April 28, 2014 - The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will kick off a season of music on Market Square in grand style this Thursday, May 1, with Symphony on the Square, presented by Home Federal Bank. The free concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.

It's the start to a calendar of events that will give Knoxvillians plenty of opportunities to swing, rock, hum or croon with hundreds of fellow music lovers at Jazz Tuesdays and Variety Thursdays concerts.

The Variety Thursdays concert series begins this week and runs through June 26. From 7-9 p.m. (unless otherwise noted in the schedule below) on consecutive Thursdays, get a sampling of the wide variety of genres performed by local bands - from classical music to blues, from swing to Americana, from soft rock to country.

Marble City 5 will provide the cool jazz on Tuesdays, from May 6 through August 26. The free tunes will flow from 8-10 p.m. on the stage at the Bill Lyons Pavilion. Prestige Cleaners is presenting Jazz Tuesdays.

All concerts are free - and that even includes parking, which is free after 6 p.m. at the City-owned Market Square, State Street and Locust Street garages.

There will be no alcohol or food sold on Market Square during the concerts, apart from what is available on the patios of surrounding restaurants. But concertgoers are invited to bring chairs or blankets to sit on the Square and enjoy the shows. Please like and follow the Special Events Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CityofKnoxvilleSpecialEvents, to stay updated on the bands and on any cancellations due to the weather.

Here is the schedule for Variety Thursdays:

DATEPERFORMERSTIMEMay 1, 2014Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Symphony on the Square, presented by Home Federal Bank7:30-9 PMMay 8, 2014The Coveralls7-9 PMMay 15, 2014The Knoxville Community Band7-8 PMMay 22, 2014Blackwater Roots7-9 PMMay 29, 2014Swingtime Ensemble Group7-9 PMJune 5, 2014Knoxville Live (JD Bradley & Johnny Newcomb, Subtle Clutch, Laurel Wright)6-9 PMJune 12, 2014Old City Buskers7-9 PMJune 19, 2014Baseball the Band7-9 PMJune 26, 2014Kelsey's Woods7-9 PM