In the festival game, Edgehill Rocks comes out in the upper echelon. The set up is quite cool too…read more Walking up to the festival you get to see all of the action! Because the road slowly curves up, you get a great view of the stage no matter where you are. The food truck area is also higher than the stage, so you can always post up over there as well. The organizers really try and keep it in the neighborhood. While they have bands from outside of Edgehill, they also try and bring in some of their own. The bands this year were fantastic. My favorite was the early afternoon cover band! The booths are all along Edgehill and leading up to the stage. Then it opens up for people to stand and watch the music or head right and up the food truck hill. With Edgehill Cafe right in the action, you can easily grab an early afternoon iced coffee and check out the goods. I got a really cute necklace from Fashionable (livefashionable.com). The organization focuses on woman and helping them get out of poverty by developing their own skills. It's really a wonderful organization and the products are well made.

What an awesome event! I would definitely like to see more events put on in Edgehill. The community…read moreis so vibrant and has had so much growth! The music was great and all the vendors were amazing. You know it's a good time when The Grilled Cheeserie truck is in attendance. Bradley's Curbside Creamery definitely produced as well with a delicious cookies and cream waffle cone. This event was not too crowded and the lines were very reasonable. All of the surrounding shops and restaurants were open and there were a few street vendors selling jewelry, bags, dog accessories etc... They also had cold beer and root beer which was a plus. Beautiful day and great event! I would definitely come back next year!

Fun times at Nashvember event held by 615 clothing at Track One. It was the perfect day for a Fall…read morefestival so we decided to walk over since we were only two blocks away. We arrived around 11:30 and there were already a hundred people there. Scene Chill vibe with lots of babies, pups and hipsters. Track One was a perfect location for event and it's 30 to 40 vendors. The vendor layout made it easy to flow through the event which is always a plus with festivals. First stop for us was the bar and to our surprise mimosas were offered at about $8 a pop #winning. After grabbing our togosas (to-go mimosa) from VIP Bartending Service we made a few booth stops at 615, Downtown Candle Company, Beleaf Cigar Co and Shower Up. We grabbed our loot and headed out to the food truck area and the graffiti artist live exhibit. I'm a sucker for graffiti so I watched Tory for awhile and was able to get his contact info. By the time we made it back outside the event was in full swing. Pretty cool event overall. I would attend next year. Service Event updates and maps were provided on Facebook the day of which made it easy to navigate Food About 10 food trucks. Cost Free Parking Street level parking and parking lots

This is for the Nashvember event November 14, 2015. This used to be a 4 hour event but it was so…read morepopular it became an 7 hour event. On a beautiful November Saturday we and a few thousand of our closest neighbors headed downtown to do some shopping for the holidays. We had been to the Franklin Southern pop up at the factory already. This shopping event was free however where as the other was not. Additionally, this goes to support Project 615 which benefits the Nashville based Rescue 1. The shopping was unique with items not found at Target. The music was of course wonderful because we live in Nashville and the best part is Food Trucks!! We had hoped there would be the whole gammet like at a recent Centennial event but sadly no. However Grilled Cheesier was there along with their top 100 supporters so we opted for another. The weather was great, the music and shopping were entertaining and the food trucks were quite busy. Fun and free in Nash Vegas in November. Say that 3 times fast??? Added this with the Nashvember as it was added as Track One a venue. Where as Nashvember could be seen by others, like myself wondering what other events are occurring. That is how I found out about a few other festivals.

This was a great event! I had never been to the newly renovated section of Nashville State, and it…read morewas really nice. I felt like every time I turned a corner there were more and more vendors giving out samples. The food was endless and the libations were plentiful. I thought this event was very well organized. It wasn't too crowded, and they had a really good mix of different vendors with a variety of sample. My favorite beverage was the Sweet Lucy Lemonade, my favorite dessert was the whiskey smore (seriously divine!) and we had this super tasty gnocchi from a pasta company. It was a fun event to attend and I would most certainly go back!

This event was fantastic and I will absolutely go back! The restaurants they get to participate are…read moreincredible. Some I rarely see out at events. It's pretty unbelievable, but then when you read what the event is for you completely understand. The event is a fundraiser for Nashville State Community College. Duh! The ticket price is totally affordable and definitely worth it. If you can't attend all of the food events and you need to pick, I would suggest taking a look at Tennessee Flavors. Etch made this delicious, earthy beet lavender panna cotta and I almost fell over in lust. Don't tell anyone, but I ate more than one. ;) The restaurants are spread out over two floors and probably 5 rooms. There are a ton, I mean it! It's not the most spacious area, but they work with what they have. They also have a great band to provide some background music. You officially have 300 days (plus or minus) to get ready for the next one. Enjoy!

The East Side Hootenanny is one of the best parts of spring/early summer in Nashville. We are so…read morelucky to have so many amazing free music opportunities here in town, but the atmosphere at the Hoot is a whole new experience. Like Musicians Corner on the other side of town (except later in the day...you could do both on a Saturday and I would highly recommend that!) the Hoot is four bands playing in a park for free...in addition to food trucks, beer tents, and various other activities in the park during the show. Sponsored by local radio station Lightning 100, the Hoot showcases up and coming and local bands at East Park. You can lay out on the lawn and listen to some great music while enjoying local food and drink. There's plenty of parking around the park, and you are welcome to bring your own food (though they'd prefer you not bring in your own booze, and it's cheap here anyways so that's ok). On a gorgeous night, there's no better place to celebrate the city and summer than at the Hoot. It's laid back, beautiful, and fun. And free amazing music. Get to East Park on a Saturday and have yourself a music festival that's more like being in your backyard with friends.

Nissan Stadium is a good reminder that not every venue has to be the newest one to be a good time…read more Yes, it's showing its age. And yes, there's a shiny new stadium rising next door that's going to steal a lot of attention. But for now, Nissan Stadium still gets the job done. Whether you're there for a Titans game or a concert, the sightlines are good, the sound is solid, and getting there is surprisingly easy. One of my favorite parts is the walk across the pedestrian bridges from Lower Broadway and downtown. It's a uniquely Nashville experience, especially when thousands of fans are all heading the same direction. The stadium itself isn't fancy by modern standards, but it remains functional, accessible, and enjoyable. I've had good experiences here, and that's ultimately what matters. A little older. A little worn. Still a good time. Four stars.

The new Nissan Stadium in Nashville is a 2.1-million-square-foot, 60,000-seat enclosed venue under…read moreconstruction on the East Bank of the Cumberland River, scheduled for completion in February 2027. It will feature a translucent roof, 360-degree concourses, and 38% closer seating to the field, designed to host NFL, college football, concerts, and major events like the Super Bowl. Gayle and I had the chance to watch all the construction up close as we navigated from the pedestrian bridge to the Edgefield neighborhood. That included a non-ADA compliant walk-around to get to the bridge over the Interstate. This was a huge operation and we got as close as we could without trespassing. Then there's the present Nissan Stadium that will be torn down (for a parking lot) after the new Stadium is finished. This is the home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans, formally the Houston Oilers. Opened in 1999, this 67,000+ capacity open-air venue hosts football games, concerts, and major events like the CMA Music Festival. Game Day is probably pretty exciting here (including before and after Broadway).

I just want to mention how helpful NSAI has been to me, both "from a distance" and "in person." I…read morejoined in April 2023. I love that, for local chapter meetings, you can find plenty of meetings all over the USA (and some in other countries too), where you can attend both in person and via Zoom. At many of the meetings, you can submit a song for feedback from the local group. If you're not yet a member, you can attend a couple of meetings for free (and even submit a song for feedback if the chapter has feedback during their meetings), just to check out how it all works. If you're a paying member, you can attend unlimited meetings all over the world for no fee whatsoever. There is a chapter directory, which makes it easy to find what you're looking for. If you find that a particular local chapter isn't a good fit for you, there are at least 100 more chapters waiting for you to explore and plug into. I'm in the southeast USA but I regularly attend meetings in Texas and other states! There is also a member directory where, if a member has allowed their profile to be made public, you can find writers who share your interests, to connect with. There are also forums (message boards) where you can post messages. I've made some great co-writer connections this way! I've been very satisfied with all the services offered by NSAI via their website (which seems to have been recently updated in October 2024), including song feedback, song evaluations, online and in-person pitch-to-publisher events, Zoom mentor meetings, the member representatives, the front desk staff, the local chapter meetings, and other events. The writing rooms which you can reserve free-of-charge at the main headquarters in Nashville TN, are a really cool way to get together with other writers to co-write while you're in Nashville. Some of the rooms have a keyboard, so be sure to let them know if you will be needing a keyboard. Honestly, the "free writing rooms" feature is worth its weight in gold, if you ever make trips to Nashville. Some other rentable writing rooms in town may cost a lot of money per hour, but NSAIs rooms are free. I've never encountered a time when rooms were unavailable, but I'm sure that could happen if you didn't book in advance via the website, so make sure to do that. Check it out, sign up if you like it, utilize the services, attend some local chapter meetings, and enjoy.

When most songwriters (or singer/songwriters) move to Nashville they are chasing a big dream. After…read moretaking the first step and making the move comes the big question,"Where do I start?". If you're new to town this is one of the first places to check out. NSAI is a not for profit group put here for the purpose of educating us and helping us a long on our musical journey. The trick is to not just be a member, but take advantage of all the tools they offer you in membership. They offer tons of workshops, networking opportunities with professionals and other writers(such as pitch-to-publisher nights), 12 song evaluations (you can purchase extra for not very much if you are craving more feedback), and one on one mentoring sessions twice a year. All of this (and lots of other things) are included in yearly membership. They have different levels of membership, but the most common one runs at $150 for the year. They have a 2 or 3 month flex pay option if you don't want to pay it all at once(they know for the most part what an up and comer's salary looks like). I was a member for a few years before I started taking advantage of all NSAI has to offer. Since I did that I've learned and accomplished so much more in this crazy town and I've also met a ton of wonderful people to help me on my way. If this is your thing, or you're just thinking about it, stop in and say "hello" and they'll gladly show you around and give you more information. It's definitely an organization worth joining.

I mean, this is the anti Bonnaroo scene. Think bougie, southern, monied, family-friendly tailgate…read moremeets a smooth lineup of really good music that closes promptly at curfew so as not to inflict local homeowners assn noise fines. It's comfy. The food is pricey and so good! There isn't ever a line at the Porta potty and you can spend as much as you want for amenities, access, VIP stuff or come in with a ticket wristband and enjoy the day fully. These ladies trade their loubitons (sp?) for fresh tie dye and hemp sandals or cowgirl boots and UNsensibke footwear lol. Vandy Greek folk, hipsters, roadies, serious food truck eats, and a veritable Bedouin tent shopping market with hate. SOOOO many hats lol. I love it, even with my eat-the-rich snark. In the right company, Pilgrimmage seems to be everything I thought it would in previous trips. Turns out not where, but who you're with that really matters. - Dave

First time at Pilgrimage and was so impressed! I think they have learned a lot over the past few…read moreyears about how to make this event enjoyable by all! 2 full days of music, as well as vendors(of all sorts: clothing, jewelry, art, etc), great food options and nice kids area too. I was worried it would be super crowded but the size of the crowd is not an issue. Nicely spread over the entire park so it's never feels claustrophobic. Easy to navigate from stage to stage and around the festival area. Plenty of water stations so you can refill your water bottle. Also plenty of spots to purchase other beverages and lines never unreasonably long. We were fortunate to attend the event with "veterans" who helped us navigate the logistics. #1 - Bring a water bottle! It is in September but it is usually still warm in TN and there are plenty of refill stations. You are not allowed to bring outside beverages in but they did seem to allow a bottle full of ice. #2 - Bring chairs(or blanket, depends on your preference). We brought our beach chairs and set them up in the Chair & Blanket section of one of the larger stages. That gave us a "home base" and we ventured to the other stages from there. #3 - Sunscreen. Again it is still pretty warm in TN in September and you will probably spend a lot of time in the sun. Hats are good too if you are a hat person. #4 - Dress comfortably, including shoes. The event is spread over the Harlinsdale farm area and if you want the full experience it will mean some walking, and you are walking on some gravel or dirt paths and lots of field areas. #5 - Don't overlook the smaller stages. The bigger stages host the bigger names but the smaller venues are lovely. Several of them are under tents or shade so that is a plus. Also the musicians you hear there are top notch too and you may be hearing a up 'n comer in the business! #6 - Most places take cards but having cash for some of these vendors can expedite check out if the wifi gets overloaded. There are plenty of great options in the food areas. (yes, multiple areas and food vendors around some of the larger stages too) Some nice shaded areas for eating and surely something for every taste. Incredible line up of talent. Different every year. Full of well know names with huge followings and plenty of newer faces that don't disappoint either. We were able to toggle between several of the stages and see a great variety of performances. Well done Pilgrimage! A great showcase!

The Main Library has a free art gallery on the first floor with a single exhibit that changes every…read morefew months. Right now they have an exhibit by Sue Mulcahy, who also recently had a show at the Frist called "Shades of Gray." I really liked the black and white drawings she exhibited at the Frist, so I'd definitely recommend checking out her work at the library. Plus, you can see it here for free, wheras I had to pay over $10 to see it (along with some other great exhibits) at the Frist. Nashville's Main Library seems to be well endowed, and this gallery is no exception: the space is open, well-lit, and feels very new. They seem to consistently have worthwhile exhibits. If you aren't satisfied by what you see in the art gallery, there's also usually an exhibit from the library's special collections on the second floor balcony. Right now they're showing presidential campaign art past and present, which I thought was pretty cool. The library does a good job with the presentation of its exhibits, providing plenty of food for thought, without trying to fit too many pieces onto one wall.