Ready for another fun event? South Knoxville block party, market set for Colonial Village
South Knoxville’s historic Colonial Village neighborhood is throwing a summertime celebration. Local businesses have banded together to host a Midsummer Block Party with a vendor market 9 am.-9p.m. on June 24, 2023.
Inner Perfect’s Curiosity Shop and Community Space, CommonPlace Coffee + Community, Allen Biermaken’s, Knoxville Watch & Jewelry, Cycle One and Sealy Automotive are all participating in the all-day event on Chapman Highway, where it meets Colonial Drive.
“We have never done anything to this scale before,” said Meleah McCammon, owner of Inner Perfect. “Eli Cockrum, owner of CommonPlace, and I have been talking about something like this for a few years.” Of course, then the pandemic came along, but this spring they decided just to do it.
“We started getting it going and it has taken on a life of its own,” said McCammon. “I have been the main coordinator because I organize events for my own business and Eli has done small markets in his parking lot, so between us we know a lot of people. I am very excited and overwhelmed, but in a good way because I have never spearheaded something this large.”
The pop-up market will feature more than 50 indoor and outdoor vendors ranging from local artisans, small businesses to vintage sellers.
Vendors will be selling candles, fiber art, jewelry, gemstones and crystals, vintage furnishings, glassware, food and bakery type items, according to McCammon. “It is a wide variety of vendors with lots of art and handmade products,” she said.
“This is my 14th year in business, I have been in this location for six years and I get new people coming in every single day,” said McCammon. “Eli and I are both community minded. I have the community space next door and he even has it in his business name. We want to provide a venue for other smaller makers and businesses. I love Sevier Avenue; they have a lot going on, while this little corner doesn’t do a lot. And we have some awesome stuff here.”
At the event there will be food available for purchase from food trucks, live music, as well a community drum circle and activities for the whole family.
Sealy Automotive on the opposite corner will be offering free workshops to learn how to check your oil and tire pressure. There will be picnic tables and space for kids to run around in the grassy lot behind.
“This is a fun-filled day open to everyone, and a great way to meet your neighbors and enjoy the day while supporting the growing South Knoxville community,” added McCammon. “There are so many people who live within walking distance, (who) walk to yoga class or to get a coffee.”
Local neighbors are encouraged to walk or bike. While limited parking is available on site, as well as overflow parking at Dogwood Animal Hospital and just behind CommonPlace, Lake Forest Church’s huge parking lot is an easy walk away.
A recently installed crosswalk and off-duty police presence will help keep people safe while they cross between the businesses.
View the full schedule and list of vendors here: https://www.innerperfect.com/s/stories/midsummer-block-party-market
“We expanded into the 3,000-square-foot building next door when the Flat Iron relocated,” said McCammon. “There will be a few vendors inside the shop, in front of our shopping strip as well as in the CommonPlace parking lot.”
It has always been McCammon’s long-term dream to open a community space with dedicated room for yoga, classes, reiki, healing and intuitive work and to provide room for others looking to get established in those areas.
There were doors behind some plywood, so despite Inner Perfect’s Curiosity Shop and the community space having different building owners, it was relatively easy to connect the two.
“It was meant to be,” said McCammon. “We still had some major work, but it was a lovely transformation.”
The new community space will also accommodate more vendors for this rain-or-shine event.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: South Knoxville block party and market coming to Colonial Village
