Can you guess what retailer occupied this space before Spirit Halloween? | Photo via 6AM City
Do you remember the Joann Fabric on Greenway Drive? What about Conn’s HomePlus on North Peters Road? Those retail spaces have something in common — they’re getting dressed up as Spirit Halloween stores.
The seasonal chain has converted six vacant retail spaces in the Knoxville metro area into Spirit Halloween stores. This includes two in Knoxville (previously referenced), two in Oak Ridge, one in Maryville, and one in Sevierville.
Spirits’ lore
Let’s pull the mask off and learn more. Spirit Halloween finds temporary leases and moves into retail spaces that would otherwise be vacant. This is why there are so many — to the point it’s become a meme — and they might be in different locations next year.
Did you know? The chain is owned by Spencer Gifts LLC, you know, that quirky novelty store from the mall.
Emory Place Night Market | 6-10 p.m. | Crafty Bastard Downtown | Free | Browse local vendors as you sip beer and listen to live music.
Pickin’ on Nature: The Singletons + The Tenos | 6-8 p.m. | Ijams Nature Center | $8+ | Bring a chair or blanket and listen to live bluegrass music, plus grab a bite from food trucks + a drink in the beer garden.
Summer Movie Magic: “Gimme Shelter” | 8 p.m. | Tennessee Theatre | $13+ | Follow the Rolling Stones on their 1969 tour through this landmark documentary film.
Saturday, August 30
One Knoxville vs. Spokane Velocity FC | 5 p.m. | Covenant Health Park | $13+ | Cheer for the local soccer team as they score on their Washington-based opponents.
Smells Like Nirvana: MTV Unplugged Set | 10-11:30 p.m. | Barley’s | $25 | Watch this tribute act as they cover Nirvana’s hits and dive into some of the band’s more obscure tracks.
Tame Impala Dance Party | 8 p.m. | The Open Chord | $20 | Dance like you’re a new person, don’t make the same old mistakes.
Sunday, August 31
All Ages Silent Disco | 3-6 p.m. | Kern’s Food Hall | $10+ | Move, groove, and grab a bite to eat as popular tracks play over headphones.
Big Kahuna Wing Festival | 3-9 p.m. | World’s Fair Park | $12+ | Over 15,000 pounds of wings — need we say more? Come hungry to this annual festival with a fireworks show, live music, cooking competitions, and plenty of wings.
Knoxville City Council approved an amendment that will allow restaurants + bars throughout the city to expand their patios onto public spaces like sidewalks. Previously, only downtown businesses were allowed to apply for permits. The ordinance must pass a second reading on Tuesday, Sept. 2 before going into effect. (WBIR)
Sports
UT will kick off their season tomorrow, Aug. 30, 12 p.m., with their season opener against Syracuse at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Take a deep dive into the match-up before the game with the local experts on the Tennessee Volunteers with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Biz
Covenant Health Park’s first year appears to be a home run. The stadium’s 2025 tax revenue is on track to exceed expectations, originally projected at $950,000. This income is necessary to pay for the bonds used to build the $116 million stadium that debuted in April. (WBIR)
Coming Soon
“Any day now.” That’s when Zoo Knoxville staff said their two new red panda cubs are set to make their public debut. The babies were born to parents Sisu + Doofah in early June, and ultimately, the mother panda will determine when the cubs are ready to leave the den. (WBIR)
Shop
Neyland Stadium is giving fans the opportunity to take home a piece of Vols history. Tennessee Athletics has launched the Neyland Stadium Collectibles Campaign, an opportunity to buy or bid on artifacts from the venue’s history. Available items include stadium seats, pieces of the foundation, and signs.
Trending
Knoxville’s first Whataburger is finally open, and locals were flipping out for its debut. The restaurant’s first two guests received a gift box filled with branded gear. The recipients waited 19 hours, camping overnight, to be first in line. (Knox News)
Real Estate
Knoxville’s million-dollar housing market is booming, though with these homes becoming increasingly more common, they’re not necessarily considered a “luxury” anymore. WBIR reporter Elana Mutnick chats with a real estate expert to discover who’s buying these seven-digit homes. (WBIR)
Travel
Delightful breezes, warm Gulf waters, local events, and coastal trails make fall the perfect time to explore Alabama’s Beaches. From kayaking to hiking and dolphin cruises, every adventure feels better without the summer crowds. Plan your fall getaway.*
Post of the Day
Watch the full clip to determine if you think this video is real. | Photo via @utksocialmedia
True or false: Did a UT professor really cancel class due to Taylor Swift + Travis Kelce’s engagement?
The viral video certainly exists. In the clip, professor Matthew Pittman announced the class had a biochem midterm scheduled, but due to the engagement, no one would have been able to focus. This prompted him to dismiss the class so they could “process” the information.
Well, it didn’t take a “Fortnight” to debunk this viral video. Turns out, it was a hoax, which makes sense if you think about it. UT’s first day of the fall semester was Monday, Aug. 18 and Swift announced her engagement eight days later — a bit early for a biochem midterm if you ask us.
In fact, Pittman isn’t even a biochemistry professor. He teaches advertising courses, and this clip may have been a master class in social media advertising.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
It’s hard to believe, but by the end of the weekend, it will be September. This gives you a few days to complete any goals you had for the month of August.
Personally, I wanted to fill my empty flower pots with new plants to spruce up my indoor space. Perhaps I’ll take a trip to Stanley’s Greenhouse this weekend.
