Big Orange Bash 18!
Knoxville, Tennessee
Saturday June 3, 2023
As you all know, BOB got hit by a double whammy -- COVID and construction! Hollingsworth Auditorium and its two adjacent buildings got torn down and are being replaced by a large building that will contain an auditorium considerably larger than Hollingsworth. It should be ready for occupancy some time in 2024.
> NEWS FLASH 1/17/2023 -- Carol has found a temporary venue for holding BOB in 2023 while we wait for the new building! It's the Kerbela Shriners Temple near downtown Knoxville! BOB will be a double-judged one day show! ...And as always, we greatly appreciate your enthusiasm and loyalty!
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Directions!
> Update 5/5/2023 - Here are updated directions to the Kerbela Shriners Temple for BOB 18 / 2023. Thanks!!
BOB -- Directions to the Show Hall
(Spoiler alert - this is the longest and most complicated set of Show Hall directions I've ever written, LOL!)
The Kerbela Shriners Temple is across the Tennessee River from downtown Knoxville. It is on the high river bluff and has a good view of downtown. Its street address is (or was) 315 Mimosa Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920.
Confusion Alert! In March 2023 the City of Knoxville changed the street's name from Mimosa Avenue to Kerbela Avenue! This changes the Shriners' address! Obviously this change won't show up on internet apps right away, so we'll refer to that street as "Kerbela/Mimosa Avenue".
To make things worse, the western portion of Kerbela/Mimosa Avenue is now closed and torn up with deep trenches to install underground power cables! This inconvenience greatly impacts the Shriners and also impacts us. The Shriners have no idea how many months this road closure will last, so for now they must either detour through an apartment complex's parking lot (southwest of their building), or take a slightly longer route on city streets (northeast of their building).
So... After you reach US 441 / Henley Street downtown from any of three Interstates, we are providing TWO methods for finding the show hall, LOL!
~ ~ ~ Getting to US 441 / Henley Street Downtown ~ ~ ~
~ Coming from the west on I-40 eastbound ~
Get off I-40 at Exit 388, "US 441, Henley Street, Downtown".
At the split, bear left for "US 441, Henley Street".
~ Coming from the north on I-75, then I-275, southbound ~
After passing "Merchant Drive" (exit 108), get in either of the left lanes.
Follow the signs for "I-275, Knoxville".
As you approach downtown, after passing Baxter Avenue (exit 1A) get in the right lane on I-275.
Follow the signs for "US 441, Henley Street" which will be a Right split, followed quickly by another Right split, followed quickly by a Left split. This definitely keeps you on your toes, LOL! (Note - this would have been "Exit 0" if they had bothered to give it a number.)
~ Coming from the east on I-40 westbound ~
Get off I-40 at Exit 387, "TN 62, 17th Street".
Stay in the right lane at the exit. Bear right onto Ailor Avenue heading east, and stay in the right lane.
Ailor Avenue ends at the second traffic light, so bear right onto TN 62 / Western Avenue.
Proceed 3/4 mile. After passing the historic L&N Train Station, bear right onto South US 441 / Henley Street.
~ ~ ~ Navigating US 441 / Henley Street Downtown ~ ~ ~
At the beginning of Henley Street the best lane to get into is the third lane from the right. The fourth lane (leftmost) is for left turns only, and disappears shortly after the overhead pedestrian bridge. Stay in the third lane (which became the leftmost) all the way to the Henley Street Bridge across the Tennessee River.
~ ~ ~ Finding the Show Hall ~ ~ ~
As mentioned above, we are providing TWO methods for finding the show hall! (Are we having fun yet?? LOL!)
~ Method #1, approach from the southwest ~
While crossing the river on the Henley Street Bridge, stay in the left lane, but NOT the left turn lane.
After crossing the river, proceed 1/4 mile beyond the traffic light. Note - you are now on "US 441 / Chapman Highway".
After passing the old "Kerns Bakery" factory on the left, turn left about 100 feet before the next traffic light, into the driveway for the "Flagship" apartment complex.
Proceed through the length of the parking lot.
At the stop sign turn left onto Sherrod Road and go a very short distance to another stop sign.
After this second stop sign, jog a few feet left and cross Kerbela/Mimosa Avenue to enter the bottom of the Shriners' sloped parking lot. Note - the show hall is the white building with the wavy roof.
Proceed to the top of the parking lot and turn right through the gate into the upper parking lot.
The upper parking lot is level and connects with the wheelchair ramp to the building's entrance.
If desired, you may unload under the building's entrance canopy before parking.
~ Method #2, approach from the northeast ~
While crossing the river on the Henley Street Bridge, get in the left turn lane.
At the traffic light turn left onto Blount Avenue.
After about 1000 feet (two traffic lights), bear right onto the "one way" eastbound portion of Sevier Avenue.
After about 500 feet notice a small green sign that says "Kerbela Shriners" and turn right onto Dawson Street.
At the stop sign turn right onto Kerbela/Mimosa Avenue.
After the next stop sign proceed about 50 feet and turn right to enter the bottom of the Shriners' sloped parking lot. Note - the show hall is the white building with the wavy roof.
Proceed to the top of the parking lot and turn right through the gate into the upper parking lot.
The upper parking lot is level and connects with the wheelchair ramp to the building's entrance.
If desired, you may unload under the building's entrance canopy before parking.
~ ~ ~ Congratulations, You Found the Show Hall! ~ ~ ~
Regardless of how you got here, be sure to admire the great view across the river, both from the parking lot and the large windows in the lobby! :-)
~ ~ ~ Leaving the Show Hall ~ ~ ~
~ Method #1, backtracking the southwestern approach ~
At the bottom of the parking lot, turn left onto Kerbela/Mimosa Avenue, which immediately has a stop sign.
Turn right onto Sherrod Street.
After a short distance, turn right into the parking lot for the "Flagship" apartment complex.
Proceed through the length of the parking lot.
At the stop sign, turn right onto US 441 / Chapman Highway towards the Henley Street Bridge. (Or try to turn left to get to several restaurants. However, turning left there can be quite difficult!)
After crossing the Henley Street Bridge, proceed several blocks on US 441 / Henley Street until the right lanes become a ramp to access the various interstates (I-40 eastbound, I-40 westbound, I-275 northbound).
~ Method #2, backtracking the northeastern approach ~
At the bottom of the parking lot, turn left onto Kerbela/Mimosa Avenue, which immediately has a stop sign.
Don't turn right onto Sherrod Street, but instead proceed straight on Kerbela/Mimosa.
Go one block and turn left onto Dawson Avenue.
At the stop sign you must turn right, since Sevier Avenue is "one way" eastbound at this point.
Get in the left lane on Sevier. After one block take the sharp left ramp (almost a U turn) to get on the "one way" westbound portion of Sevier.
At the traffic light (near the Gay Street Bridge) proceed straight onto Blount Avenue.
At the second traffic light, turn right onto US 441 / Henley Street towards the Henley Street Bridge. (Or turn left onto US 441 / Chapman Highway to get to several restaurants.)
After crossing the Henley Street Bridge, proceed several blocks on US 441 / Henley Street until the right lanes become a ramp to access the various interstates (I-40 eastbound, I-40 westbound, I-275 northbound).