Festival on the Fourth Once Again Lights Up the Skies

Communications Director

Kristin Farley
[email protected]
(865) 215-2589

400 Main St., Room 691
Knoxville, TN 37902

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Festival on the Fourth Once Again Lights Up the Skies

Posted: 06/26/2017
Enjoy July 4th at World's Fair ParkFamilies from all over East Tennessee are invited to make holiday memories at this year’s Festival on the Fourth at World’s Fair Park, 4-10 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4.

The free event, sponsored by the City of Knoxville, begins with an afternoon of food and fun, followed by the winning combo of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the City’s largest annual fireworks display.

“Festival on the Fourth is our department’s biggest one-day event, and we try to pull out all the stops,” says Special Events Director Judith Foltz.

Festival on the Fourth extends across the entire park, with the North Lawn hosting a variety of food vendors and live music by The Temper Evans Band at 4 p.m., followed by Airlifter Brass, a brass quintet of the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America, at 6:15 p.m. Regal's Kids Zone activities include nine holes of miniature golf, Lego tables from Bricks for Kids, and saturating games of Water Wars. Bounce houses will be located in the nearby Tennessee Amphitheater, and guests are welcome to take paddleboat rides in the park’s “Lazy River.”

On the South Performance Lawn, Stoney Point Bluegrass Band plays at 5 p.m. At 8 p.m., Aram Demirjian conducts the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra 33rd Annual Free Pilot Flying J Independence Day Concert, marking his one-year anniversary as KSO’s Music Director. The two-hour concert will feature a mix of patriotic and Americana pieces. Highlights include “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Armed Forces Salute, John Phillip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” and Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-Down.” 

Knoxville folk duo Blond Bones will perform select songs with the KSO, and within the set, the orchestra will pay tribute to composer John Williams, who wrote the film score for “Star Wars,” released 40 years ago this year.
 Knoxville’s poet laureate R.B. Morris will perform an original work of poetry to accompany the Williams’ piece “Hymn to the Fallen” from the film “Saving Private Ryan.” The full symphony program will be listed on www.KnoxvilleSymphony.com

At approximately 9:40 p.m., as the notes of the “1812 Overture” ring out, fireworks will explode in the sky. The symphony and fireworks show will be broadcast live on WBIR-TV Channel 10 and www.WBIR.com.

Free parking is available in the 11th Street, Locust Street, Walnut Street, State Street and Market Square garages, as well as the City’s Blackstock lots on Grand Avenue. ADA parking is available at the Fort Kid parking lot. 

Bring your own chairs and blankets, but no alcohol, tents or pets will be allowed. 

Be advised of the following festival-related road closures: 

• World’s Fair Park Drive between Clinch and Grand avenues will be closed from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday; 
• Clinch Avenue between Henley and 11th streets will be closed from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday; and
• The Henley Bridge between Hill and Blount avenues will be closed from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Festival on the 4thThis annual event happens rain or shine. Visit http://www.knoxvilletn.gov/4th for additional information. 

Meanwhile, emergency officials advise everyone to leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals – if you like fireworks displays, come to Festival on the Fourth.

Remember that it is illegal for individuals to set off fireworks within Knoxville city limits. They create serious risk of injury and fire hazards, and they disturb neighborhoods. Small children and pets are especially likely to be frightened by the noise.