Some of the festivals in and around Nashville this month draw crowds in the thousands, while some attract…a bit less that than. Regardless of size, all the festivals on our list promise good times, music, food, and fun. What better way to spend a September weekend?
1. PILGRIMAGE MUSIC & CULTURAL FESTIVAL – SEPT. 28-29 – FRANKLIN
Image: Pilgrimage Music Festival
Inspired by friendship, history, experience and the desire to create an authentic music festival, Pilgrimage celebrates its 10th festival in 2024. Festival-goers will be surrounded by music at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm—walking distance from downtown Franklin—with multiple stages showcasing a 2024 lineup that includes the Dave Mathews Band, Noah Kahan, NEEDTOBREATHE, Hozier and many more. Plan time to shop with local artisans, restaurants, food trucks and makers, and bring the kids. There’s plenty to keep them happy, too, like a DJ Mixing Stations so kids can experience what it’s like to mix their own music and much more at the Franklin Fun Farm.
When performances wrap and the lights come back on at 10pm each night, guests can conveniently walk back into the heart of downtown Franklin, within walking distance from the Park at Harlinsdale, to imbibe the best of the town’s bars and restaurants, retail shops, and great weekend lineups of nighttime shows and events.
2. GREEN HILLS PARK FESTIVAL – SEPT. 7 – NASHVILLE
Image: Green Hills Park Festival
For something on a little smaller scale—but still a fun, family-friendly outing—head out to the 8th Annual Green Hills Park Festival at 1200 Lone Oak Rd in Nashville from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Saturday, September 7th. Incognito Cartel will rock the stage; adults 21+ can enjoy cocktails will be available for purchase. Kids are welcome to run around and play games, learn to juggle, get creative with children’s craft activities, and learn about bike safety! Attendees of any age can enjoy shopping with local makers and over 40 kid entrepreneurs. At 7:00 pm, make yourself comfortable and enjoy a kid-friendly outdoor film.
Admission is free! Proceeds from the sponsorships and donations made at the Festival go straight toward park improvements. This year, money raised will go toward installing exercise equipment at the park.
3. CHEEKWOOD HARVEST – SEPT. 14-OCT. 27 – NASHVILLE
If ever you wondered where to take the perfect Insta-worthy photo, this is it. Where else are you likely to see than 4,000 chrysanthemums and more than 75,000 pumpkins in a Pumpkin Village (including three pumpkin houses) and a nine-foot-tall P’mumkin topiary made of orange mums arranged in the shape of a giant pumpkin? Bring your crew along to stroll through the Bradford Robertson Color Garden, walk along the rainbow-themed Scarecrow Trail, then pick up a pumpkin to take home. Tip: If you come on a weekend, you can enjoy music in the beer garden before or after your stroll.
4. AMERICANAFEST – SEPT. 17-21 – NASHVILLE
Image: Holler.Country
A festival too big to fit into just one location, the Americana Music Festival & Conference offers more than 165 showcases in venues around downtown. The 24th annual AMERICANAFEST brings together fans and industry professionals alike, offering five days of celebration through seminars, panels and networking opportunities by day and raw, intimate showcases each night. Neko Case, Waxahatchee, John Oates Acoustic Band, Amy Helm, and Amythyst Kiah are just some of the artists slated to perform this year. See the lineup at the link below.
5. DEPOT DAYS – SEPT 27-28 – SMYRNA
Image: Simatn.org
The fun starts on Friday night (9/27/24) with a Classic Car Show from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm. As dawn breaks on Saturday, September 28th, Front Street undergoes a magical transformation into a bustling pedestrian paradise. From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm you can browse the eclectic wares offered by more than 100 vendors. Laughter and music will be in the air, especially around the Kids Zone with “inflatable wonders” offered free of charge. Throughout the weekend, the Main Stage at the Train Depot will be a focal point of entertainment, along with myriad other locations along the bustling Front Street.
6. NASHVILLE GREEK FESTIVAL – SEPT. 27-29 – NASHVILLE
Take a trip to Greece this month—no passport required! The Nashville Greek Festival offers a rich, multi-sensory experience of Greek hospitality and culture, transforming the grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church into a three-day “glendi” (aka festival). The Nashville Greek Festival provides a rich, authentic and varied menu prepared by passionate volunteers who want to share their heritage.With delicious food on offer, live Greek music, tours and dancing, this is a fun and tasty opportunity to experience another culture. Once the sun goes down, put on your dancing shoes and give Greek dancing a try yourself! The church is located at 4905 Franklin Pike in Nashville. Opa!
7. WILCO POW WOW – SEPT. 28-29 – LEBANON
Image: Wilco Pow Wow
This authentic Pow Wow experience came out of the dream of a local, Wilson County man with Native American heritage who dreamed of educating his community in Native American culture. The newly re-imagined and re-branded “WilCo Pow Wow” promised to be bigger than ever this year, featuring over 150 Native American dancers and drummers, authentic Native American food, arts, crafts and entertainment activations such as pottery making, weaving and tomahawk throwing. Come out to the Wilson County Fairgrounds and learn about the rich Native American culture and heritage found not only in Tennessee but throughout our nation.
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