Christmas in the City 2011

Ice Skating on Market Square, Knoxville

It's hard for me to believe it's here, again. Thanksgiving seems to have become a small blip on the radar with Christmas seeming to have bled past Thanksgiving on its way to Halloween. It's craziness in many ways. I'm not big on the commercialization of every holiday. I noticed at the Fantasy of Trees there were sponsor notes on every mirror on the Merry-Go-Round and on most of the horses the children rode. Of course our downtown event has the word "Regal" with a capital "R" attached to it for a reason.


Fantasy of Trees, Convention Center, Knoxville, November 2011

 

Family Photo-op, Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville Convention Center

But enough humbug, there is still plenty of joy in the city for the child in us all. It officially starts the day after Thanksgiving and it started slowly for the crafts persons on Market Square and Krutch Park. There were people walking about, but nothing huge. Krutch Park extension was empty, but ready for bigger things. Ice skaters trickled onto the rink.
I wandered into a few stores and business looked good. Later I talked to several and their faces ranged from smiles to really big smiles, so I'm guessing some of that shopping madness at least mad it into the stores of the good guys and didn't all go to Walmart, Best Buy and Toys R Us.


Fantasy of Trees: Doesn't that look like an exploding Sunsphere atop that tree?

 

Flamenco dancers at Christmas?

 

Carousel, Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville



Ginger Bread Houses, Fantasy of Trees, Knoxville

 

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"



Polar Bears Rockin' Christmas! Knoxville Convention Center, 2011

The Fantasy of Trees was busy, but it was only about half as crowded when the family went last year. Aside from the sponsor material I mentioned above, it is a great experience for young children and it seemed they had more activities for them than ever before. The music while we were there didn't particularly seem seasonal, but it was good. There were gingerbread houses, photographs with Santa (who must have quickly slipped over to Krutch Park for his other event of the evening), and scenes to illustrate the "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" theme. 

The gang is gathered on stage, the crowd awaits!

The lighting of the Christmas tree drew a large crowd, though again, maybe not as large as last year. A woman whose name I did not catch sang a great version of "O Holy Night," and then a series of people took the stage before the main event. Mayor-elect Rogero was as smooth and polished as ever and went out of her way to make people of all faiths welcome, which is such a breath of fresh air in our part of the country. I just really feel we are in for a great era in Knoxville history with her leadership and that of the others who joined her on the city council.


The tree lights, the fireworks explode, Knoxville 2011

Santa, Ms. Claus, Reindeer and, of course, the Chic-Fil-a Cow crowded the stage and Santa did the deed and the tree lighted much to the delight of the crowd. It also set off a barrage of fireworks that was cool, but also extremely loud for some of the younger children present, not to mention for the residents of the Holston Building. 

The WDVX Ho Ho Ho Down, Market Square Stage, Knoxville 2011

Market Square was packed with ice skaters, families and shoppers. Bluegrass music rang from the Market Square stage as the WDVX Ho Ho Ho Down helped everyone get their groove on. The lights on the trees were beautiful. By all appearances it was a great kick-off to the season. It's only the start, of course. Friday night (Dec. 2) the Christmas Parade starts at 7:00. The next weekend (Dec. 10) is the Jingle Bell Run, which is fun to watch even if you aren't a runner. And then, there is the Tour de Lights bike ride (Dec. 15).

So, come to the city. Bring the family and have fun. As for that matter of shopping, it's been decades since it was this good. With the advent of the downtown gift card you can easily get something for everyone on your list.

Sights from an Ending Year

Still Moving, Market Street, Knoxville, December 2010

I usually have a few random images that haven't found a home. I keep running into this truck around town. It is marvelous that is still able to move about town at all and, as such, is a great inspiration to those of us of a certain age who hope we can keep doing the same. My first vehicle to ever own was a 1949 Ford Pickup truck with a busted head gasket. I owned it for only a week or two, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for old rust heaps. I do miss that leopard-skin print ceiling someone had custom-designed for the old girl.

Skating on the Square, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2010

Skating on the Square, Market Square, Knoxville, December 2010

Skating has been a theme for Christmas in the City, as it has for the past several years. It's great to see so many people having so much fun. As I mentioned in a previous post, however, there are those who are raising questions about its continuation. Merchants seem to have mixed feelings about it. There certainly is no way to suggest it adds to the aesthetic quality of the Square. It is without question pretty much an eyesore unless you are standing close to the rink and watching the skaters. Still, there are some days it is packed, so that's worth something.

Holiday Market, Market Street, Knoxville, December 2010

Finally, the Holiday Market pictured here has been on my radar for the first time even though we lived downtown last year when it happened. This was our first year to buy extensively from the Farmer's Market and we absolutely loved that experience - both the good food and the familiar friendly faces each week. So, as it ended before Thanksgiving to be replaced by the Holiday Market, we had some hope of stretching out the great experience. It just wasn't the same. As pictured here, the crowds were often sparse. The weather didn't cooperate given the colder temperatures and unusually rainy month. I hope the vendors did well, but it just didn't have the spirit to which we had become accustomed. It also meant more necessary, but not so attractive vendor tents.

I feel like I'm griping a bit here and I don't really mean to, but one other thing stands out in my mind that diminishes the aesthetic quality of any large event on Krutch Park or Market Square: Porta-Potties. How about some real bathrooms downtown for the general public to use? I understand that businesses don't want a steady flow (bad pun) of visitors to their facilities, but what are the folks to do? It seems like an obvious need that should be addressed by the city. Maybe the new mayor would like to forever be memorialized by permanent public facilities in Krutch Park. Probably not.