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📰 Knoxville Honors POW/MIA - Ceremony at World's Fair Park

📰 Walk Into the Wild Side

🗓️ Charlotte's Web Comes to Life at Knoxville Children's Theatre

🗓️ Boxes of Old Photos and No System? This Workshop is for You

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This Friday, September 18th is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Knoxville is marking it with a formal observance at the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial at World's Fair Park.

The ceremony is hosted by VVA Captain Bill Robinson Chapter 1078 and begins with coffee at 9:00 AM, followed by the ceremony at 10:00 AM.

Mayor Betsy Henderson will deliver remarks, Jason Hardy will perform the National Anthem, and the Bearden High School Navy JROTC will present the colors. The Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard will conduct the Missing Man Table ceremony — a solemn, moving tribute to those who never came home.

If you've ever walked through a yard and wondered what the birds actually need from it, this Saturday's guided walk will give you a completely different way of seeing things.

The Knox County Master Gardeners are hosting a Plants for Birds guided nature walk at Collier Preserve (316 W. Emory Road) on Saturday, September 19th at 9:00 AM. The walk covers which native plants attract and sustain birds — from the insects they depend on to the fruits and seeds that keep them coming back — and how to start incorporating them into a typical Knoxville yard.

Bring a water bottle, wear comfortable shoes, and expect to leave thinking differently about the landscape right outside your door. Free to attend. More Info

If you have kids in your life — or just love a good story told well — Knoxville Children's Theatre's production of Charlotte's Web opens this Thursday and runs through the weekend.

E.B. White's timeless tale of friendship, loyalty, and the things we do for the people we love translates beautifully to the stage, and KCT has been producing it for Knoxville families for decades. Whether it's your child's first live theatre experience or a return to something you loved as a kid, Charlotte's Web is the kind of show that tends to stay with you.

Showtimes:

More Info

If your family history lives in a pile of unlabeled photos, a folder of unsorted clippings, and a research notebook that hasn't been touched since 2019, this free workshop at the East Tennessee History Center is worth putting on the calendar now.

Organize Your Genealogy takes place on October 10th 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.

The session covers how to build a research workflow that actually holds up, how to put together a field kit before you visit an archive, and how to organize the physical stuff — paper records, photos, clippings — alongside digital notebooks and family charts.

It's practical, it's free, and if you've been meaning to get your genealogy materials under control, this is as good a reason as any to start.

Registration is required. More Info

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

🗓️ September 15th-20th - Clarence Brown Theatre presents Jeffrey Hatcher's electrifying adaptation of Dial M for Murder — opening night September 2nd at 7:30 PM at the Clarence Brown Theatre on the UT campus. The show runs through September 20th, with performances most Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ September 15th–20th Get ready for romance, ridiculous misunderstandings, and plenty of theatrical chaos when the Tellico Community Players present Ken Ludwig's hilarious farce, Moon Over Buffalo, September 3–20 at the Tellico Community Playhouse in Loudon. More Info

🗓️ September 15th-20th - The Tennessee Valley Fair opens at Chilhowee Park — ten days of everything that makes a real county fair: agricultural competitions, carnival rides, fair food, exhibits, and the kind of community atmosphere that only shows up once a year. Over 125,000 visitors from across the region will make their way through the gates before it's over. More Info

🗓️ September 15th - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights comes to the Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay Street) at 7:30 PM. Alpert is one of music's true originals: an eight-time Grammy winner, co-founder of A&M Records, and the man behind some of the most recognizable brass arrangements in the history of recorded sound. More Info

🗓️ September 15th - Food lovers won't want to miss Taste of Blount 2026, taking place September 15 from 6–8 p.m. at Theater in the Park in Maryville. This annual event showcases the best of Blount County's culinary scene, featuring samples from local restaurants, caterers, and gourmet grocers. More Info

🗓️ September 16th - If you're a woman age 50+ in East Tennessee looking to build new friendships, the Newcomers Club of Knoxville meets every third Wednesday of the month at Bearden Banquet Hall (5806 Kingston Pike). Games start at 9:30am if you want to participate in those, and lunch is at 11:30am. Reservations and prepayment of $19 are required. Contact treasurer Angie Palko to reserve your spot: (865) 254-5889.

🗓️ September 17th - Blount Mansion — the historic home of Governor William Blount, where the Tennessee Constitution was drafted — is hosting a special Constitution Day lecture at 6:00 PM at the Blount Mansion Visitors Center (200 W. Hill Avenue). The event is free and open to the public, with an RSVP requested. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to [email protected].

🗓️ September 17th - A Step Ahead Foundation of East Tennessee brings this acclaimed documentary to the Bijou Theatre for a special free evening that's equal parts film and live performance. Ten Year Town follows nine Nashville songwriters through the unglamorous, uncertain, and often beautiful years of their climb. More Info

🗓️ September 17th - Knox County Mobile Meals and the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee are hosting Power of the Purse® 2026 at Rothchild Catering and Conference Center (8807 Kingston Pike) — doors open at 4:45 PM and Purse Madness starts at 6:00 PM sharp. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ September 17th-19th - The 26th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival takes over 525 East Dumplin Valley Road in Kodak - just off I-40 exit 407, a quick 22 miles from downtown Knoxville — for three full days. Gates open for music each day at noon, and the picking goes until 11:00 PM — rain or shine, under a covered performance area that keeps the show going no matter what the sky decides to do. More Info

🗓️ September 18th - The Knox County Master Gardeners are offering a free Garden Classroom session on Composting and Cover Crops from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Beardsley Community Farm (1741 Reynolds Street). The class covers the essentials of building a compost system that actually works, plus an introduction to cover crops. More Info

🗓️ September 18th - Knoxville Women in Technology presents the 2026 Knoxville Women in Tech Expo: Grow Better, Together at 9:00 AM at the Knoxville Convention Center (701 Henley Street). More Info

🗓️ September 18th - 2 Brothers and Sunflower Village Farm are launching Bonfire Fridays — a recurring series of kid-friendly outdoor networking nights built around good company, open air, and a proper bonfire. The series kicks off September 18th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in Clinton before moving to 188 Hill Road for the remaining dates: October 16th, November 20th, and December 18th - all 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

🗓️ September 18th-20th - Vintage Market Days® of Knoxville returns to the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Hwy) for a full weekend (Friday and Saturday from 10 AM, Sunday wrapping at 3 PM) — with the theme "An American Story." More Info

🗓️ September 18th - Knox County Master Gardeners and Beardsley Farm are hosting a free Gardening Workshop at Beardsley Farm (1741 Reynolds Street) from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, focused on three of the most practical topics for this time of year: cover crops, hot composting, and fall gardening. More Info & Register

🗓️ September 18th - Herbie Fully Loaded (2005, G) @ Farragut Museum · visitfarragut.org

🗓️ September 18th - Raise a glass to an unforgettable evening at the 2026 Tennessee Cocktail Festival on September 18, from 6:00–9:15 PM at The Mill & Mine in downtown Knoxville.

🗓️ September 19th - Obsessed Pickleballers is bringing a focused, four-hour intermediate clinic to Knoxville from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Pavillion of Pickleball (701 Racquet Club Way) — a fully indoor facility. The camp is designed specifically for players ages 50 and over, with a maximum of 8 students per session (8:1 ratio). More Info

🗓️ September 19th - The Oakes Farm Corn Maze opens for the 2026 season on September 19th and runs through November 1st. This year's theme is America 250 — a celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary woven right into the maze design. More Info

🗓️ September 19th - Marble Springs State Historic Site hosts Sevier Day 281 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 1220 W. Governor John Sevier Highway — a free, all-day living history celebration honoring John Sevier's 281st birthday. The tagline says it best: "Party like it's 1745." More Info

🗓️ September 19th - October 11th - Prost! One of Knoxville's favorite fall traditions is back as Schulz Bräu Oktoberfest 2026 returns with weeks of authentic Bavarian fun, live entertainment, and unforgettable festivities.

🗓️ September 19th - 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

🗓️ September 20th - Concord Yacht Club (CYC) and the Concord Sailing Center are hosting a Community Open House on September 20th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at 11600 S. Northshore Drive — and the public is warmly invited. Whether you've always been curious about sailing, you're looking for a meaningful community to get involved with, or you just want to spend a September afternoon on the shores of Fort Loudoun Lake, this is your moment to walk through the gates and see what 75 years of volunteer spirit looks like up close.

🗓️ September 21st - The UT Creative Writing Program presents a free public reading by Natalie Scenters-Zapico at 7:00 PM in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of John C. Hodges Library on the UT campus. Scenters-Zapico is a fronteriza poet from El Paso, Texas, and the author of three collections — including My Perfect Cognate (Copper Canyon Press, 2025) and Lima :: Limón (Copper Canyon Press, 2019).

🗓️ September 22nd - The Farragut Museum's History Hour speaker series continues on September 22nd at 11:00 AM at Farragut Town Hall (11408 Municipal Center Drive). The featured speaker is Dr. Chris Magra, Professor of Early American History at the University of Tennessee and Director of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War. Dr. Magra will present on the military history of the Declaration of Independence.

🗓️ September 23rd - Film Fest Knox continues its year-round free screening series with "The Best Years of Our Lives" — William Wyler's landmark 1946 film, screening at 7:00 PM at the Regal Riviera in celebration of the film's 80th anniversary. More Info

🗓️ September 23rd - The Blount County College Fair returns to Clayton Center for the Arts at Maryville College (502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville) from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Representatives from more than 50 colleges, universities, technical schools, and art schools will be on hand for students and families to meet in person, ask questions, and explore options — all in one place, all in one evening. More Info

🗓️ September 23rd - The Kraken's Cup Tearoom and Schakolad Chocolate Factory have teamed up for A Chocola-TEA Experience: Tea and Chocolate Pairing — a guided flavor adventure at 6 PM at The Kraken's Cup (4815 N Broadway, Suite 107). More Info

🗓️ September 24th - The Knox County Master Gardeners are hosting a Garden Classroom session on Native Plant Use from 10:00 AM to noon at New Harvest Park Community Center (4775 New Harvest Lane). The class covers how to incorporate native plants into your yard and garden — the species that support local birds, pollinators, and wildlife while requiring far less maintenance than non-native alternatives. To sign up, email [email protected] with your name, email address, and number attending.

🗓️ September 25th - Muse Knoxville's Free Family Night happens on the 4th Friday of every month from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The children's museum at Chilhowee Park (516 N Beaman Street) opens its doors to the public at no charge, inviting families to come explore, play, and discover together. No tickets, no admission — just two hours of hands-on fun with the kids. More Info

🗓️ September 25th - Scruffy City Orchestra presents their Fall Concert: Nordisk Skjønnhet (Nordic Beauty) at 8:00 PM at 711 S. Northshore Drive — a program named in honor of Johan Svendsen's magnificent Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, which closes the evening. Admission is free, but reservations are required. More Info

🗓️ September 25th - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989, PG) @ Blount Mansion · blountmansion.org

🗓️ September 26th - Samanvaya: Dialogue Between Bharatanatyam & Kathak brings together two of India's most celebrated classical dance forms in what organizers describe as a first-of-its-kind performance in Knoxville at 4:00 PM–5:30 PM at the Clayton Performing Arts Center, Pellissippi State Community College (10915 Hardin Valley Rd). More Info

🗓️ September 26th - The 2nd Annual Irwin Street Gallery Children's Art Exhibition opens at 4:00 PM at Irwin Street Gallery (929 Irwin Street). The exhibition celebrates the creativity of Knoxville's young artists, featuring original artwork by local children displayed in the gallery's welcoming space in the Old City neighborhood.

🗓️ September 26th - The Lenoir City Kids Fun Fair sets up at Central Park (East Broadway Street, Lenoir City) for two days only — from 1:00 PM–8:00 PM and September 27th from 1:00 PM–6:00 PM. Look for the big carousel and you'll know you're in the right place.

🗓️ September 26th - The 6th Annual Good Neighbors Community Fair & Block Party is happening September 26th from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Danny Mayfield Park (700 College Street).

🗓️ September 26th - Friends of the Knox County Public Library is hosting the Book Fair for Adults from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S Gay St) — and it's free to get in.

🗓️ September 27th - If you've ever watched the Olympics and thought "I could do that" — here's your shot. The Great Smoky Mountains Curling Club is hosting a Learn to Curl session from 4:00 PM–6:00 PM at the Ice Chalet (100 Lebanon Street - behind the Fresh Market in Bearden). Register - curlknoxville.com

🗓️ September 27th - The season kicks off with a Sunday Lawnchair Concert featuring DREAMS: A Fleetwood Mac Experience — a tribute act bringing the timeless catalog of Fleetwood Mac to the outdoor stage at 2620 Willow Point Way in Knoxville.

🗓️ September 27th - The Green Thumb Gala returns to the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum for an unforgettable evening celebrating the beauty of the Garden and the community that helps it thrive. More Info

🗓️ September 29th - Trustegrity is hosting a Guns and Networking Fall Event on September 29th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Windrock Shooting Range & Training Center (720 Windrock Rd, Oliver Springs) — a full afternoon of shooting sports, fresh mountain air, and the kind of relaxed conversation that only happens when you're not standing around a hotel conference room with a lukewarm cup of coffee. More Info

🗓️ September 30th - Sarah Jarosz brings the 10 Years of Undercurrent Tour to the Bijou Theatre (803 S. Gay Street) at 7:30 PM — an evening that promises to be part anniversary celebration, part concert, and entirely worth your time. More Info

🗓️ October 1st - Synergy HomeCare of Knoxville-Morristown is hosting Knoxville Dining with Dementia, a free educational Lunch & Learn focused on dementia awareness, caregiver support, and practical resources for families and loved ones. It's happening from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM at The Church at Sterchi Hills (904 Dry Gap Pike NE). RSVP

🗓️ October 2nd - Brew at the Zoo returns to Zoo Knoxville — an adults-only evening (21+) of craft beer, live music, food, and after-hours access to the animals. Local and regional breweries will be pouring a wide selection of craft beers, cocktails, and specialty brews while you wander the zoo under the stars with live entertainment and food trucks throughout. More Info

🗓️ October 2nd - The Knoxville History Project (KHP) presents The Road to Knoxville, a symposium at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street), developed as part of America's 250th anniversary year. More Info

🗓️ October 2nd - Ghostbusters (1984, PG) @ Marble Springs State Historic Site · marblesprings.net · Presented by Borderland Tees

🗓️ October 3rd - The Chic Flips Community Market comes to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (6632 Chapman Hwy) on October 3rd from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and admission is free. Hosted by Chic Flips Home Transitions, the event brings together local makers, vintage finds, handmade goods, jewelry, clothing, crochet, candles, plants, and more — plus food trucks for lunch (and probably dessert).

🗓️ October 3rd-4th - The Gem • Mineral • Fossil Collector Showcase, presented by Knoxville Rocks, Fossils, Minerals and Gems, takes over the Hilton Garden Inn Knoxville West/Cedar Bluff Show Room (216 Peregrine Way) 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days. Admission and parking are both free.

🗓️ October 4th - The 3rd Annual Spook-tacular Tea Party, hosted at The Kraken's Cup Tearoom (4815 N Broadway St #107), takes place from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Come dressed as your best witch, wizard, sorcerer, or warlock (family-friendly costumes, please) and settle in for an afternoon tea buffet, a selection of teas, a fortune teller, and a raffle with a spooky-themed tea basket up for grabs. More Info

🗓️ October 4th - Intrepid Nitro Coffee and Tea Bar and Bowman Studios are teaming up again for a Fall Brush n Brew — a paint-and-sip class where you pick your canvas, build your palette, and walk away with something you actually made. It's happening from 2:00 PM–4:00 PM at Intrepid Nitro (11432 Hardin Valley Road). More Info

🗓️ October 5th - 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

🗓️ October 6th - This one is part history lecture, part storytelling. The East Tennessee Historical Society's Brown Bag Lecture Series welcomes historian Amy Laurel Fluker at noon at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street) for a talk based on her book Haunted by Memory: Ghost Stories of the American Civil War, October 6th from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 6th - Firepits and S'mores Galore with Fairy House Building A perfect fall night at the quarry — firepits, s'mores, and the creative magic of building tiny fairy houses in the woods. More Info

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

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

🗓️ 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 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 - 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

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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