One of the nation's most respected independent concert promoters, based right here in Knoxville. AC Entertainment produces thousands of events annually — from intimate club shows to the acclaimed Big Ears Festival — and has helped build Knoxville's reputation as a serious music city.
📍 DowntownOne of the nation's oldest continuously operating African American theater companies, founded in Knoxville in 1969. Carpetbag Theatre creates original works rooted in the stories of working-class and marginalized communities, performing locally and touring nationally. A vital voice in American theater.
📍 DowntownKnoxville's professional hockey team, competing in the Southern Professional Hockey League since 2002. The Ice Bears play at Knoxville Civic Coliseum and have built a passionate local following with fast-paced, affordable, family-friendly games. One of Knoxville's most fun live sports experiences.
📍 DowntownA professional community theater dedicated to youth performers and young audiences. Knoxville Children's Theatre produces a full season of musicals and plays performed by and for the next generation of Knoxville artists.
📍 DowntownEast Tennessee's premier professional orchestra, performing a full season of classical, pops, and chamber concerts at venues across the region. The KSO has enriched Knoxville's cultural life for more than 80 years.
📍 DowntownHome to more than 900 animals and one of the top zoos in the Southeast, Zoo Knoxville is an independent nonprofit committed to conservation, education, and connecting East Tennesseans with wildlife. A beloved community institution since 1948.
📍 Chilhowee Park