GREENEVILLE – Celebrate springtime and have a great time with a visit to Tusculum University as you peruse wonderful items at the vendor’s booths, listen to terrific music, admire cars and eat great food during the tradition-rich Old Oak Festival.
This family enjoys the Old Oak Festival in 2025.
Guests can enjoy great shopping in Pioneer Arena.
This is just a sampling of the enjoyment people will experience when they walk the campus grounds Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, April 26, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Guests can meet local authors, listen to students read their prose and see children’s artwork. Children can also scream with delight as they burn off energy in Kiddie Corner.
“Family fun abounds at the Old Oak Festival, and we are delighted to host this spectacular event,” said Tiffany Greer, vice president of institutional advancement. “Around every corner, guests will discover something that brings joy. We encourage the community to join us and take it all in. With the trees in full bloom, our campus provides an especially beautiful setting for a relaxing weekend for our guests.
“We are deeply grateful to the Old Oak Festival committee and the many dedicated volunteers whose hard work and commitment make this beloved tradition possible each year.”
Admission to the festival is free.
The festival is named after the beloved and iconic Old Oak Tree, which rises in grandeur next to the Old College building and a short distance from the Thomas J. Garland Library. The tree is estimated to be 250-300 years old, measures 273 inches in circumference and is 102 feet high, with a 124-foot average spread. In 2012, the Old Oak was named to the Tennessee Landmark and Historic Tree Register.
Details about the activities
Festival activities include looking at the various items for sale in the vendors’ booths. Most of the booths will be located inside Pioneer Arena, and the remainder will operate on the Quad in front of the Scott M. Niswonger Commons. These two locations enable people to stroll around the arena and the Quad and absorb the festival’s atmosphere.
Attendees look at some of the merchandise in Pioneer Arena.
In addition, about a dozen food trucks will provide delicious items for guests.
Great music is a staple of the Old Oak Festival.
Guests enjoy a great meal from one of the food trucks.
“We have more than 100 artisans and vendors for our guests to meet and enjoy,” said Greg Fay, director of continuing education and camps. “Everyone is sure to find something they will love. We will also have an excellent variety of food vendors offering options to satisfy every taste. There are plenty of tables and seating throughout the grounds for guests to relax and enjoy their meals.”
Also outside, people can bring a chair and listen to local musicians perform for an hour each on the Kenneth “Shadow” Winterbauer Stage between Rankin Hall and Welty-Craig Hall. The stage was named at the festival in 2025 after Winterbauer, a highly respected alumnus who passed away four months earlier. He played at the festival multiple times and was a regular visitor on campus for events. People can view the lineup of musicians at https://bit.ly/4vqKJve.
These two attendees have fun at the 2025 festival.
Children slide down an inflatable.
The owner of this vehicle stands by it with pride.
While they enjoy the festivities on Saturday, visitors are invited to attend the Old Oak Festival Show and Shine car show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The primary location will be in front of Katherine Hall, with additional vehicles displayed near Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center and in the lot between the two buildings. The show is open to street rods, Corvettes, muscle cars, trucks, low-riders and custom bikes. Other vehicles are also expected to be available for viewing.
Vehicles do not need to preregister and may arrive the day of the event. The first 50 vehicles entered will receive a dash plaque, and a $10 entry fee allows participants to compete in the People’s Choice Awards. Visitors are encouraged to stop by and vote for their favorite vehicle.
Tusculum thanks Tommy Bennett for again helping organize the car show.
Children will be able to run around and go down around an inflatable at the Kiddie Corner behind McCormick Hall. The Student Government Association is overseeing this area and will have at least one other activity planned for that area. In addition, one of the vendors will be present to paint children’s faces.
Activities taking place indoors
Returning indoors, 12 authors will be stationed in the Pioneer Arena lobby and will welcome the opportunity to talk about their books or engage in general conversation about literature. On Saturday at 1 p.m., visitors are invited to The Pioneer Perk in the Scott M. Niswonger Commons to listen to creative writing students read their works.
Tusculum student JP Campione reads from his writing at the festival.
Tusculum alumna Serena Marshall was one of the authors at the 2025 festival.
Also in the Pioneer Arena lobby is the Popup Art Contest, which the Greeneville Arts Council sponsors. It features the artwork of children enrolled in Greeneville and Greene County elementary schools. Parents and grandparents usually accompany the young artists to admire the creativity, but everyone at the festival is welcome to review the art.
Guests are invited to the Clem Allison Gallery in Annie Hogan Byrd to view an exhibit of works completed by participants in Johnson City Public Library art camps. The gallery hosts several exhibits throughout the year that feature community and Tusculum family art.
In addition, community members are invited to attend a performance of “Pollyanna” in the Marilyn duBrisk Theatre, also housed inside Annie Hogan Byrd. This musical will have shows at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday as part of its six-performance run. People can learn more about the production at https://bit.ly/3PUkhKb and buy tickets at https://www.onthestage.tickets/tusculum-university.
“It is truly impressive how much activity is available at the Old Oak Festival,” Greer said. “We offer something for a variety of interests, so guests leave campus knowing they made a wonderful choice for their weekend entertainment. That is extremely important to us because building and maintaining a positive relationship with our community means everything and reinforces our commitment to civic engagement. As the festival continues to grow, we also encourage guests to share their feedback and ideas on what they would like to see in the future so we can make each year even better.”
Alumni who return
Tusculum students visit the festival.
Alumnus Christian Bell, right, returned for the 2025 festival.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the festival is seeing Tusculum alumni from different eras return to campus. Tusculum encourages them to stop by the alumni booth, update their contact information, reconnect with fellow alumni and faculty, learn about current campus initiatives and explore ways to stay engaged and involved with the university.
“We absolutely love seeing our former students come back and re-establish bonds during the festival,” said Dr. Melissa Bryant, director of alumni engagement and a two-time graduate of the university. “There’s nothing better than watching them swap stories, laugh with joy about their time at Tusculum, speak with faculty and staff who shaped their experience and see how much campus has grown and changed.
“Their time here was such a meaningful part of their lives, and we want them to leave the festival not only with incredible memories but also excitement to stay engaged and give back to the students following in their footsteps.”
Other important details
For everyone’s safety, people are not permitted to bring dogs to the festival. Service animals are accepted.
Parking will be available in multiple lots in and around campus. The major lots will be between the Meen Center and the football field, by the Indoor Practice Facility and next to Old College. Nearby off campus, people can park at Tusculum Baptist Church on Saturday and in the gravel lot next to TaylorMade Grooming Lounge. Volunteers will provide shuttle service from lots on campus to the festivities.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering can still sign up to help by visiting the Old Oak website – https://site.tusculum.edu/old-oak-festival/. Those who sign up will receive a free volunteer t-shirt sponsored by Watauga Orthopedics.
People can learn more about the festival at https://site.tusculum.edu/old-oak-festival/. They can also call Institutional Advancement at 423-636-7303. More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.