The Smokies Winter Wonderland Light Show ended its first season on January 5, 2026. At that point, none of the four food and entertainment spots now open at the base of the ballpark had opened. Iron Forge Brewing Co. at the Park opened June 4, Jackie's Dream opened June 9, Berry Social opened in September, and ParTee Golf opened quietly in late October.
So the light show returns on November 27 to a block that has changed a lot. One of the city's biggest holiday bike rides has also moved its start line to Stadium Way this year. For anyone downtown, December 2026 is the first season the stadium district works as a holiday evening out with no baseball, and the businesses there could use the visits. In its November 5 roundup, Inside of Knoxville wrote that "folks aren't quite in the habit of thinking of the stadium district as a dining destination just yet."
The Light Show Now Opens on Downtown's Biggest Night
The Smokies have reworked the light show's schedule for year two. Here is how the two seasons compare, based on the team's 2026 event page and its 2025 ticket announcement.
| 2025–26 season | 2026–27 season | |
|---|---|---|
| Run | Dec. 5, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026 | Nov. 27, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027 |
| Nightly hours | 6–10 p.m. Sun.–Thu., 6–11 p.m. Fri.–Sat. | 6–9 p.m. nightly, closed Christmas Day |
| Tickets start at | $9.99 | $9 |
| Santa | Thu.–Sat., plus Dec. 17–24 | Fri.–Sat., plus Dec. 21–24 |
| Kids 3 and under | Free | Free |
The bigger change is the opening date. Last year the show opened the first Friday in December. This year it opens Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving. That's the same night as the Regal Celebration of Lights in Krutch Park Extension, where the Warman Trio starts playing at 5:15 p.m. and the 42-foot Mickey Mallonee Christmas in the City Tree is lit at 6 p.m. It's also opening day for Holidays on Ice on Market Square. Skating costs $12 for adults and $9 for kids 12 and under, with rentals included. That puts downtown's two holiday centers on the same opening night, with the tree lighting at one end of the evening and the ballpark's light show at the other.
The 2026 show includes ornament painting, letters to Santa, a kids' train ride around the ballpark, a campfire with s'mores, and limited giveaways on select nights, which are new this year. The show is closed Christmas Day. Covenant Health Park's clear bag policy applies, so bags must be clear and no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, and a small clutch can be no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches.
The new 9 p.m. close changes how an evening fits together. The light show can come first and dinner can come after. Jackie's Dream at 498 E. Jackson Ave. lists hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. ParTee Golf stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Tour de Lights Moved Its Start Line to Stadium Way
For the past two years, Tour de Lights started at Mary Costa Plaza at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum. This year, Visit Knoxville and Bike Walk Knoxville are holding it at Covenant Health Park on Saturday, December 12. The Tour de Lights 2026 page lays out the afternoon:
- 3:30 p.m. Festivities and the free bike valet open, with holiday music, firepits, marshmallow roasting, kids' activities and a mailbox for letters to Santa. Hot chocolate and beer are for sale, and the eateries at Covenant Health Park will be open.
- 5 p.m. Costume contest judging.
- 5:30 p.m. Riders line up on Stadium Way.
- 6 p.m. The ride of about five miles starts through the Old City, Gay Street, Fourth and Gill and Downtown, while the Knoxville Community Band plays classic holiday music until 7.
- 7:15 p.m. Costume awards and the ride prize drawing.
- 9:30 p.m. The bike valet closes.
The ride is free. Registration is strongly encouraged, and you have to register to enter the costume contest. Each registration is one entry in a drawing for a year of bike service from Two Bikes, worth up to $1,000 in labor, and the winner has to be there at 7:15.
The move matters most for what happens after the ride. December 12 is Tour de Lights night at the light show, which opens at 7:30 p.m. instead of its usual 6 p.m., and riders get in free that night only. On Stadium Way, the ride finishes at the gate of the light show, with the stadium's eateries open around it.
The Tour de Lights maker market is not coming back in 2026. Visit Knoxville suggests the Old City Market instead, which sets up on West Jackson Avenue the next day, Sunday, December 13. The market's other holiday date is Small Business Saturday, November 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Parade Has Finished Here Since Last Year
The 53rd WIVK Christmas Parade steps off Friday, December 4, at 7 p.m. It runs from Main Street up Gay Street to Jackson Avenue and finishes past Covenant Health Park. It's also December's First Friday.
The route isn't new this year. It changed in 2025, when the parade first turned east onto Jackson Avenue and ended east of the ballpark, as WVLT and Knox News reported at the time. In 2024, the parade went from Main Street to Magnolia Avenue. What's new is what's waiting at the finish. Last year the route ended at a ballpark with no restaurants open at its base. This year it ends next to a brewery, a sit-down restaurant, an açaí shop and an indoor golf bar. The light show's regular schedule also keeps it open until 9 p.m. that night.
What's Open at the Base of the Stadium
The stadium's street-level tenants don't require a game ticket. When this post was published, these were open:
- Iron Forge Brewing Co. at the Park, 604 E. Jackson Ave., opened June 4, 2026. Check its site for current hours before you go.
- Jackie's Dream, 498 E. Jackson Ave., opened June 9, 2026. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and closed Mondays.
- Berry Social, 122 Stadium Way, Suite 102, at the base of The Delaney, opened in September. It serves soft-serve açaí bowls, smoothies and build-your-own toppings, and it's locally owned by Heather and Chad Jenkins.
- ParTee Golf, 122 Stadium Way, was opened by two UT graduates and has TrackMan simulator bays, a full bar and food. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
More are on the way. Knox-Quila Cantina, a local, family-owned Mexican restaurant at The Delaney, is expected to open in December, with tacos, soft-serve margaritas and more than 200 tequilas. Disco Chicken & Donuts and T. Ralph's Burgers & Fries, both known from Kern's Food Hall, are targeting early 2027 at 122 Stadium Way. Crispy Cones is aiming for early 2027 at 494 E. Jackson Ave.
If you'd rather walk toward the Old City, Knox News called Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria at 200 E. Jackson Ave. the closest established restaurant to the ballpark, in its April 2026 game-day guide.
A December 12 Built Entirely Around Stadium Way
The Saturday of Tour de Lights is the one night this season when the ride, the light show and the new businesses all fit into one evening without moving the car.
- Get there around 3:30 p.m., check your bike at the free valet, and spend the early part of the afternoon at the firepits.
- Stop at Berry Social or Iron Forge before the 5 p.m. costume judging, or have an early dinner at Jackie's Dream.
- Line up on Stadium Way at 5:30 for the 6 p.m. ride through the Old City, Gay Street and Fourth and Gill.
- Be back for the 7:15 drawing if you registered, since the winner has to be there.
- Go into the light show when it opens at 7:30. Admission is free for riders that night.
- Pick up your bike before the valet closes at 9:30. ParTee is open until 10 if anyone wants to hit a few balls before heading home.
- Come back Sunday, December 13, for the Old City Market on West Jackson Avenue.
Downtown's December calendar now changes what daily life looks like a few blocks from home. If you're thinking about how life in the stadium district or the Old City would fit your own routine, Foster‑Boline Group is glad to talk it through. Schedule a neighborhood consultation, or get a free home valuation if you already own nearby and want to know where you stand.
