Treat yourself to the tastes and sounds of an Italian opera street fair in downtown Knoxville on Saturday. But be prepared for street closures and temporary no-parking zones, starting Friday night, as part of the 14th annual Rossini Festival. 

The Knoxville Opera is the only opera company in the world that presents a free-admission street fair in celebration of the arts. The Rossini Festival on Saturday, April 25, spans 11 hours and 14 city blocks, with five outdoor stages and 800 entertainers. 

Closure of these streets for the Rossini Festival starts at 11 p.m. Friday, April 24, and will continue through 4 a.m. Sunday, April 26: 

• Gay Street, between Summit Hill Drive and Cumberland Avenue; 
• Union Avenue, between Walnut and State streets; 
• Market Street, between Union and Cumberland avenues; 
• Church Avenue, between Walnut and State streets; 
• Clinch Avenue, between Walnut and State streets. 

In addition, temporary no-parking zones begin at 10 p.m. on Friday, April 24, on Gay Street, Union Avenue, Market Street and Clinch Avenue. 

Also on Saturday are two road races - the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation 5K and the Dogwood Classic 5K - that will temporarily close roads in downtown and Sequoyah Hills. 

The Junior Diabetes Research Foundation 5K race starts at 10 a.m. at World's Fair Park. 

Anticipate temporary rolling closures along the route: World's Fair Park to Jackson Avenue, Jackson to Broadway, Broadway to Depot Avenue, Depot to Gay Street, Gay to Magnolia Avenue, Magnolia to Ogden Street, Ogden to Depot, Depot to Gay, Gay to Jackson. 

The Dogwood Classic 5K starts at 8 a.m. in the eastbound lane of Cherokee Boulevard in Sequoyah Hills. 

Rolling roadblocks will close streets while participants run from Cherokee Boulevard onto Agawela Avenue, then head back in the westbound lane of Cherokee Boulevard to Southgate Road. From there, runners will cross back to the eastbound lanes of Cherokee and continue on to the finish race.