KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the second year in a row, Downtown Knoxville is transforming from the Scruffy City to the Spooky City. The 'Wicked Cool' branding is something Downtown Knoxville Alliance worked hard to make happen.
"We have some fun, cool experiences going on in downtown Knoxville right now from photo opportunities, hidden black cats, some eerie lights, and plenty to do for the entire family," said Michele Hummel, the executive director.
The Halloween-inspired experience has lots to offer for all ages. There are several free activities. The first, and most noticeable, is the Halloween decorations downtown. There's a map available to folks who want to hunt down all the decorations.
"We have some photo opportunities at Krutch Park, Market Square and throughout the Old City as well," Hummel said.
Those photo opportunities include a big spider at the entrance of Krutch Park, dozens of ghosts hanging from the trees in Market Square, and spiderwebs wrapping the buildings of Gay Street near Jackson Avenue.
In addition to the free photo opportunities, there is also a free scavenger hunt for families. The goal of the hunt is to find nine black cats throughout downtown Knoxville.
The first clue is "Brunching by day and jazzing by night, this cat can be found by the bright marquee lights."
You can find a link to the clue sheet to get started here.
Other events on the Wicked Cool agenda include a Howl-O-Ween dog costume contest, classic Halloween movie nights at the Tennessee Theatre, ghost tours, a witch-broom-making class and a Zombie Walk.
Find the full list of events on the Downtown Knoxville Website.
"There's always something fun to do in the downtown area. But really between now and Halloween, you can mark your calendar to come downtown and experience something new every day," Hummel said.