by Emily Stooks | May 6, 2024 | All Articles, Downtown, Emilie Stooksbury, Entertainment, Lifestyle
Knoxville, Tennessee is an outdoor-lovers playground. There are endless options. We’re talking mountain biking and paddle boarding and quarry swimming and patio eating. BUT Knoxville also has a tendency to, well, rain… a lot. (In my defense, I moved here after about 5 years of living in a Texan draught so my opinion of “lots of rain” may be skewed but STILL 😂) When the rain comes down, do not fear. You can still have a super fun-filled (not sun-filled) day exploring your new city. Here are 6 ways to spend rainy days in Knoxville!
1.) Ask Me About Axes 🪓
Have you ever been axe throwing? It’s less terrifying than it sounds (trust us), while still allowing you to feel like a complete boss. You can take your shot at hitting the bullseye or mix it up with a handful of other games. Either way, it’s a unique way to get out of the house, stay out of the rain, and intimidate your enemies, hone your survival skills in the case of zombie apocalypses. Check out Craft Axe Throwing for themed days, leagues, and specials!
The Knoxville Art Museum is a great way to spend a rainy day!
2.) Museum Maven
Impress all future visitors with your extensive Knoxville knowledge by spending rainy days at museums! As super fancy folks (clearly), our favorite kind of museum is the freeeee kind which means The Knoxville Art Museum and Beck Cultural Exchange Center easily top the list! We also love catching different displays at the East Tennessee History Museum right in the heart of downtown Knoxville.
3.) Reach for the Skies Ceiling
If you ask us, rain is just an opportunity to bring the outdoors into the air conditioning 😜 Head over to the Climbing Center inside RiverSports in the eclectic Marble City neighborhood to climb in a dry, cool environment all day long. After your rock climbing adventure, pop over to their neighbors Albright Grove Brewing Co. to rehydrate with a beer or The Boocherie for a slew of non-alcoholic cocktails!
4.) Bangin’ Basement Bowling
Why simply get out of the rain when you can forget the outdoors entirely by hanging out in Knoxville’s favorite basement? Maple Hall is a trendy basement bowling alley tucked right underneath the heart of Gay St. Enjoy aesthetic lounging areas, delicious drinks & food (the fried pickles and pretzel bites are our faves 😋), and a day full of bowling with your buddies. (PS. Downtown Knoxville has a few other basement bars for you to check out too.)
5.) Brews & Boards
Let’s not overlook the classic (and ohhh-so-cozy) combo of board games and brews! Plenty of local bars and breweries have a stockpile of board games to help you fully take advantage of stormy evenings. We’re talkin’ full on hygge, y’all. Some of our favorites are Schulz Brau Brewing Co (we usually obsess over their biergarten, but the inside castle + fireplace situation is a dreeeam on rainy nights), Pour Taproom (the bevvy options are limitless – or as Cady Heron would say, “the limit does not exist”), and Crafty Bastard Brewery (we’ve spent many a rainy afternoon playing Sorry with a Hop Candy in hand #memories 🥲).
If you want to advance to the next level, you can hit up the Maple Room (located right above Maple Hall) for larger-than-life board games on the walls. OR go old school and hit up Harrogate’s Lounge connected to Suttree’s Tavern for arcade games (oh HELLOoo Dolly themed pinball!). OOOoor get active at Hi-Wire Brewing Co with games like ping pong, foosball, or soccer pool (yeah, soccer pool is a thing 😂).
6.) Lights, Cobra, Action
Speaking of action, rainy days don’t necessarily have to mean full hygge. While we wouldn’t choose to go on a rainy hike for instance – we do love a relaxing yoga sesh. At Renegade Yoga Center, you can enjoy a zen yoga class while the rain pounds on the roof and outside the big garage door. At Blue Ridge Yoga, you can end your yoga class with snuggles from Theo the insanely adorable French Bulldog. (I mean, C’MON 😍) And at Glowing Body Yoga Studio, savasana can include staring up at the skylight while the rain comes down.
Okay, friend, there’s more where that came from, but it’s high time you get off your device to go splash in some puddles and sing in the rain. TOODELOO 👋
PS. If you’re an Enneagram 9 and the idea of spending a rainy day rock climbing is just incomprehensible, don’t you worry. We’ve got a list of the Coziest Coffee Shop Corners where you can curl up with a book and pray the rain never goes away 😉 Happy Hygge-ing!
by Emily Stooks | Apr 17, 2024 | All Articles, Emilie Stooksbury, Food & Drink, Our Writers
by Emily Stooks | Apr 12, 2024 | All Articles, Entertainment, North Knoxville
Written By: Nena Potter
The city of Knoxville is said to have 16 neighborhoods (this is according to a very quick Google search by yours truly). While I don’t know if this is necessarily accurate, I can say for certain that one of my favorite neighborhoods around these parts is the Happy Holler Historic District. Yes, you read that right. The Happy Holler. Yee. To. The Haw. (Coincidentally, Yee-Haw Brewing is located in this area. Fitting.)
If you aren’t familiar, the Happy Holler is in North Knoxville and in the past was known as one of the… scruffier parts of town. In the last decade, however, it has become a sprawling scene of bakeries, bars, breweries, shops, restaurants and even has its own cinema. In addition to the variety of businesses, the Happy Holler just has a certain je ne sais quoi. (I confidently say this after living in the holler myself for several years.) It is a place that while close to downtown is still somehow off the beaten path. It embodies a unique blend of maintaining that bit of scruffiness with a coolness that sets it apart from more polished neighborhoods.
The vibe is truly authentic with a laid-back, unpretentious attitude. In the same vein, the residents and local businesses that call the Happy Holler home embrace their community’s history and character. With all of this (and wayyyy more than I’ve even scratched the surface on), it’s no surprise that this area is hosting what will probably be the coolest street festival that has ever festivaled in the history of street festivals: Holleroo.
Holleroo is the Happy Holler’s inaugural celebration and street festival and will take place this Saturday, April 13th from 10am – 11pm. Equal parts street fair and music festival, Holleroo promises a jam packed day of fun and entertainment for all ages. During the day, you’ll be able to wander around the open streets checking out local vendors for all kinds of baubles and trinkets, watch an actual Soap Box Derby, and then starting at 5pm, you’ll get the opportunity to check out some amazing local musical talent with the likes of Sarrenna, Dos Fuegos, and Dishwater Blonde. And did I mention all of this is FREE!?! No covers. No wristbands required. Just good ole fashioned free fun.
I was fortunate enough to see both Sarrenna and Dos Fuegos at the recent local music fest, WayneStock, and both are acts you seriously do not want to miss. Sarrenna is a true gem in the Knoxville music scene. When you see her live you can’t help but immediately be captivated by her voice. She sings with this self-contained power mixed with raw emotion that is spellbinding. You can feel the truth behind every verse and her own songs are imbued with a sense of vulnerability and authenticity that is so flippin’ refreshing it makes me want to cuss. (I won’t because I am a lady of course, but GOSH DANGIT she is good, y’all.)
Then on top of that, you have Dos Fuegos, the local Knoxville rap duo composed of Darrius Vital-Herne and Yattie Westfield, whose stage presence alone is enough to lure any passerby in and then rock their face off. With their electrifying performances and thought-provoking lyrics, they have carved out a distinct niche for themselves and earned the admiration of fans far and wide. Oh, and did I mention Yattie is literally a one man band and musical genius who plays the guitar and drums on stage at the same time (And I thought I was good at multitasking 😅).
Dishwater Blonde will round out the evening and if I’m being honest, I know nothing about this band besides the fact that their name comes from a line of a lesser known Prince song and they coined themselves as “Knoxville’s Finest, The Southeast’s Funkiest Band”. I can dig that. They’ve added several talented musicians to their line up including one of my favs, Cozmo Holloway, guitarist for The Dirty Guvs and Electric Darling, and I look forward to shakin’ my groove thang to them Saturday night.
All in all, it’s going to be an amazing time for some hootin’ and hollerin’ in the Happy Holler and I can’t wait to see you there!
Tips from your Festie Bestie:
- Bring cash and grab a tasty treat from The Original Freezo while you’re in the area. This place is an iconic eatery right in the heart of the Happy Holler and has been open since 1942 y’all.
- Wear comfortable shoes and plan to stay late as there may or may not be a secret Silent Disco happening after the shows.
- It goes without saying, but with any festival or event where you are hanging out all day outside and possibly imbibing on the local craft beer selections, drink water and use a ride-share option if possible. Your future self will thank you.
- If you DON’T Uber, remember to lock your car as the unofficial tagline for this area for longer than I can remember has been “Love Your Hood, Lock Your Sh*t Up!” 😆
Cheers!
Nena
by Emily Stooks | Mar 25, 2024 | All Articles, Emilie Stooksbury, Lifestyle
When it comes to late summer/early fall in East Tennessee, you can count on two things. First, University of Tennessee football will let you down. Second, the weather will lift you right back up🙌 We’re talkin’ temps in the mid-70s, refreshing breezes, even *a little less humidity.* You may find yourself asking, “Am I in California?” No, my friend. You have, in fact, stepped into prime patio season in East Tennessee. Don’t you dare go inside to drink your celebratory “I-Don’t-Watch-Football-So-This-Doesn’t-Affect-Me” beer. In no particular order, we’re here to share five of the best outdoor patios in Knoxville, Tennessee. (This will obviously be a multi-part series. How could we possibly narrow it down to five??)
Patio #1: Merchants of Beer
Neighborhood: Old City A couple years back, we heard Merchants of Beer (otherwise known as “MoB”) was going to renovate their parking lot into a back patio. We were distressed. We love an easy parking situation. WE WERE WRONG. This patio is 100% worth giving up parking (and yes, there is literally a parking lot across the street. We never claimed to be fitness buffs😂) From a permanent food truck to ping pong and other yard games to an ACTUAL BUBBLE MACHINE, this patio easily makes the “best patios in Knoxville” list for plenty of locals. Check, check, check.
Patio #2: Schulz Brau
Neighborhood: North Knox Schulz Brau is hands down the top biergarten in East Tennessee. The German decor gives us Oktoberfest vibes all year long. Just listen to this line-up: fire pits, big screen TVs, a stage for live music (or stein-holding contests if you come at the right time), and an outdoor bar so you literally never have to step foot inside. This German dream is a no-brainer.
Patio #3: Public House
Neighborhood: Old City-ish Tucked off the beaten path and just north of the Old City, Public House feels more like a secret garden than a downtown bar. The ingredients may seem standard – picnic tables, string lights, and vines – but trust us when we say, these things come together to make some patio magic. We recommend this experience with a Bee’s Knees and a good camera because your most-popular-Instagram-post-ever is just itching to be shot in that coveted vine-covered nook.
by Emily Stooks | Feb 17, 2024 | All Articles, Downtown, Emilie Stooksbury, Lifestyle, Neighborhoods, Our Writers
- farmers market in market square
- go to a local festival
- experience a UT sporting event
- take a photo in front of the tennessee theatre
- go inside the sunsphere
- go on a hike in the smoky mountains
- explore ijams nature center
- experience a first friday
- take on the ale trail
- listen to some bluegrass on a patio
