Knoxville’s countdown to 2022 will be held beneath the Sunsphere this year as a tribute to the upcoming 40th anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair. The New Year’s Eve celebration will be held on the World’s Fair Festival Lawn and will include live music, food trucks, fireworks, a laser light show and a midnight ball-drop from the Sunsphere. The space has been a good place to safely distance over the past two years, said Kyndra Brewer, director of the City’s Office of Special Events.
The evening begins at 9 pm and includes no alcohol sales. More info can be found at www.knoxvilletn.gov/christmas
But before we get to New Year’s Eve, there are lots of other opportunities for holiday fun. Here are some of the activities and events happening around town:
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents its Clayton Holiday Concert Dec. 17-19 at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium. The orchestra will perform music from Frozen, Home Alone and more, and the evening includes performances by GO! Contemporary Dance Works, the Knoxville Choral Society and Webb School of Knoxville Select Ensembles.
Christmas in the City fills the downtown district with lights and includes the Holidays on Ice skating rink on Market Square and an Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt. The celebration continues through Jan. 2.
At Zoo Knoxville, Zoo Lights dazzles with animal lanterns, mythical creatures, festive food and drinks and lots of twinkle. It runs through Jan. 9.
Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood includes more than 5 million twinkling lights, holiday shows, seasonal treats and fireworks. The celebration continues through Jan. 2.
Holiday Festival of Lights at the Cove at Concord Park in Farragut. Walk a 3/4-mile loop to enjoy holiday lights.
Theatre Knoxville Downtown presents A Doublewide Texas Christmas through Dec. 19. Christmas is looking like trouble in Doublewide what with red-tape problems with the county, a pack of vengeful raccoons and romance gone wrong in this rollicking redneck comedy.
The Flying Anvil Theatre, meanwhile, presents Scrooge in Rouge, a quick-change, cross-dressing version of the Charles Dickens classic. When a case of food poisoning besets a performing arts group, its three remaining healthy members soldier on through a performance of A Christmas Carol. But who will play Tiny Tim? Find out through Dec. 31.