FIRST THINGS FIRST: I now have multiple friends who think of me when they eat hot dogs. Y’all, I can’t stress this enough: I. Love. Hot. Dogs. And there’s not a holiday out there that celebrates the hot dog like the 4th of July. If you’re new to Knoxville or just looking for some fun ways to spend the holiday, here are a few fun ways to spend the Fourth of July in Knoxville, Tennessee! (And yes, some even include hot dogs, y’all. *drool*)

1.) FROM THE WATER:

If you’re new to the city and still on the hunt for a boat friend (because c’mon, everyone needs a boat friend), the Star of Knoxville has you covered. This riverboat is not only painted thematically, they serve up a meal, provide entertainment, and (most importantly) give you a rad view of the Scruffy City a la the Tennessee River. The boat will be back at the dock by 9pm BUT you can stay onboard to watch the fireworks show from the deck! Click here to snag tickets.

Image from @fivethirtylounge

2.) TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD:

Another unique way to see the fireworks is by hikin’ up to the top of the world. And by “hiking” we mean taking an elevator and by “top of the world” we mean any of downtown Knoxville’s rooftop bars. Is the Five Thirty Lounge also serving up a flight of mini hot dogs? Yes, yes they are. (You have my heart, Five Thirty Lounge *wipes tear*)

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3.) FROM THE SUN:

This is the first year we’ve heard about this. Our jaws are still on the floor so we figured it’d be easiest to write it down 😉
THIS YEAR, YOU CAN WATCH FIREWORKS FROM INSIDE THE SUNSPHERE. Yes, you read that right. You can stand side by side with the World’s Fair Park fireworks inside quite literally the most iconic spot in the Scruffy City. AND you get to pick the floor that sounds best to you. The top floor ( 8th) will have drinks, appetizers, an ice cream bar, and a DJ. On the 6th floor, there will be live music, drinks, a slider and hot dog bar (!!!!!!) and another ice cream bar. Snag your tickets here!

4.) TO THE WORLD[‘s fair park]:

This is the main event, folks! If you’re lookin’ for a good ole fashioned (and free!) fireworks show and 4th of July festival in Knoxville, you need to get your cutie booty down to World’s Fair Park! There will be vendors, activities, and live music all evening. As the sun goes down, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will take the stage – paving the way for an amazing fireworks show at 9:35pm. Find details here!

BONUS FUN:

We are clearly here for the fireworks BUT there is more where that came from when it comes to the 4th of July in Knoxville! You can pop over to Farragut or Lenoir City for parades and fun runs, stay around Knoxville for old fashioned (literally) fun at Mabry Hazen House or James White Fort, or take a late-night trip to the mountains and attend the First Independence Day Parade in the Nation at midnight in Gatlinburg!

OH and if you prefer hamburgers to hot dogs, you can DISCOVER our five faves here! 😂