May Events

May is here! Let the month of Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day begin! The Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival is back, as are other local favorites such as the Iroquois Steeplechase and the Boro BBQ Festival. New events are also popping up so make sure to mark your calendars and prepare yourself for a whole lot of fun!

May 1: May Day Celebration
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens | Nashville

Treat you and your family to Cheekwood’s festive May Day Celebration! This year’s celebration will highlight the opening of Cheekwood’s new storybook houses and feature a maypole, storybook themed crafts, storytime, and live bunnies. There is no registration required for the event, you can just drop in!

May – All Fridays & Saturdays: Musicians Corner
Centennial Park | Nashville

Musicians Corner supports emerging artists and provides inclusive arts enrichment and educational programming for adults and youth. It does this by presenting free music events in Nashville’s downtown Centennial Park in partnership with the City of Nashville and local music industry. This program has showcased over 1,000 artists since its inception in 2010 and stands as a cultural meeting place of community engagement.

May 3-4: Sevier Park Fest
Sevier Park | Nashville

The purpose of the Sevier Park Street Fest is to bring together the Belmont/Hillsboro and 12 South neighborhood communities in partnership to promote the local talent and businesses! Money raised is used to enhance and support Sevier Park’s planned renewal and any future improvements that increase the park’s community use and appeal. Go out and enjoy the fun!

May 3-5: Spring Tennessee Craft Fair
Centennial Park | Nashville

Tennessee Craft hosted the state’s first craft fair in 1972 and the Nashville tradition continues this spring when over 200 award-winning artists from across the nation come together to showcase their work! Guests will learn from live demonstrations, hands-on kids tent activities, and have the chance to see fresh new work in the emerging maker’s tent. Come celebrate and shop American handmade fine craft!

May 11: Boro BBQ Festival
Cannonsburgh Village | Murfreesboro

Family and friends, both old and new, can join in the celebration of BBQ at the 6th Annual Boro BBQ Festival! Smell that smoke, join in a rib eating contest, and watch some of the top cookers in Middle Tennessee compete. This event attracts several thousand visitors to a day of family fun and adventure. Experience the aroma and enjoy eating some of the finest BBQ east of the Mississippi River and west of the Great Smoky Mountains!

May 11: Iroquois Steeplechase
Percy Warner Park | Nashville

Iroquois Steeplechase has been Nashville’s rite of spring since 1941! It attracts more than 25,000 spectators to watch the best horses and riders in the world race over hurdles on a three-mile turf track. This year the race will celebrate 78 years for the Iroquois Steeplechase and decades of Music City’s annual celebration of time-honored traditions, Tennessee hospitality, and Southern fashions!

May 11: Bark in the Park
Wilson County Fairgrounds | Lebanon

The purpose of Bark in the Park is to raise funds for the care of the animals under the organization’s protection, while also providing education, raising awareness, and continuing to help when emergencies arise. Each year dog lovers from the community and beyond attend this great event. Make sure to bring your furry friends for the contests, games, vendors, and fellowship.

May 11: Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival
Downtown Portland | Portland

The 78th Annual Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival features a “berried treasure” theme for this year’s festivities! Enjoy live music, 100+ food, craft, and information vendors, contests, inflatables, and activities for kids. There will be a carnival, a 5K walk/run and more! The Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival provides an opportunity for people to travel to Portland to enjoy the events, the food, the community, and the small-town feel.

May 16-18: Franklin Rodeo
Williamson County Ag Expo | Franklin

The 70th annual Franklin Rodeo returns for another year! Festivities will include “Whiplash” the cowboy monkey and the rodeo, which features PRCA pro rodeo events each night. Kids will get to enjoy calf scramble, mutton bustin’, and new this year, (adult) pony hop races! VIP will now feature all-inclusive drinks, dinner & rodeo ticket, or add-on cocktails in the cantina.

May 25: Cajunfest 2019
Amber Falls Winery | Hampshire

Amber Falls Winery & Cellar’s is back with the annual “Cajunfest” that graciously benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of Maury County each year! Cajunfest is a food, wine, and music festival that attracts over 1,500 guests each year from around the Southeast. This event features authentic Cajun food, live Cajun music, and fun activities such as crawfish races, Cajun cooking demonstrations, and a gumbo cook-off contest!