Visit Knoxville Announces New Tourism Initiative, Event for Vols

The Vols' season opening game with Utah State is moving to Sunday, August 31st at 7:00 p.m.  As a result, Visit Knoxville will hold the 27th Annual Boomsday Festival on Saturday, August 30th. The festival will expand down Neyland Drive and feature special programming celebrating Knoxville and the Big Orange. Playing on Sunday provides the opportunity for the game to be broadcast on ESPN's new SEC Network.

"This will be a unique and exciting weekend for our city and our state," said Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones. "With Boomsday on Saturday and our season opener on Sunday, the atmosphere and energy in Knoxville will be unrivaled. We're also excited about being one of the schools featured on the first weekend of SEC Network football telecasts, and we are looking forward to this tremendous opportunity."

The 2014 season opener will mark the seventh time Tennessee has played on Sunday. The Vols are 3-2-1 all-time in the previous six games. The last Sunday contest for Tennessee was the season opener on Sept. 5, 2004, a 42-17 win over UNLV that marks the only Sunday game to date in Neyland Stadium history.

 "Holding Boomsday on Saturday in partnership with the University gives the opportunity to provide Vol fans and visitors alike with a truly memorable holiday weekend," said Kim Bumpas, president of Visit Knoxville. "Events like this stimulate our local economy and highlight all that Knoxville has to offer. We look forward to celebrating this great city all weekend long."

Boomsday 27 will feature more music than ever before. The Knoxville based Black Lillies will headline the event on the main stage with other local artists performing a variety of music from jazz to country and bluegrass on a total of 3 stages.  The famous Pyro Shows fireworks will blast off at 9:00pm and broadcast live on WBIR.

Admission to this year's event is $20 per adult (children 12 and under free) and includes access to a programmed and secured fireworks viewing along Neyland.  Your admission grants full access to all performances, a family-friendly kids area, new food vendors, shopping and much more. There's even a VIP area for Veterans (who can attend Boomsday for free with Military I.D.)

Boomsday tickets go on sale in July.

Gates open at 2:30pm. Entertainment starts at 3:00 and continues through a performance on the main stage following the fireworks.  Boomsday's entertainment is brought to you in cooperation with our partners, Attack Monkey Productions, WDVX Radio and Journal Broadcasting's Star 102.1 and Q100.

Visit Knoxville (Knoxville Convention and Visitors Bureau) is the official CVB for the City of Knoxville and Knox County. Our mission: to accelerate sustainable economic growth and development by increasing visitor and convention business to our community.

The SEC Network officially launches two weeks before the Tennessee season opener on Thursday, Aug. 14. Fans wishing to ensure their cable provider will carry the SEC Network should visit www.getsecnetwork.com.