Summertime is in full swing, and I have some fresh ideas for unique things to do in our parks to keep things fun and interesting. This weekend, concerts and farmers markets make it easy to get out and play while experiencing something new in one of our beautiful natural spaces. Here are a few great options – take your pick!
CONCERTS
Catch one of the last two concerts of Knox County Parks and Recreation’s family-friendly Second Saturday Concert Series this Saturday, Aug. 12th. Both shows are from 6 to 8 p.m., with Vinyl Tap playing at The Cove at Concord Park and Crawdaddy Jones performing at New Harvest Park. Make sure to arrive early and pack blankets or chairs to sit on.
Want to fully experience these parks before the show? Concord Park has tons of features for all kinds of activities from junior golf to mountain biking and swimming. New Harvest Park has both paved and natural surface scenic walking loops along with a playground and splash pad for the kids. Plan for plenty of time to soak in the summer fun before settling in to your spot in the crowd for some delightful tunes just before sunset.
FARMERS MARKETS
Summer is a great time to find healthy food at the farmers markets in several of our parks including New Harvest Park, Lakeshore Park, and at Market Square next to Krutch Park. Foodies will start their weekend tour early by heading to New Harvest Park Farmers Market on Thursday evening between 3 and 6 p.m. in search of the perfect goods. Then on Friday, there’s a chance for more fresh goodies at Lakeshore Park Farmers Market during the same timeframe. If you missed these two this week, don’t worry – there will be plenty of food and fun in these spots every Thursday and Friday afternoon through November.
Right next to Krutch Park is the Market Square Farmers Market, which brings a flourish of activity downtown on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Walk through the winding paths in the park that meander by larger-than-life art pieces, water features, and beautiful flowers and trees on your way to check out all the local vendors.
I hope you’ll get out this week and try something new in our parks! Find more information about the great things our parks have to offer at OutdoorKnoxville.com.