Must-Do Holiday Activities for Your First Christmas in Knoxville, Tennessee

If you recently moved to Knoxville, you probably already know the city has a lot of charm, but you may not know how magical Knoxville becomes during the Christmas season! You’ll find festive decor throughout town, along with plenty of holiday activities to choose from. If you can’t decide which holiday activities to enjoy, this list is the perfect place to start. Here are the Christmas activities we consider to be Knoxville holiday classics!

Stroll through holiday lights at a local park.
One of our favorite free holiday activities is strolling through the holiday lights at one of the many local parks. Our top two parks to enjoy are in the Town of Farragut, located within Knox County. Founder’s Park kicks off the season with Countdown to Light the Park on November 24th. This event includes entertainment and culminates with Santa flipping on the light switch to turn on more than 100,000 holiday lights. Our other favorite spot is The Cove at Concord Park, which hosts an annual Festival of Lights throughout December. Other great parks to explore include Lakeshore Park, which hosts Light Up Lakeshore, Krutch Park in Downtown Knoxville, which hosts the Regal Celebration of Lights, and Chilhowee Park, which hosts Christmas at Chilhowee.

Attend a Christmas Parade.
The City of Knoxville’s annual WIVK Christmas parade will take place on December 5th. Grab your hot chocolate and head downtown for a fun night watching the decorated floats. Double your parade fun by attending the Farragut Christmas parade too on December 7th.

Watch a holiday movie at the iconic Tennessee Theatre.
The beautiful Tennessee Theatre in Downtown Knoxville is the perfect place to enjoy a family-friendly holiday movie. Each year, the Theatre hosts Holiday Movie Magic, and this year’s lineup includes It’s a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone. This event pairs perfectly with a stroll through the lights at Krutch Park. Explore the Tennessee Theatre schedule and secure your tickets.

Go ice skating in Market Square or Mayor Ralph McGill Plaza.
Enjoy an ice skating outing in Downtown Knoxville or Farragut. Holidays on Ice in Market Square opens on November 28th and offers the opportunity to skate under dazzling holiday lights while listening to festive tunes. In Farragut, Campbell Station Skate will open at Mayor Ralph McGill Plaza on November 22nd. Enjoy holiday lights as you skate, and pair this outing with a stop by Founder’s Park to enjoy more beautiful holiday lights.

Enjoy a live holiday performance.
If you enjoy live performances, Knoxville offers plenty to choose from. Watch The Nutcracker at the Tennessee Theatre, A Christmas Carol at the Clarence Brown Theatre, Spirits & Sparkle at the Bijou Theatre, or the Clayton Holiday Concert at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium.

Shop for gifts at a local craft fair.
Handmade gifts are extra special, and you can find many options at a local craft fair. Shop 150+ vendors at the Artisan Holiday Market at the World’s Fair Exhibition Hall multiple days in December, and check out the Winter Market at Biddle Farms in Farragut on December 14th!

With so many magical events to choose from, we hope you find a few to make your first Christmas in Knoxville extra special.

If you haven’t moved to Knoxville quite yet, or are still searching for your new home, explore our communities in Knoxville and Farragut, and let us know how we can help you in your home search.