UPCOMING
EVENTS
March Social at Fred’s Around the Corner
YPK is hosting our March Social from 5:30–7:30 PM (and probably later), and you’re invited!
Swing by after work for a drink, make new connections, network with young professionals around Knoxville, and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere at Fred’s Around the Corner.
Volunteering with KAPA Kitchen
Join YPK volunteering with the KAPA Kitchen Food Pantry! The KAPA Kitchen exists to be a life changing bridge for patients experiencing food insecurities while Knoxville Area Project Access helps them navigate their health care. YPK volunteers will support the KAPA Kitchen team by organizing the Food Pantry.
Lunch & Learn: Protecting Your Assets — Understanding and Selecting the Right Business Entity
Join Professor Joan Heminway to explore how the strongest organizational cultures are built on a foundation of ethical leadership and robust corporate governance. Drawing on her extensive background in business law and her leadership at the Institute for American Civic Renewal, Professor Heminway examines how transparency and integrity serve as the primary catalysts for sustainable growth.
2026 Mentorship Breakfast Hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee
Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee has invited YPK members to attend their 2026 Mentorship Breakfast on April 10th! Join us as we celebrate relationships that transform lives and reaffirm a simple but powerful truth: it takes a village to raise confident, capable, and resilient young people.
YPK Brunch: Downtown Edition
Enjoy one of Downtown Knoxville's hottest restaurants for brunch with your fellow YPK members! Join us for a superb brunch experience filled with great food, amazing people, meaningful connections and a relaxed atmosphere! Whether you're looking to network, catch up with friends or just enjoy a great meal, this is a great way to kick off your weekend. After brunch, stick around and take in the arts at the Rossini Festival!
One Knox SC Game w/ YPK
Join other YPK members to watch defending USL League One champions One Knox SC take on the Charlotte Independence on a spring evening!
Volunteering with Ijams Nature Center
Volunteer with YPK and Ijams Nature Center! We will be wrangling weeds with the Natural Resource Management team. We will be helping maintain trails throughout the grounds by mulching, weeding, and removing invasive species.
April Social at Ricky’s
Swing by after work for a drink, make new connections, network with young professionals around Knoxville, and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere at Ricky's.
March Book Club
Join YPK members to discuss this month’s book — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie! You don’t have to have finished the book to join, but please know that we won’t avoid spoilers!
YPK 101
Whether you're new to the area or a longtime local, YPK 101 is the perfect opportunity to learn how Young Professionals of Knoxville can help you connect, develop, and serve in the community.
Trivia at Yee-Haw
Welcome to the YPK Trivia Team! We try to meet once a month around town, this time at Yee-Haw Brewing Co. for a change in scenery. If trivia isn't your thing, no worries—stop by, connect with fellow members, and relax after the workday.
Board Games at Schulz Bräu
Join us for a relaxed afternoon of board and card games in the upstairs lounge at Schulz Bräu — a cozy spot with good food and reasonably priced drinks. It’s a great way to unwind, meet fellow members, and enjoy something low‑key. Bring your favorite games and be ready to teach a round or two. If you’re new to the hobby, that’s perfect — we're all beginners when it's a game we haven't played before.
Hike at Ijams Nature Center
Spring is almost here, and there’s no better way to welcome it than getting outside! 🌿 Join us for a scenic hike at Ijams where we’ll begin our adventure on the river trail and boardwalk along the Tennessee River. We’ll then head up Tharp Trace for a rewarding overlook of Meads Quarry.
Volunteering with Second Harvest Food Bank
Volunteer with YPK at Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee! You'll work alongside members in either sorting, packing, labeling, cleaning, or a combination depending on the needs of Second Harvest that day. Some tasks are not food related, but aid in our effort to provide food for others. Join us for a day to support our community!
February Social at Mother Bar
Come join YPK for our February Social from 5:30pm - 7:30pm (and probably later). Feel free to swing by after work to have a drink, meet new friends, network with other young professionals in the greater Knoxville area, and check out the cool vibes at Mother Bar!
YPK Brunch
Come check out one of the newest brunch spots in South Knoxville with your fellow YPK members! Join us for a fabulous brunch experience filled with great food, amazing people, meaningful connections and a relaxed atmosphere! Whether you're looking to network, catch up with friends or just enjoy a great meal, this is a great way to kick off your weekend!
Trivia at Maple Hall
Welcome to the YPK Trivia Team! We try to meet once a month around town, usually at Maple Hall due to popular demand.
If trivia isn't your thing, no worries! Come by and socialize--their upstairs lounge is super cozy, they have great food and reasonably priced drinks.
PD Lunch & Learn: Leading Culture Change through Data & Engaged Empathy w/ Dr. Tim Munyon
Join Dr. Timothy Munyon to discover how the most effective leaders bridge the gap between hard metrics and human connection. By blending his expertise in workforce analytics with the principles of organizational behavior, Dr. Munyon reveals how data can be used to foster a healthier and more inclusive team environment.
Volunteering with Friends of the Knox County Public Library
Volunteer with YPK at the Friends of the Knox County Public Library! We will be sorting book donations at their facility in the Lawson McGhee Library downtown.
Board Game Affinity Group Interest Meeting
Interested in board or card games? Join us for a casual interest meeting to meet other players and help shape the group for the year. We’ll do quick introductions and talk about what kinds of games people enjoy, as well as discussing schedule availability.
Movie Affinity Group: Casablanca
Of all the movie theatres, in all the towns, in all the world, you should walk into this one.
This Valentine’s Day, join us as we watch Casablanca, one of cinema’s most enduring love stories. Directed by Michael Curtiz and released in 1942, the film blends wartime tension with themes of love, sacrifice, and moral choice. Its iconic performances and timeless emotional pull have made it a classic for generations.
2026 Book Club Kick Off
Join us to kick off YPK book club for 2026! In this meeting, we'll discuss the book we read over the holiday season, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab, reflect on the books from 2025, and select the book for our next meeting.
This will be a great chance to meet the fellow readers of YPK, so even if you haven't read the book or participated last year, we welcome you to join us to get a feel for how we discuss books and to help plan for the rest of the year. Just know we won't avoid spoilers in our discussion! We hope to see you there!
January Social
Come join YPK for our first Social of 2026 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm (and probably later). Feel free to swing by after work to have a drink, meet new friends, network with other young professionals in the greater Knoxville area, and check out the cool vibes at Fly By Night!
Trivia at Maple Hall
Welcome to the YPK Trivia Team! We try to meet once a month around town, usually at Maple Hall due to popular demand. If trivia isn't your thing, no worries! Come by and socialize--their upstairs lounge is super cozy, they have great food and reasonably priced drinks.
Movie Affinity Group Interest Meeting
Join us for the Movie Affinity Group interest meeting! This kickoff gathering is an opportunity for movie lovers to connect, share ideas, and help shape the direction of the group for the year ahead.
Vision Vibes
Vision Vibes is a guided planning experience that gives you a chance to pause, reset, and set intentions for the year ahead. Through prompts, hands-on vision board creation, and time with other young professionals, you’ll identify priorities, clarify focus areas, and leave with a clear plan for your personal and professional goals. This is a low-pressure, flexible space to plan, create, and connect at your own pace.
Trivia at The Local Smokey
Welcome to the YPK Trivia Team! We try to meet once a month around town. If trivia isn't your thing, no worries! Come by and socialize.
2025 Winter Soiree
Celebrate the season in style with YPK at our annual Winter Soiree! Join fellow young professionals for an unforgettable evening featuring craft cocktails & seasonal appetizers, a silent disco experience, a festive atmosphere, and networking opportunities.
Friendsgiving & Fall General Membership Meeting
Join YPK for its Fall GMM and Friendsgiving at New Harvest Park! Main courses and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Feel free to bring a side or dessert item of your choosing.
Trivia at Maple Hall
Welcome to the YPK Trivia Team!
We try to meet once a month around town, usually at Maple Hall due to popular demand.
If trivia isn't your thing, no worries! Come by and socialize--their upstairs lounge is super cozy, they have great food and reasonably priced drinks.
Virtual Lunch & Learn: HR Spotlight with Paul Boyles
Join the Young Professionals of Knoxville Professional Development Committee for the final, must-attend session in our virtual professional development series! Featuring Paul Boyles, Executive Career Coach and Certified Trainer, this session puts the "HR Spotlight" on key strategies for career success.
13th Annual Impact Awards
Celebrate Knoxville’s Leaders at the 2025 YPK Impact Awards!
Join Young Professionals of Knoxville as we honor individuals and organizations making a lasting impact in our community. Network with fellow professionals, celebrate achievements, and be part of a night recognizing those who Connect, Develop, and Serve Knoxville.
Halloween Social at Axle Logistics
Join the Young Professionals of Knoxville for our last social of the year as we go out with a frightfully fun evening! We’re teaming up with our friends at Axle Logistics to bring you a Halloween Costume Contest you won’t forget.
Professional Development Workshop: Project Scheduling Fundamentals
Time is money. Do you want to learn how to build your very own project schedules? Then join YPK’s Alec Bissell for a hands-on crash course! Participants will learn the fundamentals of critical path method (CPM) project scheduling, including precedence diagrams, Gantt charts, activity relationships, forward and backward passes, and float, and apply the learning in interactive group exercises.
Fiction Book Club
Join YPK members to discuss this month’s book — The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. We’ll meet at Lakeshore Park. Feel free to bring your own drinks & snacks! You don’t have to have finished the book to join, but please know that we won’t avoid spoilers!
Trivia at Maple Hall
Welcome to the YPK Trivia Team!
We try to meet once a month around town, usually at Maple Hall due to popular demand.
If trivia isn't your thing, no worries! Come by and socialize--their upstairs lounge is super cozy, they have great food and reasonably priced drinks.
Either way, hope to see you there!
Please reach out to Andrew Duncan (and.t.duncan@gmail.com) with any questions.
Keep Knoxville Beautiful Street Clean Up
Join YPK members to pick up litter on our designated mile! We'll meet in the middle of our mile at the Original Freezo before setting out in groups with supplies from Keep Knoxville Beautiful to help keep our mile on N Central Street clean.
September Social at Finn's
Come join YPK for this month's Social from 5:30 - 7:30pm (and probably later). Feel free to swing by after work to have a drink, meet new friends, and network with other young professionals in the greater Knoxville area.