Knox County to Host 24th Annual Holiday Festival of Lights

Knox County will cut the ribbon on the 24th annual Holiday Festival of Lights at The Cove at Concord Park (11808 S. Northshore Drive) at a family-friendly event starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1 with Mayor Glenn Jacobs greeting guests and passing out candy “Kanes.”

The Festival will run from 6 to 9 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 31, excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. It is free and open to the public though visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate to The Love Kitchen, which provides meals, clothing, and emergency food packages for the homebound, homeless, and unemployed.

Santa Claus will visit on Fridays and Saturdays and drop in on select dates throughout the festival to collect letters to Santa, tell North Pole tales, and lead Christmas crafts. This year will also feature train rides each Monday during the festival.

“The Festival of Lights is one of our most popular events county-wide,” said Mayor Jacobs. “I am pleased we will have this the entire month of December. We’ve raised some record amounts of food and money for the Love Kitchen. I hope we can set another record this holiday season with this incredible outdoor event.”

During the Festival, The Cove’s three-quarter-mile greenway trail is illuminated by a sparkling light display coordinated to music. The Knox County Parks and Recreation Department staff does all the decorating, which includes placing displays and thousands of lights.

An onsite vendor—found inside the River Sports Outfitters facility—will have hot drinks and light refreshments available for purchase most nights. The Cove has several fire pits available for guests to warm up or roast s’mores. Pets on leashes are welcome.

The 2022 Holiday Festival of Lights is sponsored by B97.5, which also will be onsite Dec. 1 with the Knox County Mayor’s Office and Knox County Parks and Recreation.