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Celebrate the season where the mountains meet the music with one-of-a-kind festivals, food and fun.
Tucked away in the rolling hills of East Tennessee, Knoxville has been called a “hidden gem” with good reason. Mountains, music, art, adventure, culture and cuisine can all be found in this college city. Join us as we journey through the festivals, food and fun that can only be found in Knoxville this spring.
Dates to be announced
The Rossini Festival International Street Fair is one of Knoxville’s biggest street parties. It’s hosted by the Knoxville Opera and offers non-stop entertainment on five outdoor stages, artisan exibits and cuisine from dozens of food vendors.
April 24-26, 2020
Dogwood Arts turns downtown Knoxville into a lively street fair with colorful flower markets, live music and original works of art.
May 16, 2020
The inaugural music festival is curated by Knoxville natives The Dirty Guv'nahs and takes place at World's Fair Park. Music fans come together to experience nine music acts on two stages, a Maker Market, food trucks, specialty cocktails, craft beer and wine and so much more. This year's lineup includes Ben Rector, Sawyer, The New Respects, The Dirty Guv'nahs, Elenowen, Electric Darling, Carly Bannister, David Francisco and Josh Lovelace.
June 6, 2020
This annual event celebrates outdoor adventurers, dog lovers, craft beer enthusiasts and anyone looking to discover something unexpected. The all-day event includes the Visit Knoxville Powerboat Nationals on the Tennessee River.
This one-hour walking tour takes you through parts of downtown where some of country music’s greatest got their starts. The tour makes 19 stops, including the spot where Dolly Parton had her radio broadcast debut at age 7.
Specializing in the art of slow-cooked and smoked barbecue, Sweet P’s is a “downtown dive” with a family, juke joint atmosphere and great entertainment.
For hotter-than-hot chicken and soul food served with a smile, stop in and see Miss Jackie. Her restaurant is a Knoxville favorite for Southern comfort food.
Not only does Yassin’s Falafal House serve some of the best Mediterranean cuisine around, it’s also been recognized by Good Morning America as the “Nicest Place in America.”
Looking for some family-friendly food truck fare that your four-legged friend can also enjoy? Head to Ninth and North Central for the daily rotation of Knoxville’s best food trucks and local beverages at the Central Filling Station.
Located in a once-abandoned service station, Balter Beerworks is a one-of-a-kind craft beer experience with a fun menu pairing.
Bring your own instrument or use one already tuned and ready to play at Boyd’s Jig and Reel musical pub and whiskey bar, which serves pub fare and more than 800 whiskeys in the heart of downtown Knoxville.
Located in the heart of downtown, Cruze Farm serves fresh-churned ice cream made from local family farm ingredients. Trust us when we say you’re not going to want to miss out on this deliciously creamy soft serve goodness.
Remember the days when you could pop in to your local pharmacy for a malt or root beer float? Well, The Phoenix Pharmacy is that kind of place. With its long counter and white-clad soda servers, it’s like walking back in time, right in the heart of downtown Knoxville.
There are few treats as sweet as a freshly fried doughnut — especially when that doughnut is from Knoxville’s Status Dough. Everything at Status Dough is made from scratch, from the dough to the jellies to the glazes.
Carve out some time during your trip to wander through the spectacular 1,000-acre woods of Urban Wilderness. With more than 50 miles of multiuse trails, 10 parks, four Civil War sites and unparalleled scenic views, this unique area provides a premier outdoor experience.
Knoxville features more than 85 miles of greenway that connect all facets of the city. Grab a Pace bike for easy exploration, and don’t forget to snap some photos of the murals along the way.
A trip to Knoxville wouldn’t be complete without a 360-degree view of the city from the Sunsphere observation deck. Built for the 1982 World’s Fair, this iconic feature of the Knoxville skyline is the only structure of its kind.
Rated the No. 1 Outdoor Activity in Knoxville by TripAdvisor, Navitat is a tree-based adventure park at Ijams Nature Center that will thrill, educate and inspire everyone in the family with ziplines, bridges, nets, tunnels and more.
What could be more fun than seeing baby gorillas play, feeding a giraffe, enjoying a show or riding a camel? Come experience for yourself what makes Zoo Knoxville one of the premiere zoological experiences in the southeast.
A blend of music, nature, and a vibrant, ever-changing food scene, Knoxville is a sprawling city with any and every activity you could think of.
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