Holiday Happenings: What To Know
~ from the City of Knoxville
Thanksgiving and popular Christmas in the City events will create plenty of opportunities to create fun family memories and partake in downtown merry-making.
But remember that many City offices and services will be closed for the holiday weekend – and, if you’re looking forward to joining the downtown festivities, plan ahead to account for street closures and new traffic flow patterns.
Here’s a primer for what you need to know these next two weekends:
Thanksgiving holiday closures
- City of Knoxville offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27-28.
- Garbage and recycling collection will be on the regular schedule today through Wednesday, Nov. 26. There will be no household garbage or recycling pickups on Thanksgiving Day – one of just two holidays throughout the year when residential curbside trash and recycling are not collected.Waste Connections will run Thursday routes on Friday, Nov. 28, and Friday routes on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Please limit your waste to what fits inside a City-issued cart; no overflow trash will be picked up, and crews will not service carts with open or lifted lids, because litter and debris is likely to be spilled.
The City’s four recycling centers will be open, but the Goodwill attendant will not be available on Thanksgiving Day. Please hold all donations of household good until an attendant is present.
The City’s Solid Waste Facility, 1033 Elm St., will be closed Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 27-30, resuming normal operating hours on Monday, Dec. 1.
- Knoxville Area Transit buses will not run on Thanksgiving Day. KAT will operate on a Sunday schedule on Friday, Nov. 28, before resuming its normal weekend schedule on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 29-30.Need help? Call KAT Customer Service before Thursday at 865-215-7800.
- The Thanksgiving closure includes the 311 and 211 service phone lines. Residents who need to report issues to 311 over the holiday weekend may use the My Knoxville app for iPhone and Android.
Regal Celebration of Lights
This signature Christmas in the City event – 5:15 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28 – annually draws thousands of families to Market Square, Market Street and Krutch Park Extension.
Oooh and ahhh as Santa arrives and the 42-foot-tall Christmas tree is lit at 6 p.m. Stick around for the free crafts and activities, miniature train set, and live Christmas carols led by Jungle 5. It’s also opening day at the Holidays on Ice outdoor skating rink on Market Square.
More details: www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/Christmas
With a big crowd expected and several street closures, allow plenty of time to park and get to the festivities. And, because Regal Celebration of Lights falls on a City holiday – there’s free parking at any City-owned garage, lot or on any City street!
Regal Celebration of Lights road closures:
- Market Street, between Church and Union avenues – 2-10 p.m.
- Clinch Avenue, between Walnut and Gay streets – 2-10 p.m.
- Union Avenue, between Walnut and Gay streets – 2-10 p.m.
- Gay Street, between Summit Hill and Church – 4:30-9:15 p.m.
WIVK Christmas Parade
Looking ahead to Friday, Dec. 5 – it’ll be a bustling evening downtown.
The 52nd annual WIVK Christmas Parade will step off at Gay Street and Main at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5. The floats, bands, twirlers, vintage cars and, of course, Santa will proceed north along Gay Street, turn right onto Jackson Avenue, and finish east of Covenant Health Park.
Road closures:
- Main Street, between Gay and Walnut streets – closing at 4 p.m.
- Gay Street, between Hill Avenue and Main – closing at 4:30 p.m.
- Hill Avenue, between Historic Preservation and Gay – closing at 4:30 p.m.
- The rest of Gay Street, Union Avenue and Market Street – closing at 6 p.m.
The Market Square pedestrian zone also will be in effect on Dec. 5 due to the parade – and it will remain closed to vehicles on Dec. 6 due to the Winter Farmers’ Market on Market Square. (From 2 p.m. on Dec. 5 until 3 p.m. on Dec. 6, Market Street will be closed to vehicles between Church and Union avenues, and Union will be closed to vehicles between Walnut and Gay streets.)
But wait – there’s much more!
Friday, Dec. 5, is the first Friday of the month, so anticipate art galleries hosting open houses, entertainment and First Friday festivities.
A 5-9 p.m. First Friday Street Party in the Old City will prompt a closure of Central Street to vehicles between Jackson and Willow avenues. The street will be closed on Dec. 5 from 3-10 p.m.
Comedian Nate Jackson is performing at the Tennessee Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5.
The Knoxville Ice Bears are hosting the Quad City Storm at the Civic Coliseum at 7:30 p.m.
New this year: The Smokies Winter Wonderland Light Show debuts at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Covenant Health Park. The 1 million-light display continues nightly through Jan. 5.
