Calendar of Events

May 17: Children’s Festival of Reading, World’s Fair Park, 10:00-3:00

The Children's Festival of Reading is held on the third Saturday in May to celebrate the end of school and the beginning of summer. The event launches summer programming at the Library and features children's book authors and illustrators, storybook characters, science demonstrations, storytellers, musicians, arts & crafts, a parade of books, and more than 50 community organizations. Last year, more than 11,000 guests attended. In its 19th year, the Festival has become a mainstay event for a generation of families. This year, it is set for May 17 in World's Fair Park with award-winning authors and illustrators including:

Kate Messner, New York Times bestselling author of The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Capture the Flag and Over and Under the Snow

Vivian Vende Velde, award winning author of fantasy, science fiction, and spooky tales including Heir Apparent, Never Trust a Dead Man and Cloaked in Red

Kevin Lewis, the mastermind behind Chugga Chugga Choo-Choo and My Truck is Stuck

https://www.knoxcountylibrary.org/

7:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Join us for The Summer Soiree at the KMA—a lively, annual fundraiser celebrating the arts! Dance the night away to the sounds of the Wes Bailey Band while savoring exquisite hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Holly Hambright of Holly’s Eventful Catering. This enchanting summer evening promises to be the most enjoyable way to support the cultural heartbeat of our community. Don’t miss your chance to indulge in a night of fun and philanthropy at the Knoxville Museum of Art!

Presented by Ann & Steve Bailey and hosted by Art House. Questions? Email arthouse@knoxart.org.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org.

Step into a realm of magic and wonder at Waltz of the Faeries, an exquisite masquerade ball where fantasy and elegance intertwine. On May 17, 2025, beneath glowing lanterns and a starlit sky, don your finest fae-inspired attire and waltz through a night of live music, mystical quests, enchanting elixirs, and dazzling masquerade contests. With exclusive VIP perks, a whimsical marketplace, and an evening of spellbinding surprises, this is your chance to embrace the magic.

https://www.ancientlorevillage.com/waltz-of-the-faeries/

Knoxville Chamber Orchestra in performance, May 17, at 7:00 PM.

​Anton Arensky Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32 (violin, cello, piano).
Mozart Piano Trio in E major, K. 542

​Sean Claire, violin
Cherylonda Fitzgerald, cello
Ryan Fogg, piano

Concert at Westminster Presbyterian, 6500 Northshore Drive Knoxville.
Suggested donation $25 at the door / students free.

https://www.knoxvillechambermusicsociety.com/

5:30-8:30pm at BMA Gardens
Martinis at the Mansion! Tickets $75

Blount Mansion, 200 W. Hill Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-2375, www.blountmansion.org

Electricity for All examines the complex relationship between technology, information, and power through the historical framework of the Tennessee Valley Authority, a key New Deal initiative from the 1930s that introduced electricity to the Tennessee River Valley. The featured artists provide diverse perspectives on the social implications of technological advances, questioning the histories that were lost and the new narratives that emerged. Organized by the KMA.

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.

By Byron Au Yong and Aaron Jafferis’, a contemporary "comic-rap-scrap-metal-opera"
Directed by Keturah Stickann and conducted by the exceptional Judith Yan

Stuck Elevator is based on the dramatic true story of an immigrant delivery man trapped in an elevator for 81 hours. Through a blend of music, spoken word, and multimedia, the opera vividly portrays the psychological and emotional toll of confinement, while also touching on themes of immigration, cultural identity, and the pursuit of the American Dream. A co-production with Knoxville Opera, this opera promises to deliver a unique and impactful theatrical experience.

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

The Market Square Farmers Market is an open-air, producer-only farmers market managed by Nourish Knoxville and held every Wednesday and Saturday, May through mid-November in the heart of downtown Knoxville. Everything at the Market Square Farmers Market is grown, raised, and/or made by our vendors within a 150-mile radius of Knoxville, TN. Products vary by season and include fresh fruits & vegetables, eggs, honey, pasture-raised meats, edible & ornamental plants, cut flowers, bread & baked goods, jams & jellies, coffee, artisan crafts, and more! We offer SNAP & SNAP Doubling services each market day, Nourish Moves – a free walking incentive program – every Wednesday, and Nourish Kids – a free kids activity – on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

Every Wednesday, May 7 – November 19, 2025, 10 AM – 1 PM
Every Saturday, May 3 – November 22, 2025, 9 AM – 1 PM
*** NO MARKET on Saturday, November 29, 2025.

https://www.nourishknoxville.org/market-square-farmers-market

The 2025 Epiphone Student Guitar Design Exhibition & Auction includes 20 guitars designed and painted by youth artists from across East Tennessee.

Dogwood Arts Gallery, 123 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902

The 2025 Epiphone Student Guitar Design Exhibition & Auction includes 20 guitars designed and painted by youth artists from across East Tennessee. The exhibition will be on display in the Dogwood Gallery during the month of May and at Southern Skies Music Festival on May 10th. The guitars will be auctioned online to benefit youth art programs at Dogwood Arts.

Participating schools: Bearden High School, Concord Christian School, Farragut High School, Gibbs High School, Home School, Jefferson Middle School, Karns High School, L&N STEM Academy, Maryville High School, and West Valley Middle School.

First Friday Opening Reception: Friday, May 2nd from 5-8PM
Gallery Hours: M-F 10AM-5PM
123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://www.dogwoodarts.com/event-details/epiphone-student-guitar-design-exhibition

"I present a curated collection of self-portraits created over my 30-year artistic career. These works chronicle my life from husband to father to widow. The work follows not just what I looked like, but my seasons of life and artistic influences. To quote Vincent Van Gogh: People say, and I’m quite willing to believe it, that it is difficult to know oneself, but it’s not easy to paint oneself either. Other than high school art classes and a scholarship to Governors School for the Arts, I am largely self-taught. I paint in acrylic, using an airbrush and more recently a paintbrush as I have come to value brush strokes. I count among my artistic influences: Salvador Dali, Chuck Close, Van Gogh, and M.C. Escher."

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, May 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Robinella and friends. 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 (May 3 & 10), 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM; and additional hours TBA. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, May 24, 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 knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

Born and raised in East Knoxville, Sheryl Sallie holds a bachelor’s in education from Knoxville College and a master’s in educational psychology from the University of Tennessee. She taught in the Knoxville City School System and the Knox County School System for 35 years. After retirement, she wanted to try something new, and after several tries at different art forms, she chose mixed media because it became a natural fit. Sallie is also a poet, honored in several poetry contests including winning first place in the Tennessee Writers Alliance Poetry Competition in which Nikki Giovanni served as final judge. Her artwork has exhibited at the Fountain City Art Center, the Oak Ridge Art Center and the Emporium. She lives in Karns with her husband, Reginald.

I picked this collection to highlight some of my favorite pieces as well as introduce new pieces. Mixed media is ideal because it allows me to express myself by using everyday objects in extraordinary ways. I use layers of collage, paint, image transfers, and found objects to create texture and substance in my art. Currently I am adding works to a group of paintings depicting Goddesses: strong, beautiful women, as I see them. Goddesses exist everywhere women gather. I hope the viewers will see something that brings joy and will touch something deep within.

Instagram @sheryl_j_sallie

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, May 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Robinella and friends. 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 (May 3 & 10), 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM; and additional hours TBA. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, May 24, 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 knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

Whispers from the Root and River explores the quiet space where nature and spirit meet. Through abstract landscapes and felted, mixed media figures made of wool, branches, and cloth inscribed with blessings, Laura McRae Hitchcock evokes the presence of the wild feminine and the sacred voice of the land. Her process is slow and meditative—felting wool with barbed needles until it becomes form, or painting layer upon layer—mirroring the journey back to self and ancestral memory. This collection is an invitation to remember that we, too, are part of the mystery that lives in root and river, body and breath.

Laura McRae Hitchcock is a painter and mixed media artist whose work is rooted in memory, nature, and the unseen forces that shape our inner landscapes. She holds a degree in art from Agnes Scott College. Hitchcock is the co-founder of Wild Hair Adventures Art Retreats, and her art has been exhibited in solo and juried shows nationwide and in Europe. She is a member of the National Association of Women Artists and its South Carolina chapter. Recently, she moved from the Lowcountry of South Carolina to the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee where she finds great joy being surrounded by rolling mist, the hush of old trees, and the whispers of the mountains.

LauraMcRaeHitchcock.com | Instagram @lmcraehitchcock
wildhairartretreats.com | facebook.com/LauraMcRaeHitchcockFineArt

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, May 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Robinella and friends. 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 (May 3 & 10), 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM; and additional hours TBA. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, May 24, 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 knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.