Aug
31
2008
In Knoxville every Labor Day Weekend since 1987 the skies have lit up. This is not some alien invasion or nuclear accident, it is Boomsday ! What, you haven’t heard of Boomsday ? Well if you are a freshmen or transfer student at the Univeristy of Tennessee or a new resident of Knoxville or the surrounding area, let me fill you in!
Boomsday is an enormous fireworks display that is initiated from atop the Henley Street Bridge every Sunday on Labor Day Weekend for the past twnety-one years. The central location of the Henley Street Bridge gives more than enough vantage points from which to view the phenomenal display. The entire event is choreographed to music. The fireworks begin at 9:30 PM on Sunday evening, August 31st. You can come for just the fireworks and rousing music or you can spend part of the day enjoying the family friendly food, music, and games before the big show! Admission is free! Vendors will be set up all along Neyland Drive and Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville from noon until 10:00 PM. This is a top 20 event in the entire southeastern region, drawing an estimated 350,000 visitors. With that kind of traffic (both pedestrian and motorized) the Knoxville Police Department has become quite adept at crowd control and parking coordination. Click HERE for more information on car and boat parking! This is a wonderful family friendly event that I hope all of our residents are able to enjoy!
Aug
18
2008
Though some students were fortunate enough to have early check-in between Thursday and Saturday most returning students checked back into their dorms and on campus apartments on Sunday. New students, almost 4,200 altogether, checked in on Saturday! More than 7,000 students live on campus with all freshman, non-commuters are required to do so. With classes scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 20th, many UT students are taking this time to settle in to college life and acquaint themselves with the 550 acres and 220 buildings that comprise the Knoxville campus. I, along with many area residents would like to say welcome to the freshmen, and welcome back to the upperclassmen.
For those of you who are new to Knoxville , I would like to invite you to explore life beyond campus. It is essential to the formation of your future self that you become part of the Knoxville community to which you now belong. Below are few links to posts about places that may be of interest to you.
Knoxville is a wonderful city. The University of Tennessee is one of the finest schools of higher learning in the entire country. Your college experience will be an unprecedented time of learning and self discovery. Since you have chosen UT Knoxville, a big part of your fall semester college experience for the next four years will include University of Tennessee football ! Below are the first three posts in a five part series by one of your fellow classmates. Hopefully they can act as a primer to those who are unfamiliar with the current Volunteers football team and a refresher to those of you that bleed volunteer orange and hum Rocky Top in your sleep!
2008 Volunteer Football Preview
Aug
11
2008
If you are anything like me, when I was a child I used to love to watch the Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom hosted by Marlin Perkins . This show actually paved the way for today’s popular shows like Corwin’s Quest and Meerkat Manor. Today there is an entire channel, Animal Planet , that is wildly popular. These shows, and the Animal Planet Channel, give us a look into a more wild world. This world ignites our intellect, our imagination, and our desire to preserve both through the protection of the wildlife in our backyard and around the world.
Zoos play an important role in helping to preserve the natural world through outreach and education efforts in local communities, and through direct conservation efforts. Thanks to zoos all around the world we will be able to protect some of the magical animals and places that helped to fuel our childhood imagination and intellectual curiosity. Not very long ago, when I was still living in Atlanta , Georgia, I did a post on Zoo Atlanta and another post on the Georgia Aquarium . Now that I live in Knoxville , Tennessee, I want to highlight the Knoxville Zoo and their upcoming Feast with the Beasts event.
The Knoxville Zoo is an active member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA ). The AZA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of accredited zoos and aquariums in the areas of animal care, wildlife conservation, education and science. The Knoxville Zoo is an active participant in programs designed to assist in the maintenance of self-sustaining, genetically diverse populations of captive animals for display and education. There are both volunteer opportunities and employment opportunities available at the Knoxville Zoo. Click HERE for driving directions or you can call (865) 637-5331 ext. 300.
Aug
10
2008
Knoxville is home to some very unique haunts for locals, students, and tourists. One such place is called the Knoxville Cigar Company . Please note that this post is not meant to endorse cigar smoking nor alcohol consumption, but if you choose as an adult to indulge in these pleasures, please use mouthwash and cologne! 
With that little disclaimer out of the way, let me move on to the good stuff!
The Knoxville Cigar Company opened in 1996 in the “Old City ” section of Knoxville. The Old City is characterized by funky shops, some great restaurants, and a diverse nightlife. If you could imagine a miniature Bourbon Street in New Orleans, you can approximate the several blocks that comprise the Old City. There is definitely two different feels to the Old City. During the day you will find a lot of local business people enjoying a great meal or a lunchtime cocktail. In the evening, when the sun goes down and the street lamps are lit, the mood becomes festive with young hip couples and throngs of college students coming and going to the various nightspots.
One of the premier spots, located at 118 S. Central (click HERE for a map), is the Knoxville Cigar Company. The Knoxville Cigar Company is really a unique mixture of three distinct elements that combine to create a perfect evening. The finest cigars and pipe tobaccos make up the first distinctive element. Next are the top shelf scotches and bourbons that, when savoured will ignite the palate with the flavors only high quality, hand-crafted liquors can. And finally is the food. Whether you are in the mood for a lunchtime panini with a sweet southern iced tea or a casual wood fired pizza with a high gravity beer, the food is the third element that completes this successful triumvirate.
If you are in Knoxville for business or pleasure, or if you are a resident of the Knoxville area, I would definitely recommend giving the Knoxville Cigar Company, and all of the Old City, a visit. The Knoxville Cigar Company can website can be viewed by clicking HERE or you can always give them a call at 865-673-8556.
Hours of Operation
Retail
Monday - Thursday 10:00 am until 12:00 am
Friday - Saturday 10:00 am until 2:00 am
Sunday Closed
Cigar Bar
Monday - Thursday 4:00 pm to 12:00am
Friday - Saturday 4:00 pm to 2:00am
Sunday Closed
Aug
04
2008
In support of their new internet released CD entitled The Slip , seminal 90’s band Nine Inch Nails will be touring extensively. With numerous dates announced as part of the Lights In The Sky Over North America 2008 and Lights In The Sky Over South America 2008 tours. According to the official website , the tour kicked off on July 25 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Knoxville will proudly host NIN at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on August 9th at 7:30 PM.
With the release of Pretty Hate Machine in 1989, NIN skyrocketed into the stratosphere of fame and popularity. Trent Reznor, who is NIN, has always maintained control of all aspects of music production. Three years later (1992) saw the release of Broken . And two years after that (1994) saw the release of The Downward Spiral . On The Downward Spiral is perhaps NIN’s most recognizable song entitled Closer . Closer represents perhaps the pinnacle of mainstream acceptance of a loosely categorized industrial sound. Though Closer was heavily censored for radio and television, it received lots of airtime. Below is the actual uncensored video.
Reznor has also produced soundtracks for several movies and teamed up with the likes of David Bowie for the 1997 release of I’m Afraid Of Americans . In addition to being a respected, Grammy Award winning artist, Reznor created his own record label entitled Nothing Records which featured Marilyn Manson. Another show of Reznor’s respected status as an artist is with the haunting remake of his hit Hurt by the legendary Johnny Cash.
Aug
01
2008
August is the final month to enjoy Shakespeare on the Square, Market Square that is. This is the 19th season that The Tennessee Stage Company , a recognized 501(c) 3 non profit professional theater troupe, has produced some of the best written plays the theater world has ever known. This year they are staging Love’s Labors Lost and The Merchant of Venice .
The plays are held on alternating dates at 7:00 PM on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The plays are free of charge, though donations are accepted. Because seating at Market Square is limited, it is recommended that you bring lawn chairs or a blanket. There are several restaurants on Market Square where you can get both food and drink or you could always bring a picnic basket! Click HERE for a map of Market Square!For a fun and FREE evening of theater, check out Shakespeare on the Square!
