New concert series at the Sunsphere

Jay FitzOur Town Arts

Visit Knoxville, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Born & Raised Productions, will host a four-part concert series “Sunsphere Sundays” at World’s Fair Park in October. The live music series kicks off Sunday, October 10, with pop rockers COIN. Concerts continue through Sunday, October 31, with American folk rock band Dawes, Brooklyn-based country artists The Lone Bellow, and eight-piece soul band St. Paul and The Broken Bones (respectively). Tickets start at just $10. Shows are sold individually. Tickets are already on sale. A portion of all sales benefit the Sunsphere Fund. For tickets and information, go here.

SUNSPHERE SUNDAYS LINEUP
  • 10/10 – COIN
  • 10/17 – Dawes
  • 10/24 – The Lone Bellow
  • 10/31 – St. Paul and The Broken Bones

The Sunsphere has served as an iconic feature of the Knoxville skyline since it was built for the 1982 World’s Fair. Like other World’s Fair structures including the Eiffel Tower (1889) and the Seattle Space Needle (1962), Knoxville’s Sunsphere is the only structure of its kind in the world. The Sunsphere Sundays Concert Series informally kicks off the 40th anniversary celebration of the Knoxville World’s Fair taking place in May 2022. Concertgoers can expect some surprises throughout the four-part series.

“We are thrilled to host this series with our state tourism partners,” said Kim Bumpas, president of Visit Knoxville. “Countless people from all over the world have special memories of live concerts at World’s Fair Park. It feels good to bring back the music and to do so in a way that is safe for the artists, the concertgoers and all involved. The fact that two of the four concerts fall on University of Tennessee home football weekends is a bonus and something we hope will encourage an extended stay for visiting fans.”

The Sunsphere Fund

Visit Knoxville created the Sunsphere Fund with support from Knox County and the city of Knoxville in 2019 to preserve and maintain this historic structure. Monies from the fund are utilized for ongoing enhancements to the experience on the 4th floor Observation Deck. The goal is to protect and preserve the structure for the enjoyment of groups and individuals for generations to come. The fund is operated and overseen by Visit Knoxville. The Sunsphere is owned by the city of Knoxville and promoted like other attractions by Visit Knoxville.

Donations can be made here. Partnership opportunities are available. All donations are appreciated. For information, go here.

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