Festivals of Franklin

Franklin’s rotating roster of festivals is essential to its small-town feeling. Multiple times a year, the downtown square is blocked off and invaded by artists, festivities, libations, and cheer. Here are some of the best festivals to check out if you’re visiting at the right time.

Main Street Brewfest

On St. Patrick’s Day weekend, come taste local, national, and international beers in downtown Franklin amid live Celtic music and a sea of green getups.

The Tennessee Renaissance Festival

Every weekend in May, you can drive just outside of Franklin to watch a jousting match, toast someone in chain mail, and tour Castle Gwynn.

Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival

The newest festival on Franklin’s block is a two-day music fest that takes place on Harlinsdale Farm each September. It’s young but growing in popularity. Past headliners have included Justin Timberlake, Hall and Oates, and Willie Nelson.

Pumpkinfest

Trick-or-treating, professional pumpkin carving, and a costume contest for every age. Revel in Tennessee’s perfect fall weather with every incarnation of fried street food, live music, and a chili cook-off.

Dickens of a Christmas

Apple cider donuts, arts and crafts, and carolers in hoopskirts. This is middle Tennessee’s largest outdoor Christmas festival, where Charles Dickens’s characters come to life against a backdrop of Franklin’s historic Victorian architecture.