Blog: City Blog

Suggested Open Streets Survival Tips: Imported Coffee Sampling, Concerts, Community Workouts

Opens Streets, a free event to be held this Sunday, Oct. 29, from 2-6 p.m., promises the chance to explore closed South Knoxville streets (including the Gay Street Bridge) and partake in more than 70 activities. There will be all kinds of free giveaways, including free kids’ Halloween costumes.

In addition to many opportunities to taste free samples of food, there will also be plenty of food trucks and even breweries to help you satisfy the taste buds and the stomach.

Open Streets has the makings of an experience sure to leave envy in the eyes of a friend who couldn’t attend…

….But how will your feet, so used to merely pushing a gas pedal, survive walking on four different streets…?

….How could you possibly keep up with the energy levels of your kids as they bolt excitedly from one free activity to the next…?

…How can your conscience be at rest after consuming so many delicious foods and brews?

There are several businesses that have stepped up to help you cope.

For starters (java joke), you could make your way over to Honeybee Coffee Co., where you can experience “coffee cupping” sessions at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. There, you can sample and learn about the qualities of a Kenyan, a Guatemalan, and a Colombian brew for free.

Coffee cupping is a common practice in the coffee industry, often used by entrepreneurs to help them select which coffee plant lots to purchase.

Honeybee Coffee Shop

The lounge at the South Knoxville Honeybee Coffee Co. location.

Honeybee Coffee Co. was opened within the past year and offers a chic lounge to enjoy your favorite jolt of caffeine.

“We thought this event was a great way for us as a business on the Open Streets route to showcase our products in a fun way,” said Ben Poland, manager of the café.

Honeybee Coffee Co. is located at 700 Sevier Ave. The coffee cupping sessions will be held either out on the patio, or in the lounge, depending on temperatures on Sunday.

Throughout the afternoon, there will be two performance stages on either end of Sevier Avenue, mostly with local bands performing live music.

Computer Systems Plus is sponsoring one of the performance stages and providing chairs and bottled water so that you can rest and rehydrate as you enjoy the sounds of local talent.

“Besides making it easy for businesses to be involved, Open Streets is bringing back an important pastime of going outside and getting to know your neighbors.” said Rob Glass, CEO of Computer Systems Plus. “It’s so simple, yet so important for our community.”

In 2015, Computer Systems Plus celebrated 30 years of business at the South Knoxville site.

The business is located at the intersection of Council Place and Sevier Avenue, two of the four roads on the Open Streets route on Sunday.

“Having been on Sevier Avenue for over 30 years, we’ve seen a lot of change in this neighborhood,” said Glass. “We’re just happy to support the event and keep the momentum moving in the right direction.”

In case you’re worried about eating too many treats or drinking too many - ahem - high calorie beverages at this event, fear not.

There will be plenty of activity stations that offer chances to learn how to be fit, including dance, yoga, bicycling, rowing, and much more. South Landing CrossFit, located at 1020 Sevier Ave., is organizing a free community workout at 4 p.m.

“We are passionate about using movement to enhance the community around us, and we are excited to be offering family-friendly events during Open Streets,” said Crissy Glarrow, CrossFit athlete and owner of South Landing CrossFit.

Organized and free exercise routines are available at South Landing CrossFit.

South Landing Fitness will also host a kids’ obstacle course throughout the day, as well as “Row for a Reason,” where businesses will donate to a local charity for every meter rowed.

At Open Streets, "there is something for everything and everyone, and promoting health and movement can take shape in so many ways,” Glarrow added.

So there you have it - our survival tips for your time at Open Streets on Sunday, exploring over 70 activities that are free and family-friendly. If you do wear yourself out, at least you have free imported coffee, community workouts, and live music to help lift you back up!

The truth is, the only thing you truly need to worry about with Open Streets is missing it!

For a full list of activities, visit www.OpenStreetsKnoxville.com/activities.

Posted by On 27 October, 2017 at 5:00 PM