Here’s what’s happening around East Tennessee today, along with helpful community resources and interesting things to discover beyond our backyard.

Wednesday Wonder
The Great Smoky Mountains are known as the ‘Salamander Capital of the World.’

Today’s Highlights

  • Kid A’Riffic Fun in the Park – 10 a.m. at West Hills Park. Children ages 2-12 can enjoy free games, crafts, hands-on activities, and entertainment during this popular summer program.
  • Market Square Farmers Market – 10 a.m.–1 p.m. in Market Square. Shop fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, local foods, and handcrafted items from East Tennessee vendors.
  • World’s Fair Park Fountain, where families can enjoy the splash fountain while spending time in downtown Knoxville.

Featured Resource

KCS Calendar: Stay informed with Knox County Schools calendar here.

Community Calendar

Looking for more to do? Here are upcoming events and activities across East Tennessee.

July Outdoor Concert Series: The  Downtown Maryville Alliance announces the launch of a free, outdoor concert series coming to the Charles West Amphitheater in Jack Greene Park each Thursday during the months of June and July 2026. This inaugural season will feature an exciting lineup of regional and national talent, bringing live music to downtown Maryville each Thursday from 7-9 p.m. Below are the dates and performers:

  • July 16 – Cedric Burnside
  • July 23 – J & The Causeways
  • July 30 – Wyatt Ellis

Outdoor Knoxville: A calendar produced by Legacy Parks Foundation has a comprehensive list of upcoming local outdoor events. Find it here.

Visit Knoxville published 2026 Guide: The free 2026 Official Knoxville Visitors Guide is now available: Visitors Guide.

Helpful Community Links

Local news: Follow breaking news, weather, and community updates from WBIR, WATE, and WVLT.

KCS Calendar: Stay informed with Knox County Schools calendar here.

Knoxville/Knox County Planning Commission: The Planning Commission meets the second Thursday of each month. Find agenda, minutes, and information here.

KUB Construction: Traffic advisories and construction-related impacts are communicated primarily through the online construction map .

Mayor’s Kickin’ It with Kincannon: City of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon shares a monthly podcast Kickin’ It with Kincannon.

Mayor Glenn Jacobs weekly podcast: Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs provides a weekly podcast.

Weather: The latest weather forecasts from WBIR Weather.

Across Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains Travel: Keep up to date on the TN/NC park Basic Information, Visitor Centers, Park Closures and Alerts, Parking Tags, Camping, Hiking, and general Visit Planning, all here.

TN Government meetings: Follow the latest here.

Tennessee Entertainment for All: The TN Vacation website links visitors to any region of Tennessee, featuring up-to-date venues and performances for all ages and preferences.

Tennessee Travel Information: As you make travel plans, get information on all travel issues across Tennessee, here.

Across America

July is National Parks and Recreation Month. Take time to explore one of East Tennessee’s beautiful parks, greenways, or trails.

National: Latest U.S. headlines at Google News US.

Congress: See this week’s meetings in Weekly Review

Entertainment: Latest in Movies, Music, TV, Books, Arts, Design, Celebrities at Google Entertainment.

Science: Latest in Environment, Space, Physics, Genetics, and Wildlife, at Google Science.

Sports: Latest in NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA, Soccer, NASCAR, & more sports at Google Sports.

Stocks: Follow the stock market: Market Watch.

U.S. Supreme Court: Follow the decisions of the top court here

Around the World

World: Latest World headlines at Google News World.

United Nations: Latest UN News.

Today in History

In 1975, the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project marked the first joint U.S.–Soviet space mission.

Tennessee Trivia

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.

😊 Today’s Smile

A smile is the shortest distance between two people.

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Coming Tomorrow on KnoxTNToday

  • Photography by Thomas Mabry and Chris S. Rohwer
  • ArtBeat: the local guide to art events in the area
  • Nick McBride shares the weekly real estate report
  • Another edition of Daily Connections.

New to Daily Connections? We’d love your feedback. Tell us what you’d like to see added by emailing news@KnoxTNToday.com.