Make. Art. Music.

Art Market Gallery is a vibrant marketplace for original art and fine crafts located on Gay Street. It's the hub for 60 juried-in East Tennessee artists to showcase their amazing work. During Big Ears weekend, you're invited to an Artist Meet & Greet on Saturday, March 29 from 2 PM – 5 PM including refreshments and music in the lobby. Drop in and explore throughout the weekend!

Suttree's Tavern full week of music events going on during the week of Big Ears. Wednesday, March 26: J. Luke Cochran and Knox Whiskey Wednesday; Thursday, March 27: Honky Tonk Thursday with Russell Walker – music and 2 step dance lessons; Friday, March 28: Mike Jones; Saturday, March 29: Sips & Spins with Black Abby/Creature Comforts – this is a live DJ combined with a tap takeover of Black Abby and Creature Comforts craft beer (bringing in 8 specialty beers for their tap wall). 

6 PM till late, and there is no cover charge! Just bring your appetite, thirst, and maybe a little something for the tip jar. And don't forget...ramen, hot dogs, vintage pinball and video games, and an unparalleled beer selection. Check out their socials for updates.

OFFICIAL BIG EARS VENUE - open to the public
Click Here for Festival Lineup

RED is an intimate gallery in the Old City that features rotating exhibitions of local and regional artists. During Big Ears, they’ll be hosting Pangrok Sulap, a Malaysian community-collective from Borneo that will be in Knoxville for two-weeks in March 2025 leading up to the Big Ears Music Festival. Pangrok Sulap includes “artists, musicians and social activists with a mission to empower rural communities and the marginalized through art.” “Pangrok” is the local pronunciation of “punk rock”, and “Sulap” is a hut or a resting place usually used by farmers in Sabah, Borneo.

Artists Adi Helmi Bin Jaini and Zayrul Rizo Bin Osman Leong will collaborate with students and faculty from the University of Tennessee in the creation of a large scale, community-printed woodcut.  Accompanied by drumming, Pangrok Sulap prints are created through community participation. Big Ears Festival Hours: 10 AM – 6 PM.

OFFICIAL BIG EARS VENUE - open to the public
Click Here for Festival Lineup

The Emporium Center is the hub for arts and culture in Downtown Knoxville. This charming building is worth your time where you'll find studios with resident artists specializing in chalk pastel, watercolor, oil, acrylic, fiber, jewelry, photography, and more.A Big Ears exhibition will be upstairs and official Big Ears Festival merchandise will be downstairs. Extended hours for the weekend include Wednesday– Thursday, 9 AM – 9 PM; Friday – Saturday, 10 AM – 9 PM; and Sunday, 10 AM – 8 PM.

Exhibitions on display include:

Wayne White: "Big Words"
Paintings, which feature oversized, three-dimensional text painstakingly integrated into vintage landscape reproductions.

Kerry Remp: "From Paper to Thread to Yarn"
Visual art, via paper (modular origami) and other paper art forms such as quilling, sculpture and portraiture.

Hannah Doss: "Flora and Fauna of Tennessee"
Art predominantly exploring wildlife, nature, and portraiture, inviting viewers to pause and savor the intricate beauty of life’s small details.

Deb Cikovic: "Timeless Strings – The Art of Guitars and Clocks" 
Work reflecting a renewed journey of learning and discovery, inspired by a fascination with resin techniques she encountered in a recent class. 

A1LabArts: "Creativity and Community"
A variety of creative work, including visual art in two and three dimensions; time-based art such as video, performance art, theater, written and spoken word; music; dance; multi-media events and more.

OFFICIAL BIG EARS VENUE - open to the public
Click Here for Festival Lineup

Knoxville Museum of Art provides incredible art to locals and visitors year-round. As a Big Ears venue, the museum offers an inspiring setting where visual and musical artistry converge, inviting audiences to experience performances surrounded by thoughtfully curated exhibitions that reflect the rich cultural landscape of the area. This unique space is a place for reflection, exploration, and a deep appreciation of the arts. During the Big Ears' weekend, programming includes Concerts, Conversations and a Special Event: ambient music pioneer Laraaji and sound healer and musician Arji Oceananda will lead two laughter and sound release playshops through playful interactions accompanied by music.

The museum is always free.

Don't expect a big, flashy sign telling you where the Pilot Light is. The indiscreet venue in the Old City has been a local favorite for creative, independent, and experimental music and performance for more than 23 years. During the festival weekend, they'll be presenting What For? a micro-festival featuring 35+ performers free to the public—first come first served. Find details at thepilotlight.com.

Nothing Too Fancy is the Official Merch Provider of Big Ears 2025! They printed all of this year's apparel at their in-town print shop using all water based inks—but also make sure you check out their retail store on Union Ave. These locally designed and printed apparel purveyors just celebrated 12 years in business and have been providing the official Big Ears merchandise from the very beginning. Focusing on eco-friendly and original t-shirts, it's the perfect spot to pick up a Tennessee or Knoxville souvenir while you're visiting.

It's a full weekend at the brewery! At 3 PM on Saturday, March 29, Joyful Noise presents a sounds at Pretentious Beer Co. Several musicians will come together for a live improvised performance. Hear work from Wendy Eisenberg, Greg Saunier, Tall Tall Trees, Kramer, Thor + surprise guests TBA. While you're there enjoy good company and a good drink!

Pour Taproom will have live music by Cale Charney on Friday, March 28 and Brent Hyder on Saturday, March 29. It gets better....60+ rotating taps of craft beer, wines, ciders, meads, and cocktails; pay by the ounce–not the glass; tasty snacks and great outdoor seating.

Stop in at Pretentious Glass Co for stunning works of art in the gallery and live glassblowing workshops and demonstrations all weekend. The gallery will exhibit sculptures and one of a kind Founders Series glasses from Owner and Master Glassblower Matthew Cummings. Experience Make Your Own Workshops from 10 AM - 3 PM (Thursday), 10 AM - 8:30 PM (Friday), and 1 PM - 9 PM (Saturday). Sign up at PretentiousGlassCo.com.

Friday will also include "Molten Soundscapes" a freeform performance with Thor Harris doing a live musical collaboration with Matthew Cummings with sonic sculpture and molten glass intertwining in a multi-sensory experience. So stop in during the Big Ears Weekend, grab a beer from Pretentious Beer Co next door, and check out everything Pretentious has to offer.

See art in action when you pop in Christopher Robin Arts on Gay Street. Owners and husband-and-wife duo Chris and Robin Rohwer will be actively painting some relevant musical subjects, and they look forward to meeting you! Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 11 AM - 6 PM.

The duo will also be hosting “Solo Snow” with Carl Snow playing acoustic guitar on Friday, March 28 beginning at 6 PM.  Carl will play on downtown Knoxville’s Historic Promenade outside Christopher Robin Arts studio at 418 South Gay Street. There is no cost.  You are encouraged to bring a chair, enjoy Carl’s music, and have a look around their studio. Of course, there is fabulous ice cream from the Phoenix Pharmacy or coffee and doughnuts from Status Dough in the front of the building.

Dogwood Arts brings art outside, adding character and beauty to our city streets and spaces through their annual Art in Public Places Sculpture Exhibition. Enjoy larger-than-life works of art as you stroll through Krutch Park, where the majority of this year's exhibition resides. Since 2007, the Art in Public Places sculpture program has curated and installed over 280 works of art in Knoxville and gained national recognition as a platform for exhibiting world-class sculptors.

From coffee mugs to the art and fine crafts on display, and even much of the furniture, every detail of Maker Exchange is sourced to immerse you in the celebration of Knoxville as the Maker City. More than 100 Local Artists currently have work on display in the Curio at Maker Exchange. The collection is shoppable 24-7 using an easy online system with QR codes to select the piece you desire, make your purchase via the website, and choose the method of delivery – pickup the next business day or have shipped to your desired location.

Tavern Notes
Live music from 7 – 9 PM on Friday, March 28th featuring Jessica Watson and Barry "Po" Hannah.

Mural Workshop
During Big Ears weekend, don't miss an exhibition of murals designed and painted by six local artists during the recent Dogwood Arts Mural Workshop led by muralist Megan Lingerfelt. Artists include: Adele Ferguson, Zoe Haun, Andi Kur, Lydia May, Jordan Thompson, and Esther Sitver.

Rala stands for regional and local artisans, and this store represents some of the best! During Big Ears weekend, in additional to a curated collection from local artisans, you’ll find "Alphabet Knox", an exhibition by Knoxville artist Mike C. Berry. Stop to browse a curated selection of local goods, unique gifts, and an incredible collection of art prints. Plus, don't miss live painting in front of the store throughout the festival - watch some of their talented artists create in real time!

Awaken is a charming coffee shop in the Old City with seasonal lattes and spacious seating to enjoy your morning cup of joe. Throughout the weekend, you'll find an exhibition by local artist Casey Field, a portrait and figurative artist who lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her work blends contemporary sensibilities with classical techniques.

OFFICIAL BIG EARS VENUE - open to the public
Click Here for Festival Lineup

Visit the gallery space located inside Digital Motif marketing & design agency to experience The Violins of Hope: Strings of the Holocaust exhibition. In this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, experience a deeply moving display of history, music, and resilience. This exhibition tells the stories of the Jewish musicians and their violins that survived the Holocaust. Restored and preserved, these instruments now serve as powerful symbols of hope and survival. The gallery will be open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 12 PM – 6 PM, and Saturday from 1 PM – 4 PM.

The Spice & Tea Exchange will be showcasing a variety of specialties throughout the weekend with samples and recipe cards. Plus, enjoy a 10% discount on all drinks from their tea bar! Be sure to see the Chalkboard Art Display in their back sitting area which overlooks the Gay St alley and the 100 ft long mural by artists Ilana Lilienthal and Orel Brodt. The mural, titled "The Imperial Alley," was inspired by the Imperial Hotel which was destroyed by fire in 1917 and rebuilt two years later as the Hotel Farragut, now the Hyatt Place Hotel.

Status Serigraph is the graphic design and illustration studio of artist Justin Helton. The studio specializes in limited-edition concert posters and designs for the music industry with clients including the Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and more. And in 2025, the Official Big Ears Limited-Edition Poster. You'll find it at the merch stands.

Stop by the studio on Jackson Ave and check out Justin’s work on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 AM to 3 PM. Shops like this are what make Downtown Knoxville so special.

Visit the Dogwood Gallery to experience "Seven Decades in Bloom: Celebrating the Legacy of Dogwood Arts", a new exhibition reflecting the organization's rich history, evolution, and impact on the region. Gallery hours: Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM.

Visit the heart of Knoxville's street art scene to watch artist Megan Lingerfelt transform the seasonal Downtown Knoxville mural from Winter to Spring (Thursday, March 27 and Friday, March 28, weather dependent). Strong Alley is one of the most photographed places in town thanks to creative muralists decorating it with new artwork each year, as well as reinventing old favorites. Located between Gay Street and Market Square, it's a great place to snap a pic!

OFFICIAL BIG EARS VENUE - open to the public
Click Here for Festival Lineup

Throughout the weekend, the Visitors Center will host several artist Conversations and special Big Ears editions of the WDVX Blue Plate Special. Plus, don’t miss Lee Gardner and Matt Byars returning to Big Ears to record new episodes of the Podcast Essential Tremors in front of a live audience.

Bistro at the Bijou, located in the historic Bijou Theatre, is known for their classic bar, great food—much of it fresh from the garden of owner and chef Martha Boggs—and for their weekly jazz. Enjoy Margherita Fava Trio on Friday, March 28 and Variego 3 on Saturday, March 29. 8 PM – 10:30 PM.

OFFICIAL BIG EARS VENUE - open to the public
Click Here for Festival Lineup

The UT Downtown Gallery is a contemporary art gallery exhibiting professional work through funding and support from The University of Tennessee. During the weekend, the gallery is presenting “Kite Symphony,” ana multidisciplinary exhibition by Roberto Carlos Lange and Kristi Sword. The project features a series of drawings called Radio Telescope and two films: an experimental visual music piece called Star Scores, which will be scored live during the Big Ears festival, and a film documenting sculptural interventions from their time in Marfa, Texas.

Gallery hours for the weekend are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 9 PM and Sunday from noon to 6 PM.

Bliss & Tori Mason Shoes is a women's clothing, shoes, and gift boutique located on Gay Street. Their featured artist is All Y'All Skincare whose mission is to make soap for every-body because everyone deserves to feel good in their body. They will have a selection of aromatherapy rollers, soaps, and lip balms in store. Drop by all weekend to shop these fun collections!