July 4 Festivities at Riverfront Park Extended
Music City will be rockin’ all holiday weekend long with free, live music concerts at Riverfront Park Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.

The weekend will kick off Friday, July 2, with a free concert by country artist Chuck Wicks, $8 excursion cruises on the General Jackson and more at Riverfront Park in honor of the showboat’s 25th anniversary. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center will host the festivities which will be produced by the NCVB and sponsored by Coke Zero. The events are open to the public.

The party continues on Saturday, July 3, with a free concert by country artist Julianne Hough in honor of mid-state first responders. Activities will begin at noon and the official concert will start at 8 p.m. on the Riverfront stage.

On Sunday, July 4, country music star Trace Adkins will headline the “Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing!” concert beginning at 7 p.m. in Riverfront Park. The show line-up will also include Julianne Hough, Jaci Velasquez, and the Grammy-winning Nashville Symphony Orchestra (NSO). The official two and a half hour concert will conclude with the South's largest fireworks show at approximately 9:30 p.m. arranged by Pyro Shows and choreographed to music by the NSO.

Downtown festivities will begin at noon on July 4 with the free Family Fun Zone featuring inflatables and games for all ages. Musical artists including Jordyn Shellhart, Calico Trail, Damien Horne and Jessie James will be performing on the NowPlayingNashville.com stage from 1:30-5:30 p.m.

"Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing!" is produced by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau for the City of Nashville and sponsored by the City of Nashville, Metro Parks, Dr. Pepper, Wounded Warriors, Fred’s, Mello Yello, Jack Daniel's, Jim 'N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Miller Lite, Coors Light, The Country Network, The Cupcake Collection, McDonald’s, Campers Corner and NowPlayingNashville.com.

Chairman’s Luncheon Set for July 7
Make plans to attend the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) Chairman’s Luncheon at the Nashville Airport Marriott on July 7 at noon. We will celebrate Nashville’s hospitality industry and its extraordinary progress toward recovery since the May floods. Mayor Karl Dean will deliver the keynote address on his vision of Nashville’s future, and new NCVB Board Chair Bob Patterson will recognize key leaders for their work on behalf of the city.

The luncheon is open to all NCVB members and the public. Please click here to make your reservation to attend. Admission is $35 with the NCVB member discount and $50 for all others. NCVB Double Platinum and Hall of Fame members will receive one complimentary admission.

Bring World Cup Soccer to the US and Music City
Show your support for World Cup soccer in Music City by attending the official 2010 World Cup viewing party at LP Field! The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) will host a championship game watch party, Sunday, July 11 at 1:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and free parking will be available in Lot R.

Pre-game festivities including great music, a free kids activity zone and exciting giveaways will begin at 12:30 p.m. Attendees will also have the opportunity to register to win a trip of a lifetime from Budweiser. The drawing will be held at half-time.

Support Nashville as a host city in the U.S. bid for the 2018/2022 World Cups by signing the petition at visitmusiccity.com/worldcupnashville.

Industry Indicators
May’s hotel occupancy rate was 68.6 percent, an increase of 23.8 percent compared to May 2009*.

The 2010 year-to-date occupancy rate is 58 percent, an increase of 6.7 percent compared to 2009.

*Adjusting for the impact of the floods, the city still sold 7.3% more rooms in 2010 compared to 2009.

April hotel tax collections were $1,989,240, a decrease of 5.7 percent compared to April 2009.

The 2010 year-to-date tax collections are $7,192,188, a decrease of 2.7 percent compared to 2009.

Brand Champion - Metropolitan Transit Authority
If you utilize public transportation in Nashville, there’s no doubt you know you’re in Music City! The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has done an extraordinary job of integrating the Music City brand into their many transportation programs over the past few years. Most notably, the city’s Music City Central downtown transit station which boasts sculptures of six musical tuning forks and six pairs of drumsticks, concrete inlays of sheet music depicting familiar Nashville and Tennessee songs on the plaza and a small concert stage shaped like the base of a guitar. Congratulations to June’s Brand Champion – Nashville’s MTA!

Upcoming Events
Chairman's Luncheon
July 7
Nashville Airport Marriott
11:30 a.m. - Registration
Noon - Lunch
Join NCVB Chairman Bob Patterson and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean for a celebration of the hospitality industry and a discussion of the city’s future.

Conventions & Meetings Calendar