April is Awesome in Music City
Nashville will once again roll out the red carpet and welcome spring's arrival with scores of festivals, concerts, award shows and exhibitions—each unique to Music City – during the city's annual "Awesome April" celebration.

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) is running a number of advertisements and promotions around Awesome April events to attract more visitors to the city in April. Below, you will find a sample of the events Nashville has to offer in April. For a full list of next month's events please visit www.visitmusiccity.com/visitors/awesomeapril.

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival
March 29-April 2
The 19th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival will feature more than 250 songwriters performing in over 75 shows at small venues throughout Nashville. For more information please visit www.tinpansouth.com.

Nashville Film Festival
April 14-21
Celebrating its 42nd anniversary, the Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) is one of the longest-running and most prestigious film festivals in the South. For more information please visit www.nashvillefilmfestival.org.

Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
April 30
The 12th Annual Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon attracts more than 30,000 runners, walkers and junior racers, and features 50 live bands playing along the course. For more information please visit www.countrymusicmarathon.com.

July 4th Celebration to Span Holiday Weekend
Music City is turning up the heat this July 4th with a full weekend of activities planned, including two nights of live music downtown and a special exhibit of The National 9/11 Flag beginning July 2. One of country music's hottest stars, Darius Rucker, will headline the city's annual "Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing!" celebration at Riverfront Park.

The July 4th show line-up will also include: NBC's The Sing-Off finalists Street Corner Symphony, former American Idol contestant and CBS "Early Show" contributor Ayla Brown, the Willis Clan, The Cleverlys, The Dirty Guv'nahs, and the Grammy-winning Nashville Symphony Orchestra (NSO). Storme Warren, host of GAC's Headline Country and Sirius XM Radio personality, will once again emcee the event.

The weekend's festivities will kick off with a special exhibit of The National 9/11 Flag on Saturday, July 2 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown. The flag was destroyed in the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and was stitched back together seven years later by tornado survivors in Greensburg, Kansas. The flag can be viewed by the public at no charge or for $5 viewers can add a stitch to the flag.

On Sunday, July 3, Music City will host a free concert at Riverfront Park beginning at 6 p.m. with a performance by Port Chuck, a band formed by actors on ABC's General Hospital. The night's headliner will be the Dirty Guv'nahs.

"Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing!" is produced by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau foundation, Music City Inc. for the City of Nashville and sponsored by the City of Nashville, Metro Parks, Kroger, Dr. Pepper, NowPlayingNashville.com, Hilton Nashville Downtown, GAC and Jack Daniel's.

Industry Indicators
The January 2011 hotel occupancy rate was 47.7 percent, an increase of 6.9 percent compared to January 2010.

The 2011 year-to-date occupancy rate is 47.7 percent, an increase of 6.9 percent compared to 2010.

December 2010 hotel tax collections were $1,901,785, an increase of 7.6 percent compared to December 2009.

The 2010 year-end tax collections were $20,970,446, a decrease of 4.8 percent compared to 2009.

Brand Champion - The Fontanel Mansion and Farm
Our March Brand Champion has been associated with great music for many years due to its famous former owners, but a new 4,500-seat, state-of-the-art outdoor amphitheater and an amazing inaugural concert schedule are turning this Nashville gem into a significant player on the local music scene. Bands including Chicago, Los Lonely Boys, Stone Temple Pilots and Styx are set to play this summer. Fontanel's newest addition enhances the Music City brand with its diverse musical line-up and offers visitors a true Music City experience. Congratulations Fontanel Mansion and Farm, our March Brand Champion!

Upcoming Events
Tourism Connection Meeting
Thursday, March 24
The Arts Company, 215 5th Avenue North
3:30 p.m.
Get updates on leisure marketing and tourism-specific sales, and participate in an open forum for discussion and collaboration on citywide tourism efforts. This bi-monthly meeting is for hotels, attractions, restaurants and tour companies interested in increasing leisure visitor numbers. For parking information, please visit www.parkitdowntown.com.

New Member Orientation
Tuesday, April 12
NCVB Boardroom
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Lunch/Networking (lunch provided by Demos')
12-1 p.m. New Member Orientation
Learn how you can make the most of your NCVB membership and maximize your benefits at this meeting.

Nashville Backstage Training - History & Culture
Thursday, April 14
NCVB Boardroom
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Has your team attended the Nashville Backstage Training session and now wants to learn more? The NCVB is offering the new Nashville Backstage: History & Culture session. Hear about our many art galleries, the Tennessee Exposition, Nashville's role in the Civil War and more.

All Access Disability Sensitivity Training
Tuesday, April 26
NCVB Boardroom
2-4 p.m.
This is a training session on disability sensitivity with representatives from all partnering contributors. All Access introduces participants to People First Language, disability etiquette and seizure first aid.

For more information or to sign up for these events, please contact Jessica Cieler at jessicac@visitmusiccity.com.

Conventions & Meetings Calendar