News
Annual Harvest Fest is free to the public, loaded with family fun
October 8, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
The area community will have an opportunity to celebrate autumn when Shop Farragut, doing business as Farragut Business Alliance, presents Harvest Fest.
The free event, which is open to the public, is slated to take place, rain or shine, from 2 to 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 26, in Village Green shopping center, 11505 Kingston Pike in Farragut.
“That has grown immensely,” Shop Farragut/FBA executive director Steve Krempasky said. “We have some new beverages and dessert vendors this year: Jazzi’s Delights, Latte Lab, Kooky Cookies, Sassy Spritz Soda.”
They join returning vendors, such as Salty Paws, Kona Ice, Mucho Gusto, Water Into Wine and Hot Dog Hut.
“This will be our fifth Harvest Fest, and the Halloween costume contest has become an important part of that day.”
Registration for the costume contest begins upon arrival and the contest begins at 3:30 p.m.
“I want to thank Invisible Fence for stepping up to become our
Halloween Costume Contest sponsor,” Krempasky said. “They got a big kick out of adding a Best Pet Category.
“We’ll have 60 or 70 vendors there; we’re handing out trick-or-treat candy; visiting with people and selling their different product lines for the holidays,” he said.
Vendors include retail and promotional booths, food trucks and beverage vendors. The festival also features more than four hours of live entertainment.
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October 8, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
“Bless your heart,” Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar has opened its doors in Farragut.
“It’s gone very, very well,” restaurant owner Steve Frabitore said about it’s opening Tuesday, Oct. 7, at its new location, 126 Biddle Farms Blvd. in Town Center.
“Being around 25 years, we have a very strong sense of who we are, what we do and what food we bring, and I call us a ‘first bite restaurant,’” the owner said. “What that means to us is that everything that we do, the first bite of food has to be delicious, and that makes you want that second bite, third bite, fourth bite.
“And ultimately, we’ll turn you into a regular,” Frabitore said. “We’re focused on bringing a very high-quality, high-flavor, chef-inspired Southern comfort food to the community … we call it polished casual.
“We have some items that have been around for many, many years that were famous for, like our biscuits and jam, our very unique sweet and savory take on Southern-fried chicken, our fried green tomatoes,” he said. “And, we’re becoming very well-known for our excellent salmon and mahi as well.
“All are served with some traditional and wonderful Southern sides, like goat cheese grits, some really terrific braised green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts, all spiced up uniquely as our chefs can do it, ” Frabitore added.
Currently, there are two signature dishes to try: Tupelo Honey shrimp and grits (with shrimp from the American Gulf), a signature dish for 25 years, and its bone-in fried chicken.
He added the shrimp and grits are still beloved and a top seller while the fried chicken goes through an 18-hour brining process flavored with special secret spices and finishing it off with “bee dust.”
About his customers, “I think they should come here and feel at home,” Frabitore said. “One differentiator (of restaurants) is genuine hospitality, authentic hospitality.
“You can come here in your sweat pants, your medical scrubs, in a three-piece suit for a business lunch. You can come here for family, with your kids … but when you come here, you need to know (that) you’re completely and totally welcome,” he said.
“We get joy out of service. We see what we do as being noble. We have the opportunity to feed you delicious food and take a load off while you’re here.
“Southern hospitality is unlike any other hospitality,” Frabitore said. “We have sayings, like ‘Bless your heart.’
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October 8, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
Farragut residents continue to wait to for Founders Park, which still is closed for utility sewer pipe replacements.
Last April, First Utility District approached Farragut Municipal Planning Commission about its plans to replace existing sewer pipes from Turkey Creek Road to Village Green subdivision, closing the park.
The plans have been to replace aging infrastructure and increase sewer capacity for residents and businesses.
“The project will require several road crossings, greenway crossings and work in Founders Park at Campbell Station, an April press release stated. “The park will reopen in early fall. During this time the entire park will be closed to the public.”
However, while “work quality is proceeding well, the production has been slower than expected due to a significant amount of hard, unfractured rock in Founders Park,” said Edwin Deyton, P.E., engineering supervisor with First Utility District. “The contractor has been slowed by having to drill and hammer rock to allow for trenching, excavation and installation of new pipe.
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October 8, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
While pickleball players wait for a court on which to play, construction continues at Farragut’s courts under way at Mayor Bob Leonard Park.
“I know everyone’s really looking forward to our new pickleball courts,” Town Parks and Recreation director Ron Oestreich said. “It’s a really great project that will be well-used once it opens.
However, “We’re a little bit behind on the construction because of some delays in earthwork, curbing and fence and light bases, but I think it will be worth the wait,” he said, adding the Town expects to have the courts open by the end of the year.
Last February, when the design plan was approved, the completion date was projected as the fall.
Daniel Benner, project manager with Baseline Sports Construction, said his crew currently is working on concrete of the curbs and fixings.
“We will start on the drains and face stone for the asphalt,” he added. “All that will be started in the next few weeks.”
So will the sidewalks, according to Ben White, senior engineering technician.
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