Free things to do this weekend in Nashville area – The Tennessean
Free things to do this weekend in Nashville area The Tennessean
September is off to a busy start, with a weekend full of free and cheap fun for all ages.
Greek Fest
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 4905 Franklin Road, is having its annual three day Greek Festival this weekend with music and dance and Greek food (think moussaka, gyros, dolmades, baklava, as well as Greek coffee, Greek beer, and Greek wine.)
The festival is Friday – Sunday on the church grounds and also includes tours of the beautiful Greek Orthodox sanctuary. Admission is $3.
Details: nashvillegreekfestival.com
More: Ms. Cheap Guide to Fall 2019: Free things to do between Labor Day and Thanksgiving
Art Crawls
The first weekend of the month is art crawl weekend, and the one in Franklin this month is bigger than usual since the Franklin Art Scene’s will be celebrating eight years of “Connecting Art to the Community” from 6-9 p.m. Friday.
In addition to the downtown Franklin galleries and art displays, you can hop on the free trolley or jump in your car to see some of the off the beaten path sites, including the Williamson County Enrichment Center, VintageTN, Franklin Creative, and Imaginebox Emporium. Free admission.
Details: franklinartscene.org
This Saturday is also the time to enjoy the free art evenings in downtown Nashville and the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood.
Downtown’s festive First Saturday Art Crawl offers a chance to explore the Fifth Avenue galleries, plus as many as 20 other downtown galleries. There is a free shuttle, and most of the galleries have free snacks and wine, as well as great art.
Details: nashvilledowntown.com
Arts & Music at Wedgewood-Houston offers great art and receptions in several locations in this emerging neighborhood the first Saturday of every month starting at 6 p.m.
Details: am-wh.com
Tennessee State Fair
The Tennessee State Fair opens this weekend and runs through Sept. 15 at Fairgrounds Nashville. Tickets are only $6, or $5 if you get them at area Kroger stores. Kroger also has discounted arm bands. Fairgrounds parking is $5.
Details: tnstatefair.org
Free horse races
If you want to see a horse race, Kentucky Downs’ fall season of live turf horse racing continues with races on Saturday and Sunday and Sept. 12. . Admission and parking are free. Kentucky Downs is in Franklin, Kentucky, about 45 minutes from downtown Nashville, just off Interstate 65 at Exit 2.
Details: kentuckydowns.com or 270-586-7778
Friday Night Live
Murfreesboro’s Friday Night Live concert series continues with a free 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday concert featuring The Pilots on the historic Public Square in downtown Murfreesboro.
Details: downtownmurfreesboro.com
Hummingbird fest in Murfreesboro
This free family-friendly celebration of these amazing creatures, with guest speakers, bird banding, and children’s activities, is at Barfield Crescent Park in Murfreesboro from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Saturday.
Details: murfreesborotn.gov/181/Barfield-Crescent-Park or 615-890-5333
Honey festival
Tennessee Honey Festival is 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday in Hendersonville’s Memorial Park, with beekeeping classes, beehive painting, art stations, live music, samples and more. The festival is free, but some activities will cost a few dollars.
Details: tennesseehoneyfestival.com
Star Party
The Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society has public star parties at various locations about once a month. You can learn about the night sky from amateur and professional astronomers who bring telescopes to share. There is one from 8-10 p.m. Friday, at Cornelia Fort Airpark. Free.
Details: bsasnashville.com
Garlic and Pepper Festival
The Nashville Farmers’ Market, 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., not only has local and regional produce and Tennessee products, but also free monthly festivals during the growing season.
The International Garlic and Pepper Fest is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Details: nashvillefarmersmarket.org
Food truck fest
Centennial Park will host a Food Truck Fest from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, with 20 food trucks, plus a beer garden, local artisans, a DJ, Kidsville, crafts and lawn games. Free.
Details: conservancyonline.com/calendar
Old time baseball
The Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball will have its 2019 Sulphur Dell Cup Championship Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of the Rippaville Plantation in Spring Hill. You will get to see old time base ball in action as all 12 teams in this association take to the field showing off barehanded base ball, played as it would have been in the 1860s. Free.
Details: tennesseevintagebaseball.com
Looking ahead:
Courtyard concerts at the library
Nashville Public Library’s Courtyard Concert series is back, with concerts on Tuesdays from 11:45 a.m. to to 1 p.m. in the Main Library courtyard at 615 Church St. The music for next Tuesday, Sept. 10, is trumpet player Rod McGaha. Free admission.
Details: library.nashville.org/event/courtyard-concerts
Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music
Soprano Ah Young Hong returns for her third Blair School residency and will collaborate with faculty and guest artists with two free evenings of music, Sept. 10 and 12. Both are at 8 p.m. at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt, 2400 Blakemore Ave.
Details: blair.vanderbilt.edu
Sundown Series
Musicians Corner’s free Thursday night series continues with the 5-9 p.m. Sept. 12 concert featuring: Dori Freeman, Front Country, Stephen Kellogg, Donna the Buffalo, and Marcus King Band. These concerts takes place in the Musicians Corner area at the front of Centennial Park.
Details: musicianscornernashville.com
Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282 or mscheap@tennessean.com. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/mscheap, and at Tennessean.com/mscheap, and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5’s “Talk of the Town.”
Published 11:55 AM EDT Sep 4, 2019
