Urban Knoxville: How to make tonight's Christmas parade route even better
Welcome back to Urban Knoxville, your weekly dose of downtown buzz. This is Kelli Krebs, let's get into it.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in downtown Knoxville, and the festivities continue tonight. After the pandemic canceled so many holiday traditions last year, the beloved WIVK Christmas Parade will make its triumphant return to the streets of downtown Knoxville at 7 p.m. tonight.
While the one-mile march through downtown will spread Christmas cheer, the parade's route also lights a perfect way to spend a night celebrating the holidays in downtown Knoxville.
The parade starts over on Church Avenue near the Knoxville Civic Coliseum and Auditorium. The venue will host several holiday-themed events this season, including an appearance from Chevy Chase for a 30th anniversary screening of "National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation."
Turn right on Gay Street and grab a cocktail from Five Thirty Lounge's rooftop winter wonderland. The Hyatt's rooftop bar pulled out all the stops this season: string lights, Christmas trees, seasonal cocktails, and even a snow machine help personal igloos keep the #rooftopvibes alive in winter.
Then, hop across the street for a photo op at Knoxville's 42-foot Christmas tree in Krutch Park. Pop into downtown businesses, like Mast General Store or Jack's, along the Peppermint Trail as you head north on Gay Street.
Follow the parade route and take another right on Jackson Avenue to Brother Wolf, where downtown's pop-up Christmas bar, Miracle in the Old City, awaits. The seasonal bar, previously hosted by Sapphire, offers holiday-inspired cocktails surrounded by what can only be described as a "Christmas explosion" inside the Old City's newest bar.
Looking for other ideas this holiday season? On this week's episode of "The Scruffy Stuff" podcast, co-hosts Ryan Wilusz and Calvin Mattheis share their picks for the best ways to celebrate the holidays in downtown Knoxville.
Oh, and one more thing: Knoxville's second selfie studio, Selfie Lab, opens its 15 interactive backgrounds today on Sevier Avenue. You can book your next session at Knoxville's latest Instagrammable location online.
Living local:
Sip local: Go enjoy the Mint Condition inside a personal igloo at Five Thirty Lounge. The cocktail includes candy cane infused Wheatley Vodka, PostModern Cacao Liqueur, crème, with a peppermint dusted rim.
Munch local: Broadway Market is back! The downtown-adjacent seafood restaurant and market is back open after closing in the spring. Go grab their delicious tuna poke bowl full of steamed rice, seaweed salad, deviled egg, pickled vegetables, spring rolls and voodoo sauce.
Listen local: Take a listen to "Back on Top" by Buffalo Nichols. The critically acclaimed blues artist will be perform at Barley's Taproom on Monday.
That's all for now. Don't forget to tip your bartenders, be kind to your retail workers this weekend and drink more water.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Urban Knoxville: How to make tonight's Christmas parade route even better
