Those warm summer breezes bring along lots of fun outdoor festivals for you and your family to enjoy. There is no shortage of festivals in the Middle Tennessee area, and we hope you will find one (or all) to attend.
Summer Festivals in Middle Tennessee and Nashville
May
Tennessee Renaissance Festival
Saturdays and Sundays in May (Including Memorial Day)
2135 New Castle Road, Arrington, TN
Travel back to 16th Century England where the Village of Covington Glen comes alive with the bustle of a Renaissance Marketplace. Artisans from all over the country display their wares from silks to swords; from gems to jewels. Flavors, aromas and tastes of specialty foods and drinks greet the festival-goer. Hear Renaissance musicians and merrymakers voices echo through the trees. Welcome all to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival!
Annual Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival
May 8-9
Downtown Portland, 106 Main Street, Portland, TN
Each year this festival brings 40,000+ people together to celebrate the importance of the strawberry industry to Portland’s heritage. This heritage dates back to the 1900’s! You can find vendors, food, music, games, and of course STRAWBERRIES at this awesome event.
Wartrace Strawberry Festival
May 9
Main Street, Historic Square, Wartrace, TN
Set in Historic Downtown Wartrace, there will be a variety of vendors selling their arts & crafts, baked goods, decor, boutique clothing, pottery, canned goods, handmade items, direct sales products and each booth will have something strawberry-themed. There will be a Kids’ Zone, cloggers, food trucks, frozen treats, and fresh strawberries for sale by local farmers from the surrounding areas (while they last). This event will be outdoors on the historic square in Downtown Wartrace just 30 minutes south of Murfreesboro. Family-friendly and pets welcome on leashes.
Middle TN Cornbread Festival
May 16
Downtown Smithville, 104 East Main St., Smithville, TN
Join us on May 16th in beautiful Downtown Smithville to shop with over 100 local arts & crafts, boutiques, food trucks, bring the kids to enjoy the kids zone, and of course there will be TONS of Cornbread options to choose from with our wide variety of Food Trucks.
June
Simply Smyrna Celebration
June 13
Depot District, 101 Front Street, Smyrna, TN
The Simply Smyrna Celebration is an annual event, powered by Carpe Artista, that celebrates diversity through the arts via music, visual arts, theater, and culinary cuisine. The event is held in the historic Depot District, which is Smyrna’s center for arts and culture, and engages businesses in the Rutherford County area. This will be a family friendly event with. multiple live music stages, artists and vendors, food trucks and more!
CMA Music Fest
June 4-7
Downtown Nashville
CMA Music Festival is a four-day music festival centered on country music. There will be concerts all day, every day, at various locations. The schedules can be found on the CMA Fest site, or download the app for maps and times. All outdoor daytime stages are FREE and open to the public! Fan Fair X is also a fun time- located inside Music City Center on Level 3, Fan Fair X is where you truly live the Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience – all in the relief of air conditioning! Discover everything from indoor stages with acoustic performances and interviews, games, shopping, comfortable seating and so much more.
SunDrop Fest
June 13
Historic Downtown Pulaski, 110 N 2nd St, Pulaski, TN
Pulaski’s SunDrop Festival is a free community festival highlighting the unique qualities of Historic Downtown Pulaski to visitors and residents. SunDrop Fest will provide a variety of activities for all ages by exploring local and regional music and arts, history, culture and natural surroundings of Pulaski in an entertaining and educational atmosphere. We will celebrate our history and dairy month with the nostalgic milk drop and a SunDrop cake contest. From the kids corner to the mechanical bull to 50+ craft and food vendors, there is something for everyone!
RC Cola MoonPie Festival
June 20
Historic Downtown Bell Buckle, 4 Railroad Square, Bell Buckle, TN
This wacky, fun for the whole family event celebrates the South’s original fast food – an ice cold RC Cola and a fresh MoonPie. Smiling visitors from all over the world (we can prove it cause there’s a “who travelled the furtherest contest!) stream into the downtown area where they find plenty of music, cloggers, weird but fun contests, MoonPie games, and a colorful parade just to name a few of the many things that occur throughout the day.
July
Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th
July 3-4
Downtown Nashville
Get ready for an unforgettable celebration as the 2026 Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th, presented by Dr Pepper, reaches new heights in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Taking over downtown Nashville on July 3 and 4, this two-day event will be bigger and bolder than ever, featuring five stages, nonstop live music, and an all-star lineup of Nashville-based artists. The festivities will culminate in the largest fireworks and drone show in Nashville’s history, making Music City the place to be for America250.
Music City Hot Chicken Festival
July 4
East Park, 700 Woodland Street, Nashville
The annual Music City Hot Chicken Festival brings together the local community and visitors to celebrate the uniquely Nashville dish, Hot Chicken. The FREE event is held in East Park on July 4th each year. It all kicks off at 11 a.m. with the Fire Truck Parade. Visitors can enjoy Hot Chicken from Nashville’s best Hot Chicken establishments, cold beer from Yazoo, and other delicious edibles from local vendors. Live music from local bands keeps the “Nashville” vibe going all day long. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms.
August
Williamson County Fair
August 7-15
Williamson County Agricultural Expo Park, 4215 Long Lane, Franklin, TN
Who doesn’t love a fair!? Funnel cakes, livestock shows, thrilling rides and endless educational exhibits — the Williamson County Fair promises all this and more as it returns to the AgExpo Park.
Tomato Art Fest
August 7-8
Five Points, East Nashville
Tomato Art Fest has been uniting fruits and vegetables since 2004. The annual festival attracts people from all over with fun-themed art, local music, delicious food, costumes, wacky contests, shopping, kids activities, & more. The 2-day festival and concert are free to attend, welcoming to all, and costumes are encouraged. Additionally, there are a few official ticketed festival events that are optional.
Tennessee State Fair
August 13-22
James E. Ward Agricultural – 945 E. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, TN
The Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair is a nationally recognized fair and continues to excel year after year as the largest fair in the state of Tennessee. With a focus on families, the Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair always provides a safe, enjoyable environment to gather with friends and family. In addition to the rides, fair events include livestock activities, dog and cat shows, cooking competitions, horticultural exhibits, photo competitions, musical entertainment, and much more.
Be sure to check out these free and low-cost ideas to make summer at home FUN!
