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In this Knoxville Insider Issue…

🌤️ Weather | Partly Cloudy with a High of 67

📰 Chalk the Plaza Brings Color to Farragut

🗓️ Knoxville Brewfest

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Record High 92 in 1949 | Record Low 34 in 1989

Lavender Festival Blooms in Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge

Celebrate summer in full bloom at the Lavender Festival on June 20 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Jackson Square. This free, family-friendly event transforms the historic district into a vibrant day of shopping, music, food, and fun.

Stroll through 150 artisan vendors offering handmade goods, unique finds, and local favorites, all while enjoying live music on two stages throughout the day. Come hungry—food trucks in the Broadway Parking Lot will be serving up a variety of local and gourmet options, and several Jackson Square restaurants will also be open.

Families will find plenty to love, too! From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids can enjoy hands-on fun at the Art Spot and Nourish Kids Club, making it a perfect outing for all ages.

For the adults, don’t miss the chance to taste Tennessee wines and ciders from the Nine Lakes Wine Country, with proceeds benefiting the United Way of Anderson County. Tastings will be held at the United Way Building, located at 301 Broadway Avenue.

Whether you’re shopping, sipping, or simply soaking in the atmosphere, the Lavender Festival is a beautiful way to spend a summer day in East Tennessee. More Info

Chalk the Plaza Brings Color to Farragut

Get ready to soak up some serious creative energy at Chalk the Plaza on May 16, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mayor Ralph McGill Plaza.

This vibrant, family-friendly event invites the community to watch as talented artists transform ordinary sidewalks into stunning chalk masterpieces right before your eyes. It’s a day full of creativity, connection, and fun for all ages.

While the artists bring the plaza to life, guests can enjoy:

  • Delicious bites from local food trucks

  • A mini art market featuring unique pieces from local vendors

  • A lively kids’ zone packed with activities for little ones

Feeling inspired? Artists of all skill levels are encouraged to join in and showcase their creativity.

Whether you’re there to create, shop, or simply enjoy the atmosphere, Chalk the Plaza is the perfect way to celebrate art and community in Farragut. More Info

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Art in Action at Emory Place

Get ready for a day bursting with creativity as Dogwood Arts transforms Emory Place into a vibrant open-air art and music experience on May 30 from noon to 8 p.m.

Ten talented muralists will go head-to-head in a live painting competition, creating large-scale works in real time while festival-goers watch the magic happen. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy performances from local and regional musicians, explore nearby businesses, and soak in the creative energy that fills the streets.

Attendees will also have the chance to vote for their favorite artists, helping select the first- and second-place winners—both of whom will receive permanent mural commissions at locations around Knoxville. After the event, the temporary 8’x8’ murals will be auctioned online, with proceeds supporting both the artists and Dogwood Arts’ Mural Program, helping bring even more public art to the community.

It’s a unique opportunity to see art come to life, support local talent, and be part of Knoxville’s growing creative scene.. More Info

Knoxville Brewfest Celebrates 15 Years

Raise a glass—Knoxville Brewfest is back for its 15th year, bringing one of the region’s favorite summer traditions to the World's Fair Park Performance Lawn on Saturday, June 20, 2026.

This year’s celebration features one big session, packed with more flavor, fun, and great beer than ever before. VIP entry begins at 3:30 PM, followed by general admission at 4:30 PM, as breweries and beer lovers from across the region come together for an unforgettable afternoon.

With 50+ breweries pouring a wide variety of styles—from crisp lagers to bold IPAs and unique specialty brews—there’s something for every taste. Many breweries will also offer exclusive releases you won’t find anywhere else.

General admission tickets include entry to the festival, a commemorative tasting glass, live entertainment on the main stage, and unlimited tastings from all participating breweries.

Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or just looking for a fun way to spend a summer afternoon downtown, Brewfest promises great drinks, great music, and great company. Cheers to 15 years! More Info

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🗓️ May 7th - moe. rolls into The Mill & Mine on May 7th at 8:00 PM as part of their Born to Fly Tour. Note: this is an 18+ event. More Info

🗓️ May 9th - The Muse Knoxville (516 N Beaman St) is hosting a Teddy Bear Tea Party from 12:30–1:30 PM — a magical afternoon of tea, crafts, and cuddly fun designed for little ones and their grown-ups. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 9th - This one is going to fill up fast — and for the best possible reason. Kitten Yoga for a Cause is coming to Breezeway Yoga (4830 Kingston Pike) on May 9th from 1:00 PM–2:00 PM. More Info & Register

🗓️ May 9th - Tea & Treasures (4104 W. Martin Mill Pike) hosts its 2nd Saturday Marketplace from 11 AM to 4 PM. Come for the live music, stay for the food truck, and browse the outdoor vendors.

🗓️ May 9th - Tea & Treasures (4104 W. Martin Mill Pike) hosts its 2nd Saturday Marketplace from 11 AM to 4 PM. Come for the live music, stay for the food truck, and browse the outdoor vendors.

🗓️ May 10th - Abita Brewing presents the 10th Annual Trailhead Crawfish Boil at Trailhead Beer Market starting at 4:00 PM. For around $40, you get all-you-can-eat crawfish with all the fixings, plus $3 Abita cans all afternoon. More Info

🗓️ May 11th - WWE Monday Night RAW comes to Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center (1600 Phillip Fulmer Way) at 7:30 PM. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 12th - The New Orleans hip-hop icon Juvenile brings his Boiling Point Album Release Tour to The Mill & Mine (227 W Depot Ave) on May 12th at 7:00 PM, performing alongside his longtime backing group The 400 Degreez Band. More Info

🗓️ May 13th - Andrew Marlin and Josh Oliver — the duo behind the beloved Americana band Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange) — have been playing and writing together for over a decade. But on May 13th at 7:30 PM at the Bijou Theatre, they're doing something they've never done before: hitting the road as a standalone duo under the Andrew Marlin Stringband banner. More Info

🗓️ May 14th - Music for Seniors brings its Lighting Up Lives Free Daytime Concert Series to the Concord Yacht Club & Sailing Center (11600 S. Northshore Drive) on May 14th from 1:00–2:00 PM, featuring the Flashback Rhythm Section. More Info

🗓️ May 14th-15th - The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents Marsalis Swing Symphony on May 14th-15th at 7:30 PM at the Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street). More Info

🗓️ May 16th - Killer Queen - A Tribute to Queen comes to the Bijou Theatre (803 S Gay St) on May 16th at 8:00 PM, headlined by Patrick Meyers, a Freddie Mercury look- and soundalike who has been doing this for over 25 years. More Info

🗓️ May 16th - Growing Hope with the GFPD returns for its 2nd Annual event on from 1:00 PM–4:00 PM at the UT Gardens Friendship Pavilion — a beautiful outdoor gathering benefiting the Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders, the organization doing critical research and support work for families affected by these rare conditions worldwide. More Info

🗓️ May 16th - LollaPAWlooza: Mewsic to the Rescue takes over The Open Chord (8502 Kingston Pike), starting at 6:15 PM, benefiting Happy Paws Kitten Rescue — a 100% volunteer-operated, foster-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing homeless and abandoned cats across East Tennessee. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 16th - One of Knoxville’s most beloved family traditions is back—and bigger than ever. The Children’s Festival of Reading will celebrate its 20th anniversary on from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at World’s Fair Park. More Info

🗓️ May 16th - Start your morning with purpose and connection at the upcoming Women Build Brunch, happening from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at The Mill & Mine in Knoxville. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 17th - The 2026 Marquee Awards take place at 3:30 PM at the Tennessee Theatre (604 S Gay St), celebrating the best of East Tennessee high school musical theatre. More Info

🗓️ May 17th - The Knoxville Opera Guild's Annual Croquet Tournament returns on May 17th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the UT Recreation Fields. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 17th - Open Streets Knoxville returns this spring - Imagine walking right down the middle of Gay Street with no cars in sight — music playing, food vendors lining the sidewalks, neighbors biking and dancing and exploring together. That's exactly what's coming to Knoxville from 2:00–6:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ May 18th–24th - One of Knoxville’s premier sporting events is back this spring as the Visit Knoxville Open returns to Holston Hills Country Club. More Info

🗓️ May 20th - Sevendust and Atreyu co-headline a massive rock night at The Mill & Mine at 6:50 PM, joined by Fire From The Gods and American Adrenalin. More Info

🗓️ May 20th–24th - Disney's Beauty and the Beast comes to the Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street), with multiple performances throughout the week, including matinees and evening shows to fit your schedule. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 23rd - Katie Holt visits Good Girl Books (7685 South Northshore Drive) on May 23rd at 7:00 PM for an Author Chat & Signing celebrating her brand new novel, The Last Page — her second book, releasing May 12th. RSVP to [email protected] to save your spot. More Info

🗓️ May 23rd - BBQ lovers, this is one event you won’t want to miss. The first-ever TMG Fest: Block Party & Demo Day is coming to Knoxville from 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM, bringing together live-fire cooking, top pitmasters, and a full day of food and fun. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ May 25th - Fountain City Town Hall presents Honor Fountain City Day in the Park from 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM at Fountain City Park — a free, family-friendly community celebration honoring the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who gave their lives in service of our country. More Info

🗓️ May 29th-30th - Comedian Heather McMahan is bringing The Bamboozled Tour to the Bijou Theatre (803 S. Gay Street) for two nights, at 8:00 PM - and both shows are being filmed as her live comedy special. More Info for May 29th | More Info for May 30th

🗓️ May 30th - The Discover Knoxville Expo comes to the Hardin Valley Event Center (2620 Willow Point Way) from 11:00 AM–3:00 PM, presented by BeLocal K-Town. It features 50+ local vendors showcasing the businesses, services, and resources that make this community feel like home, plus a live local band and BeLocal Bingo. More Info

🗓️ May 30th - The Marble City Opera 2026 Summer Festival opens at the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge with Josephine — a stunning one-woman opera by composer Tom Cipullo. More Info

🗓️ May 30th - Knoxville's Largest Kids' Party returns to the World's Fair Park Performance Lawn from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM — and it lives up to the name. More Info

🗓️ May 30th - Knoxville Margarita Festival - Get ready to raise a glass at the third annual Knoxville Margarita Festival on May 30th at The Mill & Mine. This lively evening event invites guests to sample creative margaritas from some of the area’s favorite restaurants as they compete for the title of Best Margarita in Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ June 1st - This day marks Tennessee's 230th Statehood Day, commemorating the day in 1796 when Tennessee became the 16th state in the union — a moment that happened at Blount Mansion in downtown Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ June 2nd - Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening comes to the Tennessee Theatre at 7:30 PM — a full night of Zeppelin's greatest music performed with the reverence, power, and authenticity that only Jason Bonham can bring. More Info

🗓️ June 3rd - The City of Knoxville's Kid A' Riffic Fun in the Park series launches from 10:00 AM–1:00 PM at Chilhowee Park, kicking things off with Touch-A-Truck, kazoo fun, hands-on arts and crafts, and a food truck on site. More Info

🗓️ June 5th-6th - Rhinestone Fest takes over Knoxville's Historic Old City on June 5th–6th for a free, family-friendly celebration of all things Dolly Parton. Expect a Dolly-themed marketplace packed with handmade and fabulous finds inspired by the glitz, glamour, and charm of the one and only, alongside live music on the main stage. More Info

🗓️ June 6th - The Knoxville Firefighters Association presents Long Run Rocks — A Tribute to the Eagles at Chilhowee Park at 8:00 PM. Expect a full night of Eagles classics — "Hotel California," "Take It Easy," "New Kid in Town," and more — performed live in one of Knoxville's most iconic outdoor venues. More Info

🗓️ June 6th - Marble City Opera heads outdoors for its beloved annual Opera in the Park — a free concert at Lakeshore Park. More Info

🗓️ June 11th -Paul Thorn, the Mississippi-born singer-songwriter beloved for his warm, witty, deeply human take on life, love, and the South, comes to the Bijou Theatre at 8:00 PM - presented by local music legend WDVX. More Info

🗓️ June 14th - Fashion, nature, and a whole lot of Technicolor - this year's Fleurish might be the most stunning one yet. Fleurish, Ijams Nature Center's annual sustainable fashion show, returns from 6:00–9:00 PM on the Ijams lawn. More Info

🗓️ June 18th, 20th - The season closes with two performances of The Tragedy of Carmen — a 90-minute adaptation of Bizet's iconic Carmen — on June 18th and 20th at the Historic Grove Theatre in Oak Ridge. More Info

🗓️ June 20th - Knoxville Brewfest returns to World's Fair Park, with 60+ local and regional breweries pouring from 4:30 PM–8:30 PM — including gluten-free and non-alcoholic options. Live music, local food vendors, and a beautiful outdoor setting make this one of Knoxville's most beloved annual events. More Info

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Veterans:

🗓️Free Veterans’ Breakfast: The United Veterans Council of East Tennessee presents 17 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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Snowy Owl. Photo: Grant Eldridge/Audubon Photography Awards

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