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Jessica Amerson Photography
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Peyton Hoge
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Leslee Mitchell
In a city where cowboy boots can outnumber tulips, it takes a special kind of magic to make Music City feel like a garden party. Next month, that magic will return when the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville brings “American Elegance” to the Music City Center, January 9–11.
Presented by Northern Trust, the annual event—now in its 36th year— will benefit Cheekwood Estate & Gardens and other Economic Club of Nashville (ECON) charities. Last year’s show attracted more than 17,000 visitors who came for the antiques and art dealers, stayed for the gardens and lectures, and left plotting how to fit a Hartley greenhouse into their East Nashville backyard.
Chairs Paula Kinard and Phyllis Vandewater, longtime friends and creative collaborators, are steering this year’s vision with returning honorary co-chairs Bunny Williams and Elizabeth Lawrence, the design duo known for their distinct blend of taste and charm. Fabric partner Kravet will guide the event’s signature look alongside a team of Nashville designers, landscape architects, and volunteers who—almost miraculously—transform the cavernous convention hall into a botanical dreamscape.
The 2026 lecture lineup mirrors the theme’s blend of sophistication and Americana. David Lauren and Lauren Bush Lauren will present the opening keynote lecture Friday morning – a discussion on the legacy of Ralph Lauren’s timeless interiors, moderated by designer Alfredo Paredes. Later that day, a design panel featuring Will Meyer, Gray Davis, and John and Christine Gachot will explore modern expressions of American elegance. Saturday’s sessions will bloom with inspiration. Event design powerhouse Preston Bailey will lead the floral lecture, while landscape architect Charles Stick will close the series with his take on designing gardens that stand the test of time.
On the show floor, attendees can wander three immersive garden showcases: Cheekwood’s signature entry exhibition, the East Garden by Gavin Duke of Duke Design Group, and the West Garden by Nature’s Best, complete with a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse.
Adding more star power to the event, Nashville designers Stephanie Sabbe and Roger Higgins will create the stage and entrance installations, while tastemaker Kate Rheinstein Brodsky chairs the Preview Party. Sid Evans of “Southern Living” and “House & Parties” founder Rebecca Gardner will co-host the always-spirited Bourbon Party.
Proceeds support Cheekwood’s cultural programs and ECON Charities’ work with nonprofits including Raising Resilience TN, The Next Door Recovery, and Light A Spark.
Tickets—and perhaps inspiration for your next living-room revamp—are available now at antiquesandgardenshow.com.
