It’s Veterans Day weekend, and everyone will have the opportunity to get outside on Monday to attend Knoxville’s 94th Veterans Day Parade, stepping off at 10:45 a.m. downtown.
But if you’d prefer a more active tribute, head to the Veterans Salute Races at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Farragut Community Center.
This is the inaugural Veterans Salute Races, and a portion of race proceeds will be donated to the United Veterans Council of East Tennessee in support of its Wreaths Across America program.
Veterans Day will also bring a unique experience to Ijams Nature Center, courtesy of Union Ave Books. At 5 p.m. Monday, you can do a trail run at Ijams with New York Times best-selling author Christopher McDougall, writer of “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.”
After the approximately 45-minute run, McDougall will talk about his latest book, “Running with Sherman: The Donkey With the Heart of a Hero.” McDougall and his family adopted a donkey surrendered by an animal hoarder and found that healing the animal – mentally and physically – required discipline, a lot of work – and running. McDougall will be in conversation with AC Shilton, columnist with Outside magazine.
Mark your calendar for two cool events on Saturday, Nov. 16: The Storybook Trail grand opening (and subsequent hikes) will be held at Norris Dam State Park. And DreamBikes Knoxville’s first Cranksgiving, combining bike riding and giving back, will send riders across the city to collect food items to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.
Find details on these and many other outdoor activities in the Outdoor Knoxville calendar.
Carol Evans is executive director of Legacy Parks Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to ensuring that our community enjoys exceptional recreational opportunities, natural beauty and open spaces, and that those assets exist for generations to come.