Happy Tuesday, Knoxville. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Knoxville Brief serve up everything you need to know for the week ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Nostalgic burger spot sets up shop in Rocky Top, gallery reworks Appalachian panoramas into daring mixed media, and robotics club tackles a global showdown — catch up here.
State-level stories: Tennessee summers are cranking up the heat, secret sandstone arches dare you to explore Pickett Park, and teens can lose their wheels for bullying — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: Ford is recalling over 850,000 cars with fuel pump flaws, NASA’s probe delivered closest Sun shots, and BlackRock plans private investments in 401k portfolios — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Discover Medicare basics and eligibility options
- Join community breastfeeding group with expert RN
- Get gardening advice from Master Gardeners
- Will Kruger performs live at WDVX
- Join free virtual support for pet loss
- Compare home equity loans for free
- Save $300 on Endurance auto repair coverage
🫶 We got your back
Finance: Tired of big banks? Credit unions offer personalized service, better rates, and friendly folks ready to help you out. Here are some of our favorites
Home: Don’t wait until your bathroom turns into a swimming pool to find a plumber, our shortlist of trusted plumbing pros makes it easy to connect whenever you need them, whether it’s last minute or months ahead.
Food: Sometimes a salad won’t cut it, you need food for the soul, like a burger that lives up to the hype. These burger joints serve up indulgent perfection that makes you forget you ever cared about calories.
Energy: Energy bills hitting harder than an afternoon shot of espresso? A few simple tweaks like draft stoppers and LED swaps can make a real dent in your monthly statements. Get more energy-saving hacks here
👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?
Own or manage a local business? Thousands of your future fans read our emails — advertising your products, services, listings, and events with us is easy.
You can advertise with us or submit an event for free.
📆 Around town this week
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
This week
🖼️ Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience @ Foothills Mall | Wednesday (7/16) at 10:00am – Whether you’ve spent years swooning over Van Gogh or still think sunflowers are just pricey decor, the new 360º digital art show at Foothills Mall turns every wall into a canvas. It’s the kind of evening that makes you ponder life, or at least popcorn budget.
🐦 Bookshoppe Bird Show | Thursday (7/17) at 7:00pm – Think the chatter at Market Square is lively? Bookshoppe’s indoor bird show lets you trade neighborly gossip for talon-sharp banter, all while meeting feathered divas up close. Part of your ticket supports Owl Ridge Raptor Center’s rehab heroes.
🎸 Pretty Tied Up (Guns N’ Roses Tribute) @ Open Chord Stage | Thursday (7/17) at 8:00pm – Grab your air guitar and stake out a front-row seat, because our favorite local tribute, Pretty Tied Up, is nailing every raw note from Appetite For Destruction. Expect sweaty riffs, questionable hairstyles, and late-80s nostalgia. Grab your air guitar and stake out a front-row seat—first-come, first-served, and fully rock-approved.
🌿 Tennessee Discovery Summer Camp @ UT Gardens | Friday (7/18) at 8:30am – Got a curious kiddo who’d rather be digging in dirt than staring at a screen? This weeklong camp is packed with hands-on learning about Tennessee’s wild side—flora, fauna, and even a little geology. Ages 6–12 welcome, sunscreen strongly encouraged.
🎨 Free Create Friday @ Blount County Public Library | Friday (7/18) at 10:30am – Free Create Friday is turning the community center into your personal art lab, stocked with paper, yarn, fabric, and a treasure trove of recycled bits. No rules, no fees, just bring your wild ideas, your glue gun ambitions, and your inner five-year-old.
✊🏾 Remembering: Resist, Reveal, Reclaim @ Downtown Gallery | Friday (7/18) at 11:00am – Step into a show tracing Black craft from the Jazz Age to today, with works by two dozen Tennessee artists. It’s part history lesson, part art party, with no snooty gallery vibes. Bring curiosity, leave with a new favorite piece.
This weekend
🍅 Tomato Jam @ Blount County Public Library | Saturday (7/19) at 11:00am – Grab your sunhat and roll into town for a tomato celebration with heirloom tastings, food trucks slinging salsa and sliders, and silly contests like tomato toss and seed spitting. It’s the perfect recipe for an afternoon spent with friends, fresh produce, and a cold drink.
✨ Summer Craft Series: Shimmery Bottles @ Fountain City Branch Library | Saturday (7/19) at 11:00am – Nothing soothes frayed nerves like a DIY glitter bottle, am I right? Head over to Fountain City for the Summer Craft Series, where you’ll trap sparkles and sequins in a jar, watch your troubles spiral down like confetti, no meditation app required.
🎥 Movie in the Cave @ Cherokee Caverns | Saturday (7/19) at 12:00pm – Skip Netflix on the couch and wander into a cave for a 20th anniversary screening of The Descent. It’s your excuse to dust off your hiking boots, snack on cave popcorn, and watch terrified spelunkers do what we all secretly crave, scream in the dark.
🚀 Daytime Docs – Apollo 11 @ Lawson McGhee Library | Sunday (7/20) at 2:00pm – Pull up a chair like you’re Mission Control, minus the frantic push alerts. We’ve got 70mm footage, NASA’s secret audio, and a seat to Apollo 11’s big 50. Stay after for a laid-back chat, then snag your next doc from our Sights & Sounds stash.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 7/16 Tinca Tinca @ Pretentious Beer – 6 pm
- 7/16 Gunshine @ Open Chord – 7:30 pm
- 7/17 Blue Plate Special @ WDVX – 12 pm
- 7/17 Matt Stillwell @ Market Square – 7 pm
- 7/17 Chad Beauchaine and more @ Jig and Reel – 7:15 pm
- 7/17 Pretty Tied Up @ Open Chord – 8 pm
- 7/17 Randy G @ Chatterbox Tavern – 8 pm
- 7/18 RockinFellerZ @ Smokey Mountain Brewery – 8:30 pm
- 7/18 Tangled in Blues @ Brackins Blues Club – 9 pm
- 7/19 Will Kruger Music @ WDVX – 11 am
This house is wild
*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.
Listed by: Jon Brock (Realty Executives Associates)
A German Colonial-inspired standout on 5.22 wooded acres, this home is anything but ordinary. Walls of retractable glass, vibrant textures, and a chef’s kitchen with a secret butler’s galley set the stage for lively gatherings. The main living space flows into an all-season porch, where a saltwater pool, spa, fire pit, and putting green keep the party going long after sunset.
Upstairs, a tiered balcony off the primary suite offers treetop views, while dual laundry stations and a finished lower level with rec room, guest suite, and direct garage access keep things practical. The outdoor kitchen pavilion and pool house are just the cherry on top.
