Tag: Knoxville tourism

Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness South Loop opens

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 14, 2012

Knoxville, TN – More than 30 miles of urban trails, including the new 15 mile South Loop, were unveiled today during a ribbon cutting by Legacy Parks Foundation, City of Knoxville and Knox County officials, and donors and supporters.

The South Loop is part of the Urban Wilderness project, 1,000 acres of urban forest that will connect an existing nature education center, three Civil War forts, a state wildlife management area, and 10 city parks.

According to an article in the Knoxville News Sentinel and a story on WBIR-TV, the opening of the Urban Wilderness South Loop is yet another example of Carol Evans and the Legacy Parks Foundation leading a charge to brand Knoxville as an outdoors epicenter by pushing easy access to trails and waterways in the city, and even more outdoor recreation a short drive away.

Carol Evans is interviewed by media during South Loop opening

Additionally, Legacy Parks Foundation lead the charge to open Outdoor Knoxville, the recreational hub for not only Knoxville but also the entire region. Centrally located on the waterfront with easy connections todowntown Knoxville, trails, greenways and a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, Outdoor Knoxville is a destination with a unique mix of boutique retail, outdoor equipment rentals and sales, and local events and excursions managed through a partnership between the Legacy Parks Foundation and River Sports Outfitters.

Outdoor Knoxville will also serve as the headquarters for the August 24-26 Outdoor KnoxFest.

For more information on or to register for Outdoor KnoxFest, visit www.outdoorknoxville.com.

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Media Contact:
Erin Freeman, Ackermann PR
Phone: (865) 584-0550
efreeman@ackermannpr.com

A preview of Outdoor KnoxFest

Posted by Erin Freeman – July 9, 2012

KNOXVILLE – Outdoor KnoxFest, a three-day Urban Adventure packed with events and activities for the avid adventurer, weekend warrior, novice outdoor enthusiast and anyone who loves to get out and play, is scheduled for August 24-26, 2012.

WBIR-TV recently interviewed Carol Evans, executive director of the Legacy Parks Foundation, during its “Newsmakers” segment so that she could highlight the festival’s events.

The event benefits Legacy Parks Foundation, a Knoxville-based non-profit working to expand and promote outdoor recreational venues and opportunities throughout East Tennessee.

For more information on or to register for Outdoor KnoxFest, visit www.outdoorknoxville.com.

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Media Contact:
Erin Freeman, Ackermann PR
Phone: (865) 584-0550
efreeman@ackermannpr.com

Experience Knoxville’s Outdoor Adventure Opportunities with Outdoor KnoxFest

Posted by Erin Freeman – June 15, 2012

Knoxville, Tenn. – Everyone from an outdoor adventure enthusiast to someone who simply loves all that nature has to offer can experience Knoxville from a bicycle seat, paddleboard, canoe, trail, climbing wall and more during Outdoor KnoxFest, a three-day event to be held Friday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012.

According to Carol Evans, Executive Director of the Legacy Parks Foundation, Outdoor KnoxFest will promote a variety of outdoor recreational venues and opportunities throughout East Tennessee while encouraging people of all levels of experience to participate.

“What started as a day-long adventure race, known as the Urban Wilderness Challenge, has now grown into a weekend packed full of activities for athletes and families alike,” said Evans. “Our goal is to promote outdoor activities in Knoxville and to encourage people to participate in those outdoor activities.”

Evans explains Outdoor KnoxFest is the third phase of a three-pronged initiative to capitalize on the exceptional outdoor recreational assets found in and around Knoxville. The Outdoor Knoxville initiative was launched in March 2012 and was Knoxville’s first step toward putting itself on the map as a premier outdoor recreation destination. The most visible presence for Outdoor Knoxville is the Outdoor Knoxville Adventure Center, the recreational hub for not only Knoxville but also the entire region. Centrally located on the waterfront with easy connections to downtown Knoxville, trails, greenways and a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, Outdoor Knoxville is a destination with a unique mix of boutique retail, outdoor equipment rentals and sales, and local events and excursions managed through a partnership between the Legacy Parks Foundation and River Sports Outfitters.

The Outdoor Knoxville Adventure Center will be the hub of Outdoor KnoxFest activities which include:

  • An all-day adventure race
  • A 40-mile bike ride organized by the Smoky Mountain Wheelmen
  • A cross-country mountain bike trail designed by the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club
  • A trail run organized by the Knoxville Track Club
  • A variety of guided hikes
  • A community bike ride
  • Family activities
  • Boat and bike demos and rentals
  • A climbing wall
  • Films and speakers

The event will attract participants from throughout the region, including Asheville, Atlanta and Nashville.

Proceeds from the event benefit Legacy Parks Foundation, a Knoxville-based non-profit actively working to make East Tennessee a recreational destination of the Southeast. During the past five years Legacy Parks Foundation has raised more than $3 million for parks, greenways and recreational venues, added more than 200 acres of parkland to Knox County and helped protect nearly 1,000 acres of farm and forest land in East Tennessee.

For more information on or to register for Outdoor KnoxFest, visit www.outdoorknoxville.com. OutdoorKnoxville.com is another facet of the Outdoor Knoxville initiative and serves as a robust, comprehensive portal to all outdoor recreational activities, venues, and events in the East Tennessee region.

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Media Contact:
Erin Freeman, Ackermann PR
Phone: (865) 584-0550
efreeman@ackermannpr.com

Governor Haslam’s Blount Mansion visit showcases effort to save an American treasure

Posted by Erin Freeman – April 19, 2012

Blount Mansion AssociationKnoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam will visit the historic “Birthplace of Tennessee” on Friday, April 20, to discuss efforts to restore and preserve the site for future generations. Blount Mansion, located in downtown Knoxville, is the 220-year-old home of William Blount, a signer of the U.S. Constitution and an American Founding Father, and has been awarded a Save America’s Treasures grant for $250,000 from the National Park Service. Governor Haslam will discuss the importance of preserving this historic site.

“The mansion was first saved from demolition in 1926 by the founders of the Blount Mansion Association,” said Patricia Brake Rutenberg, Executive Director of Blount Mansion Association. “However, the work of saving the mansion is a daily task. We are honored to have Governor Haslam join us to raise awareness of our campaign to save this important piece of American history.”

The Blount Mansion Association is currently engaged in a capital campaign to raise funds to conserve and restore the house. The Save America’s Treasures grant is one of the largest and most successful grant programs for the protection of our nation’s endangered and irreplaceable cultural heritage. Grants are provided for the preservation and conservation of nationally significant historic sites.

A recent architectural study of the Blount Mansion historic Knoxville site called the home “unquestionably one of theBlount Mansion historic marker most historically important buildings in the state.” The mansion was built in 1792 as the home of William Blount, the governor of the Southwest Territory. The home is notable as the only home of a signer of the U.S. Constitution located outside the original thirteen states. The constitution forming the state of Tennessee was written in Governor Blount’s office on the site, earning the home its nickname as the “Birthplace of Tennessee.” It is the only historic site in Knoxville designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

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About Blount Mansion Association: The Blount Mansion Association was founded in 1926 to save the historic Blount Mansion, home of William Blount. Blount was a delegate to the nation’s first Constitutional Convention, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, Territorial Governor of the Southwest Territory and Tennessee’s first U.S. Senator. The Blount Mansion Association is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to preserving Blount Mansion and inspiring an appreciation of national, state and local history through the site and lives of those who lived and worked there. For additional information about Blount Mansion, visit the association’s website at www.blountmansion.org.

Media Contact:
Shane Rhyne
(865) 584-0550
srhyne@ackermannpr.com