Voted as top festival of the year by the Southeast Festival and Events Association , and the…read moreInternational Festival and Events Association. A family friendly event that has something to offer to everyone and the important part it is FREE.

I'm writing this from an artist's perspective. I participated in this show years ago, and at one…read moretime it was truly excellent. Local residents showed up in droves and genuinely valued -- and purchased -- handmade work. I made five to $7000 twenty years ago. Unfortunately, the show has changed significantly. It now draws large crowds, many of whom appear to be bused in from outside the area. While attendance is high, sales are not. The loyal local audience seems to have been pushed out by the increased congestion, and many no longer attend. Equally disappointing is the noticeable decline in handmade goods. Walking the show this year, I spoke with several talented artists who shared that they struggled to cover even their basic expenses and do not plan to return. It's a real shame that the show has declined like it has. It used to be a beautiful show and Franklin is a nice town.

I paid almost $500 for a booth at Main Street Festival. They put my booth location on 4th street…read more We had a fraction of the traffic on main and there were food trucks on the corner of main & 4th with lines that blocked entrance to our booths. The quality of booths on main looked like flea market vendors. What a waste of time and money

It's Christmas time again and the walking trail along the Cumberland River is decorated with over…read moretwo million lights. It is an affordable walking event that can be enjoyed by families, couples, pets, or anyone who wants to get into the Christmas spirit. Bring your camera or cell phone to take advantage of photo ops including Christmas pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. There is wheelchair ramp access, public restrooms, and a play area for young children. Parking and admission are FREE!!!!!! Ok so many of the lights were burnt out but again it is free. There are many restaurants in the area to grab a bite before or after walk. Wear warm clothes and enjoy this nightly event as weather permits until January 1.

Beautiful park by the river. We had a splendid time walking through the park to see the Christmas…read morelights. The most beautiful sight I have seen in Clarksville, Tennessee. Plus, it was FREE. Great photo opportunities and a fun event to enjoy alone or with friends and family. It was very crowded on Christmas night, yet we found a parking spot despite a crowded parking lot. Amazing photo sites at night! A definite go see place in Clarksville, TN during the ho

GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!…read more The Dickens of a Christmas Festival is the largest Christmas Festival in Middle, TN. It is held during the second weekend in December in Franklin, TN and is now in its 33rd year. This festival is a recreation of the Charles Dickens era using historic downtown Franklin's Victorian architecture as the backdrop. You will see several Dickens characters, (Fagin, Scrooge, Oliver Twist, Bob and Tiny Tim Cratchit and many more), come to life and walk among the festival visitors. I really liked the Victorian Mr. and Mrs. Clause because they "slayed" in their Victorian garb. I loved seeing the various characters and appreciated their willingness to pose for photos. There was an endless number of vendors selling everything from holiday décor items to jewelry, food, clothing, unique gift items and more. The most impressive aspect of this festival was the phenomenal talent throughout. There was a main stage that featured dancers but throughout the festival, you would encounter other performers such violinists, a guitarist with his wife as soloist, a guy giving us a soulful perspective of Christmas and more that I just couldn't see because I couldn't be everywhere at once. Curses! The cloggers and Irish dancers were great, the young violinists were spot on and unbelievable but the most emotional and "heart felt" performance for me was by Radio Farm. They performed traditional Christmas music that really spoke to the true meaning of Christmas, (the birth of Jesus), and it was just beautifully done. I really love strings because they represent the purest form of music and they always take me to a place of peace and stillness. It was like listening to a renowned recording artist and reminded me of the woman with one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard: The late Karen Carpenter. It was a very cold day and I really appreciated the vendors, performers, city workers and volunteers who committed to making this a great festival. YES, THIS WAS A NICE FESTIVAL BUT: I would love to have been able to purchase a tee commemorating this year's event. They did have very nice mugs which I purchased but a long sleeve tee would have been great as well. Since it is predictable that visitors will be coming in very early and will want to eat breakfast, it would be nice to see a couple of "breakfast specific" food trucks added to the mix. There were only two breakfast restaurants and they were packed before the festival even started. The few food trucks that were open were selling fried foods and corndogs. No thanks. There is a historic theater in downtown Franklin and I think that it would be the perfect venue for hosting classic movies based on Dickens's stories the week of the festival. It would certainly get me in the mood! If you want to see Historic Downtown Franklin, this is not the time because all of those beautiful historic shops and buildings are blocked by tents and vendors. You also have the crazy crowds that make it impossible to get a real feel for the town. I have added an extra festival-free day to my itinerary so that I can freely explore the downtown area without being impeded. I was able to get a small glimpse of Franklin during the festival and it was enough to get me excited for a more thorough visit. This is a great family festival and a cool way to end the year. I am so glad that we decided to visit Franklin during this time.

We had just moved back to TN and decided to go see this for something to do. It was fantastic and…read moreI'm decidedly upset about missing this years. Ive now learned it's the second weekend in December...every year. There are all kinds of arts and crafts, the costumed performers and carolers were fantastic and had really nice, (expensive) costumes! The stage performer we saw was a lone singer and she was fabulous as well. We also arrived during lunch and inside at an Irish Pub, also fantastic if you didn't mind sharing the table. Franklin is a fairly small town and a lot of people come to see this event of ours. Seating is premium. Lots of good things to see- looms and old time metal working. Great way to spend an afternoon! Dogs welcome! Food trucks a plenty for meals and sweets! Kettle corn, yum!

In 2022, 85 championship teams from across the world convened in Lynchburg, TN to compete for the…read morecoveted title of "The Jack Grand Champion," and judging by their website the Grand Champion team receives a $25K check - not bad!!! my husband and I completed our training and received our Kansas City Barbecue Society [KCBS] BBQ judge's certification and were excited to attend [not judge but attend] our first BBQ competition! It's held annually in October and is such a lovely drive up to Lynchburg! Gary N did a great job of accurately capturing the "feel" of the event in his numerous photos posted here! There are a lot of vendors set up for this event selling eats, t-shirts, and more. There's a large, covered pavilion where the judging happens, and spectators can watch from bleachers. I don't recall the number of judges but I do recall at least one local "celebrity" newscaster among the judges. The Styrofoam containers for judging are deftly prepared and rushed to the judging area with immense intensity - it really is something to watch, and the "food runner" will scream at you to "get out of the way" if they need to! Others referenced free samples, which wasn't the case on our visit, except for the international area. No guests/visitors get samples of the competition BBQ to my knowledge. If you want lunch, you'll need to get something from the vendors. However, the international area competitors did offer us ample samples of their BBQ. They were all very friendly, too! The competition area is fairly spread out, so wear comfortable shoes and the entryway is sloped, so there's that. It's free as far as I know, and everyone should attend at least one championship BBQ competition - the Jack Daniels event is a well-run, fun one to attend.

The damp weather did not effect the day much, but you had to come prepared. One of the best things…read moreof this event is the Fall Peak colors as you drive in from any direction. Coming from Chattanooga area we chose to take the scenic drive down the old highway from Monteagle through Sewanee. As you arrive into town you can start seeing the smoke and smelling the BBQ. This is a very small town but everyone seems to be selling parking. $5-$10 mostly. We parked very close to downtown. The square is fully covered with tents and vendors as you walk in, live country music is playing. All the downtown shops are open and plenty to explore and see in the town. However, food is in our mind and we continue down to the food tents and competition area. Lots of free samples, but I did not see any from the competitors which was a disappointment. But still plenty to see and try. They also have food instructions, vendor demos, Etc I do wish they would move this so it is not the same weekend as Tennessee vs Alabama. We left early to catch the game as I am sure many do. At the least put a big screen up for the crowd. Lynchburg is a great small town and one you should visit. Jack Daniels is a short walk and free tour. Great day.

I got the attend the Blackberry Jam Music Fest and our group enjoyed it so much! Great local flair…read moreand some awesome bluegrass music and bands. BYOB and roll out a picnic blanket and you're all set. They have a slew of food trucks during the performances as well as Italian ice. Kids and dogs are welcome, and they have a few lawn games to play to pass any time between sets.

Where else can you get all you can eat fried fish, hushpuppies, beans and slaw for $12 with a…read moredrink? Be prepared for a line but it moved quick! Good fundraising meal.

I love trying new foods and supporting my local events. The Catholic Community hosts the Annual…read moreInternational Festival held downtown Clarksville. The diversity of food and people is noteworthy, especially for a smaller city. I think the good food is worth the price of the tickets because the funds are all for a good cause. This year's silent auction pieces are awesome! A new Dyson vacuum and furniture pieces along with artwork and so many others you can bid on. They put them inside also which is great. Air-Conditioning! Yes! It's very hot today. Over 90 degrees and there are limited shady areas. However, go to the kids area. They have inflatables this year and it's all shaded! Hope you make it. Otherwise, mark your calendars for next year about this time. They have it on Facebook, so just look up Immaculate Conception International Festival and you'll find it!

This year was the 5th annual event! Hosted by Nashville Paw magazine at Animalia in Franklin. It's…read morea Halloween festival for people and dogs to get in their costumes. They had over 3,000 visitors last year and so they had to move to a larger grounds this year. With over 50 vendors, lots of food trucks and adoption booths, this is becoming one of the largest annual doggy festivals in Middle TN.