Blog: State Street Garage Blog

Downtown Parking Tip Sheet: Dec. 14

Here’s the latest edition of a weekly blog series from the City’s communication team designed to help downtown visitors know about events and parking opportunities.

The season of festivity is heavy upon downtown Knoxville, with only 11 shopping days until Christmas Day and lots of holiday programming at downtown entertainment venues. Even Santa has topped his to-do list with “Research downtown parking options.”

Due to construction, Santa’s go-to parking spot at State Street Garage is probably a no-go, due to ongoing construction to add 570 additional parking spaces to the garage by the summer of 2019. The project has also closed South Central Street to through traffic, although there is a detour that will guide drivers around the closure.

Santa and other visitors are encouraged to use available resources to find an alternative parking location, including, but not limited to: Dwight Kessel, Locust Street, Market Square and Langley/Summer Place garages; additional info about those are available at DowntownKnox.org/parking.

We’re also hinting that Santa use the Parkopedia app to determine which downtown lots, garages and on-street spaces are free after 6 p.m. and/or on weekends. There are so many! In fact, we’ve been remiss in not mentioning that free parking is available in the City County Building garage on non-gameday Saturdays and Sundays and between 5 p.m. and midnight weekdays. Also the Main Street Garage (behind/under Bank of America at Main and Locust) is free after 6 p.m. weekdays and on weekends.

This weekend:

Friday: The Tour de Lights holiday bicycle parade meets up in Market Square starting at 6:15 p.m. and embarks upon a five-mile ride up Gay Street and into the Old North and Fourth and Gill neighborhoods at 7:30 p.m. The following downtown streets will be closed to on-street parking and automobile traffic:

- Wall Avenue between Gay and Walnut
- Union Avenue between Gay and Market
- Market Street between Union and Clinch

Knoxville Police Department escorts will establish rolling roadblocks around riders as they proceed along the route. During gaps in the parade, officers will allow cars to cross the parade route at busy intersections, like Broadway at Glenwood or Central Street and Fourth Avenue.

For a map of closures, the bike route and suggested parking suggestions, visit www.ibikeknx.com/tourdelights starting at 6:30 p.m.

Also on Friday:

Knoxville Museum of Art presents the Alive After Five music series with a Holiday Dance Party
with Devon Jones and The Uptown Stomp, 6-8:30 p.m. Free parking is available in the parking lot across World's Fair Park Drive from the museum, the museum visitors’ lot next to the museum, and the adjacent public parking lot (four-hour limit) that connects to Grand Avenue.

32nd Annual Clayton Holiday Concert is Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Parking at the garages across from the auditorium is available for a fee.

The Knoxville Ice Bears challenge the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum at 7:30 p.m.

The River and Rail Theatre resumes local performances of the folk musical, The Unusual Tale of Mary & Joseph’s Baby. Performances are Dec. 14-16, 19-23 with show times at 7:30 p.m. and additional Saturday matinee at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2:30 p.m. The venue is The Swift Building, 119 W. Fifth Avenue. On-street parking is available on King Street.

Nashville singer-songwriter Dave Barnes brings some friends along for A Very Merry Christmas show, at the Bijou Theatre 8 p.m. Free parking is available at the nearby Dwight Kessel Garage. Metered parking on Gay Street is limited to two hours.

Saturday: Only 10 shopping days until Christmas! The penultimate Market Square Holiday Market of the season is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Market Square and on Union and Market Streets. Farmers are on site from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and crafters and food trucks and the like stay until 5 p.m.

Comedian Maria Bamford performs at the Bijou Theatre at 8 p.m. Free parking is available at the nearby Dwight Kessel Garage.

Knoxville Ice Bears taken on the Quad City Storm. Halftime entertainment features the delightfully entertaining Weiner Dog Races. Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday: The retro delight that is The Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain hosts Breakfast with Santa, at 10 a.m. Seating is limited, so get tickets in advance.

Posted by ptravis On 14 December, 2018 at 2:27 PM