Photo by Clay Owen // Buy this photo
A scene from the 7th annual Rossini Festival on Gay Street and Market Square in 2008.
Photo by Clay Owen
A scene from the 7th annual Rossini Festival on Gay Street and Market Square in 2008.
Downtown Knoxville turns into a weekend street party as the Dogwood Arts Festival celebrates and the Rossini Festival sings.
The Dogwood festival is winding up its 50th year as April nears its end. This weekend the festival includes its annual traditional parade and races downtown.
The Dogwood Parade is 7 p.m. Friday, April 23. Gay Street is the main route for the parade, which includes marching bands, floats, oversized balloons and a tribute to Dogwood festivals and parades of past years.
Wrapped around the parade are events for the Dogwood Mile. The race along Gay Street has runs for children ages 7-12 and for adults. The children’s race is at 6 p.m.; runners must finish by 6:30 p.m. because the parade is waiting to begin. After the parade is done, the Dogwood Mile for adults begins. The one-mile competitive race starts at 8:30 p.m.
There’s a fee to run, and registration is required. Race day registration is 5:30- 8:15 p.m. April 23 at Market Square. Entry fee on race day is $20 for adults, $15 for children. There’s also a post-race party on the square.
When the parade is packed up and all the races are done, the work begins to turn parts of downtown into Little Italy with the ninth annual Rossini Festival. The outdoor street fair/art showcase is presented by the Knoxville Opera.
The festival, noon-9 p.m. Saturday, April 24, promotes the operas being presented over the weekend by the Knoxville and University of Tennessee opera companies and showcases other entertainment as well.
The Rossini Festival spreads across and along Gay Street and Market Square and includes four stages that will showcase dance and music. The performances are free; the Italian food served from various vendors will require money.
Opera supporters hope that festival-goers will buy a ticket and step indoors for the weekend opera performances.
The Knoxville Opera presents Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” at 8 p.m. April 23 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St. Tickets, plus service charges, are $15-$88 for adults, $10-$40 for students, and are at www.KnoxvilleOpera.com.
The University of Tennessee Opera Theatre presents Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” and Paulus’ “The Village Singer” at 2 and 8 p.m. April 24 and at 8 p.m. April 25 at the Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay St. Tickets, plus service charges, are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, $5 for students at www.knoxvilletickets.com.
© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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