News Roundup | Wine, music, and markets
Here’s your weekly roundup of notable things going on in Knoxville.
Southern Skies Music Festival returns to World’s Fair Park
Music will be pouring out of World’s Fair Park this weekend with the return of the annual Southern Skies Music Festival.
Curated by hometown favorites, the Dirty Guv’nahs, Southern Skies is an authentically Knoxville celebration of music and community — featuring a lineup of national, regional, and local talent. St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Grace Potter are this year’s headliners.
The music festival runs all day Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21. Tickets for one-day or weekend passes can be purchased here.
Maker City Summit early bird tickets on sale now
Calling all makers! Early bird tickets are on sale now for this fall’s annual Maker City Summit.
The summit, which will be held from September 8-10, is designed for makers of all types — from illustrators to innovators, bakers to brewers, tinkerers to full-timers, and everyone in between — who are looking for maker business education and creative inspiration.
You can purchase tickets here. Prices will go up as the event gets closer.
TVA, KUB to award $220,000 to nonprofits through Community Care Fund
Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) is partnering with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to double the amount of funding available to local nonprofit organizations through TVA’s Community Care Fund.
TVA’s Community Care Fund has $110,000 available for Knoxville-area organizations, and KUB will match that amount for a total of $220,000 available.
To apply for funding, organizations must 1.) Have been active and classified 501(c)(3) for a minimum of 12 months and 2.) Be focused on assistance in one of the following areas:
- Education
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Health, Hunger, & Housing
- Workforce Development & Training
- Community Enrichment
Organizations can submit an application online here now through June 5, 2023.
Double S Wine Bar reopens in new location
Downtown Knoxville’s favorite wine bar is back. Double S Wine Bar is now open at its new location at 300 West Magnolia, after moving there from their previous location on the 100 block of Gay Street.
Inside Knoxville reports the new location can hold nearly four times as many people as the much smaller original bar.
Double S is frequented by both the Latin and jazz communities, with frequent Latin dance classes and Jazz performances scheduled. They’re now open in their new space.
Tennessee Theatre launches new podcast
The Tennessee Theatre has released its debut podcast episode as part of its “Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change” series. The new episode, which aired May 18, features Grammy-nominated Allison Russell and is hosted by Cecilia Wright.
“Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change,” which launched in 2022, provides an opportunity for artists from marginalized and underserved communities to share their art with others. Through performances, visual art displays, discussions and panels focusing on important issues and educational opportunities, artists have the chance to engage with the community and share insight.
Listeners can access the newly released podcast through Apple Music, Spotify, and by visiting tennesseetheatre.com/ptm. The project is supported in part by the Tennessee Arts Commission and produced by the Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation.
Concerts on the Square are back for the summer
Bring your lawn chair or snag a patio table on Market Square for Concerts on the Square all summer long!
Every Tuesday night through June 28, catch live jazz performances on the stage in Market Square starting at 7 p.m.
Every third Thursday of the month through September 21, catch a variety concert in the same space also at 7 p.m.
All concerts are free from the City of Knoxville.
Roll-Em-Up Taquitos restaurant chain expands into Knoxville
Southern California-born Roll-Em-Up Taquitos will be opening its first restaurants in the southeastern U.S., with locations in both Louisville, Kentucky, and Knoxville – including one just minutes from the University of Tennessee campus.
Using a treasured family recipe, each Roll-Em-Up taquito starts with a fresh corn or flour tortilla, hand-rolled and filled with citrus-marinated chicken, braised shredded beef, potatoes with green chilis, and freshly-grated, Monterrey jack cheese. The taquitos are then fried in a giant proprietary cast iron pan until crispy and golden brown, then topped with any one of Roll-Em-Up’s house-made sauces.
Though a specific location has not been named, Roll-Em-Up Taquitos is expected to open in Knoxville by the end of 2023.
