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📰 1,000 Issues. Thank You, Knoxville!

📰 Impactful Feedback - "Your Newsletter Has Enabled Us to Reconnect"

🎁 Coming in November - $1,000 in Local Gifts

🗓️ In Your Words

🗓️ You Asked. We Listened.

🗓️ Thanks to our Supporters!

🛍️ Shop Local

🗓️ Upcoming Events

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I have lived here for just over 22 years. I would frequently find out about the great things happening in Knoxville AFTER they happened. 😀 There are also so many great locally owned businesses and organizations, with great people behind them, that I did not know existed.

Seeing the need to know about all the great events happening in our city and county, as well as getting to know the locally owned business owners in our area, at the end of 2023, we sent out Issue #1 of the Knoxville Insider.

Nearly three years and 1,000 issues later, more than 20,000 of you have signed up to read along and drive our content through your suggested events and stories.

Every day, we gather festivals, fundraisers, concerts, classes, church suppers, 5Ks, plant sales, and grand openings from across Knoxville and the surrounding areas, and we put them in one place for you. But the best part of this job has never been the events. It's been you. You've written back, sent us your events, told us what you loved and what you’d like improved, and passed the Knoxville Insider along to friends.

So today, there are no local news and events articles. Issue #1,000 is just for you.

Thank you for being a part of the Knoxville Insider family!!!

-Sherri Sanderson, Co-Founder

Of all the feedback we've received, this one stopped us in our tracks:

That's why we do this. It's not about filling a calendar. It's about our neighbors, friends, and families bonding over shared enjoyment in our local community.

To celebrate 1,000 issues, we're giving back $1,000 in gift cards and goodies from local Knoxville businesses, with drawings starting in November and running up to the holiday shopping season.

Every subscriber that opens at least one email between now and then is automatically entered. Here's how to earn extra entries - share the Knoxville Insider with your friends. Every friend who subscribes using your personal link earns you another entry. You can start sharing now to earn extra entries! Two ways to share:

Here's your personal share link (copy/send to a friend)

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and button (click/copy URL in browser address bar/send to a friend)

Every friend who signs up through your link counts toward your extra giveaway entries.

Watch your inbox for the full details, the prize list, and the official rules, coming soon.

Here's what some of you have told us over the past 1,000 issues:

"First thing I read every morning."

"I read this every day to plan things to do for the upcoming week."

"I'm 78 years old and find there's SO MUCH TO DO that I've never done and PLACES TO GO that I've never been! Inspiring!"

"We no longer take a newspaper subscription, so YOUR EMAIL INFO IS OF MUCH, MUCH HELP TO US!"

"My husband and I are retired but still LOVE getting out! Occasionally, we even find some events BEFORE our 40+ year old children and spouses find them!"

"I've lived here for a few years but still learning new things all the time. Anyone who is new to the area should subscribe."

"I really like this 'paper.' Last week used the pothole submission info and got the potholes repaired!"

"I seriously love this newsletter! I'm always seeing events I would either never see, or have to arduously track down on Facebook. Thank you SO much!"

"Your coverage of community events is THE BEST!"

Here's a little secret about the Knoxville Insider: We read all your feedback.

Every comment you leave on an issue, every email you send us, and every note asking us to share an event, a fundraiser, or a neighbor's story lands with us, and we read every single one.

Over 1,000 issues, that has changed what this newsletter is. Many of the stories you read each morning started as an email from one of you: a church planning a fall festival, a nonprofit raising money for a good cause, a small business celebrating a milestone, or a reader who simply said, "Have you heard about this?" Your feedback has shaped how we write, what we cover, and when we cover it.

The Knoxville Insider has become reader-driven, written by Knoxville, for Knoxville. We wouldn't have it any other way.

So keep it coming. Hit reply to share your thoughts, or send us your events. We're listening. We can be reached at [email protected] or (865) 234-2421.

The Knoxville Insider wouldn't be possible without the local businesses and organizations that have supported us, shared their events, and trusted us to tell their stories. A huge thank you to:

7Five Clothing Co
A-Team Interpreting
Advanced Computers of Knoxville
Alpine Repair
Artisan Woodworking & Design Gallery
At The Jukebox
B&B Indoor Foam Dart Arena
Balanced You Clinic
BeLocal of Knoxville
C&S Bookkeeping
Carnival Party Land
Chantel Miller Photography
Clark Morrow Presents
Collective35
Concord Yacht Club
Coral Reef Insurance
Drip into Wellness
Dulcie's Cafe
East Tennessee Kidney Foundation
Excel Academy
Fine Fabrication
First Capital Mortgage
Forrest the Plumber
Friends of the Knox County Public Library
Fusion Therapy
Get Local TN with AutoSeller
Hallmark Homecare
Hardin Valley Event Center
Healing Hearts Counseling
Hicks Safety Services
Highland Design
Hire A Husband
Home Instead
Incredible Business Networking
Incredible Towns
Iron Impact Knoxville
ISG Insurance
Jim McNutt Designs
K9Boss Training
Kat's Purrfect Getaways
Kingdom Impact Consulting
Knox County Master Gardeners
Knox County Red Book of Resources
Knox Music Box
Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association
Knoxville Opera
K-Town Sound Show Chorus
Kraken's Cup
LED Lighting Concepts
Lil Yogi's Children's Blessings
M&D Creations Halls
Mae Larue
Milestone Montage
Move Me Tennessee
Move Out Records
Nancy Hannan's Neora
Natyarpana School of Dance & Music
NikNak's Ice Cream
On the Spot Carpet Cleaning
Painted Tree Boutique
Painting Around
Painting With Friends
Peace of Mind At Home
Premier Martial Arts
Riverside Coffee Shop
River & Rail Theatre
S&C Inc
Sanders Plumbing Company
SCH Real Estate Team
Shelton's Tree Service
Slated for Grace Ministries
Southern Lights Entertainment
Sovereign Sourdough Bakery
Stepz
Tea & Treasures
The Amber Restaurant
The Canine Clubhaus
The Consignment Shoppe
The Follies Girls
Treefrog USA
United Veterans Council of East Tennessee
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Upkeep Business
VFL Real Estate
Volunteer Balloons
WoodSpring Suites Knoxville–Cedar Bluff
Woodstream Hardwoods
Yee-Haul Junk Removal
YOLO Foundation
Zoom Room Dog Training — Knoxville/Hardin Valley

And to every nonprofit, church, school, and neighbor who has sent us an event: you are the Knoxville Insider.

Want to support the Insider? We're opening up new sponsorship opportunities for local businesses. We have a huge Black Friday special for sponsoring the Knoxville Insider for 2027! Just reply to this email and let's talk!

Interested in learning about how a VIP Pass can help your business? Reach out to [email protected] for more information!

🗓️ Now through October 9th - Fall Break Special - 11 AM–8 PM. B&B is normally closed Monday through Thursday during the school year, but it's opening extra days for Fall Break, plus regular weekend hours. Walk-in players get Buy One Hour, Get One Free all week long. Kids home from school with energy to burn? Problem solved. More Info

🗓️ Now through October 31st - Wicked Cool returns to downtown — a citywide Halloween celebration organized by Downtown Knoxville that turns Gay Street, Market Square, and the surrounding blocks into something genuinely special. Flying ghosts, spooky photo ops, and creepy-crawly installations go up throughout the area, and local businesses lean all the way into the season with Halloween-themed cocktails, specials, and décor. More Info

🗓️ Now through November 7th - Walnut Springs Winery in Strawberry Plains is launching their Wine Maze experience — A Night of Pour Decisions. The concept is exactly what it sounds like: you wander through the corn maze with wine in hand, discovering five tasting stations tucked into the twists and turns, each one bringing a new pour and a new vibe. Boots are encouraged. Getting a little lost is part of the fun. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ October 7th - Up (2009, PG) @ Historic Westwood · knoxheritage.org/westwood

🗓️ October 8th - On October 8th at 10:00 AM, the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the Tuckaleechee Garden Club, TFGC District IV will formally dedicate a Red, White and Blue Garden to Honor Veterans at the Ivan Racheff House and Gardens (1943 Tennessee Avenue) — part of the national Plant America 250 initiative celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

🗓️ October 8th - The Friends of the Knox County Public Library, in partnership with the East Tennessee Historical Society, presents "Zenith Man: A Talk by McCracken Poston Jr." at 6:00 PM at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street). Free and open to the public. More Info

🗓️ October 9th - Be Aware and Paint Your Pair is a breast cancer awareness paint night coming to Splatter Oak Ridge (1143 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 105, Oak Ridge) from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 9th and 16th - Grab the kids and their costumes and head out to the farm. Gregory Farms (4002-B Copper Ridge Road), home of Gregory Farms Horseback Riding Lessons, is throwing a family Halloween Party on two Friday afternoons from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Admission is $10 per family, or just $7 if you bring a bag of candy to share.

🗓️ October 10th - UT Gardens Plant Sale - 9:00 AM–2:00 PM

🗓️ October 10th - Soil Science Class - 10:00 AM–noon. Head to the Carriage House at Knoxville Botanical Garden & Arboretum for a class on soil science, plant nutrition, fertilizers, and "green manure". Register by emailing [email protected] with your name, email, and number attending.

🗓️ October 10th - Get ready for an electrifying experience at the 2026 Knoxville Drive Electric Festival from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM. More Info & Sign Up

🗓️ October 10th - Scruffy's Cafe (1015 N. Broadway) has partnered with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to host Story Time with the Cats from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Organize Your Genealogy takes place from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street), led by Brandie Ledford, a Reference Assistant in the McClung Historical Collection. More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Halls Branch Used Book Sale (4518 E Emory Road) 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

🗓️ October 10th - Hola Festival 2026 takes over World's Fair Park on October 10th from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM — a full day celebrating the art, music, food, and culture of Latin America and the Hispanic community right here in Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ October 10th- Get ready for a day of spooky stories, live music, folklore, and Halloween fun as Appalachian HorrorFest returns to the Holiday Inn–Cedar Bluff for its fourth year! More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Ready for something a little different? The Oddities & Art Market is making its Knoxville debut on Saturday, October 10, bringing a wonderfully weird day of art, curiosities, and unique finds to the World's Fair Exhibition Hall More Info

🗓️ October 11th - Cato at 4247 Sam Walton Way is hosting a Barn Quilt Painting Class from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM, where each participant will create their own 10" x 10" barn quilt square. All materials are provided, patterns come pre-drawn on the boards, and no prior experience is required. Tickets are $25 per person, with 100% of proceeds donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Spots are limited — reserve yours by registering in store or calling (865) 922-9369.

🗓️ October 11th - Amadeus Concert Ensemble opens with PIANO PASSIONS at 5:30 PM, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Dr. Chih-Long Hu, Professor of Piano at UT Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ October 11th & 12th - Get ready for a fun-filled day celebrating Knoxville’s local creative community at the Second Annual Scruffy Roots Festival! The festival will bring together local artists, vendors, music, and family-friendly activities for an afternoon and evening of fun at The Lawn at Kern’s Bakery. More Info

🗓️ October 12th - Homeschool P.E. Academy - Cohort 2 starts October 12th. The six-week program lets homeschool students earn P.E. credit while building teamwork, communication skills, and cardio, all while having a blast. More Info

🗓️ October 12th - Knoxville's own Buffalo Bills Mafia chapter gathers at Clancy's Tavern & Whisky House (602 S. Gay Street) at 8:15 PM, which rolls out the red carpet with a dedicated viewing area, Buffalo wings, and Labatt Blue on tap. Free parking at the State Street Garage makes it easy.

🗓️ October 15th - Archives After Dark, part of Knox Heritage's Suppers & Such series, transforms the firm's storied office space at 6:00 PM into an evening of clandestine cocktails, jazz, and whispered history at 505 Market Street, Suite 300. More Info

🗓️ October 15th - Knoxville's most celebrated local historian returns to Blount Mansion Visitors Center (200 West Hill Avenue) at 6:00 PM for "The Road to Knoxville" — a look at the city in the 1790s and its surprising connections to the Revolutionary War. RSVP to [email protected]

🗓️ October 15th-18th - Board Game Days 2026 — Knoxville's premier tabletop convention — across two downtown venues. More Info

🗓️ October 16th - Unshattered is a black-tie evening for exactly 120 people — one night, never repeated — coming to The Standard in Knoxville, doors at 6:30 PM. Created by three-time founder and local event architect Preston Garland, the evening unfolds across four movements. More Info

🗓️ October 17th - Blitzfire - October 17th. B&B's all-day, fast-paced tournament event is back, featuring special guest YouTubers and nonstop high-energy play. More Info

🗓️ October 17th - The Knoxville Reptile Expo presented by Show Me Reptile Show takes over the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Hwy) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 17th - The October Sky Festival returns to Oliver Springs on from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM — a free, all-day community celebration of the town's rich heritage and its place in American cultural history. Oliver Springs was the filming location for the beloved 1998 film October Sky, based on Homer Hickam's memoir about a coal miner's son who fell in love with rocketry and went on to work for NASA. More Info

🗓️ October 18th - Family Garden Day - 1:00 PM–5:00 PM. Master Gardeners return to Knoxville Botanical Garden (2743 Wimpole Ave.) with an Ask-a-Master-Gardener table at this free family event, which also features a plant sale.

🗓️ October 18th - Knoxville's own Buffalo Bills Mafia chapter gathers at Clancy's Tavern & Whisky House (602 S. Gay Street) at 4:25 PM, which rolls out the red carpet with a dedicated viewing area, Buffalo wings, and Labatt Blue on tap. Free parking at the State Street Garage makes it easy.

🗓️ October 18th - Spend a beautiful fall afternoon enjoying nature, music, and family fun at the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum! Family Garden Day takes place Sunday, October 18, from 1–5 p.m. This free community event invites families to get outside and explore the Garden with hands-on activities, lawn games, and plenty of opportunities to discover the beauty of the season. More Info

🗓️ October 22nd - Here's a Halloween activity your kids will actually keep. The Restoration House is hosting Monsters Made with Love, a hands-on kids' sewing workshop, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Kern's Bakery (2201 Kerns Rising Way, Suite 115) in South Knoxville. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ October 22nd, 23rd, 29th, and 30th - The Museum of Appalachia Fall Heritage Days returns for four days — at the museum's stunning 35-acre grounds in Norris. This is the region's most immersive celebration of early Appalachian life at harvest time, with skilled artisans and educators demonstrating the crafts, foods, and traditions that defined this corner of the mountains. More Info

🗓️ October 22nd & October 23rd | 4:30–8:30 p.m. A little autumn magic is coming to Ancient Lore Village with Trick-or-Treat Trails, a whimsical Halloween experience created especially for younger adventurers! More Info

🗓️ October 23rd-25th - Theatre 23 presents a staged dramatic reading of George Orwell's Animal Farm, adapted by Nelson Bond and directed by Suzy Short, for four performances at the Historic Grove Theater (123 Randolph Road) in Oak Ridge. Performances are October 23rd at 7:30 PM, October 24th at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM, and October 25th at 2:30 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 24th - Invasive vs. Native Nature Walk - 9:00 AM. Learn to tell invasive weeds from native plants on a free guided walk through Collier Preserve, led by a Knox County Master Gardener. Meet at 316 W. Emory Road.

🗓️ October 24th - Xul Beer Company presents the fifth annual Kill the Lights Beer Festival on October 24th, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Covenant Health Park, home of the Knoxville Smokies. Expect more than 200 beers from 100 breweries from around the world, along with new beer and merchandise releases, food vendors, and a live DJ spinning all afternoon. More Info

🗓️ October 24th -The 5 Love Languages Family Conference comes to First Baptist Knoxville from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, led by Dr. Gary Chapman himself. The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller will spend the day walking through five sessions designed for parents, grandparents, and anyone building or hoping to build a family. More info & Register

🗓️ October 24th - The East Tennessee Holistic Health Fair is happening from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 2931 Kingston Pike. presented by the East Tennessee Wellness Directory, brings together local practitioners, wellness businesses, and community members for a full day of exploration, education, and connection. More Info

🗓️ October 24th - Trenditions Hair Studio (6822 Maynardville Pike) is hosting Beauty for a Brighter Tomorrow from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM — a fundraising event with services, food trucks, and vendors, all in Lecia's honor. Spots are filling up fast — call the salon at (865) 922-0452 Tuesday through Friday to book yours before they're gone. Food trucks and vendors will also be on-site.

🗓️ October 24th - Karns Branch Used Book Sale (7516 Oak Ridge Hwy) 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

🗓️ October 25th - The Knoxville Buddy Walk — an annual celebration supporting people with Down syndrome — is coming to the World's Fair Park Festival Lawn (963 World's Fair Park DrIVE), and the organizing team is looking for volunteers to help make it happen. To sign up or for more information, contact Angie Holbert at (865) 202-8867 or [email protected].

🗓️ October 25th - The Howl-O-Ween Pooch Parade & Pet Expo returns to the UT Gardens from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM — an afternoon celebration of dogs, costumes, fall, and the very good people who love both. More Info

🗓️ October 27th - Knox MAHJ Social Club is hosting Tiles for Tatas from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens Carriage House — an American Mahjong event benefiting Breast Connect and the work of Stephanie Buchanan Ewers in the fight against breast cancer. To reserve: text or call Stephanie at (865) 809-2636.

🗓️ October 28th - Christ United Methodist Church in Halls (7535 Maynardville Pike) is hosting its BOO BASH! Fall Family Carnival from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, a welcoming evening where kids, teens, parents, grandparents, and friends can all enjoy the season together. More Info

🗓️ October 29th - The Whiskey Row Region Course (Class #255) takes place at 6:30 PM at 2901 Tazewell Pike — a 1.5-hour interactive session on how Louisville's historic Whiskey Row went from pre-Prohibition powerhouse to post-Prohibition ghost town to full-blown modern destination. More Info

🗓️ October 30th - Ridgeview Baptist Church is opening the doors to Wonder House from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Wonder House is an interactive walk-through experience that takes families through four themed rooms, each telling one part of what the church calls "the greatest story ever told": Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. Kids and grown-ups move from room to room as the story unfolds around them. Register

🗓️ October 30th - Halloween Blast - Come in costume and get half off admission. Expect a costume contest and Halloween-themed games all night long. More Info

🗓️ October 30th - November 1st - The Foothills Craft Guild's 60th Annual Fine Craft Show takes over the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Highway). Friday and Saturday run 10 AM–6 PM; Sunday is 10 AM–4 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Hopewell Church invites the whole community to the Hallelujah Hoedown from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at East Knox County Elementary School (9315 Rutledge Pike).

🗓️ October 31st - Weed Wrangle - 9:00 AM–noon. Then put that knowledge to work. Volunteers will pull invasive plants at Collier Preserve, with Ijams Nature Center supplying Weed Wrenches to get them out by the root. Bring work gloves and wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Sign up here.

🗓️ October 31st - Monsters at the Museum returns to the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street) on October 31st from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM for a full day of free, family-friendly Halloween fun. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Trick or Treat on the Square takes over Market Square and Union Avenue from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM — a free, family-friendly evening where downtown shops, restaurants, and businesses hand out candy to kids making their way through the square. Free trick-or-treat tote bags are available while supplies last at the Downtown Knoxville table at 17 Market Square (between Kabuki and Not Watson's). More Info

🗓️ November 4th - Laura Resau is coming to the East Tennessee History Center (601 S Gay Street) on November 4th at 6:00 PM to answer exactly that question, in a talk called "The Alchemy of a Novel." More Info

🗓️ November 11th - Our city's Veterans Day Parade, has been a downtown tradition for nearly a century. The parade typically begins around 10:45 AM near the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, travels along Church Street to Gay Street. More Info

🗓️ November 12th-15th - If you love movies, mark your calendar now. Film Fest Knox takes over the historic Regal Riviera (510 S. Gay Street), with four days of screenings, competitions, and panels. More Info & Passes

🗓️ November 28th - The Gobbler 5K & 10K hits Fountain City's Adair Park on November 28th, at 8:30 AM, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The start line sits next to the Knoxville Parks & Recreation building at 1807 Adair Drive. More Info

🗓️ Tuesdays - Knoxville Dodgeball has been running weekly drop-in games at the Farragut Community Center Gym every Tuesday from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM since April 2025, and the doors are open to anyone 18 and up. More Info

See Recurring Weekly & Monthly Networking Events

🗓️Free Veterans’ Breakfast: The United Veterans Council of East Tennessee presents 20 free breakfasts for Veterans and guests on four Saturdays, monthly. Coffee line starts at 8am, Chow line starts at 8:30am. Locations and Dates

Are you a new or established business looking to become known in our Knoxville Insider community? We are looking for locally-owned businesses that would like to become a Knoxville Insider sponsor! Sponsorships can include:

Reach out to us at [email protected].

Would you like us to spotlight your local business in front of thousands of Knoxville area residents in an upcoming issue of Knoxville Insider? Apply Here. Not a business owner, but love a local business? Tell us all about it - send us an email at [email protected]!