Friday, March 16
Knoxville’s first-ever Dragon Lights Festival begins Friday and runs through April 22 at Chilhowee Park. Visitors will be able to marvel at 42 larger than life lantern displays with thousands of lights and nightly performances. Tickets range from $10.50 to $16.50, and parking is free.
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is performing "Carmina Burana" with the Knoxville Choral Society as part of their Moxley Carmichael Masterworks series on Thursday and Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre. Tickets start at $15.
The Women in Jazz Jam festival is back for a third year in downtown Knoxville with shows on Friday night and all day Saturday. The event is free and open to the public.
The Knoxville Theatre Club is performing “The Story Story,” an original hero story by locals Sara Gaddis and JP Shuffman. You can catch performances Friday and Saturday at Modern Studio, 109 West Anderson Ave. in Knoxville. Tickets available online: http://knoxvilletheatreclub.org/tickets
Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day two days in a row at the Knox Shamrock Fest in downtown Knoxville on Friday and Saturday. The two-day festival includes inflatables, games, green beer, and live entertainment in Market Square. There’s also a Lucky Kidney Run on Saturday at 10 a.m. featuring 6K and 2K courses.
Dollywood opens for the season on Friday with their annual "Festival of Nations." Gates open at 10 a.m. You can find more information at https://www.dollywood.com/themepark
Saturday, March 17
Do your kids feel overwhelmed by the lights and noises of a traditional movie theater? The Blount County Public library is offering a "sensory" screening of "Gnomeo and Juliet" on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the Sharon Lawson room. The movie will be easy to hear and see, but not overwhelmingly loud. For more information visit www.blountlibrary.org.
Take your family on a prehistoric expedition at ‘Discover the Dinosaurs: Time Trek’ at the Knoxville Convention Center this weekend. Dinos come to life in this interactive exhibit that costs $14-$17.
Don’t forget your green. Saturday is Saint Patrick’s Day. The luck of the Irish will be rolling through the streets of downtown Knoxville during a festive parade and cel-o’bragh-tion that starts at 1 p.m.
If you haven’t had enough celebrating when the sun goes down, you might want to check out the Saint Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl in Old City. Wristbands are $10.
Neighbors living in South Knoxville are invited to help clean up their community for the 2nd annual South Knoxville Cleanup at Sam Duff Memorial Park. Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants and comfortable, closed-toed shoes. Please contact sarah@keepknoxvillebeautiful.org or 865-521-6957 with any questions you may have.
Find out for yourself if Sharks sleep by spending the night at Ripley’s Aquarium of The Smokies. This overnight event on Saturday night includes a dive show, scavenger hunt, and late night fun. The cost is $75 per person. For more information visit: http:// https://www.ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg/education/sleepovers/
Sunday, March 18
Interested in fly fishing? Little River Outfitters is offering a free beginner fly tying class on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Participants will learn the basic tools, terminology and, of course, how to tie a fly. Please call 865-448-9459 to reserve your space.
Help the Down Syndrome Awareness Group celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Day by lacing up your sneakers and going for a 3.21K run to symbolize March 21st (Down Syndrome Awareness Day). The events starts at 3 p.m. on Sunday at 3300 Sutherland Ave.