Knoxville, TN



Celebrate the heritage of home cooking through that most perfect of foods – the biscuit! Knoxville’s beloved International Biscuit Festival is kicking off Saturday, May 19th at 8 a.m. and lasts into the evening.  Taste test delicious entries at the Biscuit Bake-Off, stroll down Biscuit Boulevard, meet local dignitaries (Mr. and Miss Biscuit), enjoy folk arts, songwriting competitions, foodie films, and so much more! Visit biscuitfest.com for a full schedule of events and activities.

This year there are even more events with which to butter your biscuit: The International Biscuit Festival will be preceded by a two-day Southern Food Writing Conference on Thursday, May 17th and Friday, May 18th. Well known food writers, bloggers and personalities will lead sessions on various aspects of writing and Southern food. The conference is open to writers, readers, bloggers and food enthusiasts.  

Also! On Wednesday, May 16th at the Tennessee Theatre, Alton Brown is hosting an interactive presentation entitled “Ten Things About Food I Feel Pretty Sure About”. The celebrity chef uses simple axioms to discuss the condition of American food today. Check HERE for tickets.
 


8th Annual Great American Backyard Campout

Childhood summers are marked by memories of biking around town with a pack of friends, listening for the bell of the ice cream truck, catching fireflies in Mason jars, and staying outside well after the sun sinks in the sky. With the dawn of the information age, many children are missing out on traditional summer fun and are glued to their electronic devices instead.  It’s time to boot our children outdoors, so they can benefit from fresh air, green grass, and the carefree joys of a summer spent in nature.

A wonderful way to turn your child’s screen time into green time is by having your family participate in the 8th annual Great American Backyard Campout on June 23rd.  The National Wildlife Federation, along with national studies, finds that outdoor time helps children grow lean and strong, enhances creativity and attention spans, decreases aggression, and boosts classroom performance. The bottom line is that outdoor time makes for healthier and happier kids.

The Great American Backyard Campout helps kids explore a whole other world in their own backyard, with friends at a local campground, together with neighbors, or at a large community camping event. An evening under the stars will help kids understand why it’s called the “great” outdoors.

Before June 23rd, drop by your local Mast General Store to pick up a few items for your family’s overnight outdoor adventure. The North Face Sprout Daypack is a perfect size for a smaller child and will teach them to share in the camping preparation process.

Every happy camper should prepare themselves for a stray summer shower. The Marmot Boys’ and Girls’ PreCip Rain Jackets are lightweight, waterproof, and breathable. If there’s anything on your Backyard Campout list, from headlamps and camping cookware to tents and sleeping bags, a Mast Store associate will gladly help you find what you need for your outdoor adventure.

Check out backyardcampout.org and register your campout on National Wildlife Federation’s website. You’ll find great information to make your family camping experience a memorable and safe one. The site offers nocturnal wildlife guides, campfire recipes, nature activities, as well as campfire songs and games. Move your son and daughter’s childhood from the indoors to the outdoors this summer. One day they’ll thank you for their precious summer memories too!
 

 

Knoxville Store Wins National Commuter Award


From the City of Knoxville:

Smart Trips, which locally promotes alternatives to driving alone to work, hosted an awards ceremony at the Market Square Pavilion in Knoxville, Tennessee on March 29th.

Best Workplaces for Commuters recognizes businesses that provide the highest level of commuter benefit programs in the country. Six Knoxville businesses made the conscious decision to offer strong benefits and identify themselves as companies committed to reducing pollution, commuting costs, traffic congestion, and employee stress caused by driving to work alone. [Only one Tennessee business received this national recognition prior to 2012.]

Jim Richards, General Manager of Mast General Store, [pictured above center] believes this program directly impacts his business. "Our employees have embraced the benefit options. It is easy to offer these benefits and we are already seeing a reduced parking expense," says Richards. "Our folks feel empowered. Anytime we can support positive employee attitudes, our customers will feel the result."

Smart Trips www.knoxsmarttrips.org is a regional organization that promotes alternatives to driving alone and helps commuters find carpool partners, bike and transit buddies, save money on gas and help the environment. The organization plans to annually celebrate the BWC awards and honor the region's highest achieving business partners for commuter benefits.
 


 

One of the many pleasures of spring is transitioning out of bulky winter wear into lighter, warm weather clothing. As you put away your winter boots and replace them with summer sandals, check to see if there are any shoes cluttering your home.  Instead of stowing your unwanted pairs at the back of the closet, share them with those who need them at Mast Store’s fifth annual Sharing Our Shoes collection campaign going on now through May 31.

As you gather your family’s extra shoes during spring cleaning, drop by Mast General Store in Downtown Knoxville, and they will be given to the Knoxville Area Rescue Mission (KARM). For over fifty years, KARM has provided for many people in the community by first supplying rescue services of food and shelter, and then recovery and restoration, including job-training opportunities.

Donating your shoes is not only a gift to those in need, it’s a gracious act on behalf of the environment.  Last year alone, Americans discarded millions of pairs of shoes. “We all have unused shoes with many miles left in them,” said Fred Martin, president of the Mast Store. “The Knoxville Area Rescue Mission helps many individuals who have no way to buy shoes for themselves or their family. At this time, there is so much need. Our employees and our customers are always so generous and eager to share what they have with the people who matter to us most – our neighbors.”

De-clutter your closet, reduce the strain on our environment, and lend a helping hand to your neighbors this May by answering the SOS and sharing your shoes at Mast General Store.