Valentine's Day is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027. Smoky Night Lights at the zoo, a play at the Clarence Brown, the Sweetheart Walk and dinners as venues announce them.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from Zoo Knoxville, the Clarence Brown Theatre, Downtown Knoxville and the venues linked below.

Valentine’s Day 2027 falls on Sunday, Feb. 14. Few Knoxville venues have announced Valentine’s plans this far ahead. Below is what is already on the calendar for that weekend, plus the standing date ideas. We add special dinners, concerts and events as venues announce them on their own websites.

Good to know

  • Valentine’s is a Sunday, and some downtown restaurants close on Sundays. Book early and check the restaurant’s own page.
  • Downtown parking: the city says its garages are free on weekends, except a $3 flat fee at the Market Square Garage. See our getting around guide.
  • Send us your event: contact page

Already on the calendar

  • Smoky Night Lights at Zoo Knoxville: a 360-degree music and light show celebrating the Smoky Mountains, with fire pits and rocking chairs, on select nights from Nov. 13, 2026, to March 28, 2027, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Check the zoo’s calendar for the February nights. Zoo Knoxville
  • “Appropriate” at the Clarence Brown Theatre: Feb. 3-21, 2027, so it is running over Valentine’s weekend. Season and tickets

Downtown’s Sweetheart Walk

In past Februaries, Downtown Knoxville has turned the Peppermint Grove lights on Market Square into the Sweetheart Walk, with twinkling hearts, while the lights in Krutch Park stay up, along with love-themed photo spots around downtown. Downtown Knoxville posts each year’s plans on its Much Love page.

Date ideas any February weekend

  • A show: the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and touring acts at the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St.; music and comedy at the Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay St.; and plays at the Clarence Brown Theatre on the UT campus.
  • A view: the free Sunsphere observation deck in World’s Fair Park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. World’s Fair Park
  • A walk: the riverwalk at Volunteer Landing, or the River Boardwalk at Ijams Nature Center, open every day from 8 a.m. until dusk. Ijams
  • Dinner: our date night guide lists restaurants, wine bars and late openings with links to their own pages, and our brunch guide covers Sunday brunch.

Related: date night in Knoxville, free things to do and live music and nightlife.

Frequently asked questions

What day is Valentine’s Day 2027?

Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027. Some Knoxville restaurants are closed on Sundays, so check whether your choice is opening for the day before you plan around it.

What is there to do in Knoxville on Valentine’s Day?

Zoo Knoxville’s Smoky Night Lights runs select nights through March 28, 2027, the Clarence Brown Theatre stages Appropriate Feb. 3-21, and downtown has turned Market Square’s lights into a Sweetheart Walk in past years.

Where can I find a romantic dinner in Knoxville?

Our date night guide lists restaurants, wine bars and late openings from their own websites. We add Valentine’s menus here only when a restaurant announces one.