The City of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee Athletics Department have teamed up to create a weekend-long celebration this Labor Day.
The Star 102.1 Boomsday extravaganza will kick the weekend off on Saturday, Sept. 4, with more than 300,000 people expected to attend. On Sunday, Sept. 5 at 8 p.m., the Tennessee Volunteers will host UNLV in their season opener before a national audience on ESPN2. "This is a great opportunity for the city of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee to garner national exposure," said Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam. "We look forward to UT fans joining us for the Southeast's largest fireworks display." Produced by Journal Broadcasting Group, Star 102.1 Boomsday features food, entertainment and activities throughout the day along the riverfront's Volunteer Landing. "Last year's home opener was one of the hottest games in UT history. Many of our fans asked us to explore the idea of playing the season opener later in the day this year," said Mike Hamilton, men's athletic director. "By changing the schedule, our fans will have cooler temperatures for game time while also having the opportunity to enjoy the Boomsday activities." The University of Tennessee announced plans earlier this year for a Football Lettermen Reunion Weekend at the UNLV game. More than 300 football players are expected to attend the game. In honor of their football predecessors, current football players will don retro game jerseys from the early 1970s. "With no NFL or college football games in the Sunday night time slot, this is a great way to honor the tradition of Tennessee football in the national spotlight as we pay tribute to the great players that laid the foundation for our program," said Hamilton. In its 17th year, Star 102.1 Boomsday is the largest single-day event in Tennessee. Activities will begin at noon Saturday, Sept. 4, with the fireworks - synchronized to a musical soundtrack - to begin at dusk and broadcast live by WBIR-TV, Channel 10.