I don’t think it’s any secret that I’m pretty fun at a party. But I’ve evolved over the years from, like, lighting couches on fire and throwing them off the roofs of dilapidated houses in Fort Sanders to more civilized varieties of revelry that don’t get the police called. I mean, knock on wood.
I discovered the beauty of the nonprofit benefit a while back, when I worked at MoxCar Marketing + Communications downtown. Very community involved, they were always buying up tables and sponsoring events to support good causes and schmooze. I volunteered as tribute to attend at every opportunity. It was like: Wow, this is truly the over-40 party-girl dream come true. Finally, after all these years, drinking wine and yapping is part of my job AND I can be in bed by 10 p.m. I have arrived.
Perks: You get to meet a bunch of new people, and if they’re there, it’s because they care about the organization, too — so right off the bat, you’ve already got something in common to talk about. You also get to learn more about and SUPPORT the nonprofits doing incredible work here, sometimes for roundabout what you’d spend on a date night anyway.
And there is a fundraiser for every flavor of party person, from formal galas and keynote luncheons to fun theme parties that just happen to leave the world a little better than they found it. I had a boot-scootin’ good time at the Two Bikes Honky Tonk Soirée a couple evenings ago, benefiting the Old City nonprofit’s youth workforce development program.
So, with fall fundraising season bearing down upon us, and with the help of MoxCar’s EventCheck Knox community resource calendar (so useful!), I rounded up a list of opportunities to eat, drink, dance, dress up and otherwise have a good time for a good cause this fall.
For the sake of brevity, I’ve limited this list to events in the downtown-ish vicinity, but plenty more take place a little farther afield. Bridgewater Place off Cedar Bluff, for instance, is a popular venue. Also, while fundraisers come in a variety of formats I’ve only included more traditional social-type gatherings. And I’m sure I’ve missed a few. If you know of one that belongs here, email me the details at [email protected] and I’ll add it.
See you out there, Knoxville party people!
McNabb Center Spirit Award Dinner
📅 Tuesday, Aug. 25, 6–9 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.
👗 Business dressy/formal
🎟️ $400+; RSVP deadline was Aug. 10
The McNabb Center’s annual Spirit Award Dinner recognizes community leaders who have supported the organization and made significant contributions to the community. This year’s honoree is Andy Shafer. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.
InterFaith Health Center: Access Changes Everything Mission Luncheon
📅 Thursday, Aug. 27, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 Crowne Plaza Knoxville, 401 W. Summit Hill Drive
🎟️ Free; RSVP required by Aug. 21
InterFaith Health Center’s annual mission luncheon highlights how access to compassionate healthcare can transform lives, strengthen families and build a healthier community. Individual tickets and hosted tables are complimentary, with sponsorship opportunities available.
Girl Talk Inc. Fashion Show Gala
📅 Saturday, Aug. 29, 5–10 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.
👗 Roaring ’20s elegance; dressy to black tie
🎟️ $162
Now in its 15th year, Girl Talk Inc.’s signature gala goes full Gatsby with “The Royale,” a Roaring ’20s-inspired celebration of the organization’s past and future. Expect a pink carpet, high-energy fashion show featuring Girl Talk girls alongside professional women, stories from the organization’s 20-year history, plenty of glamorous décor and a dance party to close out the night.
Knox Asian Festival VIP Night
📅 Saturday, Aug. 29, 6–8 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Museum of Art,1050 Worlds Fair Park Dr.
👗 Casual
🎟️ $75+; RSVP date was Aug. 29
Part of the Knox Asian Festival, this special evening performance brings together the thunder of Matsuriza Taiko, the delicate sounds of koto and shakuhachi, and the elegance of Korean Fan Dance. VIP guests also receive a bento box and water upon arrival.
Survivor Soirée
📅 Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway
👗 Smart casual
🎟️ $150+
The 8th annual Survivor Soirée celebrates local cancer survivors with dinner and wine pairings, plus live and silent auctions benefiting Survivor Fitness and its work supporting people through cancer recovery.
Knox Heritage Scruffy City Soirée
📅 Friday, Sept. 11, 6–10 p.m.
📍 The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Ave.
👗 Cocktail attire
🎟️ $200+; RSVP by Aug. 28
Knox Heritage’s annual Scruffy City Soirée celebrates Knoxville’s character while supporting the organization’s work to preserve and reuse historic places. The evening includes cocktails, dinner, a whiskey pull, live auction, food and music and honors Preservationist of the Year The Courtland Group.
Twilight at Ijams
📅 Sunday, Sept. 13, 5–9 p.m.
📍 Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave.
🎟️ $175
Ijams Nature Center’s largest annual fundraiser turns the grounds into an evening of interactive art installations, live music, local food, signature cocktails and nature-inspired experiences. The main celebration also includes a silent auction, campfire and gourmet s’mores bar, while VIP guests get early entry, premium parking, passed hors d’oeuvres and an auction preview. Proceeds support Ijams’ education programs and stewardship of more than 336 acres of protected land.
Ten Year Town Screening & Live Performance
📅 Thursday, Sept. 17, 5:30–9:30 p.m.
👗 Casual
🎟️ Free and open to the public; registration encouraged
A Step Ahead Foundation of East Tennessee hosts a screening of Ten Year Town, a documentary following nine Nashville songwriters through the long climb toward making it in the music business. Afterward, featured singer-songwriters Erin Enderlin and Chris Canterbury will perform live and share stories behind their songs. The nonprofit works to remove barriers to reproductive and preventive healthcare through education, partnerships and access to free birth control across East Tennessee.
KSO Dîner au Blanc et Noir: An Evening in White and Black
📅 Sunday, Sept. 20, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
📍 Ridgefield Manor, 2910 Walkup Drive
🎟️ $225; RSVP by Sept. 7
The Knoxville Symphony League’s elegant An Evening in White and Black pairs wine, appetizers and a multi-course dinner under the stars with a special performance by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Sponsor cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m., general admission at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:15 p.m.
The Koinonia Foundation Gala
📅 Thursday, Sept. 24, 6–9 p.m.
📍 The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway
👗 Dressy/cocktail attire
🎟️ $100+
The Koinonia Foundation’s annual gala celebrates the people it serves while raising funds for Camps, Koinonia Classroom and We Adapt, programs that provide inclusive educational, recreational and wellness opportunities for children, teens and adults with disabilities across East Tennessee. The evening includes beer, wine and cocktails, a silent auction and plated dinner.
Jazz, Baby!
📅 Thursday, Sept. 24, 5:30–8 p.m.
📍 The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Ave.
👗 Business casual/business attire
🎟️ $125+
Jazz, Baby! pairs live music from Vance Thompson and a hand-picked jazz ensemble with dinner, an online silent auction, live auction and wine pull. Proceeds benefit Friends of Tennessee’s Babies with Special Needs, which supports families and provides early intervention for infants and young children with disabilities.
17th Annual Green Thumb Gala
📅 Sunday, Sept. 27, 5–9 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Ave.
👗 Garden party attire
🎟️ $200+
Now in its 17th year, the Green Thumb Gala is a major fundraiser for the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum. Guests gather under the tent on the Great Lawn for cocktails, a seated dinner and silent and live auctions, all surrounded by the garden’s stone walls, maple grove and Secret Garden.
Pellissippi State Foundation Plates for a Purpose
📅 Tuesday, Sept. 29, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 The Plaid Apron, 1210 Kenesaw Ave.
👗 Business dressy
🎟️ $150+; RSVP by Sept. 24
Plates for a Purpose pairs a multi-course dinner with thoughtfully selected wines, with proceeds benefiting Pellissippi State’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management programs. The evening helps support the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals; sponsors also get access to a pre-event cocktail reception.
Restoring Hope Luncheon
📅 Wednesday, Sept. 30, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway
👗 Business casual
🎟️ Free
Now in its 19th year, The Restoration House’s Restoring Hope Luncheon brings the community together to support single mothers and their children throughout Knoxville and beyond. The event shares the organization’s work, challenges perceptions about low-income single-mother families and raises funds to help sustain its programs.
Real Good Gathering
📅 Thursday, Oct. 1, 6–9 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Ave.
👗 Casual
🎟️ $150+
The Real Good Gathering celebrates Knoxville’s food community with tasting stations from local chefs and participants in Real Good Kitchen’s Food Business Incubator program. Proceeds support the Real Good Kitchen Foundation and its work helping local food entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Brew at the Zoo
📅 Friday, Oct. 2, 6–9:30 p.m.
📍 Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive
👗 Casual
🎟️ $100+; 21+; rain or shine
Brew at the Zoo turns Zoo Knoxville into an adults-only after-hours party with 40 craft breweries, local food trucks, live entertainment and nighttime wildlife adventures. Proceeds support Zoo Knoxville while giving guests a chance to explore the zoo after dark.
Knoxville Area Urban League Equal Opportunity Awards Gala
📅 Thursday, Oct. 8
📍 The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway
👗 Black tie optional
🎟️ Ticketed
The Knoxville Area Urban League’s biggest fundraiser of the year brings together food, fellowship and live music while honoring leaders in Minority Business, Corporate Leadership and the Whitney M. Young Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award categories.
East Tennessee Community Design Center Celebration
📅 Wednesday, Oct. 14, 5–9 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive
🎟️ $150+; RSVP by Oct. 2
The East Tennessee Community Design Center’s signature fundraiser celebrates the power of good design to strengthen communities. The evening includes hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, an art auction and stories highlighting the nonprofit’s work connecting neighborhoods and organizations with pro bono design expertise.
Knox Area Rescue Ministries Fall Gala
📅 Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6–8 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.
👗 Business casual
KARM’s annual Fall Gala celebrates the stories of men and women whose lives have been transformed through the organization’s programs and services.
Girl Scouts Trefoil Society Luncheon
📅 Thursday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway
🎟️ $125+; RSVP by Oct. 2
This year’s Trefoil Society Luncheon honors Ann Baker Furrow and Lee Ann Furrow Tolsma, the first mother-daughter duo to receive the recognition. The annual event supports the Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians and celebrates women whose leadership reflects the values represented by the Girl Scout trefoil.
Centro Hispano Latino Awards 2026
📅 Thursday, Oct. 22, 4:30–9 p.m.
📍 The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Ave.
👗 Business casual/dressy
🎟️ Ticketed
Centro Hispano de East Tennessee’s annual Latino Awards Gala celebrates Latino leadership, culture and achievement across East Tennessee. The evening brings together community leaders, artists, businesses, partner organizations and families for a vibrant celebration of the region’s Latino community.
Cattywampus Fall Ball
📅 Friday, Oct. 23, 7 – 11 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Ave.
✨ Theme: GLOW — silly, fancy, sparkly or whatever makes you feel radiant
🎟️ $75
Cattywampus Puppet Council’s 4th annual Fall Ball is a gloriously weird evening of food, drinks, music, dancing, giant puppets and illuminated surprises, all supporting community-powered art in Knoxville. This year’s GLOW theme takes inspiration from moonlight, fireflies, bioluminescent fungi, stardust and anything that shimmers. Expect bites from local restaurants, the Knox Honkers & Bangers, a vinyl dance party with DJ Captain Ed, giant puppet performances and a silent auction that may even include a Wayne White original.
📅 Friday, Oct. 23, 6 – 10 p.m.
📍 The Mill & Mine, 227 W. Depot Ave.
👗 Costumes encouraged
🎟️ $130+
Unmasked is the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking’s largest and most impactful fundraiser of the year! Over the past five years, Unmasked has raised more than $500,000 to provide safety to thousands of women, men and children who have experienced human trafficking, and empower survivors to take control of their lives. This powerful evening is a gathering of hearts and voices committed to change. It’s a night of connection, celebration, and let’s be honest… really awesome costumes!
Orchids Beautification Awards
📅 Wednesday, Nov. 4, 5–9 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive
👗 Business attire
🎟️ Ticketed; RSVP by Oct. 23
Since 1979, Keep Knoxville Beautiful’s Orchids Awards have recognized buildings, public art, outdoor spaces and other projects that make Knoxville and Knox County more beautiful. The evening also celebrates sustainability efforts and community partners, with cocktails beginning at 5 p.m. and dinner and awards at 6 p.m.
Couture Opera | Flights of Fantasy
📅 Friday, Nov. 6, 7–10 p.m.
📍 Historic Sanitary Laundry Building, 625 N. Broadway
👗 Black tie; wings encouraged
🎟️ Ticketed
Knoxville Opera’s Couture Opera transforms the Historic Sanitary Laundry Building into a one-night-only fantasy world of fashion, music and immersive performance. This year’s Flights of Fantasy theme promises fantastical creatures, dramatic gowns, feathers, a runway emerging from the crowd and plenty of theatrical surprises with guests encouraged to become part of the spectacle themselves.
Emerald Youth Foundation Legacy Dinner
📅 Monday, Nov. 9, 6–9 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.
👗 Business attire
🎟️ Ticketed
Now in its 18th year, Emerald Youth Foundation’s Legacy Dinner honors a community leader making a difference in the lives of Knoxville’s young people. This year’s honoree is Rick Kuhlman, director of the Knoxville Fellows and a longtime civic leader and youth mentor. Doors open at 6 p.m., with dinner and the program beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Carry the Torch
📅 Tuesday, Nov. 10, 11:45 a.m.–2 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley St.
👗 Business attire
🎟️ Ticketed
Volunteer Ministry Center’s signature fundraiser brings together businesses, faith communities and service organizations around the shared goal of preventing and ending homelessness in Knoxville. This year’s featured speaker is Jeannette Walls, bestselling author of The Glass Castle. A mission fair begins at 10 a.m., followed by the luncheon at 11:45 a.m. and a book signing from 1–2 p.m.
Young-Williams Animal Center ‘Cause for Paws’
📅 Thursday, Nov. 12, 6:30–10:30 p.m.
📍 Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive
👗 Business/dressy attire
🎟️ $250+
Young-Williams Animal Center’s 12th annual fall benefit supports the nonprofit animal shelter and official intake center for Knoxville and Knox County. The evening includes cocktails in the garden, live music, dinner, silent and live auctions and, importantly, appearances by some furry friends.
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