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
by Emily Stooks | Aug 17, 2022 | All Articles, Downtown, West Knoxville
With Taylor Swift’s “august” on repeat, the countdown to the end of our Scruffy City summer has begun! BUT SHE AIN’T OVER YET. While there’s plenty to be excited for in the coming months (cooler temps and pumpkin spice, to name just a couple 😉), we can’t forget to cross some last East Tennessee activities off that summer bucket list. We’re here to help you take advantage of five things that are just plain better in the summer. Without further ado, here are five things to enjoy in Knoxville before summer ends!
1.) Get On the Water!
It isn’t summertime in East Tennessee if you’re not on the water! Meads Quarry is the perfect outlet if you’re looking for a change of scenery from the downtown area (and without having to travel very far.) At the quarry, you can rent paddle boards and kayaks or just jump in and swim for free. If that’s not your thing, bring a chair to soak up the sun, your favorite book, and even your pup. The water is sparkling blue and the tall rock cliffs make for an Insta-worthy story.
2.) Outdoor Eatin’
Warm weather means outdoor dining – that, my friends, is just a fact. Thankfully, Knoxville has plenty of restaurants with pretty memorable outdoor spaces. Babalu has a sidewalk dining area, perfect for observing the hustle and bustle of Gay St. Around the corner in the heart of Market Square, Oliver Royale has a stylish patio with French bistro chairs and twinkling string lights. Jacks is a fan-favorite coffee shop with two locations and two great patios. Take a seat outside while enjoying avocado toast and your favorite seasonal latte. (Or just pop over here to read about five more of the best patios in Knox!) No matter the occasion, Knoxville has the perfect outdoor setting to match your vibe this summer 🤩
3.) This Lil Piggy Went to Market
While there are technically indoor winter markets, nothing compares to a farmers’ market in the summer. In mid-August, you can find the most delicious tomatoes and other peak summer veggies. Knoxville’s most popular farmers’ market is the Market Square Farmers Market which runs every Wednesday and Saturday until 1 PM. Besides the freshest produce, you can find pastries, kombucha, art, plants, and much more. It’s honestly the best way to see what Knoxville offers – all while supporting your local makers and enjoying the summer air!
4.) Ice Cream From the Top of My Lungs
Listen, ice cream can be enjoyed any day of the year and that’s not up for debate. (We’ll scream it from the tops of our lungs 😉) However, there’s something extra nostalgic (and extra necessary 😂) about cold ice cream on a hot summer day. Knoxville has plenty of delicious ice cream spots such as Cruze Farm, Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain, and the Sugar Queen Creamery (new to Knoxville as of this summer!) to help you cool down in the Tennessee heat. Treat yourself and check out those seasonal summer flavors before they are gone! I know I can’t get enough of anything peach flavored. (*pauses to wipe drool*)
Lakeshore Park
5.) Park It at a Park
Whether you like to hike, power walk with the gals, or enjoy a stroll with your dog, Knoxville has a park for you. Lakeshore Park is great because of the paved walkway, water views, and greenery. If you’re looking for something a little more woodsy, Ijams Nature Center has multiple hiking trails (some paved and some not) based on difficulty. Ijams is great in general if you’re looking to spend a good amount of your day outside. (Just be sure to check their website for trail closures/updates.) No matter which park you stumble across, stay hydrated and safe this summer!
Summer may be on her last leg, but we’re here to enjoy every last drop. And speaking of last drops, here are 10 Summer Cocktails you need to check off your list as well! 😉
by Emily Stooks | Aug 5, 2022 | All Articles, Downtown, Emilie Stooksbury
If you ask us, Knoxville is basically Taylor Swift. She’s reinvented herself a hundred times over, there are always new Easter eggs to uncover, every version rules, and she puts out some really great music. See? It checks out 😉 We’re here to look through some of Knoxville’s various versions and share more about the “then and now” of Downtown Knoxville.
Heads Up: this article is best paired with an iced latte from Coffee & Chocolate and the New2Knox window display at 323 Union Ave.
Also: Massive thanks to Paul from Knoxville History Project for all of his help in researching this article!
PHOTO #1: Cars on Market Square
Surprise! Did you have any idea this was Market Square?? The now iconic block is almost unrecognizable in this photo from the 1950s, so we’ll help set the scene. The photographer would have been standing on Union Ave (if you’re looking at the New2Knox window display, that’s the street you’re on!) near the current Oliver Hotel, looking towards the square. Instead of the stage and fountains/splash pads of today, you can see the Market House on the right side of the photo. This was a tall thin building that ran right through the middle of Market Square. Despite the cars pictured, this still wouldn’t have been a through street. Instead, vendors would be parked and selling things in the back. Honestly, not too different from the Farmer’s Market we know and love today!
The Kern’s Building Then
PHOTO #2: The Kern’s Building
The Kern’s Building was built in 1876, named after a German immigrant named Peter Kern.
Kern got stranded in Knoxville during the Civil War. He was put house arrest as a prisoner of war and spent his time selling molasses hoecakes to the troops. Ultimately, he chose to stay in Knoxville after he was released and opened up a soda fountain, ice cream parlor, and bakery. (He even became mayor for a year in 1890!)
The soda fountain was on the ground floor of the Kern Building, the ice cream parlor on the second floor, and the bakery was in the back of the building until 1930 when it moved across the river to Chapman Highway. Though Peter Kern passed away in 1907, he’s still got his mark in Knoxville. His portrait is prominently displayed inside Knoxville’s favorite speakeasy (the Peter Kern Library) and while there’s no longer a soda fountain in his building, you can enjoy brunch at Tupelo Honey which is almost as good 😉 The Kern’s Building is also now home to the Oliver Hotel. (Fun Fact: Elizabeth Gilbert finished the manuscript to Eat Pray Love in the Oliver Hotel’s predecessor, the St. Oliver Hotel!)
The 400 Block of Gay St in 1920
The 400 Block of Gay St now!
PHOTO #3: Gay St.
This photo of the 400 Block of Gay St. (looking south toward the Tennessee River) was taken in 1920. While the Tennessee Theatre wasn’t constructed yet here, you can see the Burwell Building (built in 1908) where she would one day call home. Across the street from the Burwell Building is the Holston Building – lowkey missing her two top floors! (Those came later, don’t worry 😂)
You can also see the Woodruff Building on the left where Downtown Grill & Brewery lives today. Due to the “Million Dollar Fire” wiping out much of Gay St in 1897, the Woodruff Building would have only been 20 years old in this photo. In fact, what is now Taylor Lofts is the only original building on that block left from before the fire.
A lot was changing in the early 1920s in Knoxville. In this one shot of Gay St, you can see early cars, street cars, AND horse and buggies. 1920s Knoxvillians really did get to choose their own adventure 😂
PHOTO #4: Gay Street & the Tennessee Theatre
Finally! Our beloved Tennessee Theatre has entered the scene. This black and white photo of Gay St was taken in the late 1920s. The Tennessee Theatre opened in October 1928. Fun Fact: the original organ that accompanied silent movies at the Tennessee Theatre back in the day is still played before various shows now!
Now look for the “Bankers Trust Company” sign on the Mechanics Bank Building in the bottom corner of the photo. In 1882, a family feud escalated into a a three way shooting right in front of this building. All three participants died. This story even appeared in Mark Twain’s book Life on the Mississippi. (You can learn more about the story in this book by Jack Neely.)
Beside the Tennessee Theatre, you can see the oh-so-elegant Farragut Hotel. She was only about ten years old in this photo, but the SEC would form there just a few years later in 1932. Not only that, the Farragut Hotel also hosted many meetings about the creation of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. These days, she’s home to the Hyatt Place and their classy rooftop bar.
Now move your focus to the other side of the street and locate the Holston building. Two more floors were built on after this photo was taken. You can see those extra floors in the photo from the 1950s and they’re still there today!
Speaking of that 1950s photo (with the orange Tennessee Theatre sign), do you notice anything missing? Krutch Park, home of Downtown Knoxville’s Christmas tree didn’t enter the scene until 2005.
The Sunsphere Then
The Sunsphere Today
PHOTO #5: The Sunsphere!
As Knoxville newbies, it’s hard to even imagine the Scruffy City without the Sunsphere. But it turns out, both the Sunsphere and the “Scruffy City” nickname were due to the 1982 World’s Fair! Construction on the Sunsphere started in 1981 as a “monument to the sun.” She had her fair share of issues between costs and being a casual, literal ball of gold 200+ feet in the sky – but she was ready to go by her debut at the 1982 World’s Fair!
As far as the “Scruffy City” nickname, Knoxville was referred to as a “scruffy little city,” in 1980 by the Wall Street Journal when news got out that they’d be hosting the World’s Fair. Knoxville’s worn that phrase like a badge of honor ever since 😉
After a few years of being closed, the Sunsphere is open again to the public. Now you can enjoy the new and improved observation deck for just $5/person or just enjoy the view from various parking garage for free 🙌
The New2Knox Office in 1933
The New2Knox Office Today!
PHOTO #6: The New2Knox Office!
Last but not least – there was no way could we write a whole “Then & Now” article without talking about our beloved office! As much as we love our lil office today, we’re not gonna lie – Knoxville’s missing out on a rad eatery that used to call this building home.
While the building could date as far back as the 1880s, we really fixated on The Biltmore Cafe. They opened in 1933 and served “red hots” (ie. hot dogs) and tamales of all things. Believe it or not, Knoxville actually has a long, rich history with tamales. Harry Royston is credited with popularizing tamales Knoxville as early as the 1880s – well before the rest of the country caught onto the good stuff.
They also served beer. During the Prohibition, Knoxville closed 106 saloons 🤯 – astonishing to consider today. You can see a couple of the women in this photo holding pints – showing they’re finally reopening with beer by the glass 🙌
We hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane! For all things Knoxville now, you’re in the right place 😉 New2Knox is here to help you connect with local businesses and new pals and fun events. But for all things Knoxville then, get to know the guys at Knoxville History Project! From books to events to tours, they’ve got you covered on all things Knoxville history.
Cheers to exploring our lil city, both then and now!
by Emily Stooks | Jun 19, 2022 | All Articles, Blake Trent, East Knoxville, Lifestyle
Over in East Knoxville (at 2340 E. Magnolia Avenue to be specific) lies The Bottom – a magical place where you can listen to book talks, join in on discussions, celebrate community, or even find a book of your own. It was founded by Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, a local sociologist studying race, place, and Black Communities. Speaking of those communities, The Bottom was named after a Black neighborhood in East Knoxville – a neighborhood that isn’t listed over at on our Neighborhoods page because it was completely demolished in the 1950s by urban renewal and institutionalized racism.
Rooted in community interviews and archival research, El-Amin’s work uncovered a resounding feeling of displacement and loss of space that spanned all the way from Knoxville’s black elders to the youth. She found that urban removal (while technically ended in 1974) was still very real for the people living in its remnants.
But Dr. El-Amin wanted to do more than just conduct a study. She wanted to make an impact. That desire became reality via an unassuming house on 2340 East Magnolia Avenue. It’s now the site of The Bottom Knox, a nonprofit community and organization space located right in the historic neighborhood it’s named after.
The Bottom Knox is a place where El-Amin, the founder, hopes Black people will feel comfortable in their own skin. It always included the healing stories of those who specifically lived and grew up in East Knoxville.
It’s open to any and all visitors who want to be part of an inspiring community-building effort (homegrown right here in Knoxville) though.There are plenty of events occurring every month that include volunteer opportunities, guest speakers, study groups, a merch shop (with one of the coolest shirts I’ve seen pictured below), and local art exhibitions. The space also includes an art studio offering workshops, quilting lessons, and the “Sew It Sell It” program, which teaches children how to sew and sell products. There’s even a brand new tea room! Patrons can sip on unique teas and discuss the various cultures that make up our great city of Knoxville. The profits go directly to the many endeavors The Bottom participates in to build community and help local Knoxvillians.
The bookstore is my personal favorite part of The Bottom. It has a curated selection of Black authors. It directly supports the impact that Dr. El-Amin is striving towards. It’s open for you to come and browse every Tuesday through Saturday from 11am-6pm. AND while the selection is curated, The Bottom will special order a book for you – just ask!
Find your new summer read, have a good conversation, and be a part of something bigger – starting at The Bottom.
