John and I attended our first “1st Friday” in downtown Knoxville earlier this evening. 1st Fridays are held…well…on the first Friday of each month. The intent, I believe, is to draw people downtown to discover new and old concerns around the city including restaurants and art galleries. Tonight was the 4th anniversary of this city sponsored event and in celebration, the Knoxville Chamber Orchestra gave a free concert on Market Square.
We arrived downtown just in time to grab the last outdoor table at Trio’s where we enjoyed dinner and the concert. After the concert, we walked up and down Gay Street stopping in several galleries and shops. We were surprised at the number of people milling around, drinking wine in the galleries and eating free snacks (guess we shouldn’t be surprised, free attracts a lot of people including us for the concert).
The Artist Coop building was our favorite where the “Third Floor Up” was packed with UT artists and students in chic clothing, sipping wine. The lower floor showcased the studios of some very talented local artists who worked in clay, acrylic, fabric and other medium. Very artsy, very fun.
Below is a picture from the symphony concert on Market Square. I just got my camera back from Olympus and haven’t had a chance to work with it. So far, after just a couple a photos, it seems to be okay.
