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Boomsday™ is an annual event which takes place on the waterfront in downtown Knoxville at Neyland Drive from 1 pm - 10 pm. This is one of the largest events in the state of Tennessee and the largest fireworks show in the southeast United States. Dignitaries from Europe and the Far East visit the event, and National Geographic has filmed it for a special. Spectators from various parts of the US also attend. Attendance has been estimated at 300,000-350,000. Boomsday is FREE to the public and includes live entertainment from 5 pm until 9 pm. At 9:30 pm tons of fireworks, choreographed to a soundtrack, blast off from the Henley Street Bridge over the Tennessee River for a 20 minute show of firepower.
The Fireworks Display will be on Sunday evening, September 6 at 9:30 pm in downtown Knoxville at the Henley Street bridge
Boomsday 2009 activities start at 1 pm at Volunteer Landing with food from 30 vendors, amusement games and rides, exhibits, children's activities and a community stage for young athletes and performers.
This year’s festival will feature new additions including Navy Week. Knoxville has been selected as one of 22 cities to host a Navy Week which will take place September 1-7. The Boomsday Festival will host the Navy's "Accelerate Your Life Experience Tour" at the west end of Neyland Drive. The Navy's "Freedom" band will perform at 2pm, 5pm, and 8pm. The band will play from a special barge floating in front of the Volunteer Landing steps.
Another new event this year is the Mastercraft/American Boat Center Rail Jam Demos. Neyland Drive will be transformed into a man-made 30-foot-wide and 200-foot long water track where professional wake boarders will skim across the water attempting jumps and turns at 18-22 miles per hour. The Rail-Jams are scheduled for 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Then, at 9:30 p.m., the largest Labor Day weekend fireworks show in the nation begins high above Neyland Drive and Volunteer Landing. The fireworks display will be choreographed to music broadcasted over load speakers and on Star 102.1 FM.
In 2005, the Boomsday™ Festival was titled "the nation's largest Labor Day weekend fireworks display," according to Lansden Hill, national pyrotechnics expert and owner of Pyro Shows of LaFollette, Tennessee. Pyro Shows has been responsible for producing the fireworks display since the event's inception in 1987. In addition to this title, the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) selected the Boomsday™ Festival as one of its "Top 20 Events" for the months of September 2006 and 2007.
Knoxville is located just a short distance from the Great Smoky Mountains. Knoxville offers lots of things to do while you are here for your Boomsday™ weekend. The Knoxville Zoo has been named one of the best zoos in the country.
Shopping at Turkey Creek or West Town Mall will keep you busy for an entire day.
To make a hotel reservation for Boomsday, click here. |
