Tributes and Tunes event to honor 9/11 anniversary
The same evening, people across Knoxville and East Tennessee will have a chance to come together at World’s Fair Park for a night of remembrance, gratitude and music to mark the anniversary.
That night, PHILLIPS will present Tributes & Tunes: A Benefit Concert for First Responders.
The concert will take place that Friday, on the World’s Fair Park Performance Lawn with gates set to open at 6 p.m.
“Presented by PHILLIPS in partnership with Concerts For Our Own and the City of Knoxville, the event will honor those lost on Sept. 11 while recognizing the firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel and other first responders who continue to answer the call throughout East Tennessee,” a release on the event stated.
“This is an invitation for all of Knoxville to show up,” said Aaron Snukals, Chief Happiness Officer of Concerts For Our Own. “We want families, friends, neighbors and first responders gathered together on the lawn — not only to remember what happened 25 years ago, but to express our gratitude to the people who protect and serve our community every day.”
“PHILLIPS’ role as presenting sponsor gives the evening a meaningful connection to the history that will be remembered that night,” the release stated. “The company participated in recovery and cleanup efforts following the Sept. 11 attacks, making its support of the Knoxville commemoration personal and deeply significant.”
The evening will guide attendees through a series of shared experiences, as they move from reflection and recognition to music, fellowship and hope.
Among the key tributes that night will be the 343 Remembrance Wall, where attendees can leave personal messages honoring the 343 firefighters who lost their lives at Ground Zero.
“Guests also will witness the creation of a special Survivor Tree tribute, cut from sheet metal on-site during the event,” per the release. “Inspired by the tree that survived the destruction at the World Trade Center and later became a living symbol of resilience, rebirth and hope, the completed artwork will serve as a
lasting reminder of the strength that can emerge from tragedy.”
Further, the program will include an Honor Guard presentation, chaplain invocation, first responder recognition ceremony and community moment of remembrance.
The concert will be hosted by Sterl the Pearl, a Knoxville favorite, and will feature a lineup of acclaimed East Tennessee performers: Cruz Contreras and The Black Lillies, Con Hunley, Eric Baker, Jill Andrews, Hanna Marie Kelley and Jeanine Fuller and The True Funk Souldiers.
The Tributes and Tunes event is designed as a gathering for guests of all ages, so there will be food trucks, children’s activities and even an inflatable play area with displays featuring fire trucks and other first responder vehicles.
First responders will receive free event admission to the event, made possible by Food City.
Complimentary tickets are being distributed through participating first responder agencies and supervisors.
Participating food vendors also will offer discounts to first responders during the event. Complimentary meals are not included.
General admission tickets are $25 all-inclusive, with no additional taxes or ticketing fees. Guests are encouraged to bring a camp chair or blanket and enjoy the evening beneath the Knoxville skyline.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Knoxville Public Safety Foundation, supporting firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel and first responder families across East Tennessee.
“Sept. 11 reminds us how quickly ordinary people can be called to do extraordinary things,” Snukals said in the release. “Twenty-five years later, Knoxville has an opportunity to stand together, say thank you and show our first responders that their service and sacrifice will never be taken for granted.”
