Music around every corner greeted the crowds that came to downtown Knoxville this weekend. Knoxville Opera‘s Rossini Festival, which has previously taken over Gay Street, now sends its vibes out from the side streets. Stretching from Market Square down Market Street to Church Street and incorporating side streets, Union Avenue and Clinch Avenue along the way, festival stages bounded most boundaries of the festival footprint providing a soundtrack to all the fun. This year’s festival expanded to a two-day event.
We took full advantage of having a home in downtown that allows us to take festivals in small bites. The entire Urban entourage took an early swing on Saturday (after finding treasures at Independent Record Store Day at Raven Records and Rarities) and I returned Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The weather, seemingly ominous early Saturday, turned beautiful by afternoon. Sunday’s chilly temperatures may have put a cap on crowds that day, but it wasn’t so cold as to be uncomfortable. At least it didn’t rain. We’ve seen that movie in past years.
We started by taking in all the arts and crafts, of course, and purchases were made. Urban woman loved some small, ceramic mixing bowls with a handle and we’ve already put it to use. Watching the artists at work beside their finished product offered a fun addition. Hearing them talk about their work and watching it take form added another layer of appreciation to their work.
Urban Girl won a few items at the Regal booth and enjoyed looking at the plants. The big (non-alcoholic) pineapple drinks seemed to be the food-item hit of the day. There may have been a slightly wider range of food this year and Urban Boy and his dad went in the gyro and nacho route. Hats off to the festival for ditching the confusing and cumbersome ticket purchases of the past. Beer and wine were freely sold, enjoyed on the street, and as far as I could tell didn’t cause a problem. Sounds like an idea whose time has come for the entire downtown area, as far as I’m concerned.
The rest of us enjoyed a light lunch at Cafe 4 on the patio, one of the many packed patios on the day. We enjoyed watching people and speaking to a few as they passed, including Mayor Kincannon.
A large children’s area sprawled out over what will likely be a construction zone by this time next year, so I suspect there will have to be some shift or another. It took over the block bounded by Market, Church, and Walnut, the site of our future Tempo Hotel. Who would have thought just a few years ago that downtown would be running out of good parking lots to use for festivals?
The music offerings anchor the event and this year was no disappointment on that front. Four stages continually shuffled dance and music both days, with stages on Market Square, at the opposite end of Market Street, and on Clinch and Union, facing away from Gay Street (which carried on business as usual on a weekend. The emphasis on young singers and musicians serves us all well as they gain confidence and experience which will enrich our city for years to come.
On Saturday I particularly enjoyed Kari Novilla playing the harp and the UT Jazz Ensemble. I snagged a coffee from KBrew and the corner table in front of Embassy Suites nearest the stage and listened to the Jazz Ensemble for quite a while. What that program does for this city’s jazz scene defies hyperbole. A warm afternoon, good coffee, live jazz, sitting at a table on Gay Street as the crowds pass by: That’s life. I ended the evening with a couple of songs from the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir.
I took a smaller run out on Sunday. Highlights including seeing the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Middle School Band and Light Chance of Rain, a band formed by UT students playing original material. All very promising.
Alexa-Marie Melendez, InsideofKnoxville Intern captured the spirit of the festival in a great video montage:
Knoxville Opera delivered another excellent festival. I liked the footprint and the expansion to a two-day format. If you missed it, check it out next year and check out Knoxville Opera’s upcoming performance of Cendrillon.
Complete photo group below. Just click to see a larger version.
