The Rossini Festival is Knoxville Opera’s annual International Street Fair that celebrates the global impact on the music, food, art and culture of East Tennessee. Now in its 20th year, the Rossini Festival is the largest of its kind in the local area and the only such free-admission community event presented by an opera company in the United States. The gathering transforms parts of Gay Street, Market Street, Market Square and adjoining streets into a European-style pedestrian street mall.

Over the course of 11 hours, the public gets non-stop entertainment on four outdoor stages showcasing opera, classical, jazz, gospel, ethnic music, ballet and modern and ethnic dance. Attendees can purchase from scores of food vendors and more than 75 artisans, while The Y FunZone keeps children entertained. With free admission, the Street Fair is largely dependent upon sponsor support for its funding and success.