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📰 The Regal Knoxville Turkey Trot & Little Gobbler Run

📰 Handmade for the Holidays at the East Tennessee Makers Market

🗓️ "Hallelujah!" - The Knoxville Symphony's Annual Messiah Returns to the Tennessee Theatre

🗓️ The Knoxville Holiday Market - 150+ Makers Under One Roof

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The Regal Knoxville Turkey Trot 5K and Little Gobbler Kids' Run, organized by the Knoxville Track Club, returns on Thanksgiving morning, November 26th, starting near the Mill & Mine (227 W. Depot Avenue) in downtown Knoxville.

Little Gobbler Kids' Run: a one-mile run for kids 12 and under and their families, $10. (Parents can run alongside their kids. They just won't get a shirt or bib unless they also register for the 5K.)

Turkey Trot 5K: a downtown 5K for runners and walkers of every speed, right after the kids' run.

Turkey hats are optional but encouraged. It's the perfect way to work up an appetite and make some room for seconds. Register & More Info

The East Tennessee Makers Market includes three days of handmade gift vendors at the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Highway), December 11th–13th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Local artists and makers will fill the hall with original artwork, handcrafted goods, jewelry, home décor, textiles, ceramics, prints, and seasonal items. There are also live art demonstrations, interactive craft activities, and local food vendors, so it's a fun, family-friendly outing even if you're just browsing.

Admission is free. More Info

For our weekend edition, here is a recap of this week’s business tips:

Why Did You Start This Business?
Picture Your Business 3–5 Years From Now
Name What's Standing in Your Way
Make It Easy for a Referral to Say Yes

Book a qualification call or call (865) 255-4722.

Hear the "Hallelujah" Chorus ring through the Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street).

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra continues its beloved holiday tradition with Handel's Messiah, performed with the Knoxville Choral Society, on Sunday, November 22, at 2:30 PM, the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

First performed in 1742, Messiah is one of the most beloved choral works ever written, and hearing it live in the Tennessee Theatre is a holiday memory worth making. Many audiences still stand for the famous "Hallelujah" Chorus, a tradition dating back centuries. More Info

The Knoxville Holiday Market, from the team behind the Chattanooga Market, brings more than 150 local and regional makers to the Knoxville Convention Center (701 Henley Street) on December 5th–6th.

Every vendor is vetted for authenticity, quality, and uniqueness (no resellers allowed), so you'll find the real deal.

Jewelry and fine art, Woodworking and handmade décor, Toys and apparel, Body care products, Artisan foods, and more! More Info

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

🗓️ 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

🗓️ Now through November 15th - The Clarence Brown Theatre presents Clyde's, by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, in the new Jenny Boyd Theatre on the UT campus. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Playing 'Possum — October 21st (6:00 PM–7:00 PM) and October 31st (11:00 AM–noon). Meet Orta, Ijams' newest animal ambassador, a young Virginia opossum! These misunderstood marsupials play an important role in our ecosystem and have some seriously cool survival tricks. Along with the animal presentation, you'll learn the basics of nature journaling and create your own opossum masterpiece. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Bats Storytime — 10:00 AM–noon. Spend Halloween morning at the Ijams Nature Playscape at Grayson Subaru Preserve, where volunteer storytellers read books all about bats. Themed crafts and Playscape time are included, and it's FREE! More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Dracula, 5:00 PM Performance. Tickets are $35, and the one-hour show is the perfect start to your Halloween night. Wear your costume, take in the ballet, then head out for the rest of your plans. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Fall Fungi ID: Beginner Workshop — 10:00 AM–noon. Fungi identification doesn't leave mush-room for guessing! Join an Ijams naturalist (or "fun-guide") to learn the basics of fungi and lichen anatomy, how to identify them, and the role they play in the forest. 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 5th - 7:30 PM - The Knoxville Ice Bears - Military Appreciation Night vs. the Macon Mayhem, at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum (500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue). More Info

🗓️ November 6th - It’s time to Go Big Orange! The University of Tennessee’s Homecoming Parade returns to campus at 4:00 p.m., bringing Volunteers together to celebrate the traditions, history, and spirit of Rocky Top. The entire Knoxville and campus community is invited to join the fun and show off their Tennessee pride! More Info

🗓️ November 6th-7th - The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC), the Knoxville nonprofit that builds and maintains many of the area's natural-surface trails, hosts its annual Fall Fest on November 6th–7th at Baker Creek Preserve and Urban Wilderness Gateway Park. It's AMBC's biggest fundraiser of the year, and it's FREE to attend. More Info

🗓️ November 6th-8th - Ready to get a head start on your Christmas list? The Knoxville Christmas Fair, a long-running East Tennessee holiday tradition, fills the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Hwy) with handmade gifts, ornaments, seasonal décor, and one-of-a-kind crafts from local and regional makers. More Info

🗓️ November 7th - November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, and East Tennessee is kicking it off together. The Epilepsy Foundation of East Tennessee hosts its Epilepsy Awareness Walk from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at World's Fair Park (720 11th Street). More Info

🗓️ November 7th-8th - For the first time ever, Zoo Knoxville (3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive) is inviting four-legged family members to visit during Dog Days, presented by PetSafe Brands, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The zoo is open for regular admission, and you can bring your well-behaved dog along for the adventure. More Info, Rules, & Tickets

🗓️ November 7th - 3:00 PM — The Knoxville Ice Bears - Bluey's Teddy Bear Toss vs. the Huntsville Havoc. Bring a new teddy bear to throw on the ice! Knoxville Civic Coliseum (500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue). More Info

🗓️ November 8th - Knoxville Opera presents Voices of Valor, a large-scale Veterans Day concert honoring the service and sacrifice of America's veterans, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (711 S. Northshore Drive), in partnership with the Cathedral Concert Series. More Info

🗓️ November 8th - Plant lovers, this one's for you. Flora & Folia (226 N. Peters Road) is turning four, and they're celebrating by giving back. Free Plant Day on November 8th, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

🗓️ November 10th - Contemporary artist Patricia Pasbrig of Textured Strokes is teaching "Acrylic Painting with Modeling Paste," a full-day sculptural acrylic workshop, at Chota Recreation Center, Classroom A (145 Awohili Drive, Loudon). ⏰ Registration deadline: November 1st. More Info

🗓️ November 12th - Blount Mansion's (200 W. Hill Avenue) Semiquincentennial Celebration Lecture Series, honoring America's 250th anniversary, wraps up its fall run with Dr. Katy Chiles presenting "Phillis Wheatley and the Black American Revolution", at 6:00 PM. More Info & RSVP.

🗓️ November 12th-13th - Few pieces of music build like Ravel's Boléro, and few places are as grand for hearing it as the historic Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street). The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents Bartók & Boléro at 7:30 PM, conducted by Music Director Aram Demirjian and featuring acclaimed pianist Jeremy Denk. More Info

🗓️ November 13th - 7:30 PM — The Knoxville Ice Bears - Tattoos & Terror vs. the Huntsville Havoc (yes, it's Friday the 13th). Knoxville Civic Coliseum (500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue). More Info

🗓️ November 13th-14th - Used Book Sale at Cedar Bluff Branch (9045 Cross Park Drive), 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

🗓️ November 14th - After a hit first year, First Presbyterian Church (620 State Street) downtown is bringing back its Arts & Crafts Fair, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ November 14th - Get a head start on your gift list with something truly one of a kind. Concord United Methodist Church's United Women in Faith hosts its 9th Annual Artisan Craft Fair, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 11020 Roane Drive.

🗓️ November 14th - Get ready for a magical day of shopping, creativity, and community at The Mystical Market at Enchanted Hollow from noon to 8 p.m.! Explore unique handmade goods and mystical treasures from local vendors, grab a bite from food trucks, and enjoy live entertainment and a children’s area for the little ones. More info

🗓️ November 15th - After the success of its very first Night Meowket, Scruffy's Cafe (1015 N. Broadway), Knoxville's cat café, is bringing the fun back for the holidays with the Winter Meowket, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

🗓️ November 17th - The Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras (KSYO) open their new season with their annual Fall Concert, featuring student musicians from across East Tennessee. KSYO's ensembles range from beginning string players to its advanced Youth Orchestra. More Info

🗓️ November 17th - Jim Henson's Labyrinth: In Concert is coming to the historic Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street) at 8:00 PM to celebrate the beloved 1986 film's 40th anniversary. More Info

🗓️ November 17th - What does it take to keep going through career changes, setbacks, and life as part of a military family? A panel of Knoxville women will answer that question at "Built for This," a fireside chat experience on resilience from Ladies Lifestyle Network Knoxville. The evening takes place from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM at The Hub Pro Studio (1104 Merchant Drive, Suite 103). More Info & Tickets

🗓️ November 18th - Grab a friend and your sense of humor, because no art experience is required. Contemporary artist Patricia Pasbrig of Textured Strokes is back at El Toro Bar & Grill (1938 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge) with a cozy new Paint & Sip. More Info

🗓️ November 19th - For 22 years, he was the guy America fell asleep laughing with. Now Jay Leno is bringing his stand-up comedy to the historic Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street) for one night only, at 7:30 PM. More Info

🗓️ November 19th-22nd - Disney On Ice presents Spotlight Magic! at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum (500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue) for nine performances. More Info

🗓️ November 19th-December 19th - Scrooge, the Cratchits, and three very persuasive ghosts are back. The Clarence Brown Theatre's A Christmas Carol returns for the holiday season, running November 19th - December 19th, on the UT campus (1714 Andy Holt Ave). More Info

🗓️ November 20th - Get ready to say hello to the holiday season. Pinnacle at Turkey Creek (11251 Parkside Drive) is hosting All Is Bright, a free evening of festive family fun, on November 20th, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

🗓️ November 20th-21st - Get a jump on your holiday shopping, or just come hunting for treasures. The Knoxville Flea Market fills the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Highway) with more than 275 booths the weekend before Thanksgiving. More Info

🗓️ November 21st - A Medieval Holiday Festival takes over the grounds at 865 Axe Throwing (5821 Babelay Road) from noon to 7:00 PM, with vendors, activities, and entertainment all day long.

🗓️ November 22nd - If your holiday list calls for something you won't find at the mall, mark your calendar. The Retropolitan Craft Fair, one of Knoxville's longest-running indie craft fairs, returns to the Mill & Mine, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

🗓️ November 24th-29th - Eternal youth has never looked so deadly, or so hilarious. Death Becomes Her, the Broadway musical comedy based on the cult-classic 1992 film, kicks off the Tennessee Theatre's (604 S. Gay Street) 2026–27 Broadway season. More Info

🗓️ November 25th-29th - Fantasy of Trees, benefiting Dolly Parton Children's Hospital (formerly East Tennessee Children's Hospital), fills the Knoxville Convention Center (701 Henley Street) with a dazzling forest of decorated Christmas trees during Thanksgiving week. More Info

🗓️ November 27th - 6:00 PM — The Knoxville Ice Bears - Fight Night vs. the Athens Rock Lobsters, the perfect post-Thanksgiving outing. Knoxville Civic Coliseum (500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue). More Info

🗓️ November 28th - Old City Market, presented by Dogwood Arts, fills the 100 block of West Jackson Avenue with local makers, artists, and bakers for a special Small Business Saturday market, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ 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

🗓️ December 4th-5th - Used Book Sale at Bearden Branch Library (100 Golf Club Road), 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

🗓️ December 6th - East Tennessee Sacred Circle Dance hosts its Winter Solstice Sacred Circle Dance on December 6th, at 7:00 PM at the Knoxville Square Dance Center (828 Tulip Avenue). It's a community celebration of light, hope, and peace, facilitated by Kevin Meyer, Maggie Moon, and Diane Shenk. 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

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