20 Tennessee Summer Festivals You Can’t Miss

Well, summer is a comin' and here in Tennessee we have some rip roarin' festivals that will keep you on your toes. From country music to fourth of July celebrations, you aren't going to want to spend the next couple sweltering months anywhere else. Here we go! 

20) CMA Fest - Nashville

An extended weekend celebrating the musical heartbeat of Nashville commonly exceeds 200,000 attendees. You can chill out on Broadway at night and visit the endless number of booths and autograph sites during the day. All the country A-listers come out to play, and this year you can catch it from June 11-14th.

19) Lynneville Blackberry Festival: Are you a fan of jams and jellies? Do you love blackberry pie? Then we have quite the event for you. Arts and crafts and food booths. We don't need a dang thing else.

18) Gatlinburg Fourth of July Midnight Parade: If you want to celebrate the first July 4th parade in the nation, then pitch up in Gatlinburg on the 3rd for a rollicking good time. Keep time with 100,000 other attendees as you honor the nation first, together.

17) Wilson County Fair - Lebanon

Known as one of the best fairs in the state, Wilson County Fair will take place this year from August 14-22. Just, go. It's an extravaganza you won't want to miss!

16) Lynchburg Frontier Days: East Nashville is really rockin' out when it comes to all their awesome summer spots. Frontier Days in Lynchburg will give your kids the chance to ride a pony and visit the petting zoo, and you can wander the carnival area or take in a western re-enactment.

15) Greek Food Festival - Memphis

Who DOESN'T love Grek food? Let's be honest here. From May 8th to the 9th you can pig out in Memphis, where life music and scads of food booths will keep you busy.

14) Chattanooga Craft Beer Festival: Check out more than thirty craft brews down in Chattanooga. The ticket price gets you unlimited samples, and this year will be held on May 9th. Better hop in that car!

13) Great Tennessee Air Show

The Smyrna Airport hosts one of the neatest air shows in the country, held once every two years. Don't be bummed that you can't cash in on this extravaganza until 2016 - because we promise. It's well worth the wait.

12) Secret City Festival

June 12-13 you can head over to Oak Ridge, where more than 20,000 people will learn about the heritage of the Secret City and discover the inner workings of the Manhattan Project. There will be historic displays and the opportunity for kids to take part in the children's festival.

11) Nashville Hot Chicken Festival

On July 4th in East Nashville, you'll find hordes of people sweatin' it out for hot chicken. You can grab local beer and keep your toes tapping to live music as you go. Bring the family and the sunscreen, because it's gonna be a scorcher for sure.

10) Chattanooga Riverbend Music Festival: Ross's Landing hosts almost ten days of music with six awesome stages and a ton of insanely great artists - we're talking more than one hundred. It's held in Chattanooga (shocker) from June 5-13.

9) Tennessee Medieval Faire - Harriman: Hear ye, hear ye! All you fans of medieval legendry and folklore need to make it to Harriman. The festival runs from May 16-31, and is an interactive environment for both children and adults.

8) Dogwood Arts Festival

April is home to the Dogwood Arts Festival in Downtown Knoxville. It marks the very beginning of the sunny season, and you'll find scads of local artists and musicians hawking their goods. It's a fun spot, and a neat annual adventure. Next year, Knoxville - we see you.

7) 4th of July - Nashville

Nashville is wicked popular when it comes to the fourth. The fireworks show ranks amongst some of the best in the nation, and there are tons of small gatherings throughout the city. Join us this year for a celebration you'll never forget!

6) Jonesborough Days: Three. Days. Of super fun fireworks and readying up for the 4th of July craze. There's no admission fee, a huge parade, storytellers and a Civil War Encampment. Make it over July 2-4th.

5) Elizabethton Covered Bridge Celebration

Who wouldn't want to celebrate these stunning covered bridges?! The festival is from June 10-13th, and is welcome to the entire family.

4) Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival: The Great Smoky Mountains is a place of insane natural beauty, and you can get in on the action for the weekend of June 20-21. Check out the newly bloomed rhododendrons and enjoy a time of sweet rest with your family.

3) Blue Plum Arts and Music Festival - Johnson City : There's a bike race! And an art contest! The festival lasts three days and boasts a fun run and food booths that'll keep you busy and carbo-loaded all day. This year you can catch it in early June.

2) Lafayette Hillbilly Days- Lafayette: Head on out to Lafayette this June for a neat festival that celebrates the hillbilly in all of us. You'll be able to take part in the arts and crafts area of the gathering, and the attendance stays on the slimmer side so you'll feel safe wandering with those kiddos of yours.

1) Bonnaroo - Manchester

Known as one of the biggest and best music festivals in the nation, Bonnaroo has even been known to rival Coachella in California. Yipes! Snag an ultra pass online for June 11-14th.

There are a million and a half fantastic festivals spread liberally throughout Tennessee. Your best bet? Check your city calendar and buy some sunscreen - it's gonna be a wild summer. If we missed your favorite festival, leave some tips in the comments below!