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

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!

I've volunteered for this event for two years and am so impressed! Why I love it:…read more- It is by far the best organized wine event I've been to and has the widest selection of high-quality food and drinks. No need to eat or drink beforehand - plenty to try there! - They probably have a hundred types of wines to try - and the attendees vary widely from people just looking to get drunk (definitely easy to do!!) to wine connoisseurs eager to find their new favorite. - They have great entertainment, with several bands playing at all time. - It's inside in a cool space (weather can certainly be an issue with some of the outdoor festivals) - It benefits an awesome charity! Great for a date or a night out with friends!!

This is a great event! This year was my second time and as always, I had a great time. They are not…read moreshy when it comes to their wine pours. Almost all of them will give you more if you ask! So many varieties of wine from different countries which I really enjoyed. In terms of food, it ranges from BBQ to grits to cupcakes and to cheese. My favorite was Murray's Cheese featured in Kroger and Sperry's! Their food was really good! This is a great event for a great cause. The venue is beautiful and the wines were fantastic!

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.

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.

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!

If you're from AZ the Renaissance Fair is hot. So why not try another state? The Ren Fair in…read moreTennessee has tall trees so there's a lot of shade. It's smaller than AZ but so much fun! There's even a real castle you can visit! It's a must take in for fans of this type of event!

Unfortunately it just isn't what it used to be. There were way less vendors and the prices of…read moreeverything have gone up so much it isn't even worth it anymore. It's getting more like a cosplay convention, the role players hired to work the fair weren't very enthusiastic or interacting with people that much. No more alcohol sales, a lot of the food vendors we love (corn fritters, beef stew, the long fair corndogs) are gone. It's just not what it used to be and that makes me so sad. We didn't stay for more than two hours and kind of just wandered a lot. We ended up eating on a little grassy hill but it was so boring we left without seeing the joust. The porta John's have never been cleaner though. We are going to give it one more shot at the end of this month but only because I live for a turkey leg.

My first visit to Franklin, TN was two summers ago, on July 4th. I happened to visit during an…read moreexcessive heat warning, which lasted nearly a week. Hibernation was key. I ended up taking in a movie at the AMC dine-in Thoroughbred 20. I had a wonderful time that I ended up exploring the city a bit afterward. I returned a few days later to spend almost an entire day here. The AMC had effective air-conditioning. It was special in that I could order food and have it delivered to my seat. The bacon chicken mac was excellent. It was fun having yummy mac while taking in a flick. I loved visiting this city that's south of Nashville. It felt suburban, similar to Markham. It had everything that I needed when it came to shopping and dining. I dined and grabbed takeout at these establishments: - Old Chicago - Culver's - Shake Shack I had wonderful experiences at all three eateries. I'd return to relive them. I remember hitting a Starbucks drive-thru. It had just closed, so I can't comment on how great this cafe is other than the man was apologetic and polite. This area also has all my favourite stores to spend my hard-earned money at: - Office Depot - Trader Joe's - TJ Maxx - Kohl's - Barnes and Noble I needed a day to hit all of them thoroughly. It was some much fun. The next time I'm in Nashville, I'll consider staying in Franklin. It's nice to be away from all the major tourist attractions after visiting them. (43)

Franklin is a great town, its clean and friendly. However, I experienced some terrible time with…read morerenting a place to live there i have been here 2 year's. The apartment complexes are able to go up on your rent for any reason. They came up with different reasons as an average person it is unaffordable to live there it is my opinion not to live here.

Gentry's Farm is such a fun fall activity for the kids. We've visited a couple of times as a family…read moreand this year my daughter had a field trip here. All were great experiences. Parking is free in a grassy field. Depending on arrival time it may be a short walk to the entrance. They offer wagons to help get pumpkins to the car at the end. The field trip here exceeded my expectations. It was educational and fun for the kids. The kids arrived and had their sack lunches at the picnic tables. A farm guide led our group to the different areas. I loved that every area started as educational. It was the perfect amount of time to keep the interest of first graders. Then the kids would get to play and burn off energy for 10-15 minutes before the next section. We went on a wagon ride and the kids were able to pick pumpkins from a patch to take home. A highlight for my daughter was watching the cows eat pumpkins. I just loved how the farm structured the field trip. The farm is open to the public on weekends in September and October. Check their Instagram for the specific weekends and times. This is a family/kid centered fall activity. They have animals, mazes, playgrounds, and games spread out across the property. Come in walking shoes and spend a few hours playing with the kids. At the front of the property they have pumpkins of all sizes and colors. The pricing is reasonable on what they offer. A small concession stand offers water, soda, and packaged snacks. The only thing that would make the fall experience here more fun would be some fall foods. Maybe a collaboration or food trucks on site with donuts, coffee, or ciders. Admission is reasonably priced for all of the activities they offer. All activities offered are included in the admission fee. Seniors and kids under a certain age (I believe two years) are free. A trip to Gentry's Farm is a fall must do for our family.

Fun outdoor activities for the infant to maybe 7 year old age group. I had family in town and…read morewanted somewhere to tire out a 2 and 5 year old for at least half a day, and this fit the bill. Nashville has an incredibly low number of toddler friendly half and full day activities, and this is one of the rare ones that is incredibly toddler friendly, but not super far away. There's kind of a weirdly high amount of religious messaging everywhere, which made us kind of uncomfortable but the actual farm was awesome for the kids, so a bit of a double-edged sword. Free parking, free entry for seniors and under 2, and $13 per person for everyone else, so this is also one of the cheaper options in the area for an outing with kids. Located a 10 min drive outside of downtown Franklin, we were impressed by how well curated the 400-acre farm is for kids. There are a selection of caged farm animals (pigs, rabbits, cows, chickens, turkey, and pigeons) for kids to view and you can also see other animals like goats lounging in other fenced areas of the farm, and we even saw a turtle in the pond! There's a 4-acre corn maze for families, and older kids, and a hay bale maze for toddlers that were both quite fun. Theres some educational and fun troughs set up for wheat and corn (almost like a craft playpen of sorts) and some outdoor games scattered throughout the area (go fish, cornhole, tic tac toe boards, etc.). There's a tractor ride (free with your admission) that we really loved which takes you through some scenic spots on the farm where we got to see baby cows and a few historic buildings on the farm, dating back to even the late 1800s. There is a putt putt area we didn't check out, but it's an astounding amount of activities that could easily fill a day. They sell pumpkins for $8, but no options to pick your own here. (The pumpkins they have already picked are extremely picturesque. There are snacks (popcorn, drinks, etc) for purchase but you can also bring your own food (which we did) and there are picnic tables where you can have lunch. One drawback: no real restrooms. There are two areas of porta potties and hand sanitizer everywhere. They are some of the cleaner porta potties I have ever been to, but are still kinda gross to me. Overall, we really liked this spot if you can tolerate the bathroom situation and all the religious stuff everywhere. Open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (one of the only farms open on a Monday) primarily in September and October. Would do this again with my niece and nephew if they come next fall, but might get repetitive if you've been before recently.