Add These Tennessee Events To Your 2026 Plans Now
Tennessee knows how to put on a show, and 2026 is shaping up to be a year worth planning around. Across the state, music festivals, food celebrations, sporting events, and cultural gatherings will bring communities together in ways that feel both exciting and distinctly local.
Some fill entire weekends, while others turn a single evening into something memorable.
If you enjoy marking your calendar with experiences rather than just dates, this is the time to start looking ahead. Big-name performances, beloved annual traditions, and lively street celebrations are all on the horizon.
A little early planning could mean better tickets, better seats, and a full year of standout Tennessee moments.
1. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – June 11–14, 2026
You feel the hum of the farm before you even see the arch. Bonnaroo is its own tiny city, built from joy, dust, and the thump of bass rolling across Manchester’s fields.
By afternoon, murals pop and food trucks perfume the paths, and when night lands, the stages glow like constellations that learned how to sing.
Planning matters. Hydration packs, comfy shoes, and a loose schedule let you wander from sunrise yoga to midnight surprise sets without losing steam.
There is always a left turn into something unexpected, like a comedy set that becomes legendary or a jam session that feels like summer bottled.
Camp culture is half the fun. Neighbors trade sunscreen and stories, and Centeroo never sleeps, a carousel of art, lights, and wandering brass bands.
If you crave a breather, slip into a shaded tent for ambient soundscapes, then rocket back for a headliner that rattles your spine.
Come early on Thursday to settle in and learn the lay of the land. Pace yourself, chase the weird, and embrace dust as a souvenir you earned.
By Monday, you will swear the farm knows your name.
2. CMA Music Festival – Nashville, June 4–7, 2026
Downtown Nashville turns into a country universe during CMA Fest, and it feels like the city grew extra heartbeats. Streets swell with music from every doorway, and the main stages throw choruses skyward like confetti.
You can wander Broadway, hear tomorrow’s star at noon, then catch a legend under stadium lights by night.
Strategy helps you thrive. Mornings are gold for fan club signings and surprise pop-ups, while afternoons invite shaded pit stops and water breaks.
Comfortable boots beat cute shoes, always, and a small backpack keeps sunscreen, a phone charger, and patience ready.
The magic sits in the mashups: fiddles meeting fireworks, cowboy hats next to rhinestone jackets, strangers harmonizing on choruses everyone knows. Free daytime stages make discovery easy, so roam until a voice stops you cold.
When the sun slides down, the stadium roars like a friendly thunderstorm.
Book hotels early or grab a short rideshare from nearby neighborhoods. Eat a hot chicken sandwich only if you respect the spice, and sip lots of water between sets.
By Sunday, your playlist will be a map of smiles, and Nashville will feel like a porch you never want to leave.
3. Big Ears Festival – Knoxville, March 26–29, 2026
Big Ears invites curiosity to pull up a chair and stay awhile. Knoxville becomes a walkable gallery of sound, where jazz brushes past minimalism and global traditions flicker into new shapes.
You step from a hushed church performance into an industrial venue buzzing with electronics, and both feel necessary.
It is best approached like a tasting menu. Pick a few anchors each day, then leave room for accidents that change everything.
Talking with strangers between sets often leads to small miracles, like a tip about a midnight duo you will never forget.
Venues are close, yet timing is tight, so comfortable layers and a quick stride help. Coffee shops become debrief stations, and local restaurants turn into post-show salons dissecting time signatures and textures.
When the sun drops, the Tennessee Theatre glows like a jeweled music box.
Bring open ears and a notebook for names you want to chase later. Big Ears rewards patience and risk in equal measure, and quiet pieces hit as hard as the loud ones.
By Sunday, your definition of music rethreads itself, and the world sounds wider on the walk home.
4. 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament – Nashville, March 11–15
Bridgestone Arena turns into a pressure cooker where bands drum, mascots dance, and brackets are born or broken. You can feel the stakes from the warmups, sneakers chirping across polished wood like sparklers.
Fans in rival colors sit inches apart, united by volume if not by allegiance.
Getting there early pays off. Downtown parking fills fast, so consider walking from a farther garage or hopping a rideshare.
Inside, lines move quickly, yet halftimes crush concession stands, so grab snacks late in the first half and sail through.
Even neutral fans get swept into the stories: seniors making last runs, coaches scheming through timeouts, buzzer-beaters that suspend breathing. The arena’s acoustics amplify everything, from pep bands to sighs.
Step out between games for hot chicken or a quick stroll down Broadway to reset.
Pack a clear bag, wear layers for the arena chill, and charge your phone for highlights. If your team bows out, lean into the bracket chaos and adopt an underdog.
By Sunday’s final, you will know new fight songs, new friends, and exactly where April might take you.
5. Reelfoot Lake Eagle Festival – Jan 30–Feb 1, 2026
Cold air sharpens everything at Reelfoot Lake, including the thrill of seeing a bald eagle slice across the sky. The festival layers guided tours, photography workshops, and raptor shows into a weekend that rewards early alarms.
Cypress knees rise like sculptures from the water, and wings cast shadows that feel ancient.
Dress warmly and plan for wind that sneaks through zippers. Rangers and local guides share eagle habits, helping you spot distant silhouettes before they become glorious, feathered facts.
Binoculars matter, and a thermos of something hot turns waiting into ritual.
Between sightings, pop into nature centers for displays and conversations that make the ecosystem feel personal. Kids cluster around talons and feathers, learning the difference between myth and muscle.
Photographers compare lenses with quiet glee, chasing that perfect landing shot.
Respect the birds with distance and whispers. Trails can be muddy, so waterproof boots keep spirits high, and a backup battery saves your camera in the cold.
When the sun lifts the mist, the lake gleams, and you will carry that hush home like a secret you are grateful to keep.
6. Middle Tennessee Highland Games – Sep 12–13, 2026
Bagpipes curl across the lake at Sanders Ferry Park, and the ground practically hums with clan pride. The Highland Games are kinetic poetry: cabers flying, hammers spinning, and cheers rolling like thunder over tartan.
You drift from athletic fields to whisky tastings and learn that heritage can be loud and joyful.
Arrive early to stake out a spot near the action, then graze through meat pies and shortbread with no regrets. Demos explain the rules so every throw makes sense, and kids try mini events with faces set in serious delight.
Craft tents brim with Celtic knots and stories braided tight as rope.
The music anchors everything. Pipe and drum bands parade past picnic blankets, and dancers make the air look lighter.
Between sets, clans welcome you under their banners, swapping history like neighbors over a fence.
Bring sunscreen, folding chairs, and an appetite for friendly competition. Cash helps with small vendors, and a hat keeps that September sun charming instead of cruel.
By late afternoon, lake light softens, drums fade, and you will swear your heartbeat picked up a plaid.
7. 7th Annual Nashville Rosé Festival – May 16, 2026
Pink takes over your peripheral vision at the Nashville Rosé Festival, and suddenly life feels lighter. Tents shimmer with chilled bottles, and friendly pourers guide you from crisp to luscious with easy charm.
Live music drifts through the park, stitching together laughter, clinking glasses, and sunshine.
Start slow. Small sips and plenty of water keep your palate bright and your notes useful.
Chat with winemakers about vintages, food pairings, and why one sip sings while another whispers strawberries.
Picnic blankets bloom across the grass, a patchwork of charcuterie boards and spontaneous friendships. You will discover a new favorite, then return for a second taste just to be sure.
Photo ops sparkle, yet the best memories come from relaxed conversations in the shade.
Ride-sharing beats parking stress, and a light sweater saves you when a breeze sneaks in. Save room for dessert pairings, because rosé loves berries like summer loves long afternoons.
Leave with a list of bottles to hunt down and a promise to toast the season again soon.
8. 30th Annual Celebration Of Life Golf Classic – Aug 17, 2026
Morning dew turns fairways into glitter at the Celebration of Life Golf Classic. This charity tournament brings polished greens and generous hearts together, and you can feel the purpose in every handshake.
Teams trade gentle trash talk, then line up drives that sail like good intentions made visible.
Register early, because foursomes go fast. A tidy short game and plenty of water help when the midday sun settles in.
Sponsors add fun with contests, raffles, and prizes that keep everyone grinning between putts.
The course at Bluegrass Golf Club is forgiving if you respect it. Read greens carefully, avoid hero shots from deep trouble, and celebrate smart bogeys.
Lunch turns into a reunion of regulars who remember last year’s miracle chip-in like folklore.
Play for the cause, not the card. Bring extra balls, a reliable hat, and sunscreen your future self will thank you for.
After the final tally, speeches land soft but strong, and you will drive home feeling taller than your headcover.
9. Tomato Art Fest – Nashville
East Nashville throws a tomato-themed love letter to creativity, and it is delightfully un-serious in the best way. Art spills across sidewalks, costumes lean juicy and red, and puns ripen faster than you can groan.
You wander through galleries, pop-up booths, and music stages that keep the day buoyant.
The parade is a must, equal parts whimsy and neighborhood pride. Kids chase bubbles, dogs sport tomato bandanas, and neighbors cheer like everyone is family.
Cold treats and shade breaks become strategic as the afternoon warms.
Local artists shine here. Prints, ceramics, and oddities you did not know you needed suddenly feel essential.
There is a sense that being a little ridiculous can be seriously connective, which feels like a modern superpower.
Wear breathable clothes, bring a reusable water bottle, and budget for art that follows you home. Parking tightens, so biking or rideshares keep stress low.
When the sun eases, lights twinkle, bands lean into evening grooves, and you will realize community can taste like summer and look like a tomato.
10. Music City Grand Prix – Nashville
The first time an IndyCar howls across the bridge, your ribs vibrate with it. Nashville’s street circuit slashes past skyline views, grandstands, and river breezes, turning the city into a high-speed theater.
You learn quickly that ear protection is not optional, it is wisdom.
Practice and qualifying days are gold for exploring vantage points. Walk the circuit, test sightlines, and snap photos where cars burst from corners like arrows.
Hydration and shade strategies matter under the Tennessee sun.
Between sessions, wander the fan zone for driver Q&As, simulators, and merch that smells like fresh rubber and ambition. Food trucks keep the energy up, and bridges deliver cinematic backdrops for selfies.
The start is electric, the finish relentless, and cautions twist strategy like a puzzle.
Plan transport carefully, because downtown traffic tightens around the event. Wear breathable fabrics, bring a seat cushion, and download the schedule so you are never surprised.
When the checkered flag falls, the city exhales, and you will too, grinning like someone who caught lightning at full throttle.
11. Tennessee State Fair – Nashville
The Tennessee State Fair is a postcard that moves, laughs, and smells like powdered sugar. Midway lights flicker on at golden hour, and suddenly every ride looks like a dare and a promise.
You drift between cotton candy, prize pigs, and blue ribbons that speak fluent effort.
Plan your attack with a map. Hit popular rides early, then duck into exhibit halls when lines swell.
Agricultural displays surprise with hands-on demos, and the butter sculpture is delightfully over the top.
Music stages hand you new favorites while you demolish a corn dog with fairground dignity. Games call your name, and you negotiate with yourself about just one more try.
Grandstand shows add spectacle, and the Ferris wheel gifts a skyline that turns time syrupy.
Wear comfy shoes, set a food budget, and bring hand wipes for sticky victories. If you are with kids, agree on a meeting point before the sun dips.
When fireworks bloom, the day collects itself into one big grin you can practically carry home.