The RiverLights Festival produced by the City of Knoxville Office of Special Events with the help of local chefs and restaurants raised over $1,400 for the Empty Stocking Fund. Competing in the Golden Ladle Soup Contest, the entrants provided gallons of what they offered as their best soup for the crowds to enjoy. For donations, large and small, people were allowed a sample of each of the soups and then vote for what they considered the best. It was a wonderful way to help warm up a chilly evening while waiting for the lighted boats to come down the river.

The restaurants competing were:
1. The Soup Kitchen on Market Square
2. Chef of the Knoxville Convention Center, Scott Tallon
3. MacCleods at the corner of Market and Union
4. Holiday Inn Select on Henley
5. Bistro at the Bijou
6. Tennessee Grill on Neyland Drive

The winning restaurant was Bistro at the Bijou with their offering of Chicken with Wild Rice and Mushrooms. The RiverLights Festival, a part of Christmas in the City is presented by The News Sentinel and sponsored by WBIR Channel 10, Comcast Cable Communications, Volunteer Landing Marina, Copper Cellar, Pepsi Bottling Group, East Tennessee Baptist Health System, EZ 88.3 FM,
Bi-Lo, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Love 89. Christmas in the City is produced by the City of Knoxville Office of Special Events.