Events
January
Nashville Boat & Sports Show
Held in mid January
Location: Nashville Convention Center
601 Commerce St.
Nashville, TN 37203
314- 567-0020
Nashville Tennessee boats, marine, tackle and
most any water minded activity of sport product can be found at the Nashville
Boat & Sports Show. The show is held for five days.
Nashville Antique and Garden Show
Normally held the third week of January
Location: Nashville Convention Center
615-352-9064
Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville Tennessee
offers approximately 150 antique, horticultural booths and landscaped gardens.
Special lectures are offered by experts in their fields in home and garden
style.
February
Annual Bluegrass Music Awards & National
Convention
Usually held the first week of February
Location: Sheraton Music City Hotel
660-665-7172
March
Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival
Held in late March – early April
Location: Nashville
615-256-3554
Call for exact location
Tin Pan South Songwriters spotlights the
songwriters and songs that contribute so much to our lives through music. The
weeklong festival is named in honor of New York's fabled Tin Pan Alley and
celebrates the strength of Nashville's songwriting community.
Old Time Fiddles Championship
Held in late March
Location: Clarksville (approximately 1 hour from
Nashville)
931-552-6149
Clarksville is host each year to the Old Time Fiddlers Championship. The event
attracts people from around the country to one of the largest championships of
its kind.
April
Gospel Music Week
Held the third week in April
Location: Nashville Convention Center
1205 Division Street
Nashville, TN 37203
615-242-0303
Gospel Music Week is normally held in conjunction with the Dove Awards. This is
a Gospel Music Industry event that attracts artists, record companies, radio and
concert representatives, among others.
Dove Awards
Held the third week in April
Location: Nashville Convention Center
1205 Division Street
Nashville, TN 37203
615-242-0303
The Dove Awards is a night honoring those voted Christian music’s best by the
members of the Gospel Music Association.
Mule Days
Held the first weekend in April
Location: Columbia, TN (located 45 miles south of
Nashville)
931-381-3833
A week-long celebration of the mule. Thousands of
visitors come to Columbia to take part in the numerous activities ranging from
working mule and best of breed events, to horse shows, arts and crafts booths,
and a flea market.
Franklin Main Street Festival
Held on the fourth weekend of April
Location: Downtown Franklin (about 10 miles south
of Nashville)
Franklin Main Street Festival is held annually in
Downtown Franklin.
Nashville Film Festival
Usually held in mid April
Location: Regal Green Hills Cinemas in Nashville
615-742-2500
Nashville Tennessee Film Festival, formally known
as the Nashville Independent Film Festival is a five day festival celebrating
independent films.
May
Iroquois Steeplechase
Held the second Saturday in May
Location: Steeplechase Grounds, Nashville
615-322-4814
The Nashville Tennessee Iroquois Steeplechase is
held traditionally the second Saturday in May. Horse people and spectators from
all over the world congregate to see the race.
Colonial Fair
Held the first week of May
Location: Moss-Wright Park
615-859-7979
Nashville Tennessee Annual Colonial Fair features
nearly 800 meticulous artisan craftsmen and their wares, colorful costumes and
characters and period food and entertainment.
Market Fair at Mansker’s Station
Held the first weekend in May
Location: Mansker’s Station
The Market Fair at Mansker's Station is an
opportunity to meet all sorts of people, portraying all sorts of characters, as
they would have acted in the 18th Century. Entertainers, Merchants and the like
are only a small portion of what might show up at the fair.
Nashville River Stages
Usually held in May
Location: Riverfront Park
615-406-4363
Nashville River Stages is held at Riverfront
Park, every May, for three days of great music and great artists all weekend
long with over 50 bands performing on five stages.
Music City Championship
Held the last week of May
Location: Springhouse Golf Club
The Champions Tour has raised millions of dollars
for dozens of local charities including the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Boy
& Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Tennessee Lions
Charities, and Family & Children's Services.
U.S. 11 Antique Alley
Held the third weekend in May
Location: 502 miles along U.S. 11
877-871-1386
A 502-mile festive roadside sale is held on U.S.
Highway 11 from Meridian, Mississippi through Birmingham, Alabama, and towns in
Dade County, Georgia, then Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee, and
on to Bristol, Virginia.
Tennessee Crafts Fair
Held the first weekend in May
Location: Centennial Park, Nashville
615-385-1904
The Tennessee Crafts Fair has been held in
Nashville's Centennial Park the first weekend in May every year since 1972. A
showcase for the work of craft artists living and working in Tennessee, the
event also heralds the outdoor summer season and attracts over 50,000 people
each spring.
June
Fan Fair
Usually held in June
Location: Downtown Nashville
This festival allows Country fans to meet More
than 200 artists of their favorite artists for autographs and photos and enjoy
more than 40 hours of live performances.
American Artisan Festival
Held in mid June
Location: Centennial Park
American Artisan Festival held in Centennial Park in mid June. Some 160 artists
from around the country have been carefully selected to represent their areas of
expertise which include blown, stained, and etched glass; furniture,
instruments, and clocks; wall hangings, weavings, and baskets; jewelry;
decorative clay pieces, and quilts. Music and a variety of foods are available
in the park.
Loretta Lynn’s Songwriter’s Festival
Held the third week of June
Location: Downtown Nashville
Loretta Lynn's Songwriter's Festival is held the third week of June and offers 3
days of Live Original Performances on Multiple Stages, Publicity, Music Trade
Show, Valuable Workshops, Exhibits, Food, Fun, Networking, Beverages, Canoeing,
Fishing, Horseback Riding, Bicycling, Panel Forum, and Camping, with some very
special Original Band Performances.
Cumberland Feast and Auction
Held in late June
Locations: Rock Harbor Yacht Club
Traditionally the Cumberland Feast signals the
start of a week-long schedule of shows and activities that make up the city of
Nashville's 4th of July Celebration.
July
Independence Day at Riverfront Park
Held on the fourth of July
Location: Riverfront Park
Nashville celebrates Independence Day along the
banks of the Cumberland River.
Celebration of Cultures
Held the second Saturday of July
Location: Scarritt-Bennett Center
Scarritt-Bennett Center is host to the
Celebration of Cultures. This event is an entertaining and educational
international family festival, which showcases the growing cultural diversity of
Middle Tennessee. The event includes music, dancing, arts and crafts, an
international market, food, storytellers, and much more for the entire family.
Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival
Held after the fourth of July
Location: Nashville
Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival, beginning the Thursday after July 4th, was
established to honor the memory of Uncle Dave Macon, who lived near Murfreesboro
and is considered one of the first Grand Ole Opry superstars. There are numerous
highly charged acoustic, instrumental and dance competitions.
August
Miss Martha’s Ice Cream Crankin
Held the first Sunday in August
Location: First Presbyterian Church of Nashville
You can always count on the first Sunday in
August to be hot, and for many years, Nashville families have counted on Miss
Martha's Ice Cream Crankin to help them beat the heat. Held on the lawn of First
Presbyterian Church of Nashville, the Crankin' invites families from all over to
sample delectable frozen delights, fresh from a homemade ice cream maker.
World’s Longest Yard Sale
Held in early August
Location: A variety of locations throughout
Tennessee
Labeled as the World's Longest Yard Sale, this
yard sale runs down Highway 27 Corridor into Three States- Kentucky, Alabama and
Tennessee. The length of this sale is said to be close to 500 miles long.
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration
Held the later part of August
Location: Tennessee Walking Horse National
Celebration Grounds, Shelbyville – about 30 miles from Nashville
The historic Tennessee Walking Horse National
Celebration Grounds in Shelbyville, TN is home to The Tennessee Walking Horse
National Celebration, which takes place each year in late summer for the 11 days
ending on the Saturday night before Labor Day.
September
African Street Festival
Held the third week of September
Location: Tennessee State University Campus
Sponsored by the African American Cultural Alliance (AACA), this phenomenal
festival has grown now attracts more than 100,000 people interested in African
and African American culture.
Nashville Folk Festival
Held the second weekend of September
Location: Old Jordon Farm in Wilson County – a
few miles east of Nashville
The Old Jordon Farm once belonged to Spencer
Jordon who was Uncle Dave Macon's driver and road manager. The festival is
dedicated to Uncle Dave and features both traditional and contemporary acoustic
folk music.
Tennessee State Fair
Held the early part of September
Location: Nashville Fairgrounds
Tennessee State Fair has been entertaining local folk for decades.
October
Rollercoaster Fair
Held the first weekend in October
Location: Throughout the Nashville Area
This Four day grassroots extravaganza offers
miles and miles of yard sales, crafts, antiques, handcrafted quilts, produce,
southern foods, BBQ, entertainment, flea markets and more. It spans from Mammoth
Cave, KY to Byrdstown TN.
Southern Festival of Books
Held the second weekend in October
Location: Downtown Nashville
This is a three-day celebration of books. The Festival is free with no tickets
or reservations required and plenty of authors on hand to sign their books.
Heart of Country Antique Show
Held the third week of October
Location: Opryland Convention Center
Heart of Country Antique Show features over 150 antique dealers from across the
country.
Music & Molasses Festival
Held the third weekend of October
Location: Ellington Agricultural Center in
Nashville
The annual Music & Molasses Festival offers molasses making, Bluegrass music,
story-tellers, country cloggers, a grist mill, traditional crafts for sale, food
including homemade cakes and pies, free buggy rides, log cabin activities for
children with a trail hike, pony rides, animals to touch and much more.
Goodlettsville Fall Music Festival
Held the second weekend in October
Location: Moss- Wright Park, Goodlettsville –
just north of Nashville
Goodlettsville's Fall Music Festival and State BBQ Championship Cook-Off offers
live music, crafts, great food, children's attractions, and a state BBQ
cook-off!
Living History Fall Encampment
Held in mid October
Location: Moss-Wright Park, Goodlettsville – just
north of Nashville
A 1780 encampment with re-enactors in period
dress camping, cooking and working with authentic food and gear. Held at
Mansker's Station, one of Tennessee's first settlements. The reproduction fort
is considered to be one of the most authentic in the nation.
A Season of Celebration
Held Thanksgiving – New Years
Location: Cheekwood Botanical Garden, Nashville
A Season of Celebration at Cheekwood Botanical
Garden is an annual event that focuses on the Cheek home during the holidays.
December
Yule Fest and Living History Camp
Held the first week in December
Location: Goodlettsville
Re-enactors celebrate the customs of a Colonial Christmas. The reconstruction
fort’s cabins are dressed for Christmas with fresh evergreens, ribbons, fruit
and candles. Go from cabin to cabin, or throughout the encampment, for
refreshments, stories and demonstrations.
Arts & Entertainment
Nashville Symphony
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
505 Deaderick St.
Nashville, TN 37243
615-782-4000
Call for schedule of performances
Admission Charged
The Nashville Symphony features a full schedule of classical, pops, children’s
and special events concerts.
Nashville Opera Association
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
505 Deaderick St.
Nashville, TN 37243
615-832-5242
Nashville Opera is recognized by OPERA America as a Level III company, ranking
it as one of the leading regional opera companies in North America.
Nashville Children’s Theatre
724 Second Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37210
615-254-9103
Call for performance schedule
Nashville Children’s Theatre is a non-profit, professional Equity theatre that
brings magical productions to 80,000 people each year.
Nashville Chamber Orchestra
2002 Blair Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
615-256-6546
Call for performance schedule
The Nashville Chamber Orchestra is crossing the line of traditional expectations
and presenting programs that entertain audiences while challenging them to
stretch their concept of what a chamber orchestra can be.
Nashville Ballet
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
505 Deaderick St.
Nashville, TN 37243
615-297-2966
Call for performance schedule
Grand Ole Opry
2804 Opryland Drive
Nashville, TN 37214
615-871-OPRY
Call for performance information
Admission Charged
Never knowing which artist might make a surprise
appearance; it’s where country rocks, bluegrass rules and Western swings.
Ryman Auditorium
116 Fifth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37219
615-458-8700
The Ryman Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark and former home of the Grand
Ole Opry (1943-1974), continues its more-than-100-year music tradition by
offering the best in entertainment. By day, the Ryman offers tours that showcase
the legendary stars that have graced her stage, from country's biggest names to
Mae West, Rudolf Valentino, and W.C. Fields. Then in the evening, visitors can
return to the premier performance hall for one of many shows and concerts
scheduled year-round.
Sports
Nashville Sounds Baseball Club
534 Chestnut Street
Home Field: Greer Stadium, Nashville
615-242-4171
A professional baseball team operating since 1978, the Nashville Sounds are the
AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and member of the 16-team Pacific Coast
League. More than 200 former Sounds have gone on to appear in the major leagues.
Season includes 72 games played from early April - early September.
NFL Tennessee Titans
Games played at the Coliseum in Nashville
615-565-4000
Tennessee’s franchise team is a member of the prestigious National Football
League (NFL). In 1999, the team moved into its 68,800-seat Coliseum located on
the east bank of the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville.
Regular season games run September - December.
Music City Raceway
Track: Music City Raceway in Goodlettsville
615-264-0375
Serving Nashville with NHRA championship drag racing, Music City Raceway is
Nashville’s playground of power.
Regular season runs March - November on Tuesday,
Friday and Saturday nights.
