Knoxville has a rich and diverse arts and culture calendar that ranges from annual traditions we know and love and to unique one-off events and exhibitions that fly beneath the radar. “The Eight Great” is our curated list of calendar highlights presented monthly in partnership with Hellmouth Magazine, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to publishing quality cultural commentary. Vol. 2 is out now! Check it out: Website | Instagram
FRIDAY, MAY 1
Poetry Open Mic • Union Ave Bookstore ––> Pretentious Beer • 6–7:30 pm
Hosted by Red Branch Review
First hosted at Union Ave Bookstore, this First Friday features a talk from Veronica Fletcher, Titus Chalk, Maryam Malik, and Willie Carver Jr. Queer Appalachian writer and author of Gay Poems for Red States, Carver Jr., will have copies of his new book, Tore All to Pieces, available for purchase. Afterwards, Red Branch will migrate poets and poetry lovers over to Pretentious Beer for an open mic. RSVP to reserve your seat! In the meantime, get a copy of Red Branch Review—their words are sure to delight.
FRIDAY, MAY 1
“The Thread That Binds” • Art Exhibition, Homewrecker • 6–8 pm
Curated by K. Strange
We’ve been excitedly anticipating “The Thread That Binds,” an art show curated by K. Strange and exhibited at Homewrecker Arts—a living and dining room based art space in Knoxville. This textile show focuses on threading community connection, featuring work by Lindsay Skvarek, Oh Infinite Nakedness, Julia Gartrell, and Esther Sitver. With your local curator recently offering up found bones at Asheville’s Oddities Market, this is sure to be a fascinating experience.
SATURDAY, MAY 2
Homegrown Criminals • Renegade Art Show, Printshop Beer • 7–11 pm
Yellow Door Media x KAANP
Last year, Hellmouth helped in organizing Homegrown Criminals, an annual renegade art show hosted by KAANP that focuses on art protesting our current national regime. This year, Yellow Door Media and KAANP are stoked to protest in creativity, community, and in power. Beyond regional art that utilizes the visual medium to catalyze political change, there will also be dance music from DJs JMO and Cheers. Plus comedy and poetry—this should be a fun night not to miss. Remember, art is an act of resistance.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
Slow Slow Loris with Chasm and Lebentropic • Pilot Light • 8 pm
Based in Berlin and according to their website, Slow Slow Loris is “a duo whose industrial noise melodies merge with the visceral avant-garde to create epic and delicate storms of sound that worship the unknown, a sonic sorcery through voice and electronics.” Drawing their inspiration from the venomous primate ‘slow loris’—an endangered species believed to ward off evil—their music is both hypnotic and gleefully insane. Paired with the dark synths of locals Lebentropic and Chasm, we highly recommend checking it out.
MULTIPLE, MAY 7–17
Shakespeare on the Hill: Henry IV, Part I • Mabry Hazen House • Multiple times
The Tennessee Stage Company and their Shakespeare program, Knoxville Shakespeare, are excited to announce a continued partnership and program with Mabry-Hazen House to perform Henry IV, Part I on the historic grounds of Mabry’s Hill. The play will have 7 evening performances and 2 matinee performances.
The play was among Shakespeare’s most popular works in his own time, remaining one of his most frequently performed plays, noted for its combination of political drama and comic scenes and for its treatment of leadership and public identity.
Attendees are urged to bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and other ways to enjoy this open-air show which will be performed on the front porch of this historic home. Refreshments and light concessions will be available for purchase. Doors open thirty minutes before curtain.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
Free Film Screening: Blue Heron • Regal Rivera • 7 pm
Public Cinema in partnership with Film Fest Knox
FILM FEST KNOX partners with The Public Cinema at the Regal Riviera to create community-building opportunities for Knoxville’s film fans and film workers. Darren Hughes, Artistic Director of FILM FEST KNOX, says, “The goal of the monthly series is simply to share the best new films that wouldn’t screen in Knoxville otherwise.”
This month, it’s Blue Heron (2025), a semi-autobiographical film based on director Sophy Romvari’s childhood as a daughter of a Hungarian immigrant family who relocated to Vancouver Island in the late 1990s. Critically lauded, Variety film critic Guy Lodge described it as a “splintered, shattering memory piece.”
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
Write It Out with Shade Tree Therapy • The Bottom • 6–8 pm
The Bottom stands as a space for building community, celebrating culture, & engaging the creativity of Black people through curated events. Each month, Shade Tree Therapy leads empowering sessions that encourage individuals to explore their self-expression through writing. The month of May will witness a wide range of themes, from personal narratives to cultural expressions, facilitated by Phillip Tucker, a community leader deeply rooted in his East Knoxville upbringing. Please RSVP as space is limited.
SATURDAY, MAY 30
KnoxWalls Murals & Music Festival • Emory Place • 12–8 pm
Presented by Dogwood Arts
Get ready for a fun festival to usher in summer as Dogwood Arts transforms Emory Place into an open-air art and music experience. There will be a live painting competition between 10 muralists and performances by regional musicians.
Once the murals are complete, the public will vote online to select the 1st and 2nd place winners, who will each receive permanent mural commissions at sites around Knoxville. Cast your ballot for the next public art piece in town.
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