I love springtime! We can finally say hello to longer days, warm breezes, blooming flowers and outdoor events! There are so many fun things to do around the area in the coming months, and we want to provide you with a guide to all the springtime festivals and events you and your family can enjoy.
Spring Festivals in Middle Tennessee and Nashville
Cheekwood in Bloom
March 7 – April 12
Cheekwood | 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville
Celebrate history in full bloom! This spring, Cheekwood’s annual festival of flowers honors America’s 250th anniversary with a spectacular sea of 250,000 red and white tulips, purple-blue violas, and hyacinths. Our growing collection of daffodils adds to the palette, draping the estate in cheerful bright yellows and pure whites, creating a vibrant display of color and renewal. On select weekends, enjoy live jazz in the gardens, stroll through breathtaking scenery, visit food trucks, and enjoy American art on display in the Historic Mansion. Experience beauty, history, and community at Cheekwood in Bloom!
Bell Buckle Daffodil Day
March 21 | 10am – 4pm
Downtown Historic Bell Buckle
This quaint little festival began in 1978 to celebrate the coming of Spring and the thousands of daffodils that line the roads and farmlands for a six mile stretch of highway leading into Bell Buckle. Now, every March, Bell Buckle bursts into full bloom with a colorful explosion of daffodils, and marks the arrival of spring by inviting everyone to come enjoy a day full of fun, family-friendly activities. People come from all over to enter their best daffodil variety in the Bell Buckle Daffodil Flower Show! There will plenty of entertainment all day, including a craft fair and food trucks as well.
Holi and Kite Festival
March 22 | 11am – 4pm
Centennial Park Shelter | 2500 West End Ave, Nashville
- Immerse Yourself in Colors: Welcome spring with a riot of colors and joy.
- Food Extravaganza: Relish a variety of delicious dishes that celebrate the spirit of Holi.
- Non-Stop Music & Dance: Groove to electrifying beats and dance the day away.
- Kite Flying: Soar to new heights with colorful kites in the open skies.
- Family Fun: Perfect for all ages—bring your loved ones and make lasting memories.
- Outdoor Event: Celebrate under the sun in a beautiful park setting.
Murfreesboro Oreo Festival
March 28 | 10am – 4pm
MTSU TN Livestock Center | 1720 Greenland Dr., Murfreesboro
- Oreo dessert vendors & food trucks
- Games & activities for the whole family
- Sweet surprises around every corner
Blooming Arts Festival
March 27 – 28
Downtown Main Street | Linden, TN
March 27-28, 2026, the charming town of Linden celebrates the 18th Anniversary of the annual Blooming Arts Festival. The event kicks off festival season in Tennessee, and is one of the region’s most popular spring events. Launched in 2009, when Perry County was experience an economic plight (read more it below), Blooming Arts Festival has grown to feature more than 150 exhibitors, including artisans, musicians and food vendors.
Linden’s downtown Main Street features wide sidewalks, retro lampposts, restored architecture, and beautifully landscaped trees; the perfect backdrop for showcasing creative arts, crafts and music. Exhibitors include fine art – oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics, clay sculptures and photography. Fine hand-crafted artisans bring stained glass, leatherwork, jewelry, glass, furniture, fiber, quilting and numerous other displays of creativity. Multiple music stages are set-up to accommodate popular regional musicians, many with ties to nearby Nashville, known globally as Music City.
In addition to arts & crafts exhibitors and a full schedule of live music, the festival provides an always-popular Kids Zone, complete with rides, face painting, creative arts and fun activities. This special two-day event is a perfect time for tourists to journey to Linden, Tenn. to witness the striking beauty of the revitalized downtown and visit with local merchants. Proudly, Linden is home to many arts-based businesses owned by and supporting local artisans.
Blooming Arts Festival is free and open to the public.
Mule Day
April 9-11
Columbia
“Mule Day” has been a popular Columbia tradition for nearly 170 years, since the 1840s. It began as “Breeder’s Day”, a single day livestock show and mule market event held on the first Monday in April. Over time, “Mule Day” evolved from a single day event into a multi-day festival, attracting thousands of attendees, lasting almost a week. The heavy involvement of Maury County in the mule industry has caused the event to grow over time into “one of the largest livestock markets in the world.”
Mule Day is an annual celebration of all things related to mules and is held in Columbia, Tennessee, the “Mule Capital” of the world. Begun in 1840 as “Breeder’s Day”, a meeting for mule breeders, it now attracts over 200,000 people and takes place over four days. In addition to mules, traditional Appalachian food, music, dancing, and crafts are featured.
See the full event schedule here.
Trails & Trilliums
April 10 – 12
Beersheba Springs Assembly | 58 Hege Ave, Beersheba Springs, TN
Trails & Trilliums is a weekend-long naturalist rally, put on by the Friends of South Cumberland State Parks. Held at the historic Beersheba Springs Assembly in Beersheba Springs, Tennessee, the festival brings together nature enthusiasts, hikers, and lifelong learners for a rich celebration of the Cumberland Plateau.
Over the weekend of April 10th – 12th, enjoy a full slate of guided hikes and walks, expert-led presentations, hands-on workshops, exhibits, and the always-popular native plant sale.
Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival
April 11 | 9:30-5
Nashville Public Square Park | Union St & 3rd Ave N, Nashville
The Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival is a great event, happening in downtown Nashville at Public Square Park. This event is family-friendly, even including your furry pets (must have on a leash). You can enjoy entertainment such as Japanese music and dance, sumo-suit wrestling, children’s activities, vendors, and more! Proceeds of the festival will benefit the mission of planting 100 Japanese cherry trees each spring in Nashville parks and neighborhoods.
Nashville Earth Day Festival
April 18 | 11am – 5pm
Centennial Park Bandshell | 2500 West End Ave, Nashville
This free family event brings the Nashville community together to celebrate our planet, inspire positive environmental change, and support sustainable small businesses & nonprofits. Enjoy live demonstrations, live music, children’s activities from Kidsville, yoga fun, food vendors, and local artisans.
Centennial Park Conservancy is excited to donate the proceeds from the Nashville Earth Day festival to underwrite environmental projects in public spaces across Nashville.
Main Street Festival of Franklin
April 25 – 26 | 10am – 6pm
Historic Main Street, Downtown Franklin
The Main Street Festival attracts 120,000+ visitors annually to enjoy eclectic arts and crafts vendors, superb entertainment, great food & drink, and fun for the entire family right in the heart of historic downtown Franklin. This beloved annual tradition produced by the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN is consistently listed among the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. This year’s Main Street Festival will include many different art and cultural elements like collaborative public art exhibits and cultural performances including dance, spoken work, music, and performance.
What you can expect:
- 150+ Arts & Crafts Vendors
- 30+ Food & Beverage Vendors
- Main Stage Entertainment presented by Nissan
- Acoustic Stage Entertainment
- VIP Festival Picnic Experiences
- Buskers Corner
- Art and Culture Performances
View entertainment schedule here.
World’s Largest Fish Fry
April 18 – 26
Downtown Paris
Technically not in Middle Tennessee, but just a smidge over the Tennessee River in Northwest Tennessee, you will find Paris. It is worth the drive! The World’s Biggest Fish Fry is a premier event for Paris and Henry County. The last full week of April annually attracts people locally as well as nationally. Visitors come from across the country to enjoy the festivities.
The whole festival revolves around the “Fish Tent” where by last account over 12,500 pounds of catfish is served with all the trimmings. In addition to all you can eat catfish you will find parades, carnival, rodeos, catfish races, dances, arts and crafts, and more!
Be on the lookout for an updated 2026 schedule soon!
Gallatin Square Fest
April 25 | 10am – 4pm
Downtown Gallatin
Square Fest is a FREE annual spring event in Downtown Gallatin. With more than 230 vendors and food trucks, we expect approximately 30,000 people to visit Downtown Gallatin for our annual spring festival, which occurs every year on the last Saturday in April. Square Fest is a rain or shine event. The event is primarily an arts and crafts festival, however, a large variety of food, several non-profits, two stages of entertainment and a large children’s area also contribute to the festival.
Tennessee Craft Fair
May 1 – 3 | 10am – 6pm
Tennessee Craft invites you to join the Nashville tradition of celebrating and supporting American handmade craft at this premier event on the lawn in Centennial Park. Shop one-of-a-kind, finely crafted artwork directly from the juried, award-winning artists. A unique feature of Tennessee Craft Fairs requires artists to be on-site. While shopping, you’ll meet the artists, learn what inspires them and how they take raw materials like clay, wood, metal and glass and transform them into fine craft.
In addition to the array of high quality craft, visitors enjoy fun hands-on activities in our Kids’ Tent, food from area vendors and demonstrations from artisans aimed to educate as they create pieces in front of your eyes.
85th Annual Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival
May 8 – 9
Downtown Portland
The annual Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival returns to downtown Portland on May 8 and 9, 2026, with exciting new attractions, including magic shows, live music, and Robocars. Don’t miss the Strawberry Jam Concert & Fireworks from 5-9pm on May 8th and the Strawberry Stride 5K on May 9th. During the festival enjoy live music, meet local strawberry farmers, and explore even more festival fun. Make sure not to miss the strawberry-themed parade that will wrap up the festival at 4pm on May 9th. Check out the full event schedule here.
Did we miss something? Let us know!
