Knoxville's Holiday Season Opens in Two Places on Nov. 27, and Jackson Avenue Connects Them

At 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, the tree at Krutch Park Extension lights up and Market Square fills with music, Santa photos and children's activities for the Regal Celebration of Lights. One hour later, at 6 p.m., the Smokies Winter Wonderland Light Show opens its first night at Covenant Health Park, 500 E. Jackson Ave. The two openings are an hour apart and a short walk apart, and this year more of the walk between them is open for business.

That is the change for 2026. Since last holiday season, the street-facing restaurants around the ballpark have opened, and the Old City has a new cocktail bar on Jackson Avenue. On opening night, the rink, the tree, the stadium and the stops between them can all fit into one evening.

Five O'Clock on Market Square

Holidays on Ice, the open-air rink in Market Square, opens the same day and runs through Jan. 3, 2027. Nov. 27 is a Friday, so the rink keeps its Friday hours that night, noon to 10 p.m. You can skate before the tree lighting or after you get back from the ballpark.

Regular rink hours from Nov. 27 through Dec. 20:

• Monday through Thursday: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Friday: noon to 10 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

From Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, weekday sessions start at 1 p.m. instead of 4 p.m., so school-break afternoons get more ice time. Tickets and waivers are on the City of Knoxville's Holidays on Ice page, and the Downtown Knoxville skate page lists the full schedule.

The tree lighting draws the opening-night crowd. The rink stays open seven days a week for the next five weeks, so you can easily come back for it on a quieter weeknight.

Six O'Clock at the Ballpark

The light show runs nightly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, and is closed Christmas Day. ORNL Federal Credit Union presents it. According to the Smokies' event page, tickets start at $9 and kids 3 and under get in free.

Inside the gates, the show includes:

• A kids' train ride around the ballpark
• A campfire with make-your-own s'mores
• An ornament painting station and a spot to write letters to Santa
• Santa meet-and-greets every Friday and Saturday, plus Dec. 21 through 24
• New for 2026, limited exclusive giveaways on select nights

One practical note. The stadium's clear bag policy applies to the light show too. Bags can be no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a small clutch no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches, and nothing can be left at the gates. If you're bringing ice skates from Market Square, they will be a problem at the gate. The easier order is to finish skating first, or to save the rink for another night.

What Filled In Along Jackson Avenue

The ballpark's surroundings are what make this year different. In June 2026, Iron Forge Brewing Company opened its second location at 604 E. Jackson Ave., with made-from-scratch food and drinks. At the ribbon cutting, Mayor Indya Kincannon said the restaurants around the stadium would be accessible whenever they're open, as Inside of Knoxville reported:

"You don't have to buy a ticket to come in and enjoy this food, enjoy this beer, enjoy the hospitality, and that's really good news."

The same report notes that the businesses around the stadium all face the street and have no direct entrances into the park. That matters on a light-show night. You can eat at Iron Forge before 6 p.m. without a light-show ticket, then walk around to the gate. Jackie's Dream, at 498 E. Jackson Ave., opened in June as well. WBIR reported its official opening as Monday, June 8.

More is planned for the south end of the Beauford Delaney Building, the nine-story tower next to the park. WBIR reported that owner Dustin Cochran is bringing T. Ralph's Burgers & Fries and Disco Chicken and Donuts to a 3,238-square-foot space there. The two will share a full-service bar and plan to open year-round, seven days a week.

Back toward Gay Street, the Old City side of Jackson Avenue picked up a new bar this fall. House of Strays opened Oct. 7 at 205 Jackson Ave. Owner AJ Tierney drew on the 1920s performer Josephine Baker and on her own love of theater, according to Inside of Knoxville. The menu has four sections, Martinis, Sours, Stiff Ones and Citrus. The room has booths, high-tops for groups, two-tops and a photo booth. It's a good place to end the night after the ballpark closes at 9 p.m.

At that same ribbon cutting, Mayor Kincannon said projections now put new investment around the stadium at $1 billion. An earlier third-party study had estimated $480 million in long-term economic impact. Opening night is when you'll see what that growth looks like at street level.

One way to run the evening

1. Park downtown before 5 p.m. or after 6 p.m., and catch the tree lighting at Krutch Park Extension at 5.
2. Head east toward Jackson Avenue and have dinner at Iron Forge or Jackie's Dream near the ballpark.
3. Walk into the light show once the gates open at 6 p.m., and leave time for the train ride and s'mores before the 9 p.m. close.
4. Stop for a cocktail at House of Strays on your way back west, or take the trolley to Market Square for a late skate before the rink closes at 10.

Getting Between the Two

You don't have to walk. Knoxville Area Transit's Route 1 Downtown Connector is fare-free and runs every 15 minutes. Its hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays, per KAT's route page. It links Gay Street, the Old City and Covenant Health Park. On Friday and Saturday nights, it runs an hour later than the light show. On Sundays, the last trolley is at 8 p.m., an hour before the show closes, so plan accordingly.

On parking, the city's walking estimates help you choose a garage. The City of Knoxville's stadium FAQ puts State Street Garage and the West Jackson Avenue surface lot about 10 minutes from the park on foot, and Market Square Garage about 15 minutes. City-owned garages are free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends, according to Downtown Knoxville. Since opening night is a Friday, a car that arrives before 6 p.m. pays the weekday rate. On Saturday, Nov. 28, parking is free all day. The Smokies also sell $5 downtown reserved parking in advance through the team's parking page.

The city counts nearly 7,400 affordable or free spaces within walking distance of the stadium. That makes State Street the natural middle point, about 10 minutes from the ballpark and an easy walk to Market Square.

The Weekends Before and After

Opening night anchors the season, but the rest of the calendar uses the same streets. Several of these dates come before Nov. 27, starting tomorrow.

The Saturday after opening night is the second-best day of the season to do both ends of downtown. The Old City Market sets up on West Jackson Avenue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The rink opens at 10 a.m., the light show at 6 p.m., and city garages are free all day. Dec. 4 is the other date to watch. The WIVK Christmas Parade comes down Gay Street at 7 p.m., the same night Santa at the Sunsphere begins and the light show is running. Santa at the Sunsphere requires advance reservations for the observation deck.

Nourish Knoxville's winter farmers market runs on Saturdays in Market Square from November through March. Any Saturday morning through the holidays can start at the market, the rink can fill the afternoon, and the ballpark opens at 6.

The blocks around Covenant Health Park have filled in quickly since the ballpark opened. If you live in or near downtown and want to know what that means for your own home's value this season, Pam Owen would be glad to walk you through it. Start with a Free Home Valuation, and get a clear, unhurried read of where your home stands before the new year.