Free things to do
Great days that cost nothing
Tennessee State Museum
Free admission to the state’s story, from the earliest people here to the music era. Next to the Bicentennial Mall.
Bicentennial Capitol Mall
A state park in the shadow of the Capitol, with the Farmers’ Market next door for lunch.
Radnor Lake
Quiet trails and wildlife about 20 minutes from downtown. Arrive early on weekends: the lot fills up.
Shelby Bottoms
Flat greenway miles along the Cumberland River in East Nashville. Good for bikes, runs and strollers.
Frist Art Museum
Rotating exhibitions in a 1930s post office building. Free for anyone 18 and under.
Musicians Corner
Free outdoor concerts in Centennial Park in spring and fall. Bring a blanket.
This week · Nov 2–8
This week in Nashville
VOILÀ presents Moonbloom
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 7:00 PMGermantown
Nurse Blake: But Did You Die? Tour
TPAC Polk Theater · 7:00 PMDowntown
Bitch Cabal feat. Wednesday & Mannequin Pussy
The Truth · 8:00 PMChestnut Hill
Grand Ole Opry: Dierks Bentley & Kaitlin Butts
Grand Ole Opry House · 7:00 PMMusic ValleyNashville Predators vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Bridgestone Arena · 7:00 PMDowntownSaosin: 20 Years of Self-Titled
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 7:00 PMGermantown
Death Becomes Her
TPAC Jackson Hall · 7:30 PMDowntown
Dwight Yoakam
Ryman Auditorium · 8:00 PMDowntown
Madeon presents Victory Live
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 8:00 PMGermantown
Benise: Spanish Nights by Candlelight
TPAC Johnson Theater · 7:00 PMDowntown
Randy Feltface: Gimmick!
Zanies Nashville · 7:00 PMEdgehill
Jonas Brothers: The Burning Up Tour All Over Again
Bridgestone Arena · 7:30 PMDowntown
Yung Gravy: The Joyrider Tour
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 8:00 PMGermantown
Daniel Sloss: BITTER (Brand New Tour!)
The Truth · 8:00 PMChestnut HillA Country Christmas and ICE! featuring Home Alone
Gaylord Opryland Resort · TBAMusic Valley
All American 400 Weekend
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway · TBAWedgewood-Houston
Gabriel Rutledge
The Lab at Zanies · 7:00 PM8th Avenue South
Dave Matthews Band
Bridgestone Arena · 7:30 PMDowntownNashville Symphony: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert
Schermerhorn Symphony Center · 7:30 PMSoBro
Punchis! Punchis! Banda Rave
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 9:00 PMGermantown
Jo Dee Messina
The Truth · 7:30 PMChestnut Hill
Craig Morgan’s Veterans Day 5K
Grand Ole Opry House · 8:00 AMMusic Valley
Turnip Green Festival
Nashville Farmers’ Market · 10:00 AMGermantown
Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair
OneC1TY · 11:00 AMMidtownMarkets for Makers Holiday Market
The Fairgrounds Nashville, Expo 1 · 11:00 AMWedgewood-HoustonNashville Predators vs. St. Louis Blues
Bridgestone Arena · 12:00 PMDowntown
Craig Morgan
Ryman Auditorium · 8:00 PMDowntownJulia Jacklin: North America Tour 2026
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 8:00 PMGermantown
Motionless In White: The Sweat and Blood Tour
The Truth · 6:30 PMChestnut HillA Celtic Christmas
TPAC Polk Theater · 6:00 PMDowntown
GWAR
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville · 7:00 PMGermantown
The Milk Carton Kids
Ryman Auditorium · 7:30 PMDowntown
Fetty Wap: Nostalgia Tour
The Truth · 8:00 PMChestnut HillEvents calendar
Plan the whole month
Every show, market, game and festival we’re tracking, day by day, with Today and Tomorrow views.
The outdoors
Get outside
Nashville has more green space than people expect, most of it free.
Warner Parks
Percy and Edwin Warner Parks together are one of the largest city parks in the country, with trails, horse trails and scenic drives.
Greenways
Paved trails across the county, including Shelby Bottoms, the Stones River Greenway and Richland Creek.
Percy Priest Lake
Boating, paddleboarding and lakeside trails on the east side, including Long Hunter State Park.
Harpeth River
Rent a kayak or canoe from a local outfitter for an easy float west of town, near Harpeth River State Park.
Beaman Park
Wooded hollows and creeks in the northwest corner of the county, great for a quiet hike.
Radnor Lake
A protected natural area with easy trails around the lake and lots of turtles, deer and owls. No bikes; dogs only on some trails.
Family days
Out with the kids
Nashville Zoo
Animals from around the world at Grassmere, plus seasonal events like Boo at the Zoo and Glow Wild.
Adventure Science Center
Hands-on exhibits and a planetarium, a short drive from downtown.
Library puppet shows
Free marionette shows by Wishing Chair Productions at the main library downtown.
Lane Motor Museum
A quirky collection of unusual cars, microcars and motorcycles.
Frist Art Museum
Free for 18 and under, with a hands-on art studio for kids.
Cheekwood
Gardens to run around in, plus seasonal festivals and holiday lights.
Game day
Pick a team
- NFL
Tennessee Titans
Football Sundays at Nissan Stadium, across the river from downtown.
- NHL
Nashville Predators
Smashville: hockey nights at Bridgestone Arena, right on Broadway.
- MLS
Nashville SC
Soccer at GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the country.
- Triple-A
Nashville Sounds
Cheap, easy baseball nights at First Horizon Park in Germantown.
- College
Vanderbilt & TSU
SEC games at Vanderbilt and HBCU football and homecoming at Tennessee State.
The local calendar
A year in Nashville
The traditions locals look forward to every year.
- Monthly
First Saturday Art Crawl
Free gallery openings downtown, usually on the first Saturday evening of the month.
- Spring
Cherry blossoms & Musicians Corner
Blossoms along the riverfront and free concerts in Centennial Park.
- May
Iroquois Steeplechase
Big hats and horse racing at Percy Warner Park.
- Summer
Sounds games & July Fourth
Baseball nights and fireworks on the riverfront.
- August
Tomato Art Fest
East Nashville’s silly, much-loved neighborhood party.
- October
Germantown Oktoberfest
Beer, brats and polka in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
- Winter
Holiday lights
Cheekwood, the zoo and Gaylord Opryland all light up for the season.
Local know-how
The city, sorted
The services and accounts that make life here easier.
hubNashville (311)
Report a pothole, a missed trash pickup or a streetlight out. Call 311 or file it online and track the fix.
Nashville Public Library
Free card for Davidson County residents: books, streaming, free classes and events at branches across town.
Metro Parks & greenways
Community centers, pools, sports leagues and a growing network of greenway trails across the county.
Severe weather
Spring and fall can bring tornado warnings. Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and know your safe spot at home.
Getting around
WeGo buses connect neighborhoods to downtown, and the WeGo Star commuter train runs from Lebanon on weekdays.
Trash & recycling
Check your curbside pickup day and what goes in the recycling cart on Metro’s site.
From the blog
Keep reading
Nashville neighborhoods, explained
Twelve neighborhoods, what they’re like and who they suit, in one honest page.
October 1, 2026
Free things to do in Nashville this fall
Museums, music, trails and the best skyline view in town, none of which cost a thing.
October 9, 2026
Hot chicken 101: where to start
The legend, the classic shops and how hot you should actually order.
September 25, 2026