Big Ears Festival

Big Ears is a four-day festival of adventurous, boundary-crossing music, spanning jazz, classical, folk, electronic and experimental sounds, spread across historic theaters, churches and other venues throughout walkable downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. Rather than a conventional headliner-driven bill, it is built around discovery and deep listening, and is widely regarded as one of the most eclectic music festivals in the United States.

Big Ears runs April 1 to 4, 2027, across more than 20 downtown Knoxville venues holding 100 to 2,500 people. Activity starts around 5pm Thursday, music begins about noon Friday to Sunday, and concerts finish around 1am (Sunday by 11pm). A wristband pass admits you to 250 or so events first come, first served, with Premier and VIP levels getting priority entry. Early Bird and Wave 1 four-day passes have sold out. Reserved-seat concerts are ticketed separately, and passes are needed from age 2.

Big Ears suits adventurous listeners who would rather wander between theaters, churches and clubs than follow one headliner, with jazz, classical, folk, electronic and experimental sets alongside films, talks and exhibitions. Everything downtown is walkable, with a festival shuttle and plentiful city parking. It rewards planning, since popular rooms fill and can go one in, one out, and passes are required for everyone aged 2 and older.

Regulars describe a festival unlike most others: sets lean toward subtlety and close listening rather than singalongs, and attendees expect to recognize only a small share of the acts. Shows fill venues across downtown, from theaters to local churches, which turns the weekend into a hunt for new music, and people who went knowing just a handful of names say they had a blast. Longtime fans still call the lineups excellent, and some say the number of acts, venues and moods makes it worth the money.

The 2026 edition was held in early April across downtown Knoxville and drew enthusiastic reviews, with one recap describing four beautiful days of being inside the music. Big Ears is scheduled to return April 1-4, 2027.