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Summer Festivals and Events in Tennessee
Tennessee's summer sizzles! Live music and quirky festivals are abundant every weekend, so check out this guide for summer festivals and events in Tennessee.
January 13, 2025
Tennessee Festivals and Events in May
Summer sizzles with festivals in Tennessee. You'll find music festivals at each corner of the state as well as quirky and kid-friendly festivals. Add these summer festivals and events in Tennessee to your calendar.
*Dates shown are for the 2025 calendar year
Tennessee Festivals and Events in May
West Tennessee Strawberry Festival - Humboldt
Tennessee’s largest and longest-running festival since 1934 is the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival May 4-10, 2025. Enjoy a week of family fun that includes 9 blocks with over 20 events including live music, two parades, carnival fun and food trucks as well as an opening celebration with fireworks. Popular events include Shortcake in the Park where you can enjoy strawberry shortcake on Wednesday, Grand Floats Parade on Friday and shopping at the Strawberry Market on Main on Saturday.
Memphis in May International Festival – Memphis
Memphis in May International Festival is a month-long celebration of the talent, food and music of Memphis. Enjoy seeing some of the best barbecue teams compete at The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest May 14-17, 2025 at Liberty Park. New for 2025, the festival's first Steak Cookoff Competition in partnership with the Steak Cookout Association will take place May 15, 2025. Teams can now compete for a $6,000 total prize purse and automatic entry into the March 2026 Steak Cookoff Association World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas. The Great American River Run takes place May May 24, 2025 in downtown Memphis and along the Mississippi River. This year, the festival extends their 2025 International Salute to South Korea.
Bloomin’ BBQ Music & Food Festival – Sevierville
Enjoy free live music and free admission to the annual Bloomin’ BBQ Music & Food Festival in Sevierville May 16-17, 2025. Devour as much as some of the nation’s best barbecue and tap your feet to music at this family-friendly festival. A unique part of the festival is the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition that honors Dolly Parton’s songwriting by encouraging contestants to sing one of her 3,000 songs in their own vocal style.
Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival – Wartburg
Celebrate the beauty of Tennessee at the Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival May 17, 2025 in downtown Wartburg. Enjoy a 5K Ridge Run, live music, food, dog training demonstrations, craft demonstrations and a kids’ area with entertainment. Take a hike to see the Tennessee Mountain Laurel on any of the 60 hiking trails that span three state parks, two national parks and four state natural areas.
United Tastes of America at Anakeesta – Gatlinburg
Take a culinary road trip across the United States without ever leaving Gatlinburg at the United Tastes of America food festival May to August 2025 at Anakeesta. Pick up a tasting pass and “visit” 12 states, tasting distinct culinary creations from each region. Everything from lobster rolls to bread pudding and hot Italian beef sandwiches are on the menu. It’s a fun way to celebrate America as the world’s “melting pot.” Daily live music with The Tennessee Line will provide bluegrass and country music tunes while you sample.
CaveJam – Pelham
CaveJam, a 3-day, multi-stage camping festival, is your chance to experience live music above ground and in The Caverns’ subterranean venue May 24-25, 2025. The String Cheese Incident will headline CaveJam with three sets above ground and one special set below. Twenty artists and bands will perform over the three days. VIP glamping options in their new yurts as well as spacious camping spots are available.
Exit 56 Blues Fest - Brownsville
Exit 56 Blues Fest commemorates the important music contributions of three blues pioneers who called Brownsville, Tennessee home: “Sleepy” John Estes, Hammie Nixon and Yank Rachell on May 24-25, 2025. Live blues music, a cruise-in, deep-fried barbecue eating contest, arts and crafts and a corvette car show can be enjoyed.
Tennessee State Disc Golf Championships – Morristown
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@mtmfest
The Tennessee State Disc Golf Championship May 28-June 1, 2025 in Morristown, Tennessee welcomes PDGA A-tier Pro and Amateur Division players to compete in Tennessee’s Disc Golf Capital. The tournament will be hosted at Cherokee Park, Frank Lorino Park and Wayne Hansard Park as well as Panther Creek state Park.
Tennessee Festivals and Events in June
National MooFest – Athens
East Tennessee’s largest agricultural festival is National MooFest in downtown Athens. The historic town hosts several fan-favorite festival activities including the Moo Run, The Maggie Strut, Mayfield Dairy Farms contests and the Bovines & Bling Costume Contest. Interactive agricultural exhibits and local shopping featuring more than 150 food, crafts and art vendors can also be enjoyed. There will be two stages of bluegrass bands and artists performing during the festival.
The Walnut Street Bridge Festival – Chattanooga
Celebrate one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world and Chattanooga’s scenic beauty at The Walnut Street Bridge Festival June 1, 2025. Live entertainment by local artists, food trucks, shopping and a kids zone in Coolidge Park with inflatables, performances, games and food can be enjoyed. The festival is free admission.
CMA Music Festival – Nashville
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@lizziecatesmusic / @jonathangalletti
CMA Music Festival comes back bigger and better than ever this year. Mark your calendar for June 5-8, 2025 where the brightest stars in country flock to Nashville for the biggest party in the city. Nissan Stadium Main Stage will see performances by big-name artists. 2025 passes are on sale now.
Blue Plum Festival – Johnson City
The Blue Plum Festival celebrates 25 years of family-friendly fun and music June 6-7, 2025. The music festival will welcome performances by Dawnson Hollow, Motherfolk, Shadow Grass, Autumn Nichols and more on Friday and Saturday. A silent disco, kids area with fun activities, Appalachian Knockerball with inflatable bubble balls band lots of food options will keep your whole family entertained as you kick off summer in Johnson City.
Smallmouth King Bass Tournament - Sevierville
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Visit Sevierville
The annual Smallmouth King Bass Tournament takes place June 7-8, 2025 along the Little Pigeon River. Anglers will test their skills on Sevierville's world-class bass waters. Register to be apart of the area's smallmouth-bass-only, catch-photograph-release event as the waters will be teeming with thousands of migrating bass on their spring runs.
Rhinestone Fest For the Love of Dolly – Knoxville
It’s time to celebrate Tennessee’s beloved Queen of Country, Dolly Parton at Rhinestone Fest: For the Love of Dolly in June around Knoxville’s Old City. Don your Dolly-best for a fun weekend of art, music, food and historic walk through her rhinestone-studded career. Bring the whole family to enjoy the free festival.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – Manchester
Artists like Luke Combs, Tyler, the Creator, Hozier, Avril Lavigne and more will headline famous music festival Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival June 12-15, 2025 in Manchester on a 700-acre farm full of positivity and great music. The farm becomes a city with various events like yoga, Broo'ers Festival, sustainable fun at Planet Roo, the classic Ferris Wheel, Splash-A-Roo and a village market with curated crafts, art and experiences. Tickets and packages are on sale now.
Tennessee Festivals and Events in July
July 4th Midnight Parade – Gatlinburg
The first Independence Day Parade in the nation takes place in Gatlinburg during the July 4th Midnight Parade starting at 12:01 a.m. The route starts at Baskins Creek Bypass and continues down the length of downtown, stretching over a mile. Expect to see amazing floats and patriotic displays, performances and a spectacular fireworks display in the heart of downtown at 10 p.m. July 4.
Patriot Festival – Pigeon Forge
The family-friendly Patriot Festival on July 4, 2025 at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge is a free celebration of America’s birthday. Music, food and, of course, fireworks add to the fun. Bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy all the entertainment.
Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th – Nashville
Nashville pulls out all the stops for the annual Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th in downtown Nashville. Enjoy live music as well as endless kid-friendly fun, food and more. End the night with one of the largest fireworks shows in the country with pyrotechnics synchronized to live music by GRAMMY-winning Nashville Symphony.
Watermelon Crawl Festival – Monterey
Celebrate the tastes of summer at the Watermelon Crawl Festival July 26, 2025 in downtown Monterey. The town, located about 93 miles from Nashville, will buzz with summer fun that includes local shop vendors, a petting zoo and kids zone as well as free slices of watermelon and other delicious, mouthwatering foods. The outdoor event is free admission.
Monteagle Mountain Market for Arts & Crafts – Monteagle
The Monteagle Mountain Market for Arts & Crafts in Hannah Pickett Park in Monteagle takes place July 2025. The free festival has more than 100 artisans and crafters displaying handmade creations including stained glass, pottery, paintings, primitive and refurbished furniture, woodcrafts, jewelry and more. Marvel at the chainsaw carving demonstrations and blacksmith demonstrations. Various food from barbecue to Mediterranean will be available from food vendors.
Tennessee Festivals and Events in August
MLB Speedway Classic - Bristol, TN/VA
For the first time ever, a Major League Baseball game will be played in Tennessee. Mark your calendar for Aug. 2, 2025 for the MLB Speedway Classic. The Regular Season game will see the Atlanta Braves play against Cincinnati Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR's most popular tracks.
Chattanooga Margarita Festival – Chattanooga
Chattanooga’s restaurants compete for the coveted title of Best Margarita in Town at the Chattanooga Margarita Festival Aug. 9, 2025 at the First Horizon Pavilion in downtown Chattanooga. Sip your way through your Sample Passport featuring 10 mini margaritas that are shaken, salted, stirred or frozen. Then, vote for your favorite. Enjoy live entertainment from local DJs, food and a Margarita Fest photobooth. Every sip counts as proceeds benefit the Chattanooga Market, the region’s largest producer-only marketplace.
David Crockett’s Birthday Celebration – Morristown
Step back in time in Morristown during David Crockett’s 238th Birthday Celebration Aug. 16, 2025 at Crockett Tavern Museum, built on the site of David Crockett’s boyhood home and is a reconstruction of the 1790’s John Crockett Tavern. Celebrate Tennessee’s favorite son with blacksmithing demonstrations, storytelling, music, museum tours and birthday cake.
Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Club Invasion – Pigeon Forge
Open to all Jeep enthusiasts and Jeep Clubs throughout the nation, the annual Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion Aug. 21-23, 2025 is one of the largest Show and Shine competitions and expos in the country for all leading Jeep parts and their accessory vendors. Jeeps of all varieties, including Wrangler, JT, JL, JK, TJ, and YJ as well as XJs and WJs, will be in attendance. The show is located at the LeConte Center, and admission can be purchased each day at the door. Get ready to see lift kits, mud tires and light bars fill the streets. Find more car events in Tennessee.
Find even more summer festivals happening in Tennessee.
