Dogwood Arts owns April
With the Dogwood Arts Festival ahead, April 24-26 at World’s Fair Park, the excitement grows around Knoxville’s signature happening.
Just learned today that the dogwood folks run an online store – with items ranging from a $3 patch to a $22,000 sculpture. This year’s limited edition print is also available ($45).
Orange Twist
The 2026 print is by Knoxville artist Sarah Shebaro, who owns and operates Shapes With No Names, a print studio and cultural space where she teaches a variety of printmaking workshops. Her process combines letterpress, painting, illustration and surface design to create unique work on paper and fabric.
Orange Twist by Richard Pitts is on display at ORNL Federal Credit Union on Northshore Drive and is listed for $22,000. Other sculptures around town are also for sale later. Pitts is based in New Albany, Pennsylvania. See more work by Richard Pitts.
Celebrate Earth Day with Keep Knoxville Beautiful
Earth Day was initiated by U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson and first held on April 22, 1970, to raise awareness of environmental issues following a massive 1969 oil spill.
Founded in 1978, Keep Knoxville Beautiful believes Earth Day deserves a whole month of celebration! Join us on social media this month leading up to Earth Day on April 22 with 22 ways you can take action for Earth Day.
Simple steps include: Pick up litter in your neighborhood, recycle, shop with reusable bags, use a reusable water bottle, compost your food scraps at the city recycling centers, visit a park or community garden, make an upcycled craft, or donate to Keep Knoxville Beautiful so we can continue our work.
Learn much more on the Keep Knoxville Beautiful blog: https://www.keepknoxvillebeautiful.org/kkb-blog
Follow Keep Knoxville Beautiful on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeepKnoxvilleBeautiful
Follow Keep Knoxville Beautiful on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepknoxvillebeautiful
Maggie Meyers contributed information for this report
Camp out with friends
Camporee on the Hill 2026, sponsored by Knox County Parks & Rec, is coming April 24-26. Group sites for $28 accommodate up to 12 people; tent sites ($15) accommodate up to six. Expect music, movies under the stars and more. Info here.
BioBlitz at Harris Farm
Foothills Land Conservancy (FLC) invites the community to participate in a hands-on BioBlitz event at its 279-acre Harris Farm in Blount County.
A community science event, BioBlitz, brings together volunteers to help identify and document local biodiversity, including plants, animals, insects and fungi using the iNaturalist smartphone application.
It is Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon at Harris Farm, 3402 Andy Harris Rd., Rockford, Tennessee.
Participants will need to download the iNaturalist app prior to arrival and can explore independently or join a team. No scientific experience is required. Naturalists and FLC staff will be available to assist with species identification and iNaturalist app usage. Note: Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Opening set for New Harvest Farmers Market
Nourish Knoxville, in partnership with Knox County Parks & Recreation, will welcome the community to the grand opening of the 2026 New Harvest Farmers Market on Thursday, April 23, from 3-6 p.m. at New Harvest Park. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs will ring the opening bell to officially launch the season.
Glenn Jacobs at previous opening of New Harvest Park
Opening Day will feature an Earth Week-inspired celebration, highlighting the connection between supporting local farms and building a more sustainable regional food system. Visitors can participate in an Earth Week Scavenger Hunt, stopping by community partner booths to ask questions and collect stamps while learning about sustainability initiatives in Knoxville.
Participating organizations include the Knox County Master Gardeners, Beardsley Farm, KAT Transit, Keep Knoxville Beautiful and Bike Walk Knoxville. Participants who complete the scavenger hunt will be entered into a drawing to win an invitation for two adults and children to Nourish Knoxville’s annual Friends & Farmers celebration on October 18, 2026.
The market hosts more than 15 local vendors offering seasonal produce, pasture-raised meats and eggs, baked goods, plants, prepared foods, and handmade artisan products from East Tennessee farmers and producers.
“The New Harvest Farmers Market is a special place in East Knoxville. We’re proud of what the market has become and the community it brings together week after week,” said Beverly Keys, markets engagement coordinator with Nourish Knoxville.
The New Harvest Farmers Market operates every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. at New Harvest Park, April 23 through September 24, bringing fresh, locally grown food and community programming to East Knoxville each week. Info here.
Boundary Waters at risk for mining
Minnesota’s Boundary Waters are a vast stretch of wilderness bordering Canada, with over a million acres of untouched forest and thousands of lakes and streams. Accessible largely by canoe, it is an ecological gem and one of the most popular spots in the country for outdoor recreation.
On April 16, 2026, Senate Republicans voted 50-49 to open the area up to mining — passing a resolution that repeals a 20-year moratorium using a little-known law called the Congressional Review Act, or CRA, to bypass the fillibuster. Read Rebecca Egan McCarthy’s story in GRIST.
Notes & Quotes
Outdoor Knoxville, a calendar produced by Legacy Parks Foundation, is a comprehensive list of upcoming local outdoor events. Find it here.
Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic this past weekend in Harriman served free dental, vision, and medical care to more than 365 patients. The clinic provided a value of care worth more than $315,000. This link provides photos and a fact sheet. Thanks to all volunteers!
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center invites the community to celebrate Appalachian culture through two premier spring events: the 5th annual Fiber Fair (April 24-25) and Kids Take Over the Museum (May 9). Info here.
Quote: ““In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” ― Bluebeard’s Egg.”
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