Red Hickey… and on Saturday with host Sean McCollough. On Fridays WDVX takes the Blue Plate Special to Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria (200 E Jackson Ave) for “The Big Plate”. Make yourself at home as part of the WDVX family at this this daily free concert series. From blues to bluegrass, country to Celtic, folk to funk, rockabilly to hillbilly, local to international, it’s all part of the live music experience on The WDVX Blue Plate Special.

All seats are free, and visitors may come and go as they please.

Info: 865-544-1029, http://www.wdvx.com

Saturdays, 10am -1pm
We are committed to bringing you the freshest and most delicious fruits, vegetables, and other locally sourced products. Our farmers work hard to bring their harvest to your table, and our artisans craft unique products that you won't find anywhere else. Come visit us on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm and experience the vibrant community of Dixie Lee Farmers' Market Farmers Market!
https://dixieleefarmersmarket.com/winter-farmers-market