Downtown Knox ArtWalk

The Maker City is bringing a haunted twist to the First Friday block party in the Old City on October 2nd.

Shop spooky creations from local makers, get crafty with goulish activities, explore participating (maybe haunted) galleries, dance to the sounds of DJ Mini Tiger Time, and stick around around for the Haunted Story Corner for some local lore.

5–8 PM.

Addison's bookstore will be open for special extended hours First Friday!

6—9 PM.

Grab your gear, your friends, and your passport to experience our downtown! Meet some of East Tennessee’s most interesting amphibian residents in the form of little bronze sculptures!

Grab a passport at Mast General Store, Visit Knoxville, or download a digital version at knoxnewts.com. Study the clues, and find all 12 bronze newts hidden amid our downtown landmarks.

This permanent, self-guided scavenger hunt is free to play and open 24/7, year round. Happy hunting!

Hot shop Glassblowing Demonstrations at nationally known Pretentious. Don’t miss this.

5 PM—9 PM.

Join the Tomato Head as they'll be hosting Vinyl Vibes with DJ Soularia. Stay for some great food and drinks!

6–8:30.

Original oils by Robin Rohwer and photography by Christopher Rohwer. The husband and wife artist duo has lots of new work to share!

In studio until 9 PM.

This month's featured artists:

Claire J Bodnaruk, Glass
Claire has been working in glass and jewelry for over 20 years. Her journey in glass began with becoming proficient in metal fabrication, incorporating colorful glass into unique jewelry. During travels to London, France and Italy, she was inspired by the beautiful Venetian and stained glass art that led to exploring glass on a larger scale. Learning from recognized glass artists across the United States in glass blowing to glass fusing, Claire’s current focus is in kiln formed glass, the manipulation of shaping glass in a kiln with heat and gravity. The process to produce one piece may involve several firings with many hours in the cycle, multiple techniques, manipulations, and cold working for a quality finish. Her work is both functional and nonfunctional glass art, and jewelry. She incorporates sterling silver, fine silver, and 14/20 gold.

Ron Williams, Photography
Ron feels fortunate to be a native of east Tennessee, where much of his early years were spent hiking and camping in the nearby mountains and Appalachian Trail. The mountains and streams are where he discovered peace, solitude and the over awe-inspiring beauty of mother nature. This love of nature evolved into his passion for capturing these scenes and sharing them with others.

Explore the marketplace of more than 50 juried-in East TN artists.

5:30—9 PM.

Join Awaken for a special evening celebrating the opening of featured artwork by Debbie Alley. Debbie Alley is a mixed-media artist, educator, and entrepreneur based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her creative practice explores the connection between art, nature, and wellness. Her work often begins with meditative drawings or botanical prints and evolves intuitively through layers of marks, textures, and expressive strokes created with a variety of media. The resulting abstract pieces are rich with intricate details that invite viewers to slow down and look more closely.

Come enjoy some local art, meet the artists, and grab your favorite coffee! See you there!

6—8 PM.

Underground @ Mirage featuring a selection of house music. Enjoy house music all night long at this FREE event. (ID required.)

6 PM—1:00 AM.

RED Gallery presents Big Prints! Steamroller Showcase In conjunction with Knox Small Press Fest.

Each Fall, Knox Small Press Fest is proud to present a weekend of large scale Steamroller prints at Relay Ridge. With master printer Jake Ingram as the lead, community members work together to print large scale woodblock prints with an industrial steamroller as the press.  This two day event will be October 3rd and 4th, 2026 at Relay Ridge. Join us at RED Gallery for a showcase of giant prints made together in the streets over the years! 

5—8 PM.

Stop in Studio 106 Art Gallery. Located on the lower level of the Emporium Center inside suite 106, the gallery will offer specials and discounts for First Friday!

11 AM—9 PM.

Join Dogwood Arts for the First Friday opening reception of 'Keeping Trees', a solo exhibition by Ashton Ludden, founder & director of Relay Ridge. 

5—8 PM.

Enjoy live jazz music from David Zavracky. Great spot for dinner and cocktails.

8—10:30 PM.

Enjoy music from the Folkbois. Stay for some great food and beer!

7—10 PM.

Enjoy live music from Red Tailed Rounders. (21+ Free)

9 PM.

Visit Able Trade for beer, bites, and local talent.

This month features works by, Lisa Duncan. For the past 20 years, Lisa has found her own artistic expression in stained glass, creating windows and doors that explore the interplay of light, texture, color, and pattern. Her work reflects both her appreciation for fine craftsmanship and her belief in the power of creativity to transform spaces and connect people.

5:30—8:30 PM.

Join the UT Downtown Gallery for the opening of Movement, and Disability: Transcending the Beauty Paradigm.

Art, Movement, and Disability: Transcending the Beauty Paradigm is a 2026 book authored by University of Tennessee Associate Professor Emeritus of Art History, Dr. Timothy Hiles. The exhibition brings Hiles’ book into the gallery space, showcasing a selection of the artists featured in his research. These artists’ practices challenge conventional narratives of disability, embodiment, and representation. Art, Movement, and Disability is organized around three central themes: flipping the script—reclamation, invisibility, and the conversation.

5 PM—9 PM.

For over 22 years, the Pilot Light has been the go-to for independent and experimental music. On Friday, join them for performances by Charm School with DILDOX, New Romantics, and PR0JEKT9.

11 AM – 12 AM.

The musical guest for First Friday Live will be JJ Nicely.

6—7 PM.

Enjoy live music from Kukuly & the Fuego outside of the Tavern from 6—8 PM! And don't miss new work in the Curio by Ryan Blair, Nick DeFord, and John Phillips. 

5—9 PM.

Join Arrowmont Gallery for the opening of 100 & Under: Prints | Books | Zines.

Exploring the world of books and print, this exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Knox Small Press Fest, an annual community celebration of independent publishers, artists, and printmakers. 

<p">Featuring work by more than 20 local, regional, and Arrowmont-connected artists, this exhibition highlights the diversity and innovation found within contemporary print and handmade book culture. Embodying our mission of enriching lives through art and craft, our 100 & Under exhibitions are designed to invite more handmade work into people’s everyday lives. 

5—9 PM.

Union Ave Books is excited to present a poetry and fiction reading in celebration of First Friday. Featuring Chiagoziem Jideofor, Arinze Akpa, Ucheoma Onwutuebe, and Michael Amos Cody. RSVP for this FREE event by visiting unionavebooks.com/events.

6—7:30 PM.

Casa HoLa invites you to the debut of Aliya Addo Alewine’s "On Death and Dying" exhibit.

The exhibition will remain available until the end of the month inside The Emporium (Suite 112).

5—9 PM.

Gallery 1010 is the only fully student-run, non-profit, off-campus UTK exhibition space in the state of Tennessee. Gallery 1010 provides a location for School of Art artists to exhibit their work, curate exhibitions, and collaborate with other artists or disciplines outside of the School of Art.

Join the opening reception for "Flesh & Flora", featuring student works by Deborah Allion & Addison French. Flesh & Flora brings two artistic practices into dialogue through shared themes of spirituality, femininity, nature, and ornamentation. 

5 PM—9 PM.

Bliss is excited to be featuring ORC Collections for this month's First Friday artist! Olivia is a young entrepreneur who loves expressing her creativity. Her products range from apparel to buttons to watercolor and even jewelry. Here's a little bit from Olivia herself: 

My name is Olivia Roddy. I started ORC in July of 2023 when I picked up stitching sweatshirts over the summer. I love creating, especially when it is meaningful for my customers. I started my Instagram page, and my side hustle became my small business. What started with just stitched sweatshirts has expanded into doing an array of items. Thank you for letting me share a bit of my love for creating with you!”

5–9 PM.

Live music all night from Gramphix with Big Pink. Tickets at door.

8 PM.

Get ready to dance with music from DJ Andres Tapia.

10 PM.

Live music from King Ghoul with Jude Mauk and Mary McGuinness. Tickets at door.

8 PM. 

Locals can enjoy Free Admission to the Sunsphere from 10-6 PM.

Guests may show their Knox County driver's license at the 3rd floor Welcome Center to get complimentary access to the 4th floor Observation Deck

Must show a valid Knox County Drivers License!