The Sunsphere

10 Things to Know About Market Square

Historic Market Square is the heart of downtown Knoxville. It’s a must-do for any visitor to our city, and we’re happy to tell you why! But you can’t know the present if you don’t know the past, so we’ll start with a brief history lesson to get your bearings. 1. Market Square History The history of…

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Big Ears Festival - Why Knoxville?

The Comet is Coming by Fabrice Bourgelle courtesy Big Ears Why do people come to Knoxville from all 50 states and nearly two dozen countries – traveling hundreds, even thousands of miles – filling our downtown hotels, restaurants, shops, bars, sidewalks and venues for four days or more – to attend…

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World's Fair Music

Knoxville has always been a music town, but the 1982 World’s Fair helped finally bring Knoxville into the musical spotlight. Read on and click through the links to hear some tunes on YouTube! Many great artists performed at the Fair, from Hollywood legend Bob Hope to classical greats Isaac Stern…

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1982 Playlist

This post is part of a series on the Anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair that was held in Knoxville, Tennessee. For more posts and information about…

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A Guide to the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association

While it is true one can find bluegrass most anywhere these days, it takes on a new meaning here in Knoxville. Many of the legends call this region home and the culture is steeped in Appalachia. From porches to barn dances, bluegrass was the music folks gathered around. One only has to look around…

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Cradle of Country Music Spotify Playlist

Bristol is known as the “Birthplace of Country Music”, today Nashville is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and famous places where many artists made it big. Knoxville could be thought of a bridge between the very beginning and the growth we see today – a cradle, if you will – a place where…

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