May 16, 2014 - Downtown Knoxville will be festive Saturday, with the International Biscuit Festival offering a record number of biscuits along the "Biscuit Boulevard" tasting area, the Market Square Farmers' Market connecting fresh local produce with shoppers, and the 10th annual Children's Festival of Reading bringing internationally acclaimed authors and illustrators to World's Fair Park.
The festivals - plus some utility work by the Knoxville Utilities Board that will close a block of Main Street - will mean some temporary lane closures as well.
Visitors to Saturday's International Biscuit Festival will enjoy tasty samples and can shop for butters and jams at the Biscuit Bazaar. The fun starts at 9 a.m. and includes the Blackberry Farm Biscuit Brunch at Krutch Park, the Biscuit Baking Contest and the Miss and Mr. Biscuit Pageant.
"We're anticipating a record crowd of biscuit lovers," says Biscuit Boss and event manager John Craig. "This will be our fifth year and it's shaping up to be our best."
Keeping in the foodie spirit, festival visitors can hop over to the Market Square Farmers' Market, open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The open-air market hosts more than 100 local vendors with everything from produce to pottery.
Across downtown, the 10th annual Children's Festival of Reading brings world-class authors, illustrators and musicians to World's Fair Park, starting 10 a.m. Saturday. Families will enjoy a storyteller's theater, live music and performances on the children's stage. Hosted by the Knox County Library, the event kicks off the Summer Library Club, which aims to engage children of all ages in the joys of reading.
To accommodate these events, downtown Knoxville will see a number of temporary road closures:
International Biscuit Festival
* Clinch Avenue between Walnut Street and Gay Street will be closed from 3 p.m. Friday, May 16, to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
* Strong Ally between Clinch Avenue and Union Avenue will be closed from 3 p.m. Friday, May 16, to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
* Market Street between Church Avenue and Union Avenue will be closed from 6 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday.
* Market Street between Church Avenue and Cumberland Avenue will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
* Church Avenue between Walnut Street and Gay Street will be closed from 7 a.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Anticipate temporary no-parking zones on Clinch Avenue and Market Street, beginning Friday afternoon.
Market Square Farmers' Market
* Union Avenue between Walnut Street and Gay Street will be closed 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Temporary no-parking on Union Avenue begins 5 a.m. Saturday.
Children's Festival of Reading
* World's Fair Park Drive between Clinch Avenue and Grand Avenue will be closed 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
In addition, KUB crews will be closing the block of Main Street between South Gay Street and State Street on Saturday and Sunday. Motorists will be detoured from Main Street south onto Gay Street, east onto Hill Avenue and then north onto State Street to get around the utility work.