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It's summer time! Living on a budget but can't wait to break away for some much-needed rest and relaxation? Nashville is offering more free fun than ever before. Visit Music City and do (way) more for less. Check out some of the free fun you and your friends and family can enjoy this summer.
Need help deciding what to do while in town? Come on in to our Visitor Information Center in the glass tower of the Bridgestone Arena at 5th Avenue and Broadway and talk to our Visitor Assistants! We have lots of brochures, a gift shop and stage with props for a free photo op. You can even call us at 615-259-4747 or 615-254-1725.
Go hiking, boating, fishing, picnicking, and relaxing at any of the area's Metro Parks. Visit nashville.gov/parks for more information on individual parks and offerings.
- first Thursday of each month
The new art crawl keeps galleries open late on the first Thursday of the month, from 5-7pm, for those eager to experience the art scene in Nashville after work.
Children 5 and under get in free every day. The Belle Meade Plantation is 30 acre hisotric site 6 miles west of Nashville. The mansion is the centerpiece of the estate and was built in 1853. The plantation grounds feature an art gallery, tours of the estate and rotating Living History activities such as storytelling, period dance and demonstrations.
- through November 11, 2010 The Belle Mead Plantation Farmers' Market returns every Thursday from 1:00pm-6:00pm. Enjoy the benefits of locally grown foods and a fun experience browsing through the market.
Tour Tennessee via a 200-foot granite map of the state, a walkway featuring the 95 counties, 31 fountains representing the major rivers of Tennessee and an extraordinary wall depicting the history of the state.
- Saturdays June-August
Get free dance lessons then dance the night away to live Big Band music at Centennial Park
Children 5 & under get in free every day. And Cheekwood celebrates their 50th anniversary on May 1! In honor of this special day, the Botanical Garden & Museum of Art is free and open to the public.
There are a ton of events and activities offered at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum that are free. Activities such as instrument demonstrations, dance lessons, musical petting zoos, letterpress art making and more. Children ages 5 and under get in for free as well.
- second Friday of each month through November
The Dyer telescopes are open for viewing stars in the night sky.
- first Saturday of each month
Every first Saturday of the month, art galleries open their doors from 6-9pm for art lovers and browsers. Enjoy contemporary art, wine and hors 'd oeuvres as you stroll among the galleries spanning every aspect of the art world in Nashville.
The Aaron Douglas Gallery features classical and contemporary African art, modern and contemporary African-American art, other American and European and folk art. The Carl Van Vechten Gallery houses the Stieglitz Collection including works by Picasso, Cezanne, Renoir, O'Keeffe, Toulouse-Lautrec and many others. Both galleries are free and open to the public.
- 4th weekend of each month
The Tennessee State Fairgrounds Flea Market is considered among the top ten flea markets in the country. Dealers and vendors from 30 states offer their wares to the buying public. You'll find a huge variety of gifts, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, arts and crafts, tools, house wares, handmade clothing and tons more.
Walk through the replica of the orginal settlement of Nashville on the banks of the Cumberland River.
Explore the largest inland masonry fort built during the Civil War.
The Frist is always free for ages 18 and younger. Frist Center Kids Club is for 5-10 year olds on the second Saturday of each month and offers children an opportunity to discover, explore and create art. College students receive free admission on Thursday and Friday nights (after 5pm). On August 22 from 1pm to 5:30pm, Frist Center will have a Free Family Day where admission is free. In addition to the fun exhibits, there will be a performance by the Nashville Children's Theatre and presentations by Dyer Observatory. 
- closed until further notice
Take a walk through the resort's nine acres of indoor gardens and waterfalls any day of the week.
Just outside Nashville, in Tullahoma, Tennessee, you can tour the distillery and discover Dickel's time-honored traditions.
One of the oldest-working letterpress print shops in America, Hatch Show Print is open to art lovers, music lovers, collectors and everyone else in between. Step inside and see how these legendary posters are made.
The honky tonks lining both sides of Lower Broad pump live music into the streets all day, every day. There's no cover charge but the tip jar gets passed around for those wanting to appreciate the musicians.
The historic Bluebird Cafe hosts weekly songwriter performances with no cover. Get an intimate performance with the unique no-stage setup from the people who have wrote the songs that you love the most.
Just over an hour's drive from Nashville, the distillery tour tells you the complete story of the whiskey-making process and its history.
This is a free concert series held every Thursday evening from September 2 to October 7 at the Public Square Park in front of the Courthouse. The evening highlights local and nationally known artists and performers.
- July 10 - October 16
Musicians Corner is a series of free Saturday afternoon lawn parties held at Centennial Park. Each Saturay from 3-6pm, there will be a series of musical performances, food and artisan vendors. On-site vendors include Wild Cow Restaurant, Pied Piper, The Green Wago, Tin Can Treats and Thistle Farms. Come out and enjoy a free afternoon of music and fun!
Open every day for anyone and everyone eager to take in some local produce, flowers and other goods. Every Saturday morning, May through October, Chefs at the Market feature cooking demonstrations from local chefs providing rich learning and sampling opportunities from regional farms.
The library has year round fun for free. Grab a book or enjoy a free puppet show during the summer (Fridays and Saturdays during June 11-26).
- August 19 - September 13
For 23 years the Nashville Shakespeare Festival has educated and entertained. This year's performance is Love's Labor's Lost. There will be food vendors and pre-show entertainment. The performances will be held at Centennial Park and come early because all the good seats fill up fast.
- Schermerhorn Symphony Center is temporarily closed until further notice The Schermerhorn Symphony Center offers building tours to explore the beautiful architecture of the Nashville Symphony's home. - through December
Regions Bank has partnered with several Nashville area attractions to provide "Regions Free Days" a few times a month until December. In June, there will be free concerts by the Nashville Symphony in various Nashville parks. July and August will host Big Band Dances every Saturday night at Centennial Park. Other attractions involved are the Adventure Science Center, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the Nashville Zoo and the Nashville Ballet.
Several thousand objects from around the world offer exploration of diverse ethnic and cultural heritages.
Get acquainted with the night sky with other astronomy enthusiasts at these parties hosted by the Adventure Science Center.
- Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Head downtown each week to the main library for the always-entertaining storytime for children of all ages.
The museum has an extensive collection of home and farm artifacts from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Guided tours are available Monday-Friday of the Tennessee State Capitol - one of the oldest-operating capitols in the country. Permanent exhibits in the Museum begin with prehistoric people and continue through the early 1900s. The Military Museum explores America's overseas conflicts from the Spanish-American War through World War II.
What are some other fun & free things that you like to do when visiting Music City?
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