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🎉 A reason to celebrate
Make sure to check out the performances on all stages. | Photo via HoLa Festival
Knoxville is getting ready to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The 25th HoLa Festival will be held this weekend at the Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park: Saturday, Sept. 27, 4-10 p.m. + Sunday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
The festival is hosted by local nonprofit HoLa Hora Latina, and is designed to recognize and celebrate identities that make up our community. Throughout the event, attendees will find booths representing 20+ nations, food from over a dozen vendors, arts and crafts sales, and educational programming for children at the Heritage Stage.
Don’t want to miss the fun? Here are three highlights from the festival:
Fountain City Fall Fest | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | SouthEast Bank Fountain City | Free | Kick off the season with a barbecue, ice cream, live music, family-friendly activities, a food drive, and an appearance by Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne.*
Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center has experienced a changeless transformation. The UT venue will no longer accept cash as a form of payment, instead relying on credit cards + tap-to-pay options. It is the last UT sports venue to make the cashless transition. (Knox News)
Opening
Ace Pickleball Club is getting ready to serve Knoxville a new facility where locals can play the popular sport. The club on Kingston Pike will offer 15 indoor courts and operate on a membership model. You can sign up for updates leading up to the opening, which is expected in January 2026.
Concert
Country star Eric Church is heading back to Knoxville. The “Springsteen” singer will bring his “Free The Machine Tour” to Food City Center On Thursday, March 5, 2026. Tickets go on sale for the general public next Friday, Oct. 3, starting at 10 a.m.
Legacy
Former UT chancellor Dr. Bill Snyder died at 93 earlier this week. Snyder’s work at the university spanned over three decades, including as a professor + as dean of the College of Engineering. He’s remembered as a lover of the arts and as an education advocate, particularly for women in engineering. (WBIR)
Community
After four years, Pastelito Cuban Bakery has earned a reputation for bringing must-try Latin flavors to Rocky Top. WBIR reporter María Marta Guzmán learns how the family-owned business honors its Cuban roots, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month, and which items are the most popular picks. (WBIR)
Featured
If you have a fall road trip planned, you’ll encounter many roadside attractions — but you won’t have to travel far to see Tennessee’s best. HGTV released its list of must-see roadside attractions in each US state, and in the Volunteer State, the Sunsphere earned the honor.
Sports
Both the Titans + Houston Texans sit at 0-3 heading into their game Sunday, Sept. 28. The local experts evaluate the Tennessee Titans’ chances to “get right” and win this game with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
The piece was created by East Tennessee artist Jim Parris and gifted to the park. The sculptures were made using Corten steel, giving them their rusted appearance.
You can find the displays near the Pryse Gardens in the western part of the park.
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 the time of the year when weekends are for football and accompanying snacks. Apparently, nachos are the most popular game day snack in Tennessee. If that made you hungry, we’ve heard great things about the options at Abridged Beer Co. + Chivo.
