by Emily Stooks | Mar 14, 2023 | All Articles, Downtown, Emilie Stooksbury, Food & Drink
It’s award season, babes, and when award season coincides with Daylight Savings, we are much more interested in bestowing the nation’s highest awards to coffee rather than cinema. Coffee is working so hard for us these days 🥲 That being said, we’re certainly not here to tell you what kind of coffee to like! SO without further ado, here is the official ceremony of Knoxville coffee shops ranked on everything but coffee. Think of it as local coffee superlatives. Okay let’s gooooo!!!! (That energy? Yeah, that’s the coffee talking.)
The award for BEST INSTAGRAM AESTHETICS goes tooooo: Remedy Coffee (North Knox)
We’ve taken photos of literally every corner of Remedy. That fan in the corner? Yep. That menu list? For sure. The bar seating facing the window? You betcha. She’s got great style, great lighting, and she overlooks a cemetery which is just the artsiest thing we could ever imagine. So snap away, pals, no judgement here.
The award for the BEST PLACE TO GO IF YOUR FRIEND WANTS TO MEET FOR COFFEE BUT YOU’VE ALREADY LOWKEY HAD FIVE CUPS goes tooooo: Honeybee Coffee (Farragut)
Honeybee Coffee takes this one by a landslide because of their brewery side aaaand their legit food menu. They will not be boxed in by your baked goods! (PS. They have other locations scattered around town as well, including their OG spot in South Knoxville!)
The award for FEELING TRENDY WHILE SHOWING YOUR FRIENDS AROUND TOWN goes tooooo: Old City Java (Old City)
Why, you ask? Well, why is the grass green? Why do birds sing? Old City Java is just cool. Maybe it’s the painted ceiling, maybe it’s the historic building, maybe it’s the spots to sit in the alley. Either way, it’s great (and the Old City neighborhood is the cutest place to stroll on a weekday morning… though on a weekend at midnight, “cute” is maybe not the word we would choose… IYKYK 😂)
The award for WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO goes toooooo: Likewise Coffee (East Knoxville)
Likewise Coffee is in an old renovated house which means it has SOooo many cozy corners to choose from. If you’re not sure what vibe you’re lookin’ for in the moment, just go to Likewise – they’re dripping with different vibes. Let future-you make that decision. (Their proceeds also go straight to their non-profit, Raising a Voice, which fights to end human trafficking locally and globally soooo that’s another pretty decent reason to go to Likewise 😂)
The award for BEST PLACE TO BRING YOUR MINI BFFS goes tooooo: The Empty Cup (West Knox)
The Empty Cup embraces your kiddos and all kiddos! First, their profits go to supporting adoption efforts. Second, they have kid-friendly areas all around the shop. (Really, the whole place is pretty kid friendly – so many comfy couches!) And third, they have a drive-thru if you’re just not ready to deal with your wild babes in public today, period. Other Nominees: Mahalo in Powell & Jack’s!
The award for MAKIN’ YOU FEEL ALL GOOD IN YOUR SOUUUUL goes tooooo: Treetop Coffee Shop (West Knox)
The last two coffee shops were in the running for this one, but Treetop took the top spot! (Say that last line five times fast.) Treetop Coffee Shop is woman-owned & purpose-driven as they set aside funds each month to go towards helping kids around the world in a variety of ways. They also have “Do Good, Drink Good” on their wall so you’re inspired to jump in and help too 😍 (Also, unrelated, but it’s just dang CUTE and in the cutest lil corner of Sequoyah Hills.) Other Nominees: Empty Cup & Likewise Coffee
The award for MOST MYSTERIOUS NAME PRONUNCIATION goes toooo: Five & Hoek Coffee (Downtown)
Is it Five & HOKE? Is it Five & HECK? No, my friends, Five & Hoek is Five & HOOOOOK. They are very friendly in there (like literally SO sweet 😭🙌) and will definitely tell you how to pronounce it if you ask… Or – hear us out – we can collectively decide to keep the mystery alive, thus allowing them to win this award for year’s to come.
The award for MAKIN’ ME NEED TO BUY NEW PANTS goes toooo: Wildlove Bakehouse (North Knox)
I’m sooooorry but those baked goods & pastries from Wildlove are just too good. We cannot and will not say no. Y’all, you can literally watch the magic being made through the window into the kitchen. And trust us when we say, every single doughy bite is magic. Enjoy everything they offer because you can always buy new pants, people! Other Nominees: KBrew for that cappuccino + bagel combo
The award for BEST STUDY BUDDIEEEES goes toooo: Awaken Coffee (Downtown/Old City)
Awaken Coffee is good for studying, period, but you can elevate the experience (literally 😉) and pop up the stairs to their peaceful “treehouse” or head into the back for even more space & quiet! Other Nominees: Backroads Market cuz sometimes they have SNACKS
The award for PRETENDING TO GO FOR THE COFFEE BUT DEF STAYING FOR THE SHOPPING goes tooo: Backroads Market (West Knox)
Backroads is half coffee shop and half home goods store and fuuuuuull cozy goodness. It is theeee perfect spot to hang on a rainy day because once you’ve finished your coffee, you can simply stroll & shop as you inevitably make it back to the counter for another cup. Other Nominees: Jack’s but in reality we go for the shopping & appreciate the coffee
The award for CAFFEINATION RELAXATION goes tooooo: Mahalo Coffee Roasters (Powell & Downtown)
Have you had one too many cups but you’re still jonesin’ for another? We feel this deeply in our bones (no, seriously. We can feel the caffeine coursing through our veins). Thankfully, Mahalo exists! They roast and brew and serve all kinds of caffeination… but the Hawaiian Island vibes in which they do it is aaall relaxation, baby.
The award for BEING TRANSPORTED INTO MYTHICAL, MAGIC LANDS goes toooo: Fable Hollow (Fountain City)
This brand new bookshoppe/coffee shop is fantasy themed and was liiiiterally built to whisk you away to foreign lands. The vibes alone will do the trick, but you can also go the extra mile and read a book – the classic way to be whisked away to foreign lands. That’s two magical, mythical world transportations for the price of one coffee, babyyyyy!
The award for BEST SUMMER VIBES goes tooooo: K Brew (North Knox)
Is it because of the hammocks? MAYBE. But tell us what’s more summery than swingin’ on a hammock with a dog at your feet & an iced coffee in your hand. NOTHING. And it’s all possible at K Brew on N Broadway. (They have other locations but the oldest one in North Knox is our favorite 😊) On the nicest days, they’ll also open all the garage doors for an easy-breezy-caffeinated-summer experience.
The award for LOVIN’ YOU NO MATTER WHAT, YES, EVEN BEFORE YOUR COFFEE goes toooo: South Press (South Knox)
South Press Coffee in South Knoxville has made a name for themselves for being one of the safest, most inclusive spots in Knoxville, period. No matter who you are or who you love, you can walk through those doors, grab a mug off the wall, and enjoy a cup of unlimited coffee in a space with unlimited quirky decor.
The award for FEELING FANCY LIKE A DOWNTOWN DWELLER goes toooo: Frothy Monkey (Downtown)
Popping into Frothy Monkey for a to-go coffee or sipping it on the dreamy front-patio just feels slightly elevated when doing it right on the hustle & bustle of Gay St. We suggest enjoying your coffee with sunglasses on your head and a chihuahua on your lap.
The award for CUTEST MASCOT goes tooooo: Capybara Coffee (Campus)
Have you seeeeen a capybara?? They are adorable (especially for a rodent *shudders*). You know who else is adorable? The owners of Capybara Coffee who will make sure seasonal drinks have appropriately themed garnishes. (We die over a themed garnish 😭🙌) They’re truly the sweetest and will tell you all about their coffee, their journey to Knoxville, and their love for capybaras – just ask!
The award for BUILDIN’ COMMUNITY goes tooooo: Golden Roast Coffee Roasters (West Knox + Campus)
Y’all KNOW building community is our absolute favorite thing & apparently Golden Roast is pretty into it too! 😂 They host book clubs and markets and concerts and craft nights and all kinds of community-centric goodness. In fact, even when they had to change locations, they made sure to stay in the same neighborhood so they could keep servin’ that community (*wipes forty-five tears*). Other Nominees: CommonPlace Coffee – it just feels like a warm hug in there! And South Press Coffee – it feels like a colorful, fun, inclusive hug in there!
The award for FRIENDLIEST NEIGHBORS goes tooooo: Coffee & Chocolate (Downtown)
Speeeaking of community! We may be biased (okay, we definitely are), but Coffee & Chocolate is our neighbor and we adore them. They’re so sweet (the people and the truffles) and they will even pick up our packages sometimes or let us borrow a trash bag now & then. (I wish I could say they let us borrow a cup of sugar but alas, we’ve never asked. Trash bags though? That we’ve needed 😂) Thank you so much for attending this year’s Knoxville Coffee Shops Ranked on Everything But the Coffee awards! Now go home and enjoy the rush only taking off heels after a long night at an awards show can give you. OR, hear us out, rally and get some coffee 😉
by Emily Stooks | Feb 3, 2023 | All Articles, Downtown, Emilie Stooksbury, Lifestyle
February may still be winter, but at least it’s winter dressed in PINK, right?💕 It’s winter, but at least it’s winter that encourages flowers and chocolates and date nights. And thanks to our hero Leslie Knope, it’s winter that celebrates girl power and female friendship (Galentines, babyyyy!). So basically, it’s winter… but, hey, a little better! 😂 So in the spirit of love month, here are 7 (more) date night ideas to do in Knoxville, TN! (Curious about the first 7? Click here!)
1.) YOU MAKE ME HAPPY [HOLLER]
Happy Holler is a cute lil neighborhood on Central Ave and subsequently the backdrop of a great date night. Sure, it’s basically dinner and a movie… but trust us: our way is better. Kick off the night sharing a charcuterie board & flat bread at The Oak Room by Abridged. This cozy but elevated spot was quite literally made for date nights. Seriously – the owner, Jesse, loved the casual vibes of his original Abridged Brewing Co. but wanted to open something for when he and the missus wanted a nice night away from the kids. And, well, he totally nailed it. After your apps & drinks, walk around the corner to enjoy a show at Central Cinema!
2.) LOVE YOU, BREW, er, BOO
Anybody can hit up a brewery, but youuuu can impress your date by taking it to the next level with a Knox Brew Tour. (Next Level… haha… that’s a brewery in Knoxville… ha.. ANYWAY.) The bus tours are super fun for birthdays and parties, but a Downtown Walking Tour is a perfect option for date night! You get to stroll through downtown Knoxville sipping beers and learning about the local beer scene from a (highly entertaining) expert. BONUS: When you’re done, you’re already conveniently downtown for continued festivities!
3.) JAZZ IT UP
We are of the opinion that jazz makes pretty much any experience just a hair fancier. If you’re lookin’ for fancy, we’ve found you the jazz. Babalu has jazz on Monday nights, Knox Farmacy has jazz brunch on Saturday mornings while Water into Wine brings up the rear on Saturday evenings. (And even more are listed here.) If none of those tickle your fancy, check out Bistro at the Bijou who hosts live jazz pretty frequently as well. Live jazz followed by a concert next door at The Bijou? BIG win for date night. (Oh, you claaaassy! But you know what else is classy? Checking to verify that these spots are indeed hosting jazz before showing up with your date, just sayin’ 😉)
4.) HIKE IT UP
If you are absolutely not looking to class up your evening, you are in the right spot! This is the Scruffy City, after all. There are plenty of good trails to choose from around town (Fort Dickerson is another fun one!) but for this particular list, we’re going to spotlight Ijams Nature Center for your classic hike & dip combo. The Meads Quarry Loop trail (Tharp’s Trace is the official trail name) gives you a couple beautiful views of the quarry and is a nice hike without taking tooooo much time or leaving you tooooo sweaty. That being said, even if you do get sweaty, you can just jump right into the quarry afterward and wash it all away! It’s totally free to hike and take a dip – or during summer months, you can pay a few bucks to rent a paddleboard or tube and enjoy even more time lounging together on the water. End the excursion with a beer from their beer garden or head over to Sevier Ave and enjoy a brew at Alliance or Printshop or Hi-Wire. Voilà! Date night.
5.) TAKE FLIGHT (no, no, not that kind)
It’s flu season babyyyy so this is only a good date idea if you’re already smoochin’ BUT tackling some flights together is such a fun way to mix up a standard drink date! Most local breweries have flight options or you can go crazy and enjoy an ice cream (WHAT. Yes.) flight at Sugar Queen Creamery in South Knoxville. Orrrrr you can mix it up even more with these local flight ideas ranging from sours to coffees to wines! Do you remember the olive theory from How I Met Your Mother? Sharing a flight is the perfect way to streamline that theory. You love dark beers & he loves lagers? Perfect. Now you know 😉
6.) SPILL THE TEA, BABYYY
If Dry January has eased into Damp February, a tea session with the Tea Room is the ✨perfect✨ place for a cozy, sober date. Start the date with an hour-long gong fu cha experience where you’ll get to experience four to ten flash brews (equating to around one liter of tea) for you to drink during the ceremony (or take home with you because that ends up being a LOT of liquid, my friends 😂). After your Chinese tea ceremony, head to The Boocherie or Monkey’s Bar for a late-night mocktail. ADORABLE.
Image of Soccer Pool from Hi-Wire
7.) NOT HERE TO PLAY GAMES
LOL JK YES WE ARE DEFINITELY HERE TO PLAY GAMES. If you want to play some games (not games with hearts, people), there are plenty of fun spots all over town with a whole hooost of games. Suttrees High Gravity Tavern is in Downtown Knoxville on Gay St. and connected at the hip is Harrogate’s Lounge. They’ve got all the classics like pinball and skee ball (aaand do yourself a favor and try the ramen at Suttrees while you’re at it). Down in South Knoxville, Hi-Wire Brewing Co. has got “Soccer Pool” and ping pong and even board game night on Mondays! Never want to fight with your partner again? Head back north & release that anger by throwing axes at Craft Axe Throwing. Then kick it down a notch by meandering a block over & ending the night with board games at Craft Bastard Brewery. Over in West Knoxville, Token Game Tavern even has it in the naaaame so you know they’re serious. They’ve got new and vintage arcade games, more pinball, console games, truly everything. So snag a drink and a partner and start playin’ gaaames, you crazy kids!
Hopefully it’s obvious but events and concerts and UT games and such are always a super fun way to spend a night out in the Scruffy City. You can keep up with upcoming events weeee are personally super excited about right here. Now go have fun with your two loves (Knoxville and whoever it is you love) – and DM us if we missed your favorite local date night activity!
by Emily Stooks | Dec 2, 2022 | All Articles, Downtown, Holidays, Shopping
I am absolutely one thousand percent obsessed with all things Christmas. I dive hook, line, and sinker into all the music, traditions, seasonal cocktails and tacky sweaters of the season. So yes, okay, suuuure, FINE, I’ve been known to go a little overboard on gifts some years. But if you’re wired the same way, we’re here to help you turn “overspending” into “pouring back into your beloved Knoxville community” 😉 It’s all about how you spin it, baby! Without further ado, here is the ULTIMATE LOCAL KNOXVILLE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE for all the people in your life!
FOR THE FASHIONISTA:
Don’t you dare pick up a five-pack of gold hoops from Target. Put it down. Walk away. Grab a Peppermint Mocha on the way out cuz you earned it and then snag one of these local gems!
FOR ALL THE BROWNIE POINTS:
As long as you’re absolutely sure the person you’re shopping for truly enjoys hanging out with you… these are sure to ✨delight✨ them!
- FULLY FUNDED DATE NIGHT #1: Craft Axe Throwing Gift Card (PRO-TIP: gift cards are 20% off from Black Friday to Cyber Monday!) followed by dinner a la an A Dopo Gift Card (some of the best pizza in Knoxville if we do say so ourselves!).
- FULLY FUNDED DATE NIGHT #2: Elevate this gift by throwing in a pun about going through the highs and lows together. Then they’ll unwrap gift cards to Maple Hall for bowling in a rad basement and Five Thirty Lounge for drinks on a rooftop. BOOM. Brownie points.
- THAT’S SHOW BIZ, BABY: Snag tickets to a show! Live music, comedy, Broadway – the Scruffy City is your oyster and YOU are their hero.
- SCRUFFY STAYCATION: RT Lodge and the Little River Tiny House are both in Maryville so it almost feeeels like a getaway (even if it is only 30 minutes from home. Who’s counting?). Or snag a room at the Hyatt Downtown, Embassy Downtown, Graduate Knoxville, or the Tennessean for a fun downtown experience!
- CHRISTMAS WALK-OFF: We love a Knox Brew Tour, period – but a Walking Tour of Downtown Knoxville’s Breweries?? It’s equally precious and fun and supporting local while quite literally walking off your beers. So yeah, you’re basically a picture of health. Cheers to winning Christmas, pal.
FOR THE FRIEND WHO MOVED AWAY (rude):
- They will literally move back if you hand them a hand painted, blown-glass ornament of Santa holding the Tennessee Theatre. Get it here and use the code “New2Knox” for 15% off. (Okay, quick disclaimer that we can’t guarantee they’ll move back, but HERE’S HOPIN’!)
- Grab a map of Knoxville from Native Maps (or a map of their new home if you can stand it…😢)
- Pick up a “Smoky Mountain Cabin” candle from 865 Candle Company
- Grab a T-Shirt celebrating their old neighborhood from Nothing Too Fancy
Zero Waste Kitchen Starter Kit from KnoxFill
FOR THE FOODIE FRIEND:
- A Charcuterie Box from Euphoric Cheese Shop
- The Zero-Waste Kitchen Starter Kit from KnoxFill if they love both slaying in the kitchen and saving the environment.
- A New Years Eve party feels like the perfect time to try out 2022’s butter board trend. Snag them a whole dang starter board for Christmas right here to make it happen! (If you’re reading this after the preorder date, you should definitely still look at all the fancy butter from Butter from the Block. All your southern cookin’ pals will thank you 😉)
- You’re probably not surprised to hear you can order to-go tacos online from Tako Taco. What may be a surprise is that you can add in a bottle of their small-batch hot sauce to that order and delight any fire aficionados in your gift-giving sphere.
- Foodies are often also drinkies (there’s no way that’s the actual term, but you get what we’re sayin’). A glass from Pretentious Glass Co specifically made for beer, wine, or whiskey is certain to impress. If you want to make it ✨interactive✨ (ooOOOooh fun!) grab a gift card to Pretentious Beer to go with it or book them a Make-Your-Own Workshop!
PARENTS OF PETS & PLANTS & PICKSQUEAKS:
- PET PARENTS: You absolutely need to get your fave pet parent a collar from K & M collars. They definitely love their pet more than you but one of these collars may just give you a fighting chance 😉
- PLANT PARENTS: If you’re looking to shop from your couch in your jammies, snag a pot from claymarii (This was an idea sent in from @amia.zoe!). For brick & mortar plant pickins’ head to local fave Oglewood Ave or the newest seedling on the block, Flora & Folia!
- PIPSQUEAK PARENTS (aka parents of human children): If you’re lookin’ for a snuggly baby blanket, Made by Kelley is your girl (thanks for the tip @annie_belle003!). We also just love a magical wand from Glitterville and cannot imagine a scenario where that wouldn’t be met with shrieks of delight. Besides that, check out this Knoxville puzzle by Paris Woodhull or this adorable & interactive Make Your Own Monster kit from Monsters Made with Love!
FOR THE Teacher/Office Party/General Acquaintance You Don’t Really Know That Well but Still Have to Give Something To:
- You do not need to know someone very well to know if they have a beard or not. Coulis Beard Co. is here for all your beard buddy needs!
- Teachers and coworkers across the country need their coffee and you can be the hero that gets it for them. Snag a bag of locally roasted beans from Mahalo, Likewise, or Golden Roast!
- You know what never goes out of style? Cookies the size of your face. Myrtles Bakehouse inside Marble City Market has you[r face] covered [with their massive cookies].
Thanks for shopping small and scruffy this season, friends! We hope this list helps Christmas shopping feel a little less daunting and a little more home-grown. If you end up finding an absolutely obsession-worthy gift from a local maker, you better tag us on the ‘gram so we can see it 
Oooobviously, Christmas is about more than presents (ever use the “my presence is my present” line? 😉), so click here to read about 7 Things to Do in Knoxville at Christmas!
by Emily Stooks | Oct 23, 2022 | All Articles, Downtown, Entertainment, Holidays
It’s Halloween week (Halloweek, if you will) witch means there is plenty to boo in Knoxville, Tennessee! Whether you want to hit as many spooky events as possible or you need to carefully choose your one golden extroverted opportunity, here are a bunch of Halloween events for all ghosts and goblins to check out this week!
SOUTH KNOXVILLE:
Halloween Silent Discos Hi-Wire Brewing Co and Honeybee Coffee are both putting on a scary good time at their Halloween Silent Discos! Come dance the night away (Thriller, anyone?) at HONEYBEE on Friday, October 28th or HIRE-WIRE on Saturday, October 29th, from 8pm-12am with three dueling DJs. Tickets for Hi-Wire are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Halloween Market Head back to the South Side the next day for the Halloween Market! From 2-6pm in the parking lot across from South Coast Pizza, you can enjoy local shopping and trick or treating with all the vendors. Costumes encouraged! Ijams Scared Ijams Nature Center is getting spooky all week long! They’ve got a calendar of events spanning a night of scary stories (10/25), Ijams’ Enchanted Forest (10/28), a caving trip (10/29), a volunteer work day at the Stanton Cemetery (oooOOOoooo👻), and moooore! Boooovie Night! Come, we fly to South Side Garage on Wednesday, October 26th at 8pm! They’re showing Hocus Pocus on their big screen – and with food trucks and a full bar, it’d frankly be scary to miss. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE. South Side is alsooo where you can pick up your passports for the Old Sevier Halloween Bar Crawl on Saturday!
NORTH KNOXVILLE:
Booovie Night! Central Cinema is hosting a MONSTROUS double feature on October 27th & October 29th! Catch Dracula and Frankenstein back to back. (Get it? Monstrous? Okay, booving on…) You’re a Wizard: Think you’re smarter than the average muggle? Head to Next Level Brewing Co on Wednesday, October 26th for Harry Potter trivia at 7pm and proooove iiiiit!
DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE:
Brother Werewolf: You may have been to Brother Wolf in the Old City by now, but have you dared enter Brother Werewolf? A Halloween pop-up has taken over Brother Wolf with a spooky menu to enjoy, scary movies on the projector, and decor that will be sure to get you in the Halloween spirits. But beware! When November 1st hits, it will be like it never happened… (PS. Right across the street, Pour Taproom will be partying & costume-contesting it up on Saturday) Wicked Cool: Downtown Knoxville is always wicked cool if you ask her biggest fans (*cough cough* that’s us *cough cough*) but she’s especially wicked cool this month! Until the clock strikes midnight on Halloween, you can head to downtown in costume and take a photo with the iconic Tennessee Theatre sign to be entered to win local gift cards and goodies! Just post your photo with #knoxhalloween or upload it right here. Oh, the [Rocky] Horror! Speaking of the Tennessee Theatre, come back to catch the full ✨experience⚡️ of The Rocky Horror Picture Show there on Saturday, October 29th. Snag your tickets here because It. Will. Be. Fabulous. Haunted History: Nothing spooks us quite the way TRUE STORIES SPOOK US. No thank you. But if that’s your cup of tea, head to the Blount Mansion for a candlelight tour through one of Knoxville’s most haunted spots. Spooky tours will be happening Thursday-Sunday so snag your spot if you dare!
EAST KNOXVILLE:
Write as a Ghost: The Bottom has partnered with UT’s department of English to host a Halloween-themed poetry workshop called “The Spells We Cast.” It’s all goin’ down on Wednesday, October 26th! Boooovie Night: Cruze Farm on Asbury Rd. is hosting their own showings of Hocus Pocus on October 28th & 29th! But instead of drinks and food trucks, you can enjoy ice cream and a drive-in theater.
WEST KNOXVILLE:
Token Game Tavern: This Cedar Bluff bar just has a cool vibe period, but they’re kickin’ it up a notch for Halloweek. We’re talkin’ Nightmare Before Christmas Trivia on the 26th, a Stephen King Horror Halloween Bash on the 28th, and a Killer Klowns from Outer Space (WUT) Halloween Bash on the 29th! If Instagram ain’t lyin’, you’re gonna wanna pull out all the stops for these costume-wise as well. These guys don’t mess around when it comes to Halloween 😂 Boooovie Night! The last movie night but certainly not the least movie night on this list goes to Albright Grove Brewing Co.! They’re playin’ Halloween (ha, fitting) on their patio so bundle up or Michael Myers won’t be only one to getcha! (To be clear, the cold will get you… not some alternate terrifying fictional character.)
by Emily Stooks | Oct 12, 2022 | All Articles, Lifestyle, Nena Potter
One thirty-something woman’s bucket list for things to do in Knoxville this fall.
CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATED KNOXVILLE FALL BUCKET LIST
Call me basic but my absolute favorite season is FALL, Y’ALL 🍂 There’s just something about this time of year in Tennessee. The temperatures finally start going down while football ramps up, the return of all things pumpkin happens, the mosquitoes finally start to dieee (thank the Lord!), and two words: SWEATER WEATHER. I love it all. Give me colorful (yet dying) foliage; give me chili and a PBJ (yes, this is a thing and it’s delicious); give me spooky things; give me camping and bonfires and s’mores and boots and cozy blankets and… okay okay, you get it. Anywhoooo, without further ado, here’s my autumnal bucket list: 9 Things to Do This Fall in Knoxville!
1.) Get Sporty Spice at a UT Football Game
This is an obvious one – but if you live in Knoxville, fall equals football. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. I’m not even a huge sports ball gal myself, but I absolutely love attending a game at Neyland Stadium. Seeing the team run through the T, singing Rocky Top at the top of your lungs and eating some classic stadium food? C’mon! It’s a perfect way to spend a Tennessee Saturday. Even if you don’t go to an actual game, there is always tailgating! (Find out all the pro-tips for your first game or tailgate at Neyland right here.)
2.) Get Lost! (In a Corn Maze)
I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing. I mean, it’s corn! It’s got the juice. This one can be a little more on the spooky side if you do a haunted maze – but it doesn’t have to be! Personally, all the adrenaline I need can be found in the idea of getting lost in an endless maze, period. If you’re the same way, head over to Oakes Farm in Corryton or Walnut Springs just past Strawberry Plains for adorable fall goodness and an ah-MAZE-ing time! 😉
3.) ‘Gram it Up with Gourds
Let’s be honest, you could just buy a pumpkin at your local grocery store – but where’s the fun in that?! I want Instagram-able shots of my friends picking out our favorite gourds and I want to know I’m supporting the local farming community by buying all of their produce. This year, I’m looking to check out Deep Well Farm as they have cute photo ops, baby goats and other adorable farm animals, and you can pick a pumpkin AND go on a hayride for only $14. I mean, go big or gourd home, right? 🤪
4.) Eat [F]all the Autumn-Flavored Things
Knoxville’s local eateries are doing it right this year when it comes to incorporating all the fall flavors. “Spicy Maple” ice-cream collab from Sugar Queen Creamery and Simpl? Say less, fam. “Green Apple & Salty Caramel” ice cream from Cruze Farm? Don’t mind if I do. There’s also so many great local options for pumpkin lattes and donuts that you really can’t go wrong (Pro-Tip: Awaken has a seeeriously stacked fall menu). French Market has pumpkin crepes. Barrelhouse by Gypsy Circus has pumpkin cider on tap. Tomato Head has apple mimosas. You get the idea 😂
5.) Get a Little BOO-zy
After I try all the fall foods, I want to drink all the fall beer, especially at Last Days of Autumn Brewing BECAUSE C’MON ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THE NAME? It’s perfect. Besides that, Xul Beer Co is hosting their very first beer festival – Kill the Lights on October 22nd. There’s going to be music, food, new beer releases and over FIFTY breweries to sample from. Peep all the details here (if you daaaare muahahaha!)
puppy in a backpack omg like seriously are you kidding me
6.) Take a Hike! (And leaf peep along the way)
So, if you’re reading this and you’re under 30, I’m going to introduce you to a new term: *Leaf Peeping*. This is a real term used to describe the activity of traveling somewhere just to take pics of the fall foliage. I am a self proclaimed leaf peeper and (*insert salesman voice here*) you can be too! Knoxville is so close to a million great places to check out the changing colors (including, you know, that whole National Park that’s basically in our backyard 😂) According to a fall foliage forecast I found, leaves will turn to fall colors in higher elevations around mid-October, and continue into lower elevations until about mid-November. So, if you’re like me and want to see some unbe-leaf-able views, grab a buddy and make plans to get on the trails soon!
7.) Get Spooked at the Movies!
When it comes to scary movies, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a baby BUT there are still a couple of screenings on my to-do list or should I say… to-BOO list?😉 If you’re looking to find your community of horror-film-loving homies, then you can’t miss this year’s Knoxville Horror Film Festival at Central Cinema in North Knox (as well as the Parkway Drive-in Movie Theatre in Maryville). This four day fest is a marathon of the macabre and includes showings of this year’s hottest horror shorts and independents as well as a short film competition and award ceremony. This is guaranteed to get you in the Halloween mood. Speaking of…
8.) Do the Time Warp Again
Less spooky and more kooky but something I’ve wanted to do for over a decade now is go to a showing of the cult classic, Rocky Horror Picture Show! If you don’t know, this isn’t just a normal trip to the movies. It’s part dinner show, part interactive experience where you dress up, sing, dance, yell at the screen and throw stuff too! There are a couple places around town to join in on all these shenanigans including The Concourse where they will be doing a Shadowcast (where the movie will be shown and actors perform in real time along with what’s happening on-screen) and the always amazing Tennessee Theatre. This has been a Halloween tradition for decades (ever since the film came out) and I don’t think I can say I’ve truly done this holiday right until I can say I’ve done this.
9.) Get Evil! Specifically, Medieval!
Finally, something that has been on my bucket list in general for a while is going to a medieval faire. This is technically outside of Knoxville (in Harriman) but I’ve never been to any kind of Renaissance Faire as an adult. I mean, how often, pray tell, does one get to dress up in middle age attire (I’m a fan of pretty much any event where dressing up is recommended?), nom on a giant turkey leg AND watch live jousting?! Me thinks I shall make haste to go thither as it surely will be a beauteous event indeed (though I may need to beef up on my medieval speech before I go…😂)!
That’s my list of things to do in Knoxville this fall! I hope it inspires some of y’all to embrace this season when there’s so many fun things to do in our Scruffy City. What’s on your bucket list for this autumn? Whatever you’re planning, I hope you fall in love with Knoxville all over again like I do. Cheers!
PS. CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATED KNOXVILLE FALL BUCKET LIST
