The East Tennessee Historical Society will host their annual History Fair on Aug. 19, 2017 in and around downtown Knoxville.
The history fair is a chance for visitors to learn about Knoxville's history through free bus and walking tours, assemblies, living history reenactments, and an antiques faire. There will also be live music, a cinematic presentation and a History Hound Costume contest.
The event is a day-long celebration of East Tennessee history and will take place at many downtown venues. There will be Historic Homes Bus tours departing from Gay Street at Krutch Park, with the last tour leaving at 2:15 p.m.
Tours
Historic Homes Bus Tour:
Blount Mansion: 1792 home of territorial governor William Blount
James White's Fort: 1786 home and fort established by Knoxville's founder
Mabry-Hazen House: Antebellum home with all original contents and Civil War past
Bethel Cemetery & Museum: Resting place of more than 1,600 Confederate dead, complete with corresponding museum
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame: An internationally recognized museum dedicated to preserving the history of women's basketball.
Underground Gay Street:
100 S. Gay Street-Guests may walk to the Emporium or ride on the historic homes trolley tour.
Times are 11:00 a.m.to 2:30 p.m.
Walking Tour-"Spies, Spooks, & Scoundrels"
This tour is at 1:00 & 3:00 p.m. and departs from the East Tennessee History Center Entrance.
Jack Neely Walking Tour-"You've got to be There! A thirty-fifth Anniversary Tour of the 1982 World's Fair'.
Departs the History Center Entrance at 4:00 p.m.
East Tennessee History Center
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free Admission to the Museum of East Tennessee History
Davy Crockett's Birthday
2:15 p.m. Party and Storytelling (Nelson Auditorium)
3:00 p.m. Davy's birthday cake (Clinch Ave., beside East TN History Center)
Krutch Park
History Hound Dog Costume Contest
9:30 a.m. Free registration
10:15 a.m. Contest on WDVX and Clayton Country Music Stage
Music on WDVX Radio and Clayton Music Stage
11:00 a.m. Good Thymes Ceilidh Band
12:00 p.m. The Travelin' Caudells
1:00 p.m. Knox County Jug Stompers
2:00 p.m. Russ and Becky Jeffers
3:00 p.m. Early Morning Stringdusters
4:00 p.m. Seven Pine
Friends of the Knox County Public Library Book Sale
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Mast General Store Old Fashioned Tennessee Checkers Skirmish
Children's activities: Kids can play games and make crafts like rag and yarn dolls, old-fashioned cup and ball toys.
Demonstrating artists
Will McAlister - Blacksmithing
Mark & Nancy Shedden - Spinning & Powder Horns
Dale Liles, Carolyn Rogers, & JennyBennett - Spinning & Fiber |
Fox Hollow Creations - Chair Caning & Basket Weaving
Karen's Country Critters - Primitive Items Made from Quilts
Serendipity Artist Gallery - Painting, Beaded Jewelry, Scarves
Peter Rose - Raku Pottery
Drake Tin and Copper - Tin & Coppersmithing
Wild Child Clay Works - Clay & Fiber/Natural Dying
Lillian Pearl Designs - Handmade Items & Jewelry
The Forge- Hammered Aluminum
Living History Timeline
French and Indian War & Cherokee - Fort Loudoun State Historic Area
1790s - Regiment of Knox County Militia
Pioneer - The Daily Reenactors
William Thomas - Gary Holt
Mexican-American War - Ed Archer
Abraham & Mary Todd Lincoln - Tom & Sue Wright
Civil War - 79th NY Infantry, 8th TN Volunteer Infantry, and Gerald & Sandra Augustus
Civil War Era Baseball - Members of the Knoxville Holstons Vintage Base Ball Team
Suffragists - Woman Suffrage Coalition
World War II - Citizens Soldiers
Korean and Vietnam Wars - 35th Infantry Division Living History Group
Various - Tennesseans for Living History
Civil War uniform display
Raku Pottery from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Clinch Avenue) There is a $10 activity fee per raku pot.
Tennessee Theatre
The Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound and Tennessee Theatre will present a cinematic celebration of East Tennessee.
Open House and Tours of the beautiful Tennessee Theatre will be held from 12-12:30 p.m., 1:15-1:30 p.m., 2:15-2:30 p.m., and 3:15-4:00 p.m.
"Knoxville, East Tennessee and Beyond: Films from the WSJK East Tennessee Public Television Archive"
12:30-1:15 p.m.--Knoxville Films
1:30-2:15 p.m. --East Tennessee Films
2:30-3:15 p.m.--Beyond Films
4:00-4:30 p.m.--WETP-TV's The Vietnam War: East Tennessee segment "Protestors: A Sense of Revolution"
7:00 p.m.--Buster Keaton's silent classic The General, with live music accompaniment by Freddie Brabson on the Mighty Wurlitzer organ that evening at 7 p.m., this will be a $10 ticketed event.
Other activities to include:
Food Vendors
Market Square Farmers' Market (9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)
The Art Market Gallery will celebrate it's 35th anniversary with a special exhibition of works by gallery members, Original Art of East Tennessee's Spaces and Places.