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1. ONE Offers Free Leadership Training Course
2. Oakwood Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association Hosts Holiday Gathering
3. Williams Creek Holds Elections
4. Experience the Holiday Season at Safety City
5. Board of Zoning Appeals Meets Next Week
6. O’Conner Senior Center Holds Holiday Craft Fair
7. Trees Knoxville Hosts Tree Planting Event
8. Get Ready for Tour de Lights
9. City Improves Municipal Equality Index Score in 2025
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1. ONE Offers Free Leadership Training Course
Register now for the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment’s Building Strong Neighborhood Organizations (BSNO) leadership training course. BSNO is a free eight-week training series taking place weekly on Monday evenings from Feb. 9 through April 6, with graduation to follow.
If you are interested in participating, please email Hayley Howard at hho...@knoxvilletn.gov with the following information:
- Neighborhood Organization
- Reason for wanting to participate
This training program is designed for city residents who participate in or lead resident-led, resident-controlled, democratically run neighborhood groups. The training is also open to individuals who would like to start neighborhood organizations.
Participants receive resources including a three-ring binder full of how-to articles on building and sustaining community-based organizations. Space is limited, so register soon.
Please contact Hayley Howard at hho...@knoxvilletn.gov with any questions.
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2. Oakwood Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association Hosts Holiday Gathering
Last week, the Oakwood Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association (OLPNA) hosted a holiday gathering at the OLPNA Clubhouse.
This event included food, hot chocolate, desserts, photos with Santa Claus, and time for neighbors to connect with one another.
Is your neighborhood doing anything special for the holidays? The Office of Neighborhood Empowerment would love to hear about it. We can highlight events after they occur or help promote activities your neighborhood wants to open to the wider community.
Please contact Hayley Howard at hho...@knoxvilletn.gov if you would like your event featured in our newsletter.
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3. Williams Creek Holds Elections
Williams Creek Community Association held its elections last month and now has some new and experienced leaders. For 2026, the officers will be:
- President- Laurence Eaton
- Vice President- Paul McCloud
- Co-secretary- Elizabeth Shepherd
If your neighborhood has any new updates to your leadership roster, please contact Shannett Riley at sri...@knoxvilletn.gov so we can update our database regularly. We appreciate you!
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4. Experience the Holiday Season at Safety City
Safety City is celebrating the season. Families and children of all ages can ride their bicycles or scooters around the miniature version of Knoxville Dec. 2–4, Dec. 9–11, and Dec. 16–18 from 4 to 8 p.m. Located at 165 S. Concord St.
The display transforms the year-round educational miniature city into a festive holiday wonderland. Children must have a bicycle helmet to participate in.
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5. Board of Zoning Appeals Meets Next Week
The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) will meet next Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m. in the Small Assembly Room of the City County Building, 400 Main St.
Old business on the agenda includes the following addresses:
- 2809 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
New business on the agenda includes the following addresses:
Please see the full agenda for additional details.
The meeting is in person, however, if you would like to attend via Zoom, you can request a link from Jeff Herriott at jher...@knoxvilletn.gov by 12 noon on the day of the meeting.
If you wish to speak on a property, please sign in when you arrive. To be advised of appeals, complete the Appeals sign-up sheet at the entrance.
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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6. O’Connor Senior Center Holds Holiday Craft Fair
The John T. O’Conner Senior Center will hold its Winter Holiday Craft Fair on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at 611 Winona St.
The fair will feature handmade items including home decor, baked goods, pottery, jewelry, gnomes, and more. Attendees can meet the artisans, learn about their creative process, and purchase one-of-a-kind pieces.
According to a returning vendor, Jeanne, the “warm, creative down-to-earth community at the craft fair is what makes this show special.” Program Manager Mary Sibbett noted that the fair offers many wonderful gift choices while supporting local artisans and crafters.
The O’Connor Center provides programs and services for individuals age 50 and older including fitness, technology, recreation, arts, and health education. Each year the Center provides more than 50,000 units of service to over 2,600 participants.
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7. Trees Knoxville Hosts Tree Planting Event
Trees Knoxville will host a community tree planting event to kick off planting season on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Tyson Park, 2351 Kingston Pike.
Help plant for the future! Join Trees Knoxville and the City of Knoxville for a large-scale tree planting event as part of their Challenge Grant. They will be planting lots of trees, and they need your help to make it happen!
Every hand makes a difference. Please come out, get your hands dirty, and grow Knoxville’s canopy with us. They’re so grateful for the community’s continued support!
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8. Get Ready for Tour de Lights
Tour de Lights is a free, family-friendly bike ride and holiday market presented by Visit Knoxville and Bike Walk Knoxville. This year's event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Mary Costa Plaza at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
This year’s Holiday Market features local makers, hot chocolate and beer for purchase, food trucks, face painting, balloon creations by Twisted Whimsies, marshmallow roasting, a coloring area, and a mailbox for letters to Santa.
The ride begins at 5:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to decorate themselves and their bikes in festive holiday themes. Spectators can enjoy music and shop the market as riders light up the route.
Registration for both the ride and costume contest are available online.
Take advantage of the complimentary, secure, and staffed Bike Valet located along Howard Baker Avenue to help reduce congestion within the plaza, allowing all to enjoy the festivities before and after the ride.
Be active during this holiday season! If you get a group of folks from your neighborhood to participate, you could count this as a Healthy Knoxville activity. For questions about this program, reach out to Hayley Howard at hho...@knoxvilletn.gov.
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9. City Improves Municipal Equality Index Score in 2025
The City of Knoxville has increased its Municipal Equality Index (MEI) Score for 2025 to 64, Municipal Equality Index (MEI) score for 2025 to 64, the highest score Knoxville has received since the Human Rights Campaign launched the program in 2012.
The new score reflects several factors including the City’s direct financial support to community partners serving LGBTQ+ residents such as youth, seniors, transgender and nonbinary individuals, and unhoused individuals. The City also received points for participating in Pride-related events and recruiting within the LGBTQ+ community.
The City of Knoxville looks forward to continuing to work with the Human Rights Campaign and our community partners to increase this score even more next year.
For more information, contact Josie Russell at jrus...@knoxvilletn.gov.
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10. Knoxville Neighborhoods Calendar (click link for online calendar)
To add your 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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