10 About Town: September 7 - September 9
From First Friday to football and the fair, we've got you covered for weekend events around East Tennessee.
WBIR
Friday, September 7
It’s First Friday, so head downtown for drink specials, art galleries, and other fun events.
The Tennessee Valley Fair is in town all week. Headliners include Rick Springfield, Chris Blue, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and more. Check out all the events and attractions at TNvalleyfair.org.
The Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon 5K is this weekend. The course runs outside the National Park in Blount County. You can’t beat the scenery!
Check out some classic cars at the Shades of the Past Hot Rod Roundup at Dollywood’s Splash Country on Friday and Saturday. With $10,00 and a ’32 Ford Hi-Boy Roadster on the line, you can bet there will be some impressive rides there.
Three Dog Night, an American rock band, is performing at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium on Friday at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets range from $48 - $95.
It’s free to visit the Statemint pop-up consignment show at the Knoxville Expo Center all weekend long. It’s the perfect excuse to shop for a new fall wardrobe before the temperatures drop.
The Clarence Brown Theatre and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra are teaming up to present Candide, a comic operetta based on the satire by Voltaire. The production is playing through Sunday, Sept. 16.
Saturday, September 8
It’s game day on Rocky Top! The University of Tennessee plays East Tennessee State University at 4 p.m. for its first home game of the season.
ORNL Federal Credit Union is hosting a series of free summer concerts called the Summer Sessions. This week’s show is on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Oak Ridge’s Bissell Park. Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket.
The Appalachian Arts Craft Center will be offering multiple classes throughout September. Learn a new craft like weaving, memoir writing, or using succulents for art.
Come out to the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Airport on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to see some fast cars and awesome airplanes. Admission to the Planes & Porsches Fly/Drive-In is free.
Every Saturday, Ijams Nature Center hosts its weekly Creature Feature to show off the park’s animal ambassadors. The program is free and starts at 10 a.m.
Mushrooms come in all shapes and size but can be hard to identify. Learn about them at Ijams Nature Center’s Mushroom Manie Citizen Science event on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The fee is $8.
The RK Gun Show will be at the Knoxville Expo Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets range from $5 to $14.50.
The Fried Green Tomato Festival is in Niota, Tennessee on Saturday. There’ll be live music, a game truck, and lots of food and shopping. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum will host its 27th annual Cherokee Fall Festival on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Visitors will get to step back in time to experience food, Cherokee arts, demonstrations, music, and dance. Tickets range from $5 to $10.
Race through the woods to outrun the zombies at the Zombies Like Brains walk and 8K run. Dress up as a zombie to help support the Julia Barbara Foundation. The race is from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday at 200 North Peters Road.
The International Food and Crafts Market at Lonsdale Park is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Home-made food and craft vendors will be set up, representing dozens of countries.
The Veterans Heritage Site Foundation will commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a memorial service on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at the Overlook at Sharp’s Ridge Veterans Memorial Park. Following the ceremony, volunteers will help clean up the park.
Local yoga studios are coming together to host Fountain City Yoga Day at the Fountain City Park on Saturday starting at 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $10. There will be classes throughout the day until 6 p.m.
The Blount County Library’s Cultural Festival is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn about the immigrant experience and enjoy food and music from around the world.
Sunday, September 9
Start your Sunday morning with a 15-kilometer race through Townsend, Tennessee. The Townsend 15K starts at 8 a.m. Race headquarters is the Heartland Little River Wedding Chapel that will open as a craft Beer Tavern by the race date.
Celebrate local farmers at Morristown’s Farm to Table meal from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday on West Main Street. Local vendors will prepare the meal, bread, and dessert, and there will be live music. Tickets range from $10 to $35 and benefit the local farmers market and SNAP.
Ijams Nature Center’s 33rd annual Symphony in the Park concert is Sunday at 5:30 p.m. It’s Ijams’ largest annual fundraiser. Tickets are $175 and include dinner.