KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The 2024 Christmas season is here and Knoxville has a couple of festive events planned for Friday.
Dogwood Arts and the Old City Neighborhood Association will host the First Friday Block Party. As a result, Jackson Avenue between State and N. Central streets will be closed from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The 51st annual WIVK Christmas Parade will kick off Friday evening in downtown Knoxville. Enjoy watching lights, marching bands, dancers, over 100 floats and more.
National Baseball Hall of Fame 2024 inductee and University of Tennessee and Central High School graduate Todd Helton will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal. Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon will also ride in the parade along with vehicles and floats from the Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville Fire Department, Public Service and the Office of Special Events.
The parade route will start at the Main Street intersection at 6:45 p.m. and will conclude by 8 p.m. at Magnolia Avenue. Gay Street between Main Street and Magnolia Avenue will close at 6:15 p.m., according to the city of Knoxville.
The city said people should be aware of downtown road closures and are encouraged to arrive early with plenty of time to park. Free parking is available after 6 p.m. at all city-owned garages.
On-street parking spaces in the parade-route area will be unavailable in the afternoon hours.
The following roads will close to traffic at 4:30 p.m.:
- Hill Avenue between Walnut Street and Howard Baker Jr Avenue
- Main Street between Walnut and Gay streets
- Gay Street between Main Street and Hill Avenue
Roads in the weekend pedestrian zone will close at 5:30 p.m. and remain closed to vehicles until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8.:
- Union Avenue between Walnut and Gay streets
- Market Street between Clinch and Union avenues
The parade is free to attend and will start at 7 p.m.
The WIVK Christmas Parade is part of Knoxville's Christmas in the City. There are a variety of holiday activities in downtown like Knoxville's Holidays on Ice skating rink in Market Square, the Tour de Lights bike ride on Dec. 14 and the New Year's Eve celebration at the Sunsphere.
The Market Square Holidays on Ice skating rink opened on Nov. 29 and will stay open until Jan. 5 unless there is inclement weather. It will be open most weekdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and open earlier in the day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Between Dec. 23 and Jan. 5, it will operate on extended hours and open at 1 p.m. most Mondays through Thursdays. You can find the full schedule here.
You can watch the parade on WBIR+ at 7 p.m. on Friday.