Mark Your Calendars for these Summer Festivals in Tennessee

Article Summary:

• Festivals devoted to everything from music to art and food happen across Tennessee each summer.
• The largest festivals are typically music festivals like CMA Fest in Nashville (June 6-9, 2024) and Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester (June 13-16, 2024).
• Food-related events like the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in Memphis (May 15-18, 2024) also draw a devoted crowd. 

Summer is the peak time to travel to Tennessee. The state’s many summer festivals are just an extra incentive to visit. 

From May until August, summer festivals and events liven up the scene. You’ll find festivals in big cities like Nashville and Memphis and unassuming small towns like Bell Buckle (population 410).

Naturally, the state has plenty of music festivals given its prominent role in the music industry, but there are also more niche festivals devoted to food, culture, and the arts.

Dozens of festivals take place each month across the state, so it can be hard to decide which ones to go to. As a Tennessee resident, I’ve put together all the top festivals that should be on your radar for summer 2024.

Here are the top picks by month:

May Festivals

• West Tennessee Strawberry Festival – May 5-11, 2024, Humboldt, TN – The West Tennessee Strawberry Festival is the longest-running festival in the state. Highlights include a recipe contest, carnival, fireworks, and more.
• Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival – May 10-11, 2024, Portland, TN – Local strawberry farmers bring their strawberries to sell each year at this Middle Tennessee festival. Other fun features include a pancake breakfast, live music, and a parade.
• Southern Skies Music & Whiskey Festival – May 11, 2024, Knoxville, TN – This festival celebrates Americana music and Tennessee whiskey in Downtown Knoxville. Headliners include Old Crow Medicine Show and The Dirty Guv’nahs.
• World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest – May 15-18, 2024, Memphis, TN – Teams come from all over to compete in the largest pork barbecue competition in the world. The general public can buy tickets to taste samples.
• Bloomin’ BBQ Music & Food Festival – May 17-18, 2024, Sevierville, TN – Spread out over a weekend, the Bloomin’ BBQ Festival showcases bluegrass and Americana performers. The festival also hosts the Tennessee State Championship BBQ Cook-Off.
• CaveJam – May 24-26, 2024, Grundy County, TN – CaveJam is a new music festival hosted at The Caverns. Twenty artists and bands are included in the lineup with performances held at above and below ground stages. 

June Festivals

• National MooFest – June 1, 2024, Athens, TN – Celebrate all things dairy at this agricultural festival. Highlights include a soap box derby, bake-off, cow costume contest, and craft vendors.
• CMA Fest – June 6-9, 2024, Nashville, TN – This country music event features hundreds of artists and bands over 4 days. Shows include both up-and-coming artists and established acts like Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, and more. 
• Rhinestone Fest – June 7-8, 2024, Knoxville, TN – Formerly known as the Dolly Fest, this festival is a chance to channel the beloved country music legend while enjoying great art, music, and food.
• Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – June 13-16, 2024, Manchester, TN – Thousands of music lovers gather on this 700-acre farm every year to camp and listen to music. Headliners include Pretty Lights, FISHER, Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Fred again..
• RC Cola-MoonPie Festival – June 15, 2024, Bell Buckle, TN – This quirky festival celebrates the classic RC Cola and MoonPie combo. It’s a family-friendly event with a craft fair, parade, games, and the World’s Largest MoonPie.

July Festivals

• Music City Hot Chicken Festival – July 4, 2024, Nashville, TN – The Music City Hot Chicken Festival is where to try Nashville’s signature dish from the city’s top hot chicken restaurants. An amateur cooking competition also takes place during the festival. 
• Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree – July 5-6, 2024, Smithville, TN – This weekend festival showcases Appalachian culture including crafts, art, dance, and music. Music and dance competitions take place throughout the weekend including the much-anticipated Fiddle-Off. 
• Tri-State Outdoors Fest – July 20, 2024, Cumberland Gap, TN – The Tri-State Outdoors Fest highlights all the outdoor activities near the Cumberland Gap. Parks and outdoor agencies host informational booths. Workshops and guided hikes take place, too.
• Porchfest – July 31, 2024, Jackson, TN – As part of 731 Day, Jackson hosts Porchfest featuring West Tennessee musicians from different genres. The event takes place across 9 stages in the LANA neighborhood.

August Festivals

• Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival – August 17, 2024, Townsend, TN – The sky fills with balloons manned by professional balloonists at this festival in the Smoky Mountains. Highlights include craft vendors and demonstrations, activities for the whole family, and a food truck court.
• Elvis Week – August 9-17, 2024, Memphis, TN – Hosted at Elvis Presley’s Graceland Mansion, this weeklong event is a celebration of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. A few features are an Elvis tribute contest, movie screenings, a gospel show, and a candlelight vigil.
• Tomato Art Fest – August 9-10, 2024, Nashville, TN – This quirky art festival in East Nashville celebrates the divisive fruit/vegetable. Enjoy the tomato-inspired costumes while taking in the weekend’s art vendors, food trucks, and unique contests.
• Chattanooga Margarita Festival – August 10, 2024, Chattanooga, TN – A ticket to the Chattanooga Margarita Festival allows visitors to sample 10 margaritas from restaurants across the city and vote on the best. Proceeds support the Chattanooga Market.
• Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair – August 15-24, 2024, Lebanon, TN – This combined event features state fair and county fair competitions, live entertainment, midway rides, and lots of great food.

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Planning a trip to Tennessee? See all of our guides to Tennessee and Nashville.

(Featured Image Credit: micksphotos / Shutterstock.com)