Each year, the temperature cools in Music City, which means it's time to celebrate with a great festival. We have food, cultural, craft, and music festivals happening throughout the fall. All you need to do is plan the trip and come join in the festivities.
September 13–October 30, 2025
Cheekwood Harvest returns, bringing vibrant fall colors, 75,000 locally grown pumpkins, and 5,000 mums to Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. This year’s festivities include the beloved Pumpkin Village, a whimsical Scarecrow Trail themed “A Hint of Haunts,” and the new Harvest NIGHTS on Thursdays, featuring a towering jack-o’-lantern topiary, glowing lanterns, live music, food trucks, and seasonal drinks. Guests can enjoy garden strolls, photo ops, pumpkin shopping, classes, and autumn fun for the whole family.
September 20-October 31, 2025
Search for pumpkins in all shapes, sizes, and colors in the pumpkin patch at Lucky Ladd Farms. Stay the day and explore acres of wholesome family entertainment, get lost in the corn maze, bite into a juicy caramel apple, or graze on homemade kettle corn. And don't forget to try the pumpkin and apple cider donuts!
September 26-October 27, 2025
Experience the Nashville Fall Festival on a beautiful farm featuring a huge corn maze, pumpkins, sunflower fields, kids' activities, and hayrides. Enjoy live music, tethered hot air balloon rides every weekend, and various food trucks on site.
October 1-5, 2025
The International Black Film Festival (IBFF) is an exciting combination of a festival, conference, and marketplace. Guests can attend workshops, masterclasses, and panels or interact with writers, filmmakers, producers, and more.
October 2-5, 2025
Each year, Nashville's Germantown area transforms into a celebration of German tradition that is fun for the whole family. There will be live German music, German food, German beer, and even polka dancing.
October 4, 2025
Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival is an opportunity for all nationalities to come together and celebrate each other at Centennial Park in Nashville. This is a FREE event that provides the experience of learning and discovering different nationalities from all over the world in Music City. There will be a variety of dance, musical performances, and so much more.
October 4, 2025
Touch of Brews returns to the idyllic Sevier Park in the heart of Nashville's 12 South neighborhood. The event features live music all day long, channeling the spirit and sounds of The Grateful Dead. It is family-friendly, and kids ten and under are FREE. Beyond the music, guests enjoy a large kid zone, plenty of cold Terrapin Beer and Waterbird Spirits, shakedown street vendors, food trucks, and much more!
October 5, 2025
Otsukimi, the 10th Annual Japanese Moon Viewing Festival, is coming to Cheekwood Estate & Gardens on September 15. The afternoon and moonlit evening will feature tea ceremony demonstrations, origami, and other hands-on activities, and music and dance celebrating Japanese art, gardens, and culture.
October 10-11, 2025
Domestic and international championship cook-off teams fight for the Jack Daniel’s title of Grand Champion each year, and more than 25,000 people descend upon Lynchburg to bask in the aroma of award-winning barbecue and celebrate one of America’s favorite pastimes. The 2025 BBQ Bash in the Hollow kicks off Thursday night with a high-energy concert from Redferrin, setting the stage for a weekend packed with music, mouthwatering flavors, and fierce competition.
October 10-12, 2025
The annual Nashville Whiskey Festival is a celebration devoted to exploring whiskey worldwide and throughout the centuries. During this festival, you can sample the world's finest international and American-made whiskeys, bourbons, and scotches while interacting with distillers and their representatives.
October 10-12, 2025
Tennessee Craft is a nonprofit organization that celebrates and supports the growth of all artists. Held on the lawn of Centennial Park, event-goers can enjoy fun, hands-on activities, food from area vendors, and demonstrations from artisans as they create pieces right in front of their eyes at the annual Fall Tennessee Craft Fair.
October 16-November 6, 2025
The Nashville Jewish Film Festival (NJFF) is a Gordon Jewish Community Center (GJCC) program. The NJFF will bring educational, entertaining, and thought-provoking Jewish-themed films to the Nashville community.
October 17-19, 2025
The NAIA Tennessee State Pow Wow brings Native Americans together from across the nation and Canada to Nashville at Long Hunter State Park. The festival highlights include competitive dancing, storytelling, demonstrations, fine art displays, and food booths with traditional dishes from different tribes.
October 17-November 1, 2025
Boo at the Zoo promises an exciting lineup of fall-themed scenes and activities, alongside unique trick-or-treating experiences for children and special animal shows for an extra dose of fun. It's a perfect family outing that combines the spirit of Halloween with the wonder of wildlife.
October 18, 2025
Grab your four-legged friend and head out to Dog Day Festival. Gather in Centennial Park to dedicate a day to our four-legged friends. Bring your pooches and participate in activities such as a costume contest, pupper parade, demonstrations, contests, and pet portraits, or enjoy the children’s area and various demonstrations. There will be food trucks, door prizes, fun zones, live music, and so much more!
October 18-19, 2025
The Southern Festival of Books is one of the first book festivals of its kind, a true celebration of the written word that has inspired hundreds of similar book festivals throughout the country. The FREE festival takes place at War Memorial Plaza and Main Public Library and will feature more than 200 of the nation's and region's most prominent authors, who will participate in readings, panel discussions, book signings, and more.
