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/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Happenings: September 16-19

Cheekwood Harvest

  • Saturday, September 18th through Sunday, October 31st
  • Cheekwood Botanical Gardens
  • Celebrate all things fall with more than 5,000 autumn colored chrysanthemums, creative scarecrow garden as well as the Pumpkin House and Patch. There will also be a Halloween Pooch Parade, Beer Garden and specialty workshops throughout the season.

Goblins and Giggles

  • Friday, September 11th through Saturday, October 31st
  • Gaylord Opryland
  • Safe fall fun is closer than you think! Opryland’s family-friendly Halloween activities and all-ages seasonal entertainment offer fall fun with peace of mind. Jack-o-lantern walk, trick-or-treating, scavenger hunts, animal encounters, Ghouls Night Out boat cruise and more! Book your Goblins and Giggles package here.

Full Moon Picking Party

  • Friday, September 17th from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Percy Warner Equestrian Center
  • This unique bluegrass music series is one of Nashville’s most popular outdoor events, attracting families, friends, and dog lovers from all over to hear local musicians play together under the full moon in one of Nashville’s most picturesque settings: Percy Warner Park Equestrian Center

Lucky Ladd Pumpkin Patch

  • Saturday, September 18th through Saturday, October 30th
  • Lucky Ladd Farms
  • Visit the pumpkin patch, outdoor children’s activities, farm animals, seasonal treats and more!

Japanese Moon Viewing

  • Sunday, September 19th from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Cheekwood
  • Now in its seventh year, this celebration of Japanese culture will feature several new elements, including a kimono fashion show, a performance by Nashville Ballet’s Lily Saito, and mochi pounding, in addition to the traditional tea ceremony. Bilingual tours of the Blevins Japanese Garden will be available until sunset, when the garden will be lit with lanterns for serene meditation. New this year is mochi pounding! Kids of all ages can try whacking the rice flour dough with the tools that Japanese cooks have used for years. Pre-made mochi will also be on hand to taste.

/ Fall Festivities

Nashville Fall Guide 2021

Cheekwood Harvest

  • Saturday, September 18th through Sunday, October 31st
  • Cheekwood Botanical Gardens
  • Celebrate all things fall with more than 5,000 autumn colored chrysanthemums, creative scarecrow garden as well as the Pumpkin House and Patch. There will also be a Halloween Pooch Parade, Beer Garden and specialty workshops throughout the season.

Goblins and Giggles

  • Friday, September 11th through Saturday, October 31st
  • Gaylord Opryland
  • Safe fall fun is closer than you think! Opryland’s family-friendly Halloween activities and all-ages seasonal entertainment offer fall fun with peace of mind. Jack-o-lantern walk, trick-or-treating, scavenger hunts, animal encounters, Ghouls Night Out boat cruise and more! Book your Goblins and Giggles package here.

Pumpkinfest

  • Saturday, October 30th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Historic Downtown Franklin
  • The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County’s 36th Annual Pumpkinfest is Middle Tennessee’s largest family fall festival. Autumn-inspired food and drink, children’s activities, live music, costume contests for pets and families, and outstanding arts & crafts – featuring seasonal and specialty gift items!

Granville Fall Celebration

  • Saturday, October 2nd from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, October 31st
  • Historic Granville’s Fall Festival kicks off a full month of decorations and scarecrows that are simply “over the top.” One of Tennessee’s Largest Scarecrow Festival, visitors will enjoy see over 300 scarecrows of Mayberry characters and traditional scarecrows. Jazz on the Cumberland at Veteran’s Park will host musical presentations all afternoon. The Granville Quilt Show will be held at the Granville Methodist Church all during the month of October.  The Granville Ghost Walk will be on October 23rd and 24th with myths and stories about Granville.

Nashville Boo at The Zoo

  • Weekends of October 15-17, October 19-24, October 26-30th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Nashville Zoo
  • Enjoy fall-themed scenes, special animal shows, trick or treating for the kids and more!

Honeysuckle Hill Farm Fall Festival

  • September 25th through October 31st (check their website for available dates as some are reserved for field trips, etc)
  • Honeysuckle Hill Farm in Cooperstown, TN
  • Country Music Corn Maze, Pumpkin Train, hillbilly pig races, pumpkin patch, kettle corn, caramel apples, zipline adventure park and much more!

Lucky Ladd

  • September 18th through October 30th
  • Lucky Ladd Farms, 4374 Rocky Glade Rd. Eagleville, TN
  • Pumpkin Patch, Nashville Preds themed corn maze, apple cider, caramel popcorn, farm animals, children’s games and activities

Gentry’s Farm

  • October 2nd through 31st
  • Pumpkins, corn maze, trails, farm animals, seasonal treats and much more. $8.25

Walden Pumpkin Farm

  • Open Thursdays-Sundays September 25th-October 31st,
  • Walden Pumpkin Farm will have pumpkins, children’s activities, local produce for sale. Free entry and parking.

Hermitage Ghost Tour

  • October 28-31
  • The Hermitage
  • Explore the haunted side of history during our Hermitage Ghost Tours! After dark this fall, embark on a distinctly spooky voyage at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage as you explore the mansion, grounds and cemetery by lantern light. Along the way, guides present stories of strange encounters such as the ghosts of the Battle of New Orleans and Jackson’s infamous meeting with Tennessee’s Bell Witch. Beware of eerie encounters, possibly even with President Jackson himself.

Gallatin Main Street Festival

  • Saturday, October 2nd from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Downtown Gallatin Main Street
  • Gallatin’s Main Street Festival will feature over 200 vendors *FREE*

/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Happenings: September 9-12

The Princess Bride

  • Thursday, September 9th
  • Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
  • Outdoor showing of The Princess Bride, food trucks, wine and craft brewery. Tickets are $10 in advance and $18 day of

Nashville Home Show

  • Friday, September 10th through Sunday, September 12th
  • Music City Center
  • Get home inspiration from over 300 home improvement experts. Tickets are $8+

Wine on the River

  • Saturday, September 11th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Riverfront Park
  • Travel the world without leaving Nashville! Sample wine, beer, and spirits specific to different regions and taste culturally themed menus that will be available for purchase.

Folk ‘N Bluegrass Fest

  • Saturday, September 11th
  • Historic Rock Castle
  • A full day of Daniel Smith Days Living History presentations, exciting folk and bluegrass performances, and community-focused fun at this year’s Tennessee 225 Folk n’ Bluegrass Fest at Historic Rock Castle.

Fiestas Patrias 2021

  • Sunday, September 12th from noon to 10 p.m.
  • Plaza Mariachi
  • There will be a variety of indoor and outdoor entertainment, kid’s entertainment and activities, salutes to the various countries celebrating their independence, and more!

Thrillville

  • Thursday, September 9th through September 19th
  • Nashville Fairgrounds
  • Carnival rides, magic shows, fair food and more!

Mark Nizer 4D Theatre

  • Saturday, September 11th at 3 p.m. or 8 p.m.
  • Franklin Theatre
  • Juggling, comedy, movement, music and much more!

/ Chicago, Travel

48 Hours in Chicago

Owen turned 10 last year and we’d always told him he’d get to pick a place to visit for his birthday. However, we all know how 2020 played out…so we celebrated this year by going to Chicago to attend The National Sports Collectors Convention. It was our first time in Chicago so we tried to see as much as possible in the short 48 hours we were there.

Our first stop was Millennium Park to see the famous Bean.

I loved seeing all the blooming flowers around the city! I have to say, Chicago wasn’t quite what I expected it to be but was even better!

We walked around the Magnificent Mile, browsed shops and then grabbed lunch at Shake Shack.

You can’t go to Shake Shack without a shake!

One of the most recommended activities was the Architecture Boat Tour! And hands down-it was one of our favorites too!

We got turned around in our directions but thanks to an Uber driver, we made it just on time to board the Emerald Lady. The boat tour was 90 minutes and it was such a fun way to see Chicago and learn about the history and architecture.

While we didn’t get to check out the Navy Pier up close, we were glad to see it from afar.

If it can get the approval of an 11 year old boy, I would recommend it to anyone!

Next up, we headed to Wrigley Field! What a special place to watch baseball!

Everyone was so friendly and made Owen’s day by welcoming him with a first visit certificate!

We loaded up on hot dogs (veggie for me), peanuts and cheered the Cubs on! Sadly, the Reds took home the win but it was an experience we will never forget!

On Wednesday morning, we decided to check out Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the US! Lincoln Park Zoo is also free!

It was such a hot day but we enjoyed seeing the animals, riding the carousel and Owen even had a snow cone before lunch!

I wish we would’ve had more time to explore Lincoln Park neighborhood-the brownstones were so charming!

Sweet Mandy B’s was the most recommended sweet treat in Chicago and we can see why! This snickerdoodle cupcake was worth the Uber ride.

And the moment he had been dreaming of for years…The National! I never thought I’d be attending a sports card show but seeing his eyes light up made following him around for 5 hours completely worth it!

Owen got to meet some of shop owners, like Jimmy from Kentucky Roadshow.

Such a special experience with my boy!

We COULD NOT leave Chicago without trying Chicago pizza! After a lonnnggg day, we Ubered over to Lou Malnati’s….only to find out it was carry-out only! They were nice enough to let us hang out while we waited for our pizza and then Ubered back to eat it! After all that, we can still say it was delicious!!

Chicago-I like you! I’m sorry that I’m just now getting to know you but hope we have lots more fun times ahead!

/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Happenings: September 3-6

Music City Market on the Green

  • Saturday, September 4th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • JW Marriott Nashville (201 8th Avenue South)
  • Over 20 women artisans represented by the Nashville Women’s Collective will be on-hand selling goods ranging from vintage clothing, home goods, jewelry, bath and body products, candles, art, pet products, and more. Enjoy free entry, live music, cold beverages, and good eats while you shop in the heart of downtown.

Classic Car Show

  • Saturday, September 4th
  • Cheekwood
  • Start your Labor Day Weekend off right with a stroll among impeccably maintained classic cars including a 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I, a 1934 Packard Super Eight Victoria, a 1947 Chrysler Town & Country, and many others from the early to mid-twentieth century. Enjoy the sounds of a barbershop quartet, grab a drink from our bar stations, and some tasty fare from local food trucks to round out the perfect Saturday activity for the whole family.

Water Lantern Festival

  • Saturday, September 4th from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
  • Centennial Park
  • Family friendly event! Adult tickets include admission, a floating lantern kit, LED candle, commemorative drawstring bag, marker, and lantern retrieval and water cleanup.

Musicians Corner

  • Thursday, September 2nd and Friday, September 3rd from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Centennial Park
  • Free music series in the park! Performers include include Caroline Spence, Dante Williamson, Kris Allen, Lucie Silvas and more!

Mercy Franklin Classic

  • Monday, September 6th
  • Runners take off from Historic Franklin Square
  • Williamson County’s favorite Labor Day tradition – the Mercy Franklin Classic, presented by Provisions Group. The race will include a 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run and a 1K Kids Run. This community supported race begins in historic Franklin Square and culminates with a finish to remember as participants race down Main Street to cheers from their friends, family, and neighbors.

/ Weekend Happenings

Nashville Weekend Happenings: August 26-29

Ashley Home Fall Event

  • Sunday, August 29th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • 14TENN (1410 51st Avenue North Nashville, TN 37209)
  • Seasonal market and shopping Nashville’s small businesses by shopping local market vendors

Dog Nights of Summer

  • Thursday, August 26th from 5 to 9 p.m. (Last week!)
  • Cheekwood
  • Bring your pooch for a furry-friend stroll through the gardens at Cheekwood. Dogs must be on a leash and please clean up after your dog. This event is included with General Admission.

Kroger Safari Fridays

  • Friday, August 27th (Last week!)
  • Nashville Zoo
  • Kroger Plus Card holders can score buy one, get one free admission to the Nashville Zoo as part of its annual Kroger Safari Fridays deal. Present your card (sign-up for free in-store or on Kroger’s website) at the zoo’s ticket booth on Fridays in August to receive the promotion

Nashville Sounds

  • Thursday, August 26th through Sunday, August 29th
  • First Horizon Park
  • Cheer on our hometown team during home games this weekend

Jazz by the Hillside

  • Sunday, August 29th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Arrington Vineyards
  • Jazz on the Hillside by The San Rafael Band, Bluegrass at the Barn by Grasstime Band and food from Simply Living Life   

The Great Lawn Party

  • Thursday, August 26th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Centennial Park
  • Music, Food, Children’s Activities to celebrate the revitalization of the Great Lawn