We visited Nashville in the fall because the weather was perfect and there are so many fall things to do in Nashville, from professional sporting events to festivals and more. Find the best ones in our post here.
For more help planning your trip, check out all of our posts about Nashville.
Nashville is such a fun city. There’s always so much going on.
When we were there, I took a walk around 10, after breakfast, and Broadway was already packed. Bands were already on stages, blaring music into the streets.
New York is known as the city that never sleeps, but Nashville could have that designation as well.
So any season is a good one to visit Nashville, but we went in the fall. The weather was perfect. We were able to wear tank tops and shorts, ride bikes around during the day and at night without sweating and without getting cold, and we were able to enjoy all the rooftops.
If you’re planning a fall trip to Nashville and wondering wat’s going on in Music City, this list will help.
Fall is a great time to experience the outdoors in Nashville, Tennessee. We did that by renting bikes and riding around the city. We were able to see more than we would have on foot and were able to stop anytime we saw something interesting (as opposed to a rideshare where it just brings us to a singular spot).
If you want to know more, check out our BCycle In Nashville post.
Fall Things To Do In Nashville, TN
Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.
Yes, I’m publishing this in mid-October (because we were just in Nashville in late September/early October so I had to check everything out and decide what would and wouldn’t get included.
So, some of these events have already happened for 2025. But, if you’re planning your trip for next fall, they’ll help.
The Gulch Fall Market
There is a very good chance that you’re going to end up in The Gulch because it’s a very cool shopping district where all of the most popular murals (like the very famous Nashville WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural is).
So, since you want to go anyway, you should definitely go when The Gulch Fall Market is happening (it’s October 18 from 11 am to 4 pm this year) at Canopy by Hilton (920 Division St) on the second-floor outdoor terrace.
There will be over 20 local vendors selling homemade bread, soap, jewelry, and more. All perfect souvenirs. There will be live music and seasonal cocktails and food (although, I would save my appetite for after and get doughnuts from Five Daughters in The Gulch, but that’s me).
Nashville Oktoberfest
Nashville Oktoberfest is the longest consecutively running party in the Southeast. It was started in 1980 and has run ever since.
Next year’s dates are October 1 to 4 at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Germantown (622 Jefferson St), so mark your calendars.
The event is filled with German beer, two stages of music, tons of food and vendor tents — including pretzels from Bavarian Bierhaus (which we loved).
Throughout the weekend, there will be different daily events, like a pup parade, a brat eating contest, and more.
When we went this year, Thursday night and the first half of Friday were free. Otherwise, it’s $12 admission.
You can get more details at our full Nashville Oktoberfest review.
Nashville Artville
When we were walking from our hotel to Broadway on the first morning of our trip, we stumbled over the American Artisan Festival at Artville. And of course, we had to stop.
It’s a large, outdoor art festival in Walk of Fame Park (121 4th Ave S) in Downtown Nashville. There were huge art displays set up, vendor tents selling art, a beer tent, and a huge stage for bands.
Besides the main event, there are other smaller events, like the Artville Talk and Artville Afterdark. Those are free, but have limited availability, so if you want to go, you’ll want to book tickets in advance.
See A Nashville Predators Game
The hockey season starts in early October, which is in the fall. So, seeing a Nashville Predators game is such a good fall activity in Nashville. Sorry. In Smashville. IYKYK. And if you don’t know, you’ll know after a game.
Bridgestone Arena (501 Broadway) is in the heart of Nashville, right on Broadway and next to the Visitor’s Center. We walked past it so many times because we stayed on the same block, plus the easiest BCycle station to take out and park our bikes was at the arena.
The schedule changes annually, so you can’t book a trip now and expect the team to be in town on the same days next year, but the season is always the same time frame, so you can kind of plan.
See A Tennessee Titans Game
Football season starts at the end of the summer, but it goes right through the fall (and into the winter). And the Tennessee Titans play at Nissan Stadium (One Titans Way), which is in East Nashville, right across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge from downtown Nashville.
If you’re lucky enough to be in town when the Titans are playing, definitely see a game. It’s an experience like none other.
And, if you’re lucky enough to be in town when the Titans are terrible (they’re 1-5 right now), you can probably get tickets super cheap on StubHub.
Nashville Film Festival
We originally planned our Nashville trip for the week of the Nashville Film Festival, but we ended up missing it by a couple day. This year, it was September 18 to 24.
The festival showcases over 125 in person screenings, plus Q&A sessions with filmmakers, music showcases, and more.
This year’s festival, in it 56th year, hosted a NashFilm Creators Conference at the Hilton Nashville Green Hills (3801 Cleghorn Avenue), an opening party at Urban Cowboy Bar, screenings at Regal Green Hills theater, plus other events.
If you’re into film or film making, this is a great experience.
Cheekwood Harvest
We have an annual pass to our local botanical garden. It’s part of the AHS Reciprocal Program, which means we get free admission to other gardens in the program. One of those is Cheekwood Estate and Garden (1200 Forrest Park Dr), which hosts fantastic fall-themed Harvest Nights.
The garden sets up Pumpkin Village, three pumpkin-filled houses and a A Jack-o’-Lantern Topiary with 150 pumpkins. Actually, there are over 75,000 pumpkin throughout the gardens). Get your camera ready because you’re gonna want these shots for the ‘gram.
On the Thursday evening Harvest Nights, there’s pumpkin painting, salsa night, Oktoberfest, and a costume party. Those nights are an extra fee, but it’s worth it.
Quick note, though: Cheekwood is outside the city center. So, if you’re staying near Broadway and planning on Uber-ing there, it was a $25 ride every time we looked.
Nashville Greek Festival
I’m always in for Greek food. We have an annual Greek Festival here in Wilmington, and I go every year for some spanikopita and dancing.
If you want to get your opa on when you’re in Nashville, head to the Nashville Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (4900 Notre Dame Rd). It was September 26 to 28 this year.
There’s a ton of food and dancing (of course), plus vendors to shop from, and lectures in the church.
Carve On The Patio At Monday Night Brewing
Monday Night Brewing (1308 Adams Street) is open in East Germantown in a former meatpacking plant. So, just as a space and a story, this place is pretty cool.
If you want an excuse to visit, head there on October 19 from noon to 6 pm for Carve on the Patio. You can carve your own pumpkin, sip on fall beers, and drink some seasonal cocktails.
You’re encouraged to come dressed in your costume, which is fun because if you do want to get dressed up for Halloween, you don’t have that many excuses to do it. So, here’s one more.
Kidsville
If you’re traveling with kids, you’re hunting for things to do with them in Nashville because it is very much an adult city. So Kidsville is perfect.
On select Saturdays in October and November (October 11 and 25; November 1, 8, 15, and 22), Centennial Park (2598 West End Avenue), home of the Parthenon and the Taylor Swift bench, hosts Kidsville, with storytelling, arts and crafts, and more.
Even better, admission to the Parthenon is free for families with kids 12 and under, which is great because admission is usually $15 each (and we didn’t go inside because of that; plus, I really just wanted to go to sit on the bench).
Get Fall Produce At The Farmers Market
We worked at our local farmers market for years, so I love to visit other farmers markets when I’m on vacation to see what’s going on there.
What’s fun about the Nashville Farmers Market (900 Rosa L Parks Blvd) is its a permanent structure, not a pop up like most other markets (if you’re been to the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, NC, it reminds me of that).
There are individual stands for vendors, which are selling fall produce like apples and pumpkins. There’s a full food court too, including restaurants like Jeni’s Ice Creams, which offers seasonal flavors.
It’s also flanked by the free-to-enter Tennessee State Museum and Bicentennial Park, so you can check those out when you’re in the area.
And, if you’re looking for free stuff to stretch your budget, our list of free things to do in Nashville will definitely help.
Nashville Brew Festival
Nashville is filled with breweries (our favorite was Yee-Haw Brewing), so it makes sense that it would need a full stadium for its Nashville Brew Festival.
The festival happens at First Horizon Park (19 Junior Gilliam Way) on September 27. It features over 50 breweries (and triple that in beers), plus there are food trucks and games. And, it’s Nashville. So of course there’s live music.
Your ticket guarantees you unlimited beer during the event, but keep in mind that these events are always well attended and lines for beer are long. You can pay for early admission for an extra hour, and we suggest that. We had something similar at Brews N Blues in Fayetteville a few years ago and that extra hour was the most enjoyable.
Ghost Tour
Any time is a good time for a ghost tour, but it’s best in the fall around Halloween. You just get those good vibes.
So when you’re in Nashville, take a ghost tour.
I’m going to eventually put together a haunted Nashville post, so you can do a self-guided tour. For now, I suggest you book a ghost tour. That link has options for a few: haunted Nashville, a haunted true crime tour, a haunted pub crawl, a night walking tour, and more.
Fall Tennessee Craft Fair
Craft fairs are a little hard for visitors to appreciate fully because you’re not really able to bring anything home. As much as you like it, you’re not putting pottery in your carry on. But, if you can find something small, it’s worth it.
So stop by the Fall Tennessee Craft Fair on October 10 to 12 at Centennial Park.
Hopefully One Man, One Garage will be one the artists there. I met him at Oktoberfest and bought a wooden ornament for my mom for Christmas. I couldn’t buy anything else because it wouldn’t fit in my carry on bag, but this was fine.
Boo At The Zoo / BOOze at the Zoo
Depending on what age group you’re heading to Nashville with, you’re going to either want to go to Boo At The Zoo (with kids) or BOOze at the Zoo (adults only) at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (3777 Nolensville Pk).
Boo at the Zoo happens October 17 to November 1 with fall themed activities, special animal shows, scarecrow, and photo opps (so kids are encouraged to dress in costume).
BOOze at the Zoo is a one-night only, adult only event on October 16 at 6:30 pm. There are booze samples, trick-or-treating, a live DJ, and more.
If you’re visiting, just keep in mind that the zoo is outside of downtown Nashville and will probably cost you quite a bit for an Uber there and back.
Southern Festival of Books
If you like books, you’ll love the Southern Festival of Books, one of the oldest literary festivals in the country.
Hundreds of authors flock to Bicentennial Mall, Tennessee State Museum, and Tennessee State Library and Archives, spreading out across performance stages. So, basically, everyone except your favorite author (Lisa from Drugstore Divas).
There will also be food trucks.
It’s happening on October 18 and 19 this year.
CMA Awards
Putting the Country Music Awards last feels like burying the lede because it’s one of the biggest events in Nashville. But, although the general public can get tickets, it’s mostly artists who go (and I don’t think people like Carrie Underwood are coming to my blog for ideas of what to do in the fall).
But, if you do get lucky enough to get tickets, the awards are November 19 at Bridgestone Arena.
And, if you don’t get lucky enough to get tickets, there’s so many artists in the area for the show, plus a lot of events in the area (but not as much as CMA Fest in the summer), so you might want to keep your eyes open.
Have you been to Nashville in the Fall? Let us know your favorite things to do there.