RCK member Lina Shatara introduced our speaker, Kyndra Brewer, Director of the Office of Special Events of the City of Knoxville. Ms. Brewer has been with the City in the Office of Special Events since 2005, and became Director in 2020.
Ms. Brewer indicated that the mission of the Office of Special Events is to create and make memories and traditions through events coordinated by the City. She contrasted her work with that of Visit Knoxville. Visit Knoxville’s focus is on tourism – folks from out of town. The Office of Special Events, however, focuses on area residents. She noted that the City is changing ordinances and rules to encourage special events in areas other than just the immediate downtown area. For example, Happy Holler in North Knoxville.
Ms. Brewer discussed several events that are particularly popular, including the Concerts on the Square Series at Market Square, the Kid A’Riffic Fun in the Park event in various parks throughout the city which has won national event awards, the Festival on the Fourth with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Christmas in the City, and the Rossini Festival. She mentioned the Gay Street Christmas parade, which has been held for 51 years. Her office is in the planning stage for events around the new Covenant Health Park baseball stadium, including events focusing on the One Knox Soccer Club home games. Events in the stadium itself are the purview of Boyd Sports. Events in public spaces surrounding the ballpark will be coordinated through the Office of Special Events.
The question and answer session focused largely on the new baseball stadium, parking, street closures around the stadium and the like. She indicated that the City has gotten virtually no complaints about parking and traffic after the first few Knoxville Smokies home games. She noted that the City works with the Old City Association and the Downtown Knoxville Association to address such issues.