Market Square has been downtown Knoxville's gathering place since 1854: the farmers market, free summer concerts, winter ice skating, restaurants and parking.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. History comes from the Market Square Design Guidelines and Designation Report adopted by the Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission and City Council in 2001; events from the City of Knoxville, Nourish Knoxville and Downtown Knoxville.

Market Square is the open-air square at the heart of downtown Knoxville, ringed by 19th- and early 20th-century storefronts that now hold restaurants, bars and shops. It has been the city’s market since 1854, and it is still where Knoxville gathers: the farmers market twice a week in season, free summer concerts, Halloween trick-or-treating, the Christmas tree lighting and a winter ice rink.

Who to call

  • City events and closures: Knoxville 311, 865-215-4311; Office of Special Events, 865-215-4248
  • Farmers market: Nourish Knoxville, 865-805-8687
  • Live garage spaces: Downtown Knoxville parking

A short history

  • 1854: William G. Swan and Joseph A. Mabry donate the land to the City of Knoxville and dedicate it as a “market for farmers forever.” Until then the city’s markets had moved from site to site year to year.
  • 1854 to 1960: a long, narrow Market House fills the middle of the square. It was expanded around 1897 with three-story additions at each end and, at times, held City Hall, the Police Department and a fire station.
  • Daily life: storefronts sold medicine, hardware, groceries and coffee, with boarding rooms upstairs. Kern’s Bakery, in a building from about 1876 on the southwest corner, was known for holiday candy and treats, and mountain families brought Christmas greens and trees to sell on the square.
  • 1960: fire partly destroys the Market House, and the city tears down the rest. Landscaping, a fountain and an open-air covered market follow in 1961; the center was redesigned in 1985.
  • 2001: the Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission and City Council adopt design guidelines for the Market Square Historic District.

The farmers market

Nourish Knoxville runs the Market Square Farmers Market, producer-only, with everything grown, raised or made within 150 miles: produce, eggs, meat, honey, plants, flowers, baked goods and crafts.

Season Wednesday Saturday
May to October 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Market Square 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Market Square, Union Avenue and Market Street
November to March Closed 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Union Avenue and Market Street

No market in April or the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Nourish Knoxville

Through the year

  • Summer: free Concerts on the Square, 7 to 9 p.m.: jazz on Tuesdays in May, June and July, and a variety night on third Thursdays May to September. The play fountain runs daily, typically May to mid-October. Concerts on the Square
  • October: Thrill the World, Scare on the Square and Trick or Treat on the Square. See Halloween events and trick-or-treat hours.
  • Winter: the tree lighting in the Krutch Park Extension next to the square, and Holidays on Ice in front of the Knoxville Chamber at 17 Market Square, Nov. 27 to Jan. 3. See holiday lights and Christmas events.

Eat and drink

Restaurants on the square include Cafe 4 (4 Market Square), The Tomato Head (12 Market Square), Ruby Sunshine (37 Market Square) and Tupelo Honey (1 Market Square, at the base of the Oliver Hotel); weekend hours are on our brunch guide. For evenings, see date night and live music and nightlife.

Parking and getting there

  • Market Square Garage: the closest. It charges a $3 flat fee on Saturday and Sunday.
  • City garages: Locust Street, State Street and Market Square are city-owned; the city says they are free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend, except the Market Square Garage’s weekend fee. City of Knoxville
  • Game days: Nourish Knoxville notes the Locust Street and Langley garages charge on UT home football days.
  • Bus: KAT routes into Knoxville Station Transit Center stop a few blocks away. KAT

Related: free things to do, history and landmarks and getting around.

Frequently asked questions

When did Market Square in Knoxville open?

In 1854, when William G. Swan and Joseph A. Mabry donated the land to the City of Knoxville and dedicated it as a “market for farmers forever.” The Market House built that year stood in the middle of the square until a 1960 fire.

When is the farmers market on Market Square?

May to October, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. November to March it runs Saturdays only, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with no market in April.

Where do I park for Market Square?

The Market Square Garage is closest; it charges a $3 flat fee on Saturday and Sunday. The city’s Locust Street and State Street garages are free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend, the city says.

Are there free concerts on Market Square?

Yes. The city’s Concerts on the Square ran jazz on Tuesdays from May to July and a mix of styles on third Thursdays from May to September in 2026, all 7 to 9 p.m. and free.

Is there ice skating on Market Square?

Yes. Holidays on Ice opens the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, and runs through Jan. 3, 2027.