With Thanksgiving leftovers tucked neatly into their little Tupperware coffins, our collective consciousness shifts to the next big event on the cultural calendar. It’s officially Christmas in the City! Or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Festivus … however you choose to celebrate.
IOK’s upcoming Monday/Tuesday posts will be dedicated to a local holiday market guide (Don’t let the corporate overlords bamboozle you with their Black Friday deals! Shop local!) and holiday event guide, respectively. I’ll pin both to our homepage for easy reference. But between now and then, there’s a whole long weekend bursting with opportunities to dive headfirst into the holiday spirit, keep visiting family entertained, or just start drinking at 6 a.m. (one Emory Place brewery is opening early today JUST for you).
Let’s get into it!
Regal Celebration of Lights
This signature Christmas in the City event – 5:15 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28 – annually draws thousands of families to Market Square, Market Street and Krutch Park Extension.
Expect maximum festivity as Santa arrives and the 42-foot-tall Christmas tree is lit at 6 p.m. Come early to shop, scout the Peppermint Trail, hunt elves, hit up Fantasy of Trees, christen the Holidays on Ice outdoor skating rink and more — see below. Stick around after for free crafts and activities, a miniature train set, and live Christmas carols led by Jungle 5. See more details about Christmas in the City here.
With a big crowd expected and several street closures, allow plenty of time to park and get to the festivities. Because Regal Celebration of Lights falls on a City holiday, there’s free parking at any City-owned garage, lot or on any City street.
Road closures:
- Market Street, between Church and Union avenues – 2-10 p.m.
- Clinch Avenue, between Walnut and Gay streets – 2-10 p.m.
- Union Avenue, between Walnut and Gay streets – 2-10 p.m.
- Gay Street, between Summit Hill and Church – 4:30-9:15 p.m.
If you’re hiking in or find yourself parked a little further out than you’d prefer, ride the bus for FREE! Earlier this week Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) in collaboration with Visit Knoxville began providing free rides on Route 1: The Downtown Connector. The bus comes round every 15 minutes. It’s part of a six-month pilot program that restores, at least temporarily, free transit through the downtown area. The Downtown Connector replaced the free trolley network in August 2024 as part of the KAT Reimagined route overhaul.
WHAT ELSE?!
A few more Black Friday and holiday happenings over the long weekend:
Friday, November 28
- The Elf on the Shelf® Adventure: pick up a North Pole Pass at Mast General Store or Knoxville Visitors Center, then explore Downtown Knoxville, daily through Jan 4
- Downtown Knoxville Peppermint Trail, Downtown Knoxville, daily through Jan 4
- Black Friday Early Open + Specials, Crafty Bastard Brewery, 6:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville Convention Center, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm (continues through Nov 30), RSVP
- Amulet Abundance Sale, 103 W Jackson Ave, 9:00 am
- Opt Outside – Guided Family Hike, Ijams Nature Center, 9:00 am – noon, RSVP
- Black Friday Brunch, 217 Willow Ave, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
- Knox Pride Flash Sale, Rosie Tattoos, 1324 N. Central St., 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (continues through Nov 30)
- Black Friday Brunch, Balter Beerworks, 100 S Broadway St, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
- Holiday Open House, Tea and Treasures, 4104 W Martin Mill Pike, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm (continues Nov 29)
- Mood Ring Vintage Black Friday, 906 Sevier Ave, unit 112, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
- WDVX Big Plate Special: Randy Steele & High Cold Wind, Barley’s Knoxville, noon – 1:00 pm, FREE!
- Holidays on Ice, Market Square, 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Mon-Thu, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm / Fri, noon – 10:00 pm / Sat, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm / Sun, 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm) regular hours through Dec 21, extended hours, Dec 22 – Jan 4, 2026, RSVP
- Showing: Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Central Cinema, 5:00 pm
- Knoxville Paranormal – The Ultimate Ghost Hunting Adventure, 36 Market Square, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm, RSVP
- Regal Celebration of Lights, Krutch Park Ext, Market Square, Gay Street, 5:15 pm – 9:00 pm
- Live Music with Cale Charney, 621 Lamar St, 6:00 pm
- Emory Place Night Market, 6 Emory Place, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
- Knoxville Ice Bears vs. Macon Mayhem, Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 6:00 pm
- Throwin Stones, Ale’ Rae’s, 7:00 pm
- Marcus Bunch @Suttree’s High Gravity Tavern, 7:00 pm
- Tavern Notes: Margherita Fava, 710 Clinch Ave, 7:00 pm
- TKD Presents “A Sherlock Carol,” 800 S. Central St, 7:30 pm
- A Christmas Carol at the Clarence Brown Theatre, 7:30 pm, RSVP
- Will Carter, Bistro at the Bijou, 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
- Everyhoursun with Lower Interiors, Calla Burke, and Veggie, Pilot Light, 8:00 pm
- Day Afta Thanksgiving Bash, The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway, 8:00 pm, RSVP
- The Worn Out Soles w/ Rossdafareye @ Preservation Pub, 8:00 pm
- Annual Black Friday Show: King Ghoul / Teen Spirit @ Scruffy City Hall, 8:00 pm
- Fall Fashion Friday, 815 S Central St, 8:00 pm, RSVP
- Planet Doom, LunaVerse Knoxville, 940 Blackstock Ave, 8:00 pm
- Boot Scootin’ Boogie Nights: A Night of 90s Country Presented by Neon Rainbow, The Mill & Mine, 8:00 pm
- Showing: Blood Rage, Central Cinema, 8:40 pm
- Blue Mother Tupelo Live at Boyd’s Jig & Reel, 9:00 pm
- Jordan Foster Band, Wagon Wheel, 10:00 pm – 1:00 am
- November Live Music: Rey Pineda & Doug, The Kennedy, 10:00 pm
Saturday, November 29
- The Elf on the Shelf® Adventure: pick up a North Pole Pass at Mast General Store or Knoxville Visitors Center, then explore Downtown Knoxville, daily through Jan 4
- Downtown Knoxville Peppermint Trail, Downtown Knoxville, daily through Jan 4
- Final 2025 Market Square Farmers Market, Market Square, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville Convention Center, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm (continues Nov 30)
- Tailgate vs. Vandy, Hoskins Library, 10:00 am, RSVP
- Nature Nerd Hike, Ijams Nature Center, 10:30 am – noon, RSVP
- Weekly Yoga by Rigazzi, Printshop Beer Co, 10:45 am – 11:45 am, RSVP
- Weekly Yoga, Hi-Wire Brewing Knoxville, 11:00 am – noon
- Weekly Explore Knoxville Bike Ride, Printshop Beer Co., 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
- Holiday Open House, Tea and Treasures, 4104 W Martin Mill Pike, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Old City Market, 100 Block W Jackson Ave, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
- WDVX Blue Plate Special: Andy Miller, Visit Knoxville, noon, FREE!
- Small Business Saturday, 1520 N. Central St. #101, noon – 6:00 pm
- SoKno Gameday Pub Crawl, 1532 Island Home Ave, noon
- Nature Journaling Workshop, Ijams Nature Center, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, RSVP
- Showing: Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Central Cinema, 2:00 pm
- Otter Island Discovery Paddle, Ijams Nature Center, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm, RSVP
- Vanderbilt Commodores vs Tennessee Volunteers, Neyland Stadium, 3:30 pm
- Showing: The Godfather Part II, Central Cinema, 6:30 pm
- TKD Presents “A Sherlock Carol,” 800 S. Central St, 7:30 pm
- The Ben Maney Quartet, Bistro at the Bijou, 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
- Analog Kid with Seismic Sutra and Jude Mauk, Pilot Light, 8:00 pm
- Freaksgiving with The Pirkles and The Knoxville Freaks, The Corner Lounge, 8 p.m.
- DJ JT / DJ Andres Tapia, LunaVerse Knoxville, 940 Blackstock Ave, 9:00 pm
- The Knockdown Dragouts / Civil Strife, Preservation Pub, 9:00 pm
- King Ghoul / Cam Duffy Moore, Scruffy City Hall, 9:00 pm
- Dirty Words: An Uncensored Late Night Comedy Experience, 621 Lamar St., 9:00 pm, RSVP
- Five Mile Mountain Road Live at Boyd’s Jig & Reel, 9:00 pm – midnight
- Will Sheppard Band, Wagon Wheel, 10:00 pm – 1:00 am
- November Live Music: Steive Jones, The Kennedy, 10:00 pm
Sunday, November 30
- The Elf on the Shelf® Adventure: pick up a North Pole Pass at Mast General Store or Knoxville Visitors Center, then explore Downtown Knoxville, daily through Jan 4
- Downtown Knoxville Peppermint Trail, Downtown Knoxville, daily through Jan 4
- Sunday Funday Yoga, Ebony & Ivory Brewing, 11:00 am – 12:00 am
- Weekly Yoga, Hi-Wire Brewing Knoxville, 11:00 am – noon
- Mimosa Brunch, 8 Emory Place, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Longform Figure Session, SpaceCraft / Ironwood Studios, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, RSVP
- Sunday Funday Mimosa Brunch, Last Days of Autumn Brewing, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Final Day: Help Mast Store & Columbia Sportswear Share the Warmth This Winter, Mast General Store, 402 S. Gay St, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Fall Fungi ID: Beginner Workshop, Ijams Nature Center, noon – 2:00 pm, RSVP
- Final Day: Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville Convention Center, noon – 6:00 pm, RSVP
- Collectively Speaking, Barrelhouse, noon – 9:00 pm, RSVP
- Holidays on Ice, Market Square, 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Mon-Thu, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm / Fri, noon – 10:00 pm / Sat, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm / Sun, 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm) regular hours through Dec 21, extended hours, Dec 22 – Jan 4, 2026, RSVP
- Printshop Dog Holiday Market by Cassie Krause Photography, Printshop Beer, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
- Sundae Funday at Holidays on Ice, Market Square, 2:00 pm
- Talk-Back After Matinee: A Christmas Carol at the Clarence Brown Theatre, 2:00 pm, RSVP
- Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Handel’s Messiah at Tennessee Theatre, 2:30 pm
- Showing: The Godfather Part II, Central Cinema, 3:00 pm
- TKD Presents “A Sherlock Carol,” 800 S. Central St, 3:00 pm
- Filmgiving 2025, Yee-Haw Brewing Co., 5:00 pm
- Friendsgiving Potluck @ Pink Cactus, 5:00 pm, RSVP
- Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Knoxville Museum of Art, 6:30 pm, RSVP
- Crafty Jazz Night: Frog & Toad Duo at Crafty Bastard, 7:00 pm
- Metal Night at Pilot Light – Cumshot Wound / Psyclops / Roman Gabriel Todd / Lawn Mower Finger Bang, Pilot Light, 8:00 pm
- DJ Old Skööl – All your favs chosen by you! Preservation Pub, 9:30 pm
See you out there, Knoxville! Happy holidays.