Holrob Communities : East Tennessee Residential Communities : Holrob Communities : Private Communities near Knoxville, Knox County, Blount County, Anderson County, Sevier County

We at Holrob Residential were very excited to learn that the National Association of Home Builders was offering a Certified Green Professional accreditation this past year. This has been something that has been on my mind as a builder for a while. We were continuing to hear more and more buzz about building green and also having customers come to us asking if we could build a “green” home. I knew we could I just needed to know what that meant and what was involved.

That is why the accreditation offered by the NAHB was so exciting to us. After many days of class and training I was honored to become a Certified Green Professional for Holrob Residential. Here is the exciting thing. As I was training I found out that we at Holrob Residential were already in many ways building “green”. From using Pex plumbing lines instead of copper to low E windows to high seer HVAC units to energy efficient housing wrap we are building green! Not to mention we are also building in an environmentally friendly manner by using local subcontractors and vendors instead of companies across the region helping to cut down on fuel and and other transportation costs while also supporting local businesses.

What a great time to build an energy efficient home with Holrob Residential or to even remodel your existing home to make it more efficient. The tax credits are there. We would love to help you learn more. Give us a call or learn more on our website.

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 East Tennessee is home to several great colleges and universities which contribute to the region's economic stability while offering cultural opportunities and population diversity that enriches the lives of students and non-students alike.

Photo by dcanfie1.

The University of Tennessee, located in Knoxville, is the state's land grant university and serves as an anchor for the region. Here's twelve fast facts about the university:

For more information about the University of Tennessee or other regional colleges or universities, please submit your questions here.

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 Summers in Knoxville are great for kids! With a number of family friendly festivals, the Knoxville Zoo, several museums, and so many parks from which to choose, Knoxville's children are happy campers. 

Baby George at the Knoxville Zoo.

 

Speaking of camping, summer camps are a big deal in Knoxville. There are over 450 overnight and day camp opportunities, from chef's camp and director's camp to fly fishing or kayaking. Here's a few of the many fun-filled events and things to do with your child this summer:

Attend the 7th Annual Secret City Festival Friday and Saturday, June 19 & 20, 2009, in Oak Ridge. Some of the events are main stage entertainment featuring a USO Variety Show on Friday and Survivor on Saturday, new teen events and video gaming tent, tours of Oak Ridge historical facilities and sites - ORNL, Y-12 and K-25, the largest World War II Reenactment in the South, and (for moms and dads) antique and craft booths and juried art show.

 

Visit the Knoxville Zoo's butterfly gardens, see the Zoo's newest member - a baby chimpanzee  named George, attend ZooCamp 2009, or take your child behind the scenes to meet a rhino, penguin, elephant, giraffe, or tortoise. 

 

Sign your young reader up with Knoxville Public Library's Summer Reading Program  or bring her to one of the many Library events held throughout the summer.

Visit the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, "A dynamic cultural center that features innovative exhibitions, programs and workshops for all ages. Science, art and history are emphasized in hands-on learning opportunities that encourage young people to understand their cultural heritage, environment and the world around them." 

Visit the East Tennessee Discovery Center where kids can interactively learn about life, physical, and earth sciences.  "Space shuttle , whisper dishes, levers and pulleys, optical illusions, fresh and salt water fish tanks are a few of the exhibits in the gallery area. Our area called "Kidspace", designed for children 3 to 7 years old, contains age appropriate activities."

For more information about kid-friendly events and activities, go to KnoxMoms or submit your question here. 

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The Southeast Tourism Society offers its monthly Top 20 Events for the Summer 2009. In order to qualify, the event must have at least 1,000 attendees, be in its third year (or longer) of existence, and be selected from the nominees by the society's judges.

From the many, many events slated for the summer, here's a few East Tennessee favorites:

For more information, visit the Southeast Tourism Society's website  or submit your questions here.

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It's time for the 18th Annual Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival! Mark your calendars for June 4-6 and plan to bring the family to this award-winning event. "The festival... includes workshops, concerts and a storytelling showcase for young people."


Image by mypigeonforge.

"You’ll hear from a genuine possumologist, a keeper of Cherokee creation stories, a middle school principal who uses storytelling in the classroom and a cowboy poet whose Oklahoma retelling of “Ben Hur” inspires him to wear a watermelon and a bra on stage. (It’s something you just have to see to understand.)"

"Professional storytellers, many with ties to the Appalachian mountain area, will be featured in concert and conducting workshops. This year’s lineup includes Donald Davis, Andy Irwin, Sheila Kay Adams, Jim Taylor, Kent Rollins, Elizabeth Rose and Doug & Todd Elliott. Other Storytelling activities include the popular Haunts ‘n’ Haints Tales, evening performances of family-friendly ghost stories."

"Many of this year’s storytellers will focus on stories that relate to Appalachia and the nearby Great Smoky Mountains. That’s one reason the festival is on the official calendar of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The festival also is on the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events in the Southeast” list for the fifth year in a row."

"The Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival is (held from) 9 a.m.-11 p.m. ...at Belz Mall, 2655 Teaster Lane, Pigeon Forge." "Passes for Storytelling activities (excluding Haunts ‘n’ Haints) are $10 for ages 18 and older, free to ages 17 and younger. Weekend passes are $25. Haunts ‘n’ Haints tickets are $5 per person. For ticket information call 865-429-7350. For more information about this event or additional East Tennessee activities, ask us!

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 Tucked into the center of the University of Tennessee's campus are the Clarence Brown Theatre, named after the UT alumnus and acclaimed film director, the Ula Love Doughty Carousel Theatre, and the Clarence Brown Lab Theatre. Known throughout the region for offering "a wide  variety of theatrical and dance performances by faculty, students, and professional guest artists," the UT theatre performances are a must-see. 

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The Knoxville Museum of Art's Alive After Five series has entertained the city for sixteen years! On 35 select Fridays, guests arrive after work for the 5:30 p.m. live performances which are held in the Great Hall of the museum.

Photo by Knoxville Musuem of Art.

"Alive After Five presents quality musical entertainment from local, regional, national and international performers. This year's Spring Series will feature performers from Toulouse, France, New York City, St. Louis, Dallas, Nashville, Lexington, KY and Asheville, NC, as well as the Knoxville area." Local restaurants cater and a cash bar is available. 

What's on the agenda for the Spring Series?

March 27 - Sharon Mosby & The Wendel Werner Quintet Jazz, R & B, and ballads

April 3 - Alvin Jett & The PhatnoiZ Blues Band Blues and boogie from St. Louis, MO

April 10 - Philippe LeJeune Boogie-woogie, blues & jazz pianist from Toulouse, France

April 17 - Chuck Beattie Chicago-style Blues from Asheville, NC

April 24 - Justin Thompson Jazz, swing and pop

May 1 - Christabel & The Jons Sultry southern swing

May 8 - Sheila Gordon & Evelyn Jack with The Downtowners Jazz, blues  and R & B

May 15 - Zac Harmon, Miranda Louise, and The Stella Vees "Bluegill's Blues Bash"

The shows wrap up around 8:00 p.m., just in time to enjoy dinner at one of Knoxville's great restaurants. The atmosphere at Alive After Five is casual, warm, and friendly and the crowd is diverse and fun. "These non-smoking events are family friendly and great for dates. Admission is $8 for nonmembers, $4 for members and students, except where noted otherwise." Contact the Knoxville Museum of Art for more information or submit your questions here. 

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Located on the campus of the University of Tennessee is the UT Gardens. The Gardens were established in 1983 with a mission to "foster appreciation, education, and stewardship of plants through horticulutural gardens, displays, collections, educational programs, and research." To that end, the Gardens offer a variety of public activities and events throughout the year. 

Directions to the Gardens can be found here. Also, a weekly radio show, The Garden Girls, can be accessed here. For more information submit your questions here. 

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Bonnaroo makes CNN's list of Best Music Festivals in the world! Among the hundreds of festivals worldwide, Bonnaroo made the short list, no small achievement. What began as a smallish music fest in rural East Tennessee has grown to national acclaim.

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