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1. No Newsletter Next Week
2. City Announces Holiday Schedule for Independence Day
3. Huge Thank You to Hayley Howard
4. Celebrate Chilhowee Event is July 1, 5-8 p.m.
5. Last Chance to Take the What’s Next Knoxville Survey!
6. Take Family and Friends to the City’s Festival on the 4th
7. Kid A’ Riffic Continues Through July
8. Quarterly PARC Meeting Happens July 23
9. Applications Due for Career Readiness Program
10. Free First Monday at the Tennessee Theatre
11. Planning Commission Posts Preliminary Agenda
12. Historic Cemetery Workshop Set for July 18
13. Last Day to Register to Vote is July 7
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1. No Newsletter Next Week
The Office of Neighborhood Empowerment will not be producing a newsletter on Tuesday, July 7. But don’t worry, you can keep up with neighborhood happenings on our Facebook page.
We will be back with The Neighborly Notice on Tuesday, July 14.
If you have neighborhood news you would like us to share, you may send it to Debbie Sharp at dsh...@knoxvilletn.gov by the Friday before the Tuesday distribution.
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2. City Announces Holiday Schedule for Independence Day
City of Knoxville offices will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day as the nation celebrates its Semiquincentennial (250 years).
The 311 Center for Service Innovation (311/211) will be closed July 3. Residents can report neighborhood concerns through the My Knoxville app and access social service resources online at EastTN211.org. In emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency issues, including fireworks complaints, loud parties, and found animals, call KPD’s non-emergency line at 865-215-4010.
All garbage and recyclable collections will run on the regular schedule. The City's Solid Waste Facility, 1033 Elm St., will be closed Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, resuming normal business hours on Monday, July 6.
City parks and outdoor pools will be open July 3, and 4. Ed Cothren, 1737 Reynolds St., and Inskip, 4204 Bruhin Road, pools operate 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/Aquatics. City community centers and indoor pools will be closed July 3, and 4.
Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) buses will operate on a regular schedule July 3, and the customer service counter at Knoxville Station will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On July 4, there will be no bus or paratransit service, and the customer service counter will be closed.
The City’s four recycling centers will be open July 3, but closed July 4. Please don’t leave donations at unattended centers. As a reminder, recycling centers began operating under new hours on March 1, 2026, and are now managed in partnership with Keep Knoxville Beautiful. Standard hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For additional information about City services, visit KnoxvilleTN.gov.
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3. Huge Thank You to Hayley Howard
Please help me thank our Assistant Neighborhood Coordinator, Hayley Howard, for her tremendous work in our office over the past six years (one as an intern and five as an employee). She has been given an amazing opportunity and promotion within the City that you will soon be hearing about. So, she isn’t leaving the City, but she is leaving the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment.
She has gone from being an intern in our office, to graduating with her master's degree, and getting a job with us back in 2021, to starting her family, and helping to hold down the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment through all of our activities. Hayley has brought new ideas, fresh perspectives, comedy, and a strong work ethic with her. She has been invaluable to ONE, and we will greatly miss her.
There is no doubt she will do an excellent job where she is going, and you might still see her around if you stay active in your community. We wish her well and hope that she thrives in her new role. If you see her around, please congratulate her and thank her.
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4. Celebrate Chilhowee Event is July 1, 5-8 p.m.
Join Knoxville Parks and Recreation for “Celebrate Chilhowee!”, a free, family-friendly event July 1, from 5-8 p.m. at the Midway at Chilhowee Park.
Bring the whole family for an evening of fun featuring, games and activities, including the KORE Mobile Outreach truck; a traveling recreation experience packed with fun for all ages. Food trucks will be on site with dinner and refreshments available for purchase.
This celebration marks the beginning of a new chapter for Chilhowee Park and serves as Day One of a long-term vision to reimagine and revitalize this historic community destination.
To keep the area safe and walkable, no motorized vehicles will be allowed on the Midway. Limited parking is available at the S Beaman St. (Gate 13) entrance or in the main park area.
Future improvements and investments are already being planned, and community input will help shape the park’s future. After July 1, Chilhowee Park will be open daily from dawn to dusk when no special events are scheduled.
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5. Last Chance to Take the What’s Next Knoxville Survey!
The City of Knoxville is updating their Comprehensive Plan, a long-range guiding document that will direct decisions on land use, transportation, and investment priorities in the city for years to come. Round 1 of public outreach is wrapping up, so NOW is the time to share your thoughts and vision for our community.
The survey is available through Sunday, July 5. When you complete it, you'll be entered to win a $50 K Brew gift card!
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6. Take Family and Friends to the City’s Festival on the 4th
Join your friends and family to celebrate America’s 250th birthday at Festival on the 4th, presented by Y-12 Credit Union, on Saturday, July 4, from 5-10 p.m. at World's Fair Park.
This free, family-friendly event produced by the City of Knoxville’s Office of Special Events, includes live music, food vendors on both lawns, plus axe-throwing, mini-golf games and paddle boats. The event will be held in rain or shine.
Entertainment schedule:
- Dirty Grass Soul performs 5-7:55 p.m. on the Festival Lawn stage
- Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s 42nd Annual Free Lawson Family Foundation Independence Day Concert begins at 8 p.m. on the Performance Lawn stage
- Fireworks launch from the Henley Bridge at approximately 9:45 p.m.
Video of KSO’s performance will be broadcast on screens located on the Performance and Festival lawns.
Attendees are invited to bring folding chairs and blankets to set out on the lawn and water bottles to refill at the water stations. Please no alcohol, pets, or personal tents/canopies.
Free parking will be available in the nearby 11th Street garage, World's Fair Park and Blackstock parking lots. All on-street parking and parking in City-owned garages will be free on July 3, and 4. Locations include Locust Street, Walnut Street, State Street, Main Street, and Market Square garages. Additional ADA parking is available in the Fort Kid lot.
Event attendees, downtown visitors and residents should be aware of these event-related road closures on Saturday, July 4:
- World's Fair Park Drive between Clinch and Grand Avenue and Clinch Avenue between Henley and 11th streets will be closed 2-11 p.m.
- Henley Street and Bridge, between Sevier and Hill Avenues, will be closed 4 p.m.-midnight.
- Due to fireworks-related safety concerns, Gay Street Bridge will close to all users starting at 9:15 p.m. and reopen after the fireworks show. If you want to use the bridge on July 4, please plan your travel times to accommodate this closure.
For more information about Festival on the 4th and other events produced by the City’s Office of Special Events, including sponsorship opportunities, visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/events or call 865-215-4248.
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7. Kid A’ Riffic Continues Through July
Upcoming dates and locations include:
- July 8 – Urban Wilderness Gateway Park, 1515 Tilson St.
- July 15 – West Hills Park, 410 N. Winston Rd.
- July 22 – World's Fair Park, 910 World's Fair Park Dr.
Kid A’ Riffic, launched in 2019, was named Best Children’s Event in the Southeast in 2023. Participation is free. Further support for this program comes from Academy Sports, Krystal, and B97.5. For details, visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/parks, contact specia...@knoxvilletn.gov, or call 865-215-4248.
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8. Quarterly PARC Meeting Happens July 23
The Police Advisory & Review Committee (PARC) will meet on Thursday, July 23, at Lennon Seney United Methodist Church, located at 2084 Dandridge Ave. Community members are invited to attend and participate.
Residents who want to speak during the meeting’s public forum must s ign up in advance using PARC’s online form or in person between 5:30–6 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Each speaker will have 5 minutes.
PARC is a civilian oversight committee that reviews Knoxville Police Department policies, procedures, and disciplinary processes. Its purpose is to provide fair, timely, and objective review of community complaints and help strengthen trust between residents and law enforcement.
The City of Knoxville ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services.
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9. Applications Due for Career Readiness Program
SEEED (Social Equal Energy Efficient Development) is now accepting applications and scheduling interviews for their Fall 2026 Career Readiness Program (CRP), which will be three days per week and run from Tuesday, Aug. 25 through Thursday, Oct. 15.
The Career Readiness Program is an 8-week paid workforce development program designed for young adults ages 18–24 who are:
- Trying to figure out their career path
- Exploring education and employment options
- Ready to start a career but unsure where to begin
- Looking to build workplace skills, confidence, and professional connections
They are also welcoming walk-in applications and interviews every Thursday from 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. starting Thursday, July 2 and going through Thursday, Aug. 20.
If you know a young adult who could benefit from this opportunity, please encourage them to apply.
- Scroll down to the Career Readiness Program (CRP) section
Program content includes, but is not limited to: financial literacy skills, resume writing, professional business attire education, job aptitude tests, workplace behavior skills, and professional networking.
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10. Free First Monday at the Tennessee Theatre
Did you know the Tennessee Theatre hosts a free concert at noon every first Monday of the month?
The James A. Dick Mighty Musial Monday Series celebrates the theater’s historic Mighty Wurlitzer organ, featuring performances by the Tennessee Theatre House Organist Freddie Brabson alongside a rotating lineup of local guest artists.
Following the restoration, technicians encouraged the theater to play the organ often—after all, an instrument of this caliber is meant to be heard. Inspired by this advice, longtime House Organist Bill Snyder (1979–2018) envisioned a free monthly concert that would ensure the Mighty Wurlitzer was regularly showcased while inviting the community to experience the Tennessee Theatre at no cost. The first “First Monday” organ concert took place on December 3, 2001.
What began as a modest program of organ music and commentary from the bench soon evolved into a beloved community tradition. The series was later renamed the James A. Dick Mighty Musical Monday in honor of the individual whose efforts saved the Tennessee Theatre from demolition in 1980. Guest performers were added, opening the historic stage to local artists who might not otherwise have the opportunity to perform there.
Over the years, Mighty Musical Monday has featured middle and high school choirs, jazz ensembles, vocalists across genres, classical musicians, a Klezmer band, and even a belly dance troupe. Attendance has grown steadily, and today the series regularly welcomes 700 to 1,000 audience members each month for this noonday celebration of music, history, and community.
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11. Planning Commission Posts Preliminary Agenda
Knoxville Knox County Planning posts the preliminary agenda on their website three weeks prior to the meeting for the public to review. It is good practice to look at this document when it is posted to see if any of the properties are located in your neighborhood. This gives you a short bit of time to reach out to neighbors to discuss if you want to support or request more information on a particular parcel.
Also on the website, you can submit comments about a case and request to speak during the meeting. Neighbors are encouraged to review the agenda to stay informed about new developments and changes coming to neighborhoods.
The Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission meets on the second Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building, 400 Main St.
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12. Historic Cemetery Workshop Set for July 18
Knox Heritage will host a free Historic Cemetery Workshop on Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, located at 1927 Dandridge Ave.
The workshop is free and open to the public and may be especially of interest to neighborhood advocates, historians, genealogists, and anyone passionate about local history.
This informative program will cover the importance of preserving historic cemeteries, along with best practices for protecting, documenting, and interpreting these cultural sites. Featured speaker Graham Perry of the Tennessee Historical Commission will share insights on preservation techniques, legal considerations, and available resources.
Attendees will also hear from local preservation leaders including Patrick Hollis (Mabry-Hazen House/Bethel Confederate Cemetery), Marilyn Childress (Veterans Heritage Site Foundation), Amy Emert (Friends of Cavett Station/Mars Hill Cemetery), and Ellen Rochelle (Old Gray Cemetery). Topics will include cemetery stewardship and public history, with opportunities to ask questions and engage in discussion.
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13. Last Day to Register to Vote is July 7
Voting in local elections will begin soon. Are you registered at your current address? TThe deadline to be registered is July 7.
To register to vote, visit the GoVoteTN website. You must have a valid government ID to fill out the form online. If you don’t, you’ll have to print the voter registration form and submit it by email.
To be able to vote you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Tennessee, and at least 18 years old by the election date.
On Thursday, Aug. 9, three primaries/elections will occur. The Federal and State primaries, the Knox County General Election, and the Town of Farragut Municipal Election will be happening that day. Visit the Knox County Election Commission website for more information on which seats are up for election.
Early voting begins Friday, July 17, and ends Saturday, Aug. 1. Absentee ballot requests are currently open, with Monday, July 27, being the last day to request. Don’t miss this chance to participate in democracy.
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To add a neighborhood event or meeting to the Google calendar, call 865-215-3232.
Other Calendars
Additional online calendars that cover events outside the neighborhood realm include:
The City of Knoxville requires a permit to operate a short-term rental property. Details and a list of short-term rental permits are located on the City’s website here.
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