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📰 250th Anniversary Celebration at the Cove

📰 Experience the Magic of the Whimsical Woodlands Aerial Circus at Ijams

🗓️ 2026 Emory Valley Center Dragon Boat Race

🗓️ Grow Your Business at the IBN Masterclass on July 16

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Presented by Visit Knoxville and Knox County, this milestone event honors our rich heritage with a full day of family-friendly festivities, live music, and a spectacular lakeside fireworks display. Whether you're a lifelong local or a first-time visitor, come help us ring in Knoxville's next quarter-millennium!

Looking for a unique summer evening the whole family will enjoy? Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 11, as Knoxville Aerial Arts and Ijams Nature Center present the Whimsical Woodlands Aerial Circus from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Set against the beautiful natural backdrop of Ijams, this enchanting outdoor performance blends breathtaking aerial artistry with the charm of a whimsical woodland inspired by Celtic folklore. Watch talented local and regional performers soar through the air with gravity-defying acrobatics, aerial silks, and other spectacular acts that are sure to amaze audiences of all ages.

The fun begins before the show! Gates and the artisan marketplace open at 5:00 p.m., giving guests plenty of time to browse local vendors, grab dinner from a variety of food trucks, or enjoy a refreshing beverage from the Ijams Beer Garden before the performance begins.

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, settle in on the lawn outside the Ijams Visitor Center, and enjoy an unforgettable evening of entertainment under the summer sky.

Whether you're an aerial arts enthusiast or simply looking for a memorable night out, the Whimsical Woodlands Aerial Circus promises an evening filled with wonder, imagination, and incredible talent. Tickets Here

Gather your crew and get ready to paddle for a purpose! Registration is now open for the 2026 Emory Valley Center Dragon Boat Race, taking place on August 15, 2026. This exciting annual event brings together local businesses, organizations, families, and friends for a day filled with friendly competition, teamwork, and community spirit—all while supporting a meaningful cause.

The Dragon Boat Race is one of Emory Valley Center's signature fundraising events, benefiting programs and services that empower children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Funds raised help provide essential resources that promote independence, inclusion, and an enhanced quality of life for the individuals and families the organization serves.

No previous paddling experience is required! Each team consists of 10 paddlers and a drummer, while trained steerspeople are provided by event organizers. Teams will also have the opportunity to participate in a practice session before race day and are guaranteed multiple races during the competition.

Beyond the excitement on the water, participants and spectators can enjoy a festive atmosphere while cheering on the teams and supporting an incredible mission. Whether you're representing your company, a civic group, or simply gathering friends for a unique experience, the Dragon Boat Race offers a memorable way to give back to the community.

The deadline to register a team is July 31, 2026, so don't wait to reserve your spot. Team sponsorships and event proceeds directly support Emory Valley Center's mission of creating opportunities and improving lives throughout our community.

Grab your team, raise your paddles, and join the fun for a day of racing, camaraderie, and making a difference. Paddles Up! More Info

Entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals looking to take their business to the next level won't want to miss the IBN Masterclass, a premier business growth event hosted by Incredible Business Networking (IBN) and co-hosted by Jennifer Maizel of Marvelous Maizel Marketing.

Taking place on Thursday, July 16, from 8:45 a.m. to noon at Bearden Banquet Hall in Knoxville, this half-day masterclass is designed to provide attendees with practical strategies they can implement immediately to strengthen and grow their businesses.

Unlike traditional seminars that focus primarily on motivation or theory, the IBN Masterclass delivers real-world insights from experienced business leaders who are actively navigating today's evolving marketplace. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge on entrepreneurship, leadership, branding, business development, and building meaningful professional relationships.

The event includes a deluxe hot breakfast, presentations from three featured speakers, an interactive panel Q&A, open networking opportunities, and high-level discussions centered on actionable business intelligence. Whether you're launching a new venture, growing an established business, or expanding your professional network, the IBN Masterclass offers an environment designed to inspire collaboration and continued success.

Seating is intentionally limited to encourage meaningful conversations and quality networking, so early registration is recommended.

If you're committed to lifelong learning, strategic growth, and connecting with like-minded professionals, the IBN Masterclass is an excellent opportunity to invest in yourself and your business. More Info

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

Recurring events

🗓️ July 2nd - Playtime in the Plains (8537 Ashville Highway, Suite 101) is hosting a red, white & blue Story & Craft morning at 10:00 AM. This week's book: Corduroy's 4th of July — and kids will follow up story time by making their very own paper plate American flag craft to take home, perfectly timed for Independence Day. More Info

🗓️ July 2nd - The Zoo Knoxville Summer Concert Series is returning to the Boyd Foundation Boardwalk at Clayton Timber Loop (3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive), featuring The Alex Leach Band, performing bluegrass. More Info

🗓️ July 2nd-31st - The "Where's Waldo?" Scavenger Hunt is returning to Downtown Knoxville, and it's free for the whole family. Starting July 1st and running all month long, Waldo will be hiding inside dozens of downtown businesses — shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, and more — just waiting to be spotted. More Info

🗓️ July 3rd - Clear Springs Baptist Church (7350 Tazewell Pike, Corryton) is hosting their annual Red, White & Blue Bash starting at 6:30 PM — and it's completely free.

🗓️ July 4th - The Knoxville Community Band performs at the Marble Pavilion at Lakeshore Park (5930 Lyons View Pike) at 12:00 PM, with a program of patriotic favorites timed perfectly for the nation's Semiquincentennial. The setting alone is worth the trip with the Marble Pavilion sitting on the banks of the Tennessee River.

🗓️ July 4th - The City of Knoxville's Festival on the 4th returns to World's Fair Park Performance and Festival Lawns from 5:00 PM–10:00 PM — and with free admission, free parking, live music, and fireworks over the downtown skyline, this is the quintessential East Tennessee Fourth of July. More Info

🗓️ July 9th - Zoo Knoxville's Summer Concert Series continues with a performance by the Tennessee Wind Symphony — and this one has some history behind it. The show was originally scheduled for June 18th but was rescheduled due to a storm forecast. More Info & Tickets (Free for zoo members)

🗓️ July 10th - Soundscapes at the Knoxville Museum of Art returns, with nationally touring saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Saxl Rose taking the stage at 7:30 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM). More Info

🗓️ July 10th - Movies Under the Stars returns for its 14th year at Ijams Nature Center, and the July screening is a classic that'll hit different under an open sky. All Dogs Go to Heaven screens at the Ijams Visitor Center Lawn (2915 Island Home Ave.) Doors open at 7:00 PM, and the movie begins at dark — roughly 9:00 PM in July. Arrive early to grab a good spot. More Info

🗓️ July 10th - GalFunction and Show Your Shine LLC are hosting a Friday Table Talk at The Hub Pro Studio (1104 Merchant Drive, Suite 103) from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM — an hour and a half of guided conversation, honest dialogue, and the kind of support that only comes from fellow female entrepreneurs who are in it alongside you.

🗓️ July 10th-12th - FanBoy Expo takes over the Knoxville Convention Center (701 Henley Street) for three action-packed days — and with over 30,000 fans attending each summer event, this is one of the biggest and most electric weekends on the Knoxville calendar. More Info

🗓️ July 11th - RetroFlea returns to Retrospect Vintage Store (108 W Anderson Ave NW) on July 11th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM — six hours of browsing more than 25 vintage vendors bringing deals across all eras and varieties of vintage goods.

🗓️ July 11th - Faith Promise Church is hosting Win the City from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at 5830 Haynes-Sterchi Road, and the community giveaway includes: Free car washes, Free haircuts, Free hygiene bags, Free food, Free family portraits, Kids activities, Free oil changes (registration required for oil changes only — all other services are walk-up, no registration needed) Register for your free oil change

🗓️ July 11th - Tea & Treasures (4104 W. Martin Mill Pike) — a charming shop billed as "a unique collection of old and new" — hosts its 2nd Saturday Marketplace from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (weather permitting).

🗓️ July 11th - WIVK's Southern Life Expo, presented by Visit My Smokies, is coming to the Knoxville Expo Center from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM — and the best part? It's completely free to attend. More Info

🗓️ July 11th - Mark your calendar: the America's 250th Anniversary Celebration at the Cove comes to The Cove at Concord Park for a full day of free, family-friendly festivities presented by Visit Knoxville and Knox County, starting at 11:00 AM. More Info

🗓️ July 16th - IBN Masterclass will be held from 8:45 AM to noon at Bearden Banquet Hall (5806 Kingston Pike), Incredible Business Networking — co-hosted by Jennifer Maizel of Marvelous Maizel Marketing. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ July 18th - Rain Barrel Workshop at 9:00 AM at 100 Monterey Rd, Oak Ridge. For $50, instructors will teach you how to transform a standard 55-gallon barrel into a functioning rain barrel for your garden — and you leave with the finished product in hand. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ July 19th - Knoxville Social Circle is heading to Augusta Quarry (520 Augusta Ave) at 12:00 PM for an afternoon of swimming, floating, relaxing, and soaking up some summer sun. Whether you want to jump in, lounge by the water, or just hang out and chat, the format is as low-key as a summer afternoon should be.

🗓️ July 25th - Blitzfire — the quarterly signature event at B&B Indoor Foam Dart Arena (6709 Maynardville Pike) — is happening from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and it's unlike anything else in our area. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ July 26th - Sonny's Original Southern Pub and Nicks Moto are hosting a group ride to the legendary Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum. and you're invited to roll with them. The day kicks off with breakfast at Sonny's (2613 Adair Dr) at 8:00 AM, with kickstands up at 9:30 AM sharp. Come with a full tank of gas, and bring your own water and snacks — there's no food or drink available at the museum, though the group will be stopping at nearby restaurants along the way.

🗓️ July 29th - One of the most celebrated voices in rock history is coming to Knoxville. Graham Nash brings his Live on Tour 2026 to the Bijou on July 29th at 7:30 PM — and with a career spanning more than six decades, this is as close to a living history of contemporary music as you can get in one evening. More Info

🗓️ July 31st-August 1st - The Kuumba Festival — East Tennessee's largest African American Cultural Arts Festival — returns to Market Square, and it is exactly what it sounds like: a full, joyful, free celebration of culture, community, craft, and creativity in the middle of the city. More Info

🗓️ July 31st-August 2nd - CreepyCon 2026 celebrates its 10th Anniversary at the Knoxville Convention Center (701 Henley Street) from July 31st through August 2nd — and Tennessee's biggest Halloween and horror convention has never looked better. More Info

🗓️ August 7th-9th - The 2026 Kerbela Shrine Circus returns to Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center (1600 Phillip Fulmer Way SW). More Info

🗓️ August 8th - Tea & Treasures (4104 W. Martin Mill Pike) — a charming shop billed as "a unique collection of old and new" — hosts its 2nd Saturday Marketplace from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (weather permitting).

🗓️ August 8th - Irish Fest on the Hill returns at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in downtown Knoxville, from 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM. The event honors Knoxville's deep Irish heritage through an afternoon of live Irish bands, traditional Irish dancers, kids' games, and classic Irish food — the kind of spread that leaves everyone happy and full. More Info

🗓️ August 9th - Old City Market transforms West Jackson Avenue into an outdoor showcase of Knoxville makers, artists, bakers, and crafters on the 3rd Sunday of every month from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM — additional markets are on Sept 20th, Oct 18th, and Dec 13th. More Info

🗓️ August 9th - The Back-to-School Bash at B&B Indoor Foam Dart Arena (6709 Maynardville Pike) is happening from noon to 4:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ August 13th-15th - The Flexible Jewelry Event at Fountain City Jewelers (2802 Essary Drive), and it's exactly what it sounds like: a special showcase of bracelets and rings crafted from genuine 14K gold, diamonds, and natural gemstones. The event runs all three days during regular store hours — Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM. No appointment needed. Stop in anytime August 13th–15th. More Info

🗓️ August 15th - History Hootenanny returns to the East Tennessee History Center (601 S Gay St) and Krutch Park, running 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM — and the best part is that it's completely free and open to the public. More Info

🗓️ August 22nd - GermanFest Knoxville returns to First Lutheran Church (1207 Broadway) from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM — a full nine hours of German culture, Southern hospitality, and the kind of sheer, wholehearted fun that you can only find at a festival that includes competitive dachshund racing. More Info

🗓️ August 28th - Appalachian Arts Craft Center is hosting Appalachian Voices: Stories, Laughter & Creativity — a special community luncheon celebrating creativity, storytelling, and the rich culture of Appalachian life. The event takes place at the Oak Ridge Conference Center (1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge) from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ August 30th - The 13th Annual Knox Asian Festival takes over World's Fair Park and the Knoxville Museum of Art from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Presented by the Asian Culture Center of Tennessee, this is one of the most genuinely immersive cultural events in the entire state — and it's right here in Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ September 16th - Big Kahuna Wing Festival at World's Fair Park; Thousands of pounds of wings; Competitive wing cook-off; Wing eating contest; Live entertainment; Kids activities; Pyro musical fireworks show. 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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