Memphis and Nashville are Tennessee’s prime tourist magnets: music, clubs, lots to do. The lesser-known light is Knoxville, home of the University Tennessee, a consequently highly-educated bunch of residents, and gateway to the Great Smokies.
This month there’s a bunch happening in Rocky Top country:
- April 13 through 15 downtown Knoxville morphs into a full-tilt street fair as Market Square Art Fair unfolds its figurative tent. Food, authentic Appalachian crafts, and lots of entertainment make this a must-see if you’re in the area.
- April 14 the nearby town of Farragut hosts a book fest for children. Although adults are allowed, it’s kids who matter here – and what matters most is wrenching them away from video games and television sets and opening the pages of a good book. There’s storytelling, book signings and such. Costume your kid in the garb of their favorite storybook character, suspend disbelief for a day and savor your time together.
- April 20 through 22 Dogwood Arts Festival’s Rhythm n’ Blooms bathes the city in traditional music. This is an aural serving of authentic Americana as regionally- and nationally-known artists pull out their fiddles and their banjos for a bit of jamming.
- Winding up the month, on April 28, there’s the Rossini Festival & International Street Fair. Live performances abound, as do beer, wine and east Tennessee wonderment.
Knoxville’s Tyson Airport is nicely connected to the rest of the country.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: Andrew Ciscel)
