Outlandish Adventure Festival Returns to Ijams, Full Moon Included

The inaugural Outlandish Adventure Festival last year was a pack-your-raincoat kind of event, but no one seemed to mind. A couple thousand people still showed up to Ijams Nature Center for the two-day gathering that brings together Knoxville’s many outdoorsy communities to celebrate and connect in the natural world. 

Our family was among them, and we couldn’t have been more delighted by the interactive festivities. When the rain started falling, we snugged up our hoods and made our way toward the tent where live music was happening, though I’d have been just as happy to stay out in it. 

Weather is a state of mind; once you let go of the idea that there’s an “ideal,” you start to appreciate its variations. The cool of raindrops rivuletting down your bare legs, still pale from winter and grateful for the air. The smell of damp forest and the fresh, apple-green of new growth. Being in nature pulls you fully into your senses.

Much like discovering new experiences online at arabcasinohex.com, embracing uncertainty can make every moment feel more engaging and alive.

This year, however, it looks like the sun (and the moon!) will be shining. 

Whatever your scene—trail runs, climbing, bikes, boats, bird watching—you’ll find something to hike, ride or paddle your way into. Get adventurous yourself or just sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds. 

Even the planets seem to be aligning. Earlier this week I met for breakfast with Courtney Hendricks who among many roles in her life, including Chief Operating Officer of Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, is volunteer wrangler of all things Outlandish AF.

Leaning across the table, my first burning question: “Tell me how did you coordinate the full moon on Friday night?”

“The full flower moon,” Courtney clarified, and my jaw dropped even lower. “When that worked out, it was like, yeah, it’s meant to be.”

The festival begins Friday evening with bluegrass tunes from Evie and The Who Knows and art from members of The Maker City. From there, it’s choose-your-own-adventure: Join the Knoxville Adventure Collective, River Sports Outfitters and Ijams for a moonlight paddle on the Tennessee River or head out for a moonlit hike. 

Saturday wakes up bright and early and stretches its arms into a full day of programming featuring your favorite outdoor adventure activities as well as ones you haven’t tried yet. 

• Spectacles include a bike whip-off, highline over the quarry, climbing competition, SUP sprint and fire dancers. 

• Enjoy music performances by Evie and The Who Knows, Rough Dreams, Shayla McDaniels, Knox Honkers & Bangers, Feral Kitty, French Toast, JULIA. and VEAUX, plus a Circus Under the Moon Fire Performance and Rave in the Woods with DJ Cheer and Channel865.

• Climbing kicks off Thursday with “Roots to Rocks: An Evening of Outdoor Climbing Skills” at the Baker Creek bouldering gym Climbing Roots followed by family climbs and a climbing competition on Saturday. 

• Slackline was a big hit last year, continuing in 2026 with a highline performance and slackline workshop.

• All the biking! Guided greenway, road and trail rides plus bike rentals, a kids and youth social mountain bike ride, and bike whip-off. 

• Choose from a variety of guided hikes, including birding and nature journaling, or a roll and stroll for visitors with mobility needs. And of course, you can always strike off on your own!

• Paddling: In addition to the moonlight paddle on Friday, you can try an SUP or kayak or participate in an SUP sprint, SUP yoga and guided river paddles.  

• Yoga in the outdoors takes it to the next level. 

• Sprint through the Urban Wilderness in the Dirty Bird Outlandish 5K-ish Trail Race.

• Enjoy beer trucks, food trucks, makers, vendors and more.

• This year’s roundtable discussions include “Water Tales: The Ones That Splash” and “No Guardrails: Women, Wilderness and Wild Stories.” 

• Education abounds including Little River Watershed Stream School, MUSE Knoxville STEM activities and Ijams bat house education plus fort building, mud kitchen and rock play in the Nature Playscape. 

• Make art, parade and dance it out with Cattywampus Puppet Council!

• So many activities for kids and young explorers! 

And much more. An open water swim, some crazy water bike thing – you just have to be there. 

I know, it’s a lot. My advice: do a little planning if you have something specific you don’t want to miss or for which you need to register ahead of time. Four anchor events unfold across the grounds on Saturday (view the full schedule here):

• 10 a.m.: Climbing Competitions at the Crag
• 11 a.m.: Mountain Bike Whip-Off
• 2 p.m.: Highline Walkers Crossing Mead’s Quarry
• 5 p.m.: SUP Sprint at the Quarry

But it’s also A-OK to show up and follow your nose. Let it be … an adventure. 

“People are always looking for community, which is a big part of this event, but also being able to come out and try something new. And almost everything is free – if there is a rental, it’s a really low cost rental,” Courtney says. “But it’s the idea of giving everybody access to try all the different things that they could possibly want to try.”

Last month, Outlandish AF was recognized by the Tennessee RiverLine with the 2025 “Powered by Partnerships” award. The award honored the festival’s role in advancing a shared regional vision for a 1.2-million-acre river park through collaborative efforts.

As Courtney said, “Getting people into the outdoors and pulling the community together is the most important part of the whole event.”

At last year’s festival I ran into a high school friend on the Ijams Quarry swimming dock during the festival. He lives in the suburbs, has a busy job and family, and it was his first time in years to visit Ijams. He’d seen my preview article on IOK. He said he couldn’t believe all the outdoorsy amenities and activities available to Knoxville literally just minutes from downtown. 

It is, truly, unbelievable. Outlandish even, you might say. And this festival is a sort of showcase of what Knoxville has to offer and an invitation to get involved. Proceeds go toward supporting local outdoor resources.

“It’s a beautiful place that we’re in,” Courtney says. “There are all these different things that we have access to. The community is so welcoming. It’s just fun.”

Indeed. See you out there, Knoxville!

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