As students rush around to finish up their finals and head home for the holidays, they should be sure to take some time to enjoy Knoxville’s own Christmas cheer.
With a rich local tradition, the city of Knoxville has its own set of exciting events celebrating the Christmas season.
“Market Square hosts an ice skating rink each year around Christmastime,” Anna Manneschmidt, Knoxville resident and undecided freshman said.
Downtown on the square, local residents and UT students can come together to enjoy Knoxville’s Holidays on Ice. The full-sized ice-skating rink will be open Friday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Jan. 3.
Knoxville’s most popular winter festival, Christmas in the City, hosts a variety of exciting weekend events leading up to Dec. 25.
The annual WIVK / FOWLERS Christmas Parade will take place on Friday at 6:30 p.m. downtown on Gay St. This year’s parade will feature an array of floats, band performances, dancing and lights.
On Friday, Dec. 11, at 6:00 p.m. locals will come together to enjoy Comcast’s Christmas at Chilhowee Park. This event will feature free pictures with Santa Claus, cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus, caroling and free horse drawn carriage rides. There will also be marshmallow roasting as visitors enjoy the lighted trees “floating” on the lake under the stars.
UT’s own Clarence Brown Theatre will put on Charles Dickens’s classic “A Christmas Carol” from Nov. 25 – Dec. 20, 2009.
On Dec. 1, the Holiday Chorale Concert performed by the School of Music will take place from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Cox Auditorium. The School of Music will also sponsor a Holiday Musicale at the Foundry from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 6. This event is designed to benefit their scholarship program and requires an R.S.V.P. to 865-974-8935 by Dec. 1.
The 41st Annual Knoxville Nativity Pageant, a community sponsored pantomime drama, will take place at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, Dec. 13-15.
The Ramsay House Plantation, another Knoxville attraction, will be hosting a Candlelight Tour with music and refreshments as well as a wreath-making workshop in honor of the season.
Some holiday festivities traditionally incorporate a more philanthropic turn.
“The Fantasy of Trees event is put on every year to benefit the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital,” Emily Manneschmidt, undecided freshman and Knoxville resident, said.
This year’s festival took place Nov. 25-29 and raised funds to purchase medical equipment benefiting children. Each year Knoxville residents turn out to enjoy holiday activities and contribute to this cause.
