Fall For Downtown Knoxville | 2022

The heart of Downtown Knoxville is only about a mile from Neyland Stadium, so you can spend the day shopping for gameday gear, meeting visitors traveling through Market Square, or grabbing a bite to eat on Gay Street before or after the game. Knoxville was ranked as one of “College Football's Greatest College Towns” by Sports Illustrated, so you know this time of year is electric!

Downtown Knoxville is host to many weekly and seasonal markets you don't want to miss! The Market Square Farmers' Market continues throughout the fall every Wednesday (10am-1pm) and Saturday (9am-1pm). It's always a fan-favorite. And mark your calendars for the Old City Market on the second Sunday of every month (11am-4pm). You can also shop the Sunday Social market every second Sunday with even more local artists and makers at Kaizen's beautiful patio on Jackson.

Step into a fairytale when you visit Alice in Appalachia! The new business on Market Square is divided into three unique experiences. “Down the Rabbit Hole” features a coffee, tea, and cocktail bar with cupcakes and finger sandwiches (think adult tea party). “The Mad Hatter Tea Room” provides a private event space for all your over-the-top celebrations. And “Through the Looking Glass” is a funky shopping experience with tea pots, mirrors, Mardi Gras masks, hats, jewelry, pottery, and so much more!

Everywhere you look — curiouser and curiouser.

If you're walking through Downtown Knoxville at night, you may notice a single red light down the alley beside The Oliver Hotel. That's the city's original speakeasy — Peter Kern Library. Once a well-kept secret, the bar is now a beloved institution with a warm ambiance of dark wood, a cozy fireplace, rows of books, and cocktails named after literary characters. Try one of their cozy cocktails, the Lamont Cranston with aged rum, milk, simple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.

The Downtown Knoxville retail and maker scene has exploded! With over 60 shops, there's bound to be many you haven't been to yet. In the Old City, check out Caroline Farris' endless chain, Pretentious Glass Co's handblown masterpieces, and the brand-new Bethie Lou's. On Gay Street, Paris Woodhull Illustrations just opened, as well as Addison's, a neat place to find old and rare books. And of course, throughout downtown you'll find staple retailers we've loved for years. Put on your walking shoes and have some fun!

The Great Smoky Mountains are just gorgeous from rooftop bars, and times that by ten when the leaves turn golden yellow, bright orange, and fiery red. Each of Downtown's rooftops offer unique atmospheres for different tastes. Radius Rooftop Lounge boasts a pool and lounge area perfect for a sunset cocktail, and after dark, the music turns up a notch. Five Thirty Lounge is a swanky indoor/outdoor bar with delightful cocktails and tasty small bites. And the rooftops of Market Square — Pres Pub and Bernadette's — are eclectic, colorful, and full of personality.

Catch it next year! Mark your calendars to experience the spooky season during the whole month of October in Downtown Knox! You'll feel a chill in the air—is that just the weather or is it the ghosts around every corner? We'll have some good old-fashioned wicked fun, including a costume photo contest, a calendar full of weird and wonderful events, spooky cocktails and frightful foods, and more wicked cool surprises in store. It’s gonna be a great Halloween — we can feel it in our bones!

Now that you're ready for the season, come on down and share your experiences with #LoveDowntownKnox. Plus, get your picture with the seasonal Downtown Knoxville Mural!