January is for recovery and resolve. February, we start feeling a little stir-crazy. And then, somewhere around March, we start to remember that leaving the house is actually kind of fun.
Spring kicks off festival season in earnest, followed by a steady run of outdoor concerts, neighborhood events, performances, markets and the annual gatherings that doesn’t slow down for the rest of the year. Once the calendar fills, it fills fast.
This is your cue to start planning. Below is a month-by-month look at major festivals and other big annual events happening in 2026, both the familiar standbys and the ones you’ll want to circle early before your weekends disappear.
JANUARY
- Nourish Knoxville Winter Farmer’s Market, Market Square, Jan. 17, 24 & 31
- Waynestock, Relix Variety Theatre, Jan. 29-31
- ChocolateFest, The Standard, Jan. 30 (6:00 pm – 9:00 pm) & 31 (9:00 am – 6:00 pm)
FEBRUARY
- Nourish Knoxville Winter Farmer’s Market, Market Square, Feb. 7, 14, 21 & 28
- Dogwood Arts House & Garden Show, Knoxville Convention Center, Feb. 6-8
MARCH
- Nourish Knoxville Winter Farmer’s Market, Market Square, March 7, 14, 21 & 28
- Mardi Growl, Parade Route and World’s Fair Park, March 7, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Bassmaster Classic, Tennessee River, March 13-15
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March 14, Gay Street
- Knox Shamrock Fest, World’s Fair Park Performance Lawn, March 14, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
- Big Ears, Locations all over downtown, March 26 – 29
- Also kicking off this month: Old City Market, One Knox Pro Soccer
APRIL
- Chalk Walk, Market Square and Krutch Park, April 11
- Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, April 12 (5K & Kid’s Run on April 11), 7:30 AM
- Rossini Festival and International Street Fair, Gay Street/Market Square/Krutch Park, April 18 – 19
- Dogwood Arts Festival, World’s Fair Park, April 24 – 26
- Also kicking off this month: Smokies Baseball, Knoxville Vintage Baseball
MAY
- Outlandish Adventure Festival, Ijams Nature Center, May 1-2
- Knoxville Book Festival, Knoxville Convention Center, May 2-3
- Fourth and Gill Tour of Homes and Secret Gardens, May 3
- “Knoshville” Jewish Food Festival, May 3
- Holleroo, May 9, Happy Holler
- Children’s Festival of Reading, World’s Fair Park, May 16
- Open Streets, Gay Street, May 17, 2:00 – 6:00 pm
- 9th Annual Cattywampus Paradę & Block Party, Suttree Landing Park, 2:00-6:00 pm
- Banana Ball World Tour, Covenant Health Park & Neyland Stadium, May 21 & 23
- Visit Knoxville Open, Holston Hills Country Club, May 21-24
- Tennessee Statehood Day, various historic locations, May 29-30
- KnoxWalls Murals & Music Festival, Emory Place, May 30
- Vestival Festival, Candoro Marble, date TBD
- Kicking off this month: Ijams Movies Under the Stars, Market Square Farmers’ Market, Jazz Tuesdays, Concerts on the Square, Hard Knox Roller Derby
JUNE
- Rhinestone Fest, Old City, June 6
- Nief Norf Festival, June 14-28
- Juneteenth Commemoration & Memorial March, June 18-19
- Brewfest, World’s Fair Park, June 20
- SoKno Pride, Sevier Avenue, June 20
- AAU Girls’ Basketball World Championships, June 25-28
- Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Induction, June 27
- Also kicking off this month: Kid A’Riffic Fun in the Park, Second Saturday Concerts at the Cove,
JULY
- Festival on the Fourth, World’s Fair Park, July 4
- Fanboy Expo, Knoxville Convention Center, July 10-12
- Grooves in the Garden, Knoxville Botanical Garden, July 18
- Kuumba Festival, July 31-Aug. 1
- Creepycon Halloween & Horror Convention, Knoxville Convention Center, July 31-Aug. 2
- Also kicking off this month: Knoxville Shakespeare
AUGUST
- Eighth of August Jubilee, Beck Center, Aug. 1-8
- Irish Fest on the Hill, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Aug. 8
- History Hootenanny, East Tennessee History Center and Krutch Park, Aug. 15
- GermanFest, First Lutheran Church, Broadway, Aug. 22
- Asian Festival, World’s Fair Park & Knoxville Convention Center, Aug. 29 (VIP) & 30 (Festival)
SEPTEMBER
- Big Kahuna Wing Festival, World’s Fair Park, Sept. 6, 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
- Tennessee Valley Fair, Chilhowee Park, Sept. 11-20
- Punk Rock Flea Market, Mill and Mine, Sept. 12
- Sevier Day, Marble Springs, Sept. 19
- Dates TBA: International Food Festival, GreekFest
- Also kicking off this month: Knoxville Ice Bears, Knoxville Pride Fest
OCTOBER
- Wicked Cool in Downtown Knoxville, Oct. 5-31
- Hola Festival, Oct. 10-11
- Howl-0-Ween Pooch Parade, UT Gardens, Oct. 25
- Dates TBA: Boo! at the Zoo
NOVEMBER
- Veterans Day Parade, Nov. 11
- Film Fest Knox, Nov. 12-15
- Christmas at Chilhowee, Chilhowee Park, Nov. 20
- Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville Convention Center, Nov. 23-29
- Regal Festival of Lights and Lighting of the Christmas Tree, Krutch Park, Nov. 27
- Holidays on Ice, Nov. 27–Jan. 3
- Downtown Peppermint Trail, Nov. 27-Jan. 3
- The Elf on the Shelf Adventure, Nov. 27-Jan. 3
- Also kicking off this month: Smoky Night Lights,
DECEMBER
- Christmas Parade on Gay Street, Dec. 4
- Santa at the Sunsphere, Dec. 4-6
- Germanfest Christkindlmarkt, First Lutheran Church, Dec. 5-6
- Tour De Lights, Dec. 12
- New Year’s Eve at the Sunsphere, World’s Fair Park, Dec. 31
- Also kicking off this month: Smokies Winter Wonderland Light Show
What did I miss? As always, I’m happy to take corrections. See you out there, Knoxville!