Bike Boat Brew & Bark, set for Saturday, June 3 in 2023, combines outdoor adventures, craft beer and dog lovers in Knoxville’s urban wilderness. This annual event has become popular with visitors and locals alike; after all, Knoxville is a bike, boat, brew and bark-friendly city.
“Bike Boat Brew & Bark is an exciting event that speaks to a wide variety of interests,” said Kim Bumpas, President of Visit Knoxville. “We promote Knoxville as a nature-loving-adventure-seeking-artsy-kinda-town, and this is a great opportunity for both visitors and locals to explore the greenways and waterways, experience breweries on the Ale Trail, and learn how to enjoy all the city has to offer year-round.”
Most of the activities are free to the public, some are paid experiences, and some events require registration. Food and beverages available for purchase. Event shuttle provided by K.I.S.S. Caboose. Interactive Event Booths include the following: Cheers to Clean Water Celebration, City of Knoxville Parks & Recreation, Freedom Boat Club, Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville Adventure Collective, Knox County Parks & Recreation, KUB H20 Water Hydration Station, Paddle Knox, Tennessee RiverLine, and Young-Williams Animal Center.
NEW for 2023
There are several new components to this event for 2023. Knoxville Adventure Collective is offering Guided E-bike tours, Young-Williams Animal Center will host a “Bark Around Town” Guided Walk to show how pet friendly Knoxville is, Freedom Boat Club will be offering Captained Rides on the Tennessee River, and Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful will be hosting a cleanup on the Tennessee River. Ruth’s Chris will also be offering Happy Hour pricing on burgers and beer from 11am – 2pm.
Full list of Bike Boat Brew & Bark Activities & Registration HERE.
ACTIVITIES WITH NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
James White’s Fort
10am – 3pm: Free self-guided tours in celebration of Statehood Day
Blount Mansion
10am – 3pm: Free self-guided tours in celebration of Statehood Day
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
10am – 3pm: Free admission & Scavenger Hunt
Knox County Parks & Recreation
11am – 2pm: Open session 15-minute Yoga classes (2nd Level near waterfall)
Volunteer Landing Marina Pontoon Boat Shuttle to Suttree Landing Park
Volunteer Landing Marina is Downtown Knoxville’s only Marina! For Bike Boat Brew & Bark, Volunteer Landing Marina will be offering FREE pontoon boat shuttles round-trip to Suttree Landing Park from 11am – 2pm. Call for more information, walk-ups welcome. (865) 633-5004
ACTIVITIES WITH REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
(ALL activities begin and end at the Knoxville Adventure Collective, with the exception of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful Cleanup, which is at the KAC paddle dock.)
Knoxville Adventure Collective
Have you ever wanted to try stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, e-bikes, or explore Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness via bike? Join Knoxville Adventure Collective during Bike Boat Brew & Bark and learn how!
- 10am – 3pm: Discounted Mountain & Greenway Bikes
- 10:30am – 11am: E-bike Guided Tour to World’s Fair Park* Register Here
- 11am – Noon: SUP Open Session* Register Here
- 11:15am – Noon: E-bike Guided tour to UT Gardens* Register Here
- 11:30am – 12:30pm: Kayak Open Session* Register Here
- 12:30am – 1:15pm: E-bike Guided tour through Downtown/Market Square* Register Here
*Equipment available for a discounted cost through Knoxville Adventure Collective. If you have your own equipment, it is free but be sure to register.
Vol Landing Riverwalk with Historian Jack Neely
10:15am – 12:30pm
Join historian Jack Neely for a 2-hour Vol Landing Riverwalk tour. Ever notice those historical markers along Volunteer Landing? They tell a non-chronological story of soldiers, authors, and sailors who had something to do with Knoxville’s waterfront since 1791, connecting Cherokee chiefs to the Civil War to the Tennessee Vols. Jack Neely, historian of the Knoxville History Project, did the research for those markers back in the 1990s, and will help tell the stories, including that of Vagabondia, the long-vanished riverfront home of author Frances Hodgson Burnett that inspired the title of one of her early novels. It was surprisingly near the ramshackle houseboat home of Cornelius Suttree, the stoic protagonist of a very different novel by Cormac McCarthy. The walk will start and return to the Knoxville Adventure Collective. Register Here.
Downtown Knoxville Walk with Alan Sims
10:15am – 12:30pm
Enjoy a two-hour stroll around downtown with InsideofKnoxville.com’s Knoxville Urban Guy (AKA Alan Sims). Knoxville’s strong growth has continued in rapid fashion. The walk will explore new businesses and new developments in the city, focusing on events of the last year. Enjoy spring in the city and ask that question you’ve always wanted to ask about downtown development and life in the city. (Inside of Knoxville has been a source for downtown information since 2010.) The walk will start and return to Knoxville Adventure Collective. Register Here.
Brewery Slow Rides
10:30am
Interested in Knoxville’s brewery scene? We would love for you to join some of the Knoxville Area Brewers Association’s member brewers as they showcase Knoxville’s great breweries (see registration link for meet up locations). Representatives from Crafty Bastard Brewery, Clinch River Brewing, Alliance Brewing Company, Fanatic Brewing Company, Elst Brewing Company, and Yee-Brewing Co., Printshop Beer Co. will partner up and lead round-trip rides from Knoxville Adventure Collective in a relaxed, slow bike ride. Riders will be able to see how easy it is to ride and enjoy some of the best local craft beer in Knoxville! Registration required. Space is limited. Register Here.
Guided Hike to Morningside Park with Legacy Parks
10:45am – 12:30pm
Just minutes from downtown, Morningside Park features an 18-hole disc golf course, gently rolling terrain, large shade trees, and plenty of open space and play areas. Join Carol Evans and you’ll walk from the Knoxville Adventure Collective along the waterfront via James White Greenway to the Morningside Greenway where we’ll loop through the park and visit the Alex Haley Heritage Square located at the northwest end of the park. The hike will return to Knoxville Adventure Collective. Be sure to bring water and wear good walking shoes for this 3.5-mile hike. Register Here.
Bike Walk Knoxville Guided Urban Bike Ride
11am – 1pm
Explore Knoxville’s greenway system and bike routes on this urban bike ride with Bike Walk Knoxville. This 2-hour round-trip ride will start and return to the Knoxville Adventure Collective and travels along the greenways, downtown, and over into South Knox. We will stop along the way at Suttree Landing Park and UT Gardens. Register Here.
Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful Cleanup
11am – 2pm
Pick up at Paddle Dock – Knoxville Adventure Collective
Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful is the first Keep America Beautiful affiliate in the country to focus solely on a river. Among other efforts, the nonprofit takes volunteers in 26-foot work boats to clean shorelines. Since putting their first boat in the water in 2019, more than 3,600 volunteers have helped to remove nearly 600,000 lbs. of trash. Join in the cleanup held at Bike, Boat, Brew & Bark to ride in one of KTNRB’s two boats to clean Downtown Knoxville’s shorelines. Life vests, gloves, and cleanup supplies will be provided. You need only wear long pants and closed-toe shoes you don’t mind getting dirty/wet and bring a bottle of water to help make a difference at this cleanup of the Tennessee River! This event begins at the KAC paddle dock. Register Here.
Freedom Boat Club Captained Cruises
11am – 2pm
Join the club or test out what it’s like! FBC will be offering complimentary captained boat rides on the Tennessee River from Volunteer Marina throughout the day for seven riders every 30 minutes! Secure your spot now. Wherever the day takes you, we have the perfect boat for your next adventure. Freedom Boat Club has 380+ locations across the globe. Whether you’re looking to hit the water locally or explore one of our reciprocal locations, we’ll have a boat ready and waiting for you. Call to register: 865-455-2974. First come, first serve.
Young-Williams Animal Center “Bark Around Town” Guided Walk
Noon
Learn how pet friendly Knoxville is with this guided walk with Young-Williams Animal Center. Walk this pre-planned route to various pet friendly businesses – your pup may even get a special treat along the way. Space is limited to 15 people. Register here.
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