Culture
The Ballad of Bob and Esmond
(Today’s article is by recurring guest writer Luke Frazier, a relatively new Knoxville resident who continues to explore the city.) What do you get when you cross the sound of a Steelpan with a Singing Saw?...
Local Author Launches Second Novel Today
Local author, George Scott, released his latest novel, The Good King, last week and has the official launch today with a reading, signing, and conversation at Union Avenue Books tonight at 6:00 pm. I met with George...
HoLa Festival 2023 Kicks Off Hispanic Heritage Month
HoLa Hora Latina began Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15) in Knoxville with a fiesta of color, flavor, sound, and fun. This year marked the 23rd year of the HoLa Festival, Sept 16-17. I took the...
“Metamorphosis” Debuts at Lilienthal Gallery
Each season brings a new thematic exhibition to Lilienthal Gallery at 23 Emory Place. The fall exhibition, “Metamorphosis,” opens tonight from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm in conjunction with First Friday. Hungarian artist Eszter Bornemisza, one...
Business
Is Knoxville a Tourist Destination?
Knoxville hosted the Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism last week at the Convention Center. Governor Lee announced that TN benefited from $28.9B in tourism spending in 2022 from 140.93 million visitors to our state. Tennessee...
Partial Coffee and Wine Is Open at 826 N. Broadway
UT graduate Shay Gregory has realized his goal of opening a café to provide a sense of community and a great cup of coffee in his neighborhood. I first brought this to you in June. While...
A Party Bus Comes to Town
Knoxville’s entertainment scene continues to develop as more and more entrepreneurs create ways to serve the Knoxville community. The latest venture from R-Team Services seeks to be multi-use. It will function as a shuttle bus for...
DiCarlo’s Pizza is Open at 524 South Gay Street
It’s been almost four months since I first introduced readers to Kaz and Michelle Kaczmarek, owners of the newest downtown pizzeria. During those months the couple has been hard at work preparing for their launch, and...
Development
What is the Missing Middle and What are We Doing About It?
Missing Middle Housing is a term coined in 2010 by architect Daniel Parolek. In general terms, the word references types of housing which were common in pre-1940 America, but are no longer common. Duplexes, triplexes, rowhomes,...
What Happened to Those American Rescue Plan Dollars?
The city of Knoxville, like all American cities, spends a lot of money on a very wide range of items. While the largest expenditures are salaries for everyone from the mayor to the police force and...
Iconic Sunsphere Getting Much-Needed Makeover
Did you know the base of the Sunsphere was originally blue? If you did not, you’re with me and in good company. If you did, you were likely here in 1982, attending the World’s Fair, and...
Randy Burleson Buys Building Beside New Stadium
As stadium construction continues, the projected start date for spring of 2025 begins to seem closer. Some of the property around the stadium are owned by Randy Boyd and associated LLCs, but a few properties remain...
Events
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (9/24 – 10/3/2023
If you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me via the “invite” button on the event page (Alan Sims – you’ll have to friend me), and it will be included. I need...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (9/17 – 9/26/2023)
If you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me via the “invite” button on the event page (Alan Sims – you’ll have to friend me), and it will be included. I need...
What Creates A Strong Entrepreneurial Community? Maker City Summit Answers that Question
For the second year, I attended the Maker City Summit. For the second year, I walked away with new inspiration, ideas, and friends. I can’t help but wonder why more people aren’t attending this event. Maybe...
Initial Round of Big Ears 2024 Artists Announced
The annual Big Ears Festival returns to downtown Knoxville March 21 – 24, 2024, bringing the world to Knoxville once again. The event, which brings some of the most innovative, creative, and recognized names in international...
Life
Catching Butterflies and Making Memories in Cades Cove
The eldest Ryerson offspring is a senior in high school this year. It is exactly what everyone says — bittersweet. We are so proud of the young man he is becoming and yet so afraid...
Who Shares Positive Messages? Meet Elle Erickson.
A couple of weeks ago, guest writer Luke Frazier offered a meditation on the positive signs he found around town. Literally positive signs. The signs said so: This is a Positive Sign. The mystery surrounded the...
Finding Water
(Today’s article is by recurring guest writer Luke Frazier, a relatively new Knoxville resident who continues to explore the city.) I’ve been walking all over downtown Knoxville for a year now, investigating at the speed of...
Parading Cars, Parking, Pedestrians, and Public Space
In the very early days of this website, I wrote an article on parking. I can’t remember the specific issue or the stance I assumed, but I do remember a conversation with then Downtown Coordinator Rick...