September 9, 2022
Please, check with event organizers before planning to attend any of the festivals featured in this article to ensure they are taking place as scheduled. For more information about Tennessee travel amid coronavirus, please visit tnvacation.com/articles/tennessee-travel-amid-coronavirus
*Dates reflect the 2023 calendar year
The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival takes place March 28-April 1, 2023 in music venues around Nashville. Organized by the Nashville Songwriters Association International in partnership with Regions Bank, the festival is the largest songwriters festival in the world. Every genre is represented and artists like Donna Summer, Lori McKenna, Thomas Rhett and Josh Osborne have graced stages in the past. Details for the 2023 festival will be announced later this year.
Nearly 200 performances at historic theaters, warehouse spaces, museums, galleries and clubs along with exhibitions, films literary readings and markets around Knoxville happen during Big Ears Festival, celebrating 10 years in 2023, March 30-April 2, 2023. It's a celebration of the arts, heralded by New York Times as "one of the world's greatest music bashes". The 2023 lineup will be announced soon. Passes are now available.
The two-day music event, Big Nine Roots Festival takes place at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. The party goes until 11 p.m. on Saturday with musical artists performing throughout the day. Sam Sims & Friends, featuring Kipper Jones headlines the event.
Beale Street Music Festival - Memphis
Beale Street Music Festival is May 5-7, 2023 at Tom Lee Park in Memphis. The three-day festival, part of the bigger Memphis in May International Festival in Memphis, is one of the top music festivals in the U.S. and for good reason. The Beale Street Music Festival brings together an eclectic mix of bands, giving its thousands of fans something to sing about. The full lineup will be announced in February, but so far, the list of artists includes Three 6 Mafia, Foo Fighters, Lil Wayne, The Smashing Pumpkins, DaBaby, Su Foley and more.
Rhythm on the Rails returns to Discovery Park of America, an 8-week outdoor concert series taking place on the lawn near the Train Depot. The music series usually runs Friday evenings in May and June. 2023 dates will be announced soon. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with music beginning at 6:30 p.m. The free concerts have hosted past headliners such as American Idol runner up Clark Beckham, The WannaBeatles, Johnny Mac, The ShotGunbillys, Terry Mike Jeffery Elvis Tribute Show and many more.
Sip Tennessee wine while enjoying music from a variety of local and regional artists starting May through October 2023 at Century Farm Winery. Music starts at 7 p.m. Food trucks are on location if you want to get a taste of local cuisine. Bring a lawn chair or get there early to get one of the limited tables that are available. It's a great way to spend an evening in Century Farm Winery's vineyard.
If you love the motorcycle lifestyle, this festival is for you. Hang out and listen to music at the award-winning Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival May 18-21, 2023 at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills. Music will play from three stages and as hosted artists such as Ben and Noel Haggard, Tim Montana, Roadhouse Roosters, Bones Owens, Cordell Winter and Tayla & Ernie Lynn among others.
Photo Credit:
@miles2gobeforeisleep
This music festival commemorates the important music contributions of three blues pioneers who called Brownsville, Tennessee home: “Sleepy” John Estes, Hammie Nixon and Yank Rachell on May 27-28, 2023. Live blues music, a cruise-in, deep-fried barbecue eating contest, arts and crafts and a corvette car show are all on tap at the Exit 56 Blues Fest.
CMA Music Festival comes back bigger and better than ever. Mark your calendar for June 8-11, 2023 where the brightest stars in country flock to Nashville for the biggest party in the city. Check out continued updates on CMA Fest including tickets, the star-studded lineup, stages and more.
Fill your summer with music by attending one or several of the concerts part of the AMP Summer Concert Series by the West Tennessee Farmers Market in downtown Jackson. Music starts at 6:45 p.m. and all shows are family-friendly. Concerts run from June to September 2023. The lineup will be announced soon.
Music fans will once again flock to the 700-acre farm June 15-18, 2023 in Manchester. The farm becomes a city with various events like yoga, Broo'ers Festival, sustainable fun at Planet Roo, the classic Ferris Wheel, Splash-A-Roo and a village market with curated crafts, art and experiences.
Heralded as the official festival for the state of Tennessee, the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree June 30-July 1, 2023 draws musicians and crafters as well as fans of both from around the world to remember the ancestral music and crafts passed down over generations. Enjoy an array of crafts booths, some barbecue and one of the biggest free shows filled with toe-tappin’ music.
Savannah Bluegrass Festival – Savannah
Picking, jam sessions and live music performances are on tap for the free Bluegrass Festival July 2023 at the Savannah Market in downtown Savannah. The festival celebrates national fiddling champion and hometown legend Wayne Jerrolds. The full lineup and event schedule is soon to be announced.
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of fun at the 2022 Fun Fest July 14-22, 2023 in Kingsport. Family fun is abundant at the festival. The Sunset Concert Series presents different artists each night in concert which will be announced soon. Additional event details and events are forthcoming.
The birthplace of Southern Gospel hosts well-known groups during the James D. Vaughan Quartet Festival July 27, 2023 at the Historic Crockett Theater in Lawrenceburg. Free shows fill the two days. Lineup and full schedule is to be announced.
At this award-winning music festival, the roots of traditional Appalachian music are brought to life through talented musicians Sept. 8-10, 2023. Known as the birthplace of country music, Bristol's music history runs deep and have been celebrated by nationally-known artists. The 2023 lineup will be announced next year including music legends and bands who will perform on more than a dozen stages during the three music-filled days.
Mountain roots are honored as 15 regional and national bluegrass acts flock to the Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival in Kodak, Tennessee. 2023 dates will be announced soon. Enjoy the views of the Great Smoky Mountains while hearing some of the best bluegrass talent. Past artists include The Gibson Brothers to Rhonda Vincent & The Rage. Picking and jam sessions, food and merchandise add to the fun.
The city's largest historic district, Cooper-Young is Memphis' most anticipated outdoor celebration. The festival welcomes thousands and more than 400 artisans from around the U.S. to share their art. Music performances range in sound from R&B to reggae to pop and gospel. 2023 dates will be announced soon.
Thousands of artists, fans and industry professionals will make their way Sept. 19-23, 2023 to various venues around Nashville. Jewel, The Vespers, Patty Griffin, Glen Hansard, Buddy Miller, and Parker Millsap are just some of the artists who have participated in the past. More than 165 showcases in venues around downtown Nashville give guests an insight on why Nashville truly is Music City. The 2023 lineup is currently being planned. Ticket packages are now on sale.
Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival was created to bring a meaningful, music experience to its attendees Sept. 23-24, 2023 at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin. The region's best food and drink will be available and merchants selling art and crafts round out the festival's offerings. Everyone from Justin Timberlake to Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson and Beck have played at this festival. The festival lineup will be announced soon.
More than 40,000 music fans will head to Pigeon Forge's LeConte Center Sept. 24-30, 2023 for nightly concerts and showcases featuring some of the biggest quartet groups in Southern gospel. The National Quartet Convention is one of the biggest events for the genre. Tickets are now on sale.
Mempho Music Festival - Memphis
World-class musicians and artists from a wide range of genres will take the stage during Mempho Music Festival Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023 at the beautiful Memphis Botanic Garden. Get ready for live music and a unique artistic experience in the Incendia Dome, an interactive event space in a geodesic structure with propane flame effects. Inside, the hottest DJs in Memphis bump music that'll get you dancing under the warm glow. The full lineup will be announced in early Spring 2022. Past Mempho Music Festival performers have included Cage the Elephant, Post Malone, The Avett Brothers, Bill Strings, Widespread Panic and more.
The Caverns presents a new festival, CaveFest, will take place Oct. 6-8, 2023 and features a curated music lineup, food trucks, local vendors, cave tours, an artist-in-residence and more. Experience music above and below ground during the festival. Many of the performances take place at The Caverns Amphitheater boasting amazing views of the Cumberland Plateau and plenty of space for blankets, chairs and dancing. Movies, yoga sessions, cave jams and a late night jam occur in the world-famous underground concert hall in The Caverns.
Explore even more made in Tennessee music experiences and plan your pilgrimage today.
