Story and photography by Megan Venable

Guests to the 2026 Knoxville Opera Ball stepped into a night of grandeur and mystery at the Cherokee Country Club with guests dressed in masquerade finest. Themed this year as a Moonlight Garden Masquerade, attendees leaned into the mystery and chose to keep their identity to themselves until they decided when to unmask. Presented by the Knoxville Opera Camerata, the evening began with cocktails and a silent auction followed by a seated dinner and many performances by the Knoxville Opera artists. Funds raised through the Moonlight Garden Masquerade will go to support the children enriched by Knoxville Opera’s educational programs.