Nashville is the 4th best place to hear live music

The Society of American Travel Writers has named Nashville one of the 10 best cities to see live music.

Nashville ranked No. 4 on the list.

See the entire list at their website.

Tennessee Festivals - July 2009

July 10 -July 18, 2009

Fun Fest

Kingsport, Tennessee

Multiple family activities including sports, kids events, major artist concerts, hot air balloon rally
423-392-8806

~

July 10 -July 12, 2009

Uncle Dave Macon Days

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Old time music and dance competitions. National championships buck dance, clogging, old time banjo.
615-893-4953

~

July 12, 2009

Half Moon Festival

Ten Mile, Tennessee

A showcase of the area's best musical talent.
865-717-0584

~

July 24 -July 26, 2009

Tomato Festival

Rutledge, Tennessee

Grainger County Tomato Wars, Mater Madness 5K, Art & History Exposition, antique agricultural equipment
423-231-5954

~

July 25 -July 26, 2009

James D Vaughan Festival

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

The Perrys, Inspirations, Gold City, Dove Brothers, Chuck Wagon Gang
Estimated attendees-2000 931-629-1216

~

July 25 -July 26, 2009

Save the Music Bluegrass & Arts

LaFollette, Tennessee

Major Preformers, arts and crafts, to help support Campbell County Marching Band
423-563-8651

Festivals in Tennessee; November calendar

November 1
The Americana Folk Festival
Burns, Tennessee
A celebration of roots music and folk art nestled within Montgomery Bell State Park.
931-721-6738

November 1
East Tennessee Chili Cook-off
Knoxville, Tennessee
30 teams compete for the best chili in town! 4 southen rocks bands to play.
865-521-0000

November 21-23
Christmas In The Country
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
29th Annual Christmas In The Country
931-762-4911

November 22
Ed Fest Toy Drive
Madisonville, Tennessee
Ed Fest Toy Drive In Conjuction with Madisonville Police Dept.,
6 Live Bands
423-420-0619

Tennessee Festivals- August and September

8-31
Cookeville, TN
WhiskeyStock Music Fest, 4 day Music Festival over Labor Day Weekend
828-286-1553

9-07
Elizabethton, TN
Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival, Celtic Music, Clans, Vendors and more
423-975-0045

9-07
Loudon, TN
Smoky Mountain Fiddlers' Convention, Bluegrass music and competitions for bands, adults and children. Food, Fun, Crafts.
865-458-3036

9-07
Loudon, TN
26th Annual Smoky Mountain Fiddlers, Fiddle/guitar/banjo & Dance Competitions, great music, Arts & Crafts, Antiques Show & Sale
865-458-7525

9-07
Surgoinsville, TN
Surgoinsville Riverfront Festival, free food car show tractor show fireworks craft & food vendors kids games, Live Bluegrass
423-345-4306

9-07
Elizabethton, TN
Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival, Celtic Music, Clans, Vendors and more
423-975-0045

9-15
Greenback, TN
Maple Lane Farm Corn Maze, Corn maze, music, hayrides, pumpkin patch, homemade jams and jellies in the farm store.
865-856-3511

9-15
Greenback, TN
Maple Lane Farms Corn Maze, One of the largest corn mazes in the SE. Handmade jams & jellies, hayrides, campfires.
865-856-3517

9-22
Butler, TN
Butler-Apple Butter Festival, Going back in time for the history and heritage of our area
423-768-3105

9-28
Nashville, TN
TACA Fall Craft Fair, The state’s premier outdoor showcase for Tennessee craft artists.
615-385-1904

9-29
Tellico Plains, TN
6th Annual KOA Harvest Festival, 6th Annual KOA Harvest Festival!! Free Admission to public! Crafts, Food, Fun!!
865-966-4878

Tennessee Upcoming Festivals; May 10-13

May 10,
Memphis, TN
Blues Music Awards
Recording industry's highest honors for full spectrum of blues genre's artists & music
901-527-2583

May 11
Pulaski, TN
SunDrop Country Barbeque Cook-Off
State Championship Barbeque Contest sanctioned by KCBS plus Backyard BBQ contest
931-424-2134

May 11 Madison, TN
Second Annual Madison Bluegrass Fest
Bluegrass Music Extravaganza will feature: IIIrd Tyme Out; Anita Fisher Band w/Roy Deaton, 615-945-0656

May 11, Rutledge, TN
Battle of Bean's Station Reenactment, a Civil War Battle Reenactment
865-828-5149

May 12, Lenoir City, TN
Centennial Street Festival
carriage rides, storytellers, arts & crafts, musical entertainment, kids' corner, food
865-986-6822

May 13, Lenoir City, TN
Centennial 5K Run and Walk
Run or walk through Historic Downtown Lenoir City as part of the Centennial Celebration
865-986-5563

Loss of Festivals and Starwood Amphitheatre

Nashville has experienced great loss over the years in the form of cultural festivals. In the last decade or so, we lost "Summer Lights", "The Italian Street Festival", "RiverStages" and "Dancin' in the District." They added so much fun and uniqueness to our city and were events geared toward locals instead of tourists, but they were fun for visitors as well. They provided great music, food, family-friendly activities and a great way to spend a day in the city without spending a fortune.

I see and hear about festivals, fairs, tours and all sorts of things in other cities and see them doing really well. I long for the days when Nashville had the same, and we went out and enjoyed it. I long for the days in the future when we have these sorts of things for everyone to enjoy again.

This also brings to mind Starwood Amphitheatre which was Nashville's only outdoor venue that could hold major events and concerts without using a stadium. It provided many incredible memories for us over the years as we saw concerts of every kind showcased year in and year out. It was far from perfect, but it could still provide a great time.

I hope we come up with someone to buy the venue or maybe we will have another one built in the next couple of years. Keep your fingers crossed and get out to hear all the great music that comes to town. It is up to us to keep our venues open, so that performers will want to come to Nashville for the best fans in the world.

"From the Nashville Post"- 2/13/07
Journalist Kay West spoke for many in 1998 after readers of Nashville Life magazine chose the venue as the "worst place to hear live music" in a poll of local bests and worsts. West's entry read: "Starwood, dear Starwood. How do we hate thee? Let us count the ways.

We hate the lousy drive on the ever-under-construction I-24. We hate the immobile stream of overheating cars in terminal holding pattern. We hate your exorbitant parking fees. We hate your Gestapo seize-and-destroy security force. We hate your carnival sideshow on the plaza. We hate your rip-off concessions. We hate your stinking bathrooms. And, come to think of it, we’re pretty damned sick of your music, too. Hank Williams Jr. again? Yawn."