Nashville in the summer can be magical, but with so much to do it can also be a bit overwhelming. To help you plan your perfect summer, we’ve got you covered with some new and different ways to enjoy our town all season long:
With the arrival of summer comes the equally delicious arrival of peach season, and local foodie favorite, The Peach Truck, is providing the ultimate fruity fix to satisfy your summer cravings. Anyone who has acquired one of The Peach Truck’s infamous brown bags of goodness knows these are not your average grocery store peaches. Instead, they are thoughtfully grown, hand-picked, perfectly ripe, and packed full of delicious flavor and nutrients. Whether you’re incorporating these peaches into your favorite seasonal dish, a crafty summer cocktail, or sinking your teeth into one straight out of the bag, The Peach Truck embodies that sweet taste of summertime in every bite. This season will be extra special as the peach crop took a hit from cold temperatures this winter, making perfect peaches an even greater delicacy! Peach Truck peaches are available at over 30 locations around Nashville and at seasonal locations in Green Hills, Goodlettsville, Franklin, and at the Farmers’ Market with the complete booth schedule available online. Boxes are also available for pre-order. (thepeachtruck.com)
Bobby Nashville’s anticipated rooftop music series, Backyard Sessions, a five- month live concert series, promises to elevate the backyard experience with free, bi-monthly showcases featuring indie acts from various genres. Patrons can hang out with Bobby all summer long and enjoy specialty cocktails, light bites, adult yard games, and a panoramic view of downtown Nashville from the 10-story high rooftop, featuring a 1956 Scenicruiser bus. The series includes performances from Brandi Cyrus, Betty Who, Joseph, Bailey Bryan, and many more. While you’re there, make plans to check out the hotel’s latest art exhibition, “BASH,” a kinetic and colorful group exhibition in celebration of Bobby’s fifth birthday. Launched in September 2021, The collection showcases rotating art exhibitions of contemporary artists, accompanied by guided tours, artist talks, and other special programming. Tours are free but reach out in advance of your visit to schedule your tour. (bobbyhotel.com)
The Gentle Barn is an animal lover’s summer paradise. This incredible Christina, TN, facility is home to around 200 animals and it’s open to the public. Sign up for a family tour, a group tour, or even a party tour to take full advantage of all the amazing things (and friends) at the farm. Enjoy the pigs while they splash around in their pool and blow bubbles, watch a Canada goose family swim in the pond with their goslings, snuggle up in the shade with the lambs, hug a cow in the sunshine (no, really, you can do that!), and on very hot days, help give a bubble bath to one of the horses. Then enjoy popsicles and cool drinks at the snack shop. The cost of your visit benefits this incredible nonprofit and all the work they’re doing to help animals — and people. (gentlebarn.org)
If a trip to Napa isn’t on your summer ’23 Bingo card, we’ve got the perfect local alternative: All season long, wine lovers can rejoice as The Westin Nashville brings back its highly anticipated, intimate winemaker dinner series featuring renowned winemakers showcasing their finest wines, thoughtfully paired with a delectable, five-course dinner on the stunning L27 Rooftop. Once a month through September, guests can indulge in a variety of exceptional wines, including but not limited to the 100-point Napa Valley wines from JH Wheeler and the farm’s portfolio, as well as the exquisite offerings from Melka Estates, founded by Phillipe and Cherie Melka. For those seeking a taste of the Pacific Northwest, the event will also feature the best of Willamette Valley’s Gran Moraine and Zena Crown wineries. With an unparalleled setting, exceptional wine, and exquisite cuisine, it’s a wine lover’s dream come true. (l27nashville.com)
The luminous light installations featuring the work of renowned British artist Bruce Munro will return to Cheekwood Estate & Gardens after 10 years with the opening of LIGHT: Bruce Munro at Cheekwood. The exhibition’s special tenth anniversary celebration features immersive, grand-scale light productions that will be displayed throughout Cheekwood’s beautiful vistas, manicured gardens, sculpture trail, and in the Historic Mansion & Museum and Frist Learning Center. Two-dimensional works of art will also be displayed throughout the Museum’s galleries. Featuring immersive installations highlighting significant advancements in illuminative technology, LIGHT is designed to respond to and enhance the outdoor garden and indoor gallery experiences, encouraging an awareness of our individual and collective journeys through time and space. The interplay between Munro’s three-dimensional creations and the surrounding environment (both at dusk and after dark) heightens the sense of time’s passage through the language of light. (cheekwood.org)
July 4 means one thing in Nashville: It’s time for the 20th annual Let Freedom Sing festivities! The free, family- friendly event was created to entertain Nashvillians and attract visitors to generate economic activity and tax revenue for the city, and it’s worked. The event has regularly drawn more than 200,000 attendees—with a record- breaking 350,000 in 2021. The event, produced by Music City Inc. through the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, always promises an incredible lineup of musical acts and this year is no exception. Superstar Brad Paisley will headline the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage with additional performances from a multi-genre lineup that includes The War And Treaty, singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim, and rising country artist Tiera Kennedy, who will also perform the national anthem. Performances at the Amazon Family Fun Zone will include The Magi, Tommy Howell, Les Kerr & The Bayou Band, and Troubadour Blue, with Coach (DJ) entertaining between sets. And of course, the whole thing culminates with an awe- inspiring fireworks display in honor of the occasion. Packages are available for optimal viewing, dining, and more! (visitmusiccity.com/july4th)
Nashville’s iconic resort, Gaylord Opryland, welcomes back its annual Summer of More celebration through September 4. From family fun to relaxing self-care experiences, the resort is flush with brand-new seasonal activities. Parents should check into the Adventure Kids’ Clubhouse and the Pirate Treasure Hide and Sea-k Scavenger Hunt, while the spa set can indulge seasonal specials at the Relâche Spa. The endless itinerary of summer entertainment also includes nine acres of enchanting indoor gardens, a wide variety of culinary cuisine, and an unforgettable aquatic adventure at SoundWaves, the resort’s upscale water attraction featuring Nashville’s only FlowRider®, multiple waterslides, a giant wave pool, rapid and lazy rivers, and more. Packages are available for all of the above and more. (gaylordopryland.com)
The Wedgewood-Houston Farmers’ Market features 40-plus local farmers, bakers, chefs, food trucks, makers, and more, every Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. through Nov. 1. Located at The Outfield on Chestnut Street, the market offers up local fruits, veggies, freshly baked breads, freshly squeezed lemonades, good vibes, and great times. Vendors include local growers and farmers like Lana’s Flowers, Hext Quality Meat, Trevecca Urban Farm, and more, and vendors like Alice & Ann Creations, Higher Ground Stones, and TNT Goods make this market a one-stop for tons of unique finds. And as an added bonus, free parking is available onsite. It’s a win-win! (wedgewoodhoustonfarmersmarket.com)
Starting July 21, guests at the Nashville Zoo will be able to get up close and personal with some leaping lizards (they don’t really leap) at the brand new Komodo Dragon exhibit. Slated to be one of the largest Komodo dragon habitats in the Americas, the new space will feature an indoor and large outdoor viewing area so the dragons can be seen year- round—even in chilly temperatures. The outdoor yard will be the largest nationwide and will allow guests to see these giant lizards run for their treats during keeper talks. Even though Komodos are typically solitary animals, the many unique features of this habitat will allow multiple dragons to be on display at the same time, housing two adult males, three adult females, and younger dragons. Keep an eye out for the Zoo’s biggest lizard, a Komodo measuring nine feet in length! (nashvillezoo.org)
It wouldn’t be summertime in Music City without one of Nashville’s most cherished traditions, CMA Fest. Music lovers from near and far flock downtown to experience the fest and this year is extra special as it’s the 50th anniversary of the city’s signature country music event. The 2023 CMA Fest runs June 8 through 11, featuring countless performances spanning numerous stages, including four nights of shows at Nissan Stadium. The four-day festival includes everything from remarkable up-and-coming acts to some of the genre’s biggest stars, including Artists of the Day Dierks Bentley, Reba McEntire, Brothers Osborne, and Wynonna Judd. Fans will be able to get an up-close-and-personal look into the lives and careers of each of the Artists of the Day when they take the CMA Close Up Stage inside Fan Fair X. Along with plenty of show-stopping performances, there’s a multitude of free activities for the whole family to enjoy as all daytime, outdoor stages, and activities are open to the public. (cmafest.com)