Ms. Cheap's Guide to Summer: Nashville festivals, family fun and outdoors
If it is free, it is for me. That is what I like to say about my annual Ms. Cheap's Guide to Summer because it includes a wide range of fun, free things to do in Middle Tennessee between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
There is all kinds of music, as well as outdoor movies, Big Band dances, Shakespeare in the Park, hikes, nature programs, puppet shows, festivals and more.
I've tried to include something for everyone to keep us and our families busy and happy, without ever having to dig into our wallets. So, no matter what you are in the mood for, whether it's wet and wild fun, music or festivals, exploring or educational, children's activities or the arts, I want my summer guide to be your summer guide.
The common thread is "free" — every single event or activity on my list is free. Happy cheap summer!
Contact
Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282, on Facebook at Facebook.com/mscheap and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap. Catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5's "Talk of the Town."
Outdoors
• Join Mayor Karl Dean's 100-mile summer walk challenge. Go towww.walk100miles.com to register and then log the miles you walk through the end of August. Everyone who logs 100 miles gets a free "I walked 100 miles" T-shirt. The mayor will be holding regular community walks where you can walk with him. The first one is at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Harpeth River Greenway. It is a five-mile walk with a 2.5-mile option for beginners.
• On June 7, it's Tennessee's Free Fishing Day, which means anyone in the state can fish for free without a license. Shelby Park has a Free Fishing Day Catfish Rodeo from 8-10:30 a.m., put on by the Cumberland River Compact and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, where children ages 5-16 can fish the pond, which will be stocked with hundreds of catfish. There is also a scavenger hunt.www.cumberlandrivercompact.org or 615-862-8467
And Hendersonville has its Fishing Rodeo for kids ages 14 and younger at Memorial Park in Hendersonville (www.hendersonvilleparks.org or 615-822-3898). There is also a free Fishing Rodeo for kids ages 16 and younger from 7 to 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park at Evergreen Lake in Fairview on June 7. For other Free Fishing Day events (there are more than 80 events statewide), visit http://www.tn.gov/twra/ and click on "free fishing events."
• National Trails Day is June 7 and every state park will have guided hikes and/or free programs. Local parks and nature centers celebrate, too, with lots of hikes, cleanups, biking events, nature classes and even a few history lessons.www.tn.gov/environment/parks/hiking, or check with your local park system.
• The Friends of Warner Parks are having their 12th annual Children's Picnicfrom 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 7 at the Warner Park Nature Center on Highway 100. There will be live music, arts, crafts, face painting, storytelling, puppet shows and nature-related fun and games for families. Just pack a picnic and join the fun.www.friendsofwarnerparks.com or 615-370-8053.
• Warner Park Nature Center (615-352-6299), Bells Bend Nature Center (615-862-4187), Shelby Bottoms Nature Center (615-862-8539) and Beaman Nature Center (615-880-2238) have great naturalist-led programs for families, as well as trails for hiking or walking. See www.nashville.gov/parks/ for a complete list of free programs or call 615-352-6299.
• Warner Park Nature Center, 7311 Highway 100, also has a series of Summer Saturdays, which take place 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select Saturdays through the summer. Each one has a different theme — the Children's Picnic on June 7 and then other topics such as The Great American Camp-out on June 28, Butterfly By on July 12 and Celebrate Hummingbirds on Aug. 30.
Warner also has family programs on Friday nights, with the highlight of its summer programming being "Insects of the Night" on July 18, a family festival with insect night hikes, garden explorations, puppet shows and fun with entomologist Dr. Steve Murphee of Belmont University. Other Friday night programs include: Campfire Sparks, Crepuscular Creepings and an Incredible Bat Hike. The Warner Nature Center has programs for school-age children every Wednesday, June 11 through July 30. Topics include Investigating Insects, Camping 101, The First People of Warner Parks and The Amazing Race, a scavenger hunt that will take kids on a hike all over Edwin Warner Park.
And the park's StoryWalk book will be updated on June 14. This is a park feature where you can take a short hike and read a favorite children's book along the Little Acorn trail behind the Learning Center during park hours, sunrise until 11 p.m. 615-352-6299 or see www.nashville.gov/parks/ and click on "nature centers."
• Metro Parks now has four dog parks, where you can take your dogs for some leashless fun. There are parks at Warner, Centennial, Shelby and the new William A. Pitts Dog Park in Tusculum. http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation.aspx.
• If you are interested in astronomy, there are several great options for star gazing:Long Hunter State Park has a Summer Star Party at 8:30 June 21, with astronomers from the Barnard Seyfert Astronomical Society on hand with telescopes to share. Call the AstroLine, 615-401-5092, or seewww.sudekumplanetarium.com/starparties.
There also is a Star Party from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 25 at Bowie Nature Park at 7211 Bowie Lake Road in Fairview, with the Barnard Seyfert astronomers there with their telescopes to help you see double stars, star clusters and maybe even a comet.www.bowiepark.org or 615-799-5544.
And there are three "Astronomy Weekends" at Fall Creek FallsState Park, with discussions regarding constellations, lunar lore and our brightest star, the sun, as well as telescope viewings, June 27-28, July 25-26 and Aug. 22-23. For details, email watkinslk@comcast.net or see http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/fall-creek-falls.
• Bells Bend Outdoor Center has a Family Camp night on June 6, where families can enjoy camping with some help from naturalist Chris Guerin. You have to bring your own equipment, but there will be some fun family programs and some help if you are new to camping.
Bells Bend also has a Full Moon Hike at 7 p.m June 12. You need to register for these two programs. www.nashville.gov/parks-and-Recreation/Nature-Centers-and-Natural-Areas.aspx, 615-862-4187 or bellsbend@nashville.gov.
• If you are looking for a good hike, there is a Fiery Gizzard hike starting at 9 a.m. June 7 at South Cumberland State Park with naturalist Marietta Poteete. This is a 12.3-mile moderate hike that includes Foster Falls and lots of beautiful bluff-top views at Raven Point and Fiery Gizzard. www.friendsofscsra.org/.
• Burgess Falls State Park's 10th annual Butterfly Garden Celebration is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 21, with nature hikes, children's activities, staff-led educational programs, creek studies and landscaping sessions where you can learn about native plants. 931-432-5312.
• Murfreesboro Parks and Rec has an Animal Encounter series for all ages at Wilderness Station from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Saturdays in July and August, where each week you get a mini lesson on some native Tennessee animals. 615-217-3017.
• Wilderness Station also is the site for a free Geocaching 101 session at 10 a.m. June 14, where you can take part in an outdoor treasure hunt using GPS-enabled devices to find the hidden cache. A GPS or smartphone is required. Reservations: 615-217-3017.
• The Murfreesboro Bird Club has monthly hikes to search for resident birds. BYOB — as in bring your own binoculars! There are hikes to various locations at 9 a.m. June 11, July 26 and Aug. 15. 615-217-3017.
• The Tennessee Association of Vintage Baseball games take place all summer, including games at noon at Bicentennial Mall State Park downtown on June 1, July 13, Aug. 10 and 24. There also are 2:30 p.m. games on Aug. 10 and 24. These games use the rules, equipment, costumes and culture of the 1860s.http://tennesseevintagebaseball.com/.
• The Nashville Hiking Meetup has dozens of organized hikes every month (www.meetup.com/nashville-hiking). You also can find lots of group walks and biking options at www.walkbikenashville.org.
• Walk, bike or skate on Middle Tennessee greenways. Nashville has more than 75 miles of greenways (http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Greenways-and-Trails.aspx). Murfreesboro's greenways system along the Stones River includes almost 12 miles of paved trails with several trailheads (615-893-2141 orhttp://www.murfreesborotn.gov/index.aspx?NID=162 — click on the "greenways" page). Sumner County has great greenways and walking trails, too.
• Roll on out to the skate park at Two Rivers Park, where you can skate on a street course or have some fun in the skaters' bowls. 615-862-8400.
• If you are into mountain biking, there are more options than ever, including trails at Percy Warner, Hamilton Creek and Cane Ridge in Nashville. You can also enjoy a serious bike ride at the Lock 4 Bike Trail in Gallatin, off Lock 4 Road off Highway 31, where you can try the challenging mountain bike trail known for XTERRA mountain bike races and triathlon events. There's a nine-mile USA Cycling-sanctioned base course and a three-mile kids course you can ride daily. The Lock 4 Park also has picnic areas, and you can walk along the shores of Old Hickory Lake. 615-822-2512.
Other good mountain biking spots are Long Hunter State Park's Jones Mill Mountain Bike Trail, a 3.5-mile loop for hiking or mountain biking (615-885-2422), and more than 20 miles of mountain bike trails at Montgomery Bell State Park (615-797-9052).
• Play tennis. There are more than 100 free Metro courts in Nashville, and many of them are lighted. The Centennial Sportsplex courts are the only Metro outdoor courts that charge a fee. And if you want to see some great tennis, it's free to watch the tournaments at Centennial Sportsplex. 615-862-8490 or www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Athletics/Tennis.aspx.
There also is a tennis meetup with tennis get-togethers (www.meetup.com/Nashville-Tennis-Meetup).
• Try out Frisbee golf at one of the Metro Parks Frisbee golf courses at Cedar Hill Park, Two Rivers Park or Seven Oaks Park (615-862-8400 or www.nashville.gov/parks/). There also is a good Frisbee golf course at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville (www.hendersonvilleparks.org/Recreation_Programs.html) and one in Murfreesboro at Barfield Crescent Park (www.murfreesborotn.gov).
Get Wet
• The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park fountains, which represent Tennessee's 31 rivers, run from about 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily with a light show after dark. The fountains are a great place to cool off and learn a little history and geography along the way. 615-741-5280 orwww.tnstateparks.com/parks/about/bicentennial-mall.
• A great place to get wet is the riverfront at Cumberland Park at 592 S. First St. on the east side, where there is an interactive splash pad that is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 1. The park has lots of other fun for all ages with an amphitheater, walking trails, a wading pool and picnic area. The park is between the Shelby Avenue pedestrian bridge and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge. 615-862-8400.
• Little ones love the Watkins Park and Kirkpatrick spraygrounds. These are small, fenced playgrounds with lots of water-spraying features that are open through Sept. 1. Watkins is on 17th Avenue North across from M.L. King Magnet School, and the Kirkpatrick Sprayground is at 620 S. Ninth St. in East Nashville. 615-862-8480
• Most of our area lakes' swimming beaches have a $4 access fee, but Lock 3 Beach on Old Hickory Lake off Walton Ferry Road in Hendersonville is freeand has a small swimming beach and picnic tables (615-847-2395). For information on other lake access for Old Hickory, seecorpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=H313280.
• Several nearby state parks have free swimming beaches, too. Montgomery Bell in Burns (615-797-9052), Rock Island (931-686-2471) and Long Hunter State Park (in the Bryant's Grove area of the park) near Hermitage/Mt. Juliet (615-885-2422) all have swimming beaches open to the public. www.tnstateparks.com/.
• Metro Parks' community pools (Cleveland, Looby, Rose) have open swim times, but hours vary. The regional recreation centers and Napier Center have indoor community pools that are open year-round. Check individual pools for times athttp://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation.aspx or 615-862-8400.
• At Boat Day with the Stones River Watershed Association, you can learn about boats and boat safety from 9 a.m. to noon on June 28, when volunteers will bring several types of canoes and kayaks for people to try. The boat day event is at Manson Pike Trailhead at 1208 Searcy St., off Medical Center Parkway in Murfreesboro. 615-217-3017 or mtate@murfreesborotn.gov.
• Take a canoe float at Radnor Lake. This state park, at 1160 Otter Creek Road, offers ranger-led hikes and canoe floats and birds of prey programs several times a month. 615-373-3467 or radnorlake.org.
• Enjoy water fun at the Don Fox Community Park, 955 Baddour Parkway in Lebanon, where there's a wading pool designed for young children featuring water umbrellas and other fun spraying features. There's a 2½-mile paved trail, two playgrounds, a track and plenty of picnic tables. 615-449-0303.
• Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation's "Splash Out" events are cool, with the Murfreesboro Fire Department spraying its hoses. The 1:30-3 p.m. Splash Out dates are June 19 at Siegel Neighborhood Park, July 10 at Barfield Crescent Park (pavilions 5, 6, and 7) and July 24 at Old Fort Pavilion No. 1. 615-893-2141.
• Mt. Juliet has a"Splash Day" set for July 26, where they will turn Charlie Daniels Park into a water park for the day. It will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and there will be waterslides, a water gun area and all sorts of wet and wild fun.www.cityofmtjuliet.org/parkevents.cfm. Charlie Daniels Park also is home to Ava's Splash Pad, which opens Tuesday. Hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 2-4 p.m. Sunday.
• There are dozens of free activities and outings planned by Paddle Adventures Unlimited, a free paddling meetup.www.meetup.com/paddleadventuresunlimited.
Culture and Education
• The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is always free for ages 18 and younger and free on Thursday and Friday nights for college students. Don't miss the Artquest area upstairs where all ages are invited to create art while visiting the museum.
And the Conte Community Gallery, which is free to all ages all the time, is showingThe Ballads: The Photographs of Marty Stuart. Although known primarily as a country music star, Stuart has been taking photographs of the people and places surrounding him since he first went on tour with bluegrass master Lester Flatt at age 13. There is some cool stuff associated with the exhibit, including a June 4 "Artists Perspective" program at noon where Stuart and his mother, Hilda, will talk in the Frist Auditorium. www.fristcenter.org or 615-244-3340.
• The Aaron Douglas Gallery on the third floor of the University Library at Fisk University, 1000 17th Ave. N., will have works from the Fisk permanent collection on display starting in June. The gallery is open Monday-Friday. The Fisk campus is beautiful and fun to explore. Other campus art displays include Jubilee Hall and the Aaron Douglas Murals in Cravath Hall. 615-329-8720, www.fisk.edu.
• Vanderbilt's Fine Arts Gallery in Cohen Memorial Hall at 1220 21st Ave. S. has two shows opening on June 19: "Curiouser and Curiouser — Avant-garde Polish Theatre posters from the 1970s" and "From Tomb to Temple: Unearthing Ancient China through the Vanderbilt University Fine Art Collection." 615-322-0605,www.vanderbilt.edu/gallery.
• The Centennial Art Center Gallery has an exhibit from June 6 to July 23 featuring painting by James Threalkill and sculpture by Edward Belbusti. There is a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. June 6. The gallery will change over to a group exhibit by Tennessee Association of Craft Artists, which will be up Aug. 1 through Sept. 24, with an Aug. 1 free reception. www.nashville.gov/cac.
• Check out local art galleries such as Art & Invention Gallery(www.artandinvention.com); Local Color(http://www.localcolornashville.com/resources/home.php), The Arts Company(www.theartscompany.com); and York & Friends (www.yorkandfriends.com).
• One of the most popular monthly art events is the downtown First Saturday Art Crawl. The festive First Saturday "crawls," where you can visit the Fifth Avenue galleries plus a dozen other downtown galleries, feature a free shuttle that will take you around. And most of the galleries have free snacks and wine, as well as great art on exhibit. http://www.nashvilledowntown.com/play/first-saturday-art-crawl.
• The downtown Franklin Tour of the Arts is 6-9 p.m. the first Friday of every month in and around downtown Franklin. The Franklin Art Scene includes more than 30 galleries and working studios around historic downtown. There is a trolley operating on a loop with unlimited pick-up and drop-off service with a $5 wristband.www.franklinartscene.com.
• Summer reading isn't just for kids. Bookstores have book clubs for grown-ups, too, and Nashville Public Library has a multifaceted program for all ages. 615-862-5800, www.library.nashville.org.
• On the Salon@615 summer calendar is a June 9 visit from Emily Giffin ("The One and Only") and a June 13 visit from Robin Roberts ("Everybody's Got Something"). Both are at 6:15 p.m. at the Main Library, at 615 Church St. You can just show up, but if you want to ensure a seat, get the advanced tickets, which are free but have a $2.50 servicing fee. To get tickets, go tohttp://nashvillepubliclibrary.org/salonat615/reserve-tickets. The free series is put on by the Nashville Public Library, Nashville Public Library Foundation, Parnassus Books and Humanities Tennessee.
• The Tennessee State Museum in the James K. Polk Building at 505 Deaderick St. houses a collection of artifacts from the 18th century and has a particularly strong showing of prehistoric Indian pieces and Civil War and military material. The "Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Plantation" exhibit is up through Aug. 31. And, if you go, don't miss the mummy. This museum, which is closed on Mondays, is always free. 615-741-2692 or www.tnmuseum.org.
• The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park on James Robertson Parkway in downtown Nashville is a treasure if you are up for a walking outdoor history lesson. You can "tour" the state via a 200-foot granite map and see the visitors center's Civil War exhibits. The history wall takes you through Tennessee history, and there is a World War II memorial and beautiful carillon. The fountains, which represent the 31 rivers in our state, are up and running for summer. Rangers offer free walking tours at 10 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. each Wednesday and on the first Monday of each month. Tours last about an hour and start under the train trestle. Just show up and enjoy a nice half-mile to one-mile walk through Tennessee history.http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/bicentennial-mall or 615-741-5280.
• Learn Civil War history at the Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro. You can get a map at the visitors center and enjoy a self-guided tour of this historic 700-acre battlefield. There also are Saturday-morning bike tours led by rangers, and the popular hour-long Hallowed Ground Lantern Tours, also free, are offered on select Saturdays starting June 7 and running through early September. You need a reservation, which they start taking at 9 a.m. on Mondays preceding tours. Limit is 35 people, and the spots fill fast. 615-893-9501,www.npca.org/parks/stones-river-national-battlefield.html.
• Attend a Metro Council meeting and learn how your city government works. Meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays on the second floor of the Metro Courthouse. Get the agenda at www.nashville.gov; click on "Metro Council." 615-862-6780.
• Cannonsburgh Village is a living history museum of early Southern life at 312 S. Front St. in Murfreesboro. It's open Tuesday-Sunday. You can see a gristmill, a one-room schoolhouse, town hall, a log home, general store and other reminders of pioneer times. 615-890-0355, www.murfreesborotn.gov.
• Fort Negley, 1100 Fort Negley Blvd., has a Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 28, with games, a parade, tours and a free lunch.
Fort Negley also has a monthly free film screening as part of its "Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle" series from June through September, as well as a third Monday Nashville Civil War Roundtable program with speakers and discussion. The 152-year-old fort's visitors center has an interpretive history board, interactive touch-screen exhibits and two 20-minute videos about the Civil War and the fort.
The center is open Tuesday-Saturday, but you can take a self-guided tour almost any time during daylight hours. The Fort also has an outdoor hands-on fossil collection site where visitors are encouraged to dig in and explore our region's marine past, and if you find a fossil you like, you get to keep it. 615-862-8470,www.nashville.gov/parks/.
• Volunteer. Hands On Nashville offers an easy way for anyone to get involved. It pairs volunteers of all ages with projects in all segments of the community. 615-298-1108, www.hon.org.
Movies
• The 20th annual family-friendly Movies in the Park will be in Elmington Park on Thursdays in June. The pre-movie fun, including games, food trucks and other vendors, starts at 5 p.m., and the movies begin at dusk. Chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome. 615-862-8400.
• Movies Under the Stars in Murfreesboro, which has been a mainstay since 1947, has a fine lineup of family-oriented flicks that will be shown at 8:30 p.m. at various locations between June 2 and July 21. The free outdoor shows are at Cason Lane Trailhead on Monday nights, Cannonsburgh Village on Tuesdays, Siegel Neighborhood Park on Thursdays, Mitchell-Neilson Primary on Fridays and Hobgood Elementary School on Saturdays. 615-890-5333.
• The Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Road, has a series of 1 p.m. Kids Movie Matinees: June 5 is "WALL-E"; June 21 is "Super Buddies"; July 3 is "Cars"; and July 26 is "Meet the Robertsons." Details and registration: www.brentwood-tn.org/library or 615-371-0090.
• The City of Franklin offers free, outdoor family movies at 8 p.m. at Pinkerton Park on Murfreesboro Road. On June 6, it's "Frozen," followed by "Despicable Me 2" on June 27 and "The Lego Movie" on July 25. Just pack a picnic and a lawn chair and enjoy these movies under the stars. 615-550-6947.
• Leiper's Fork outdoor lawn theater, at 4144 Old Hillsboro Road, features classics and family movies at 8 p.m. on Fridays through August. www.jailhouseindustrys.com, 615-870-8870 or 615-477-6799.
• Belcourt Theatre, 2102 Belcourt Ave. in Hillsboro Village, has a monthly second Saturday outdoor movie that starts just after sunset in the parking lot, featuring fun movies and quirky shorts and ads from the 1950s through the 1980s projected on the Belcourt's outdoor wall. Bring lawn chairs. Dates include: "Singin' in the Rain" on June 14, "The Outsiders" on July 12 and "High Noon" on Aug 9. www.belcourt.org/ or 615-383-9140.
• Hendersonville Parks has teamed with New Creation Church for a free outdoor family movie night at Memorial Park at dusk on Aug. 16. 615-822-3555 orwww.hendersonvilleparks.org/Special_Events.html.
• Mt. Juliet has Movies in the Park the first Friday of every month through October. "Khumba" is up first on June 6 in the Amphitheater at Charlie Daniels Park. July 4 is "Frozen," and Aug. 1 is "The Nut Job." Movies begin at dusk.www.mjparksandrec.org.
• The Country Music Hall of Fame has free screenings, including a June 22 showing of "CMT Invitation Only: Reba" and a June 29 screening of "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour." Both are at 2 p.m. www.countrymusichalloffame.org.
• The Nashville Public Library's main library and area branches are showing lots of free movies this summer, including "Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Hadley Park; "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" at 2 p.m. June 17 at Green Hills; "No Way to Treat a Lady" at 2 p.m. July 12 at the Main Library; and "Frozen" at 2 p.m. Aug. 9 at Goodlettsville. The Edgehill branch shows a family-friendly movie at 11 a.m. most Wednesdays, and Madison has teen afternoon movies with free drinks and popcorn at 3 p.m. most Wednesdays. The library also has more than 150,000 DVDs that you can check out. www.library.nashville.org/ or 615-862-5800.
Festivals
• The International FolkFest will take place with dance groups from around the world performing at several Middle Tennessee venues June 8-15. Some of the performances have admission fees, but many are free, including 10 a.m. June 9 at the Smyrna Public Library; 6:45 p.m. June 9 at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park in Franklin; 10 a.m. June 10 at the St. Clair Senior Center in Murfreesboro; 10 a.m. June 12 at the Linebaugh Public Library in Murfreesboro; 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. June 14 on the East side of the Rutherford County Courthouse in Murfreesboro; and 6 pm. June 14 in the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall in Bell Buckle. www.mboro-international-folkfest.org.
• Leading up to CMA Music Festival, there is a free Riverfront concert featuring Shooter Jennings, the Marshall Tucker Band, the Grascals and Brazil Billy on June 4. The festival itself is June 5-8, with free daytime activities and musical performances on eight stages, with most running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There also is a free CMA World GlobaLive! concert on an outdoor stage on Broadway and First Avenue in downtown Nashville on June 2. www.cmafest.com.
• The 20th annual RC-Moon Pie Festival, celebrating the South's first "fast food," is June 21 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Bell Buckle, the little railroad village 55 miles from Nashville. With a population of 405, the town calls itself "close to home but a world away." The one-day fest, which draws as many as 25,000 people, includes Moon Pie-themed games, a parade, crafts, live entertainment and plenty of chances to sample Moon Pies and RC Cola. www.bellbucklechamber.com or 931-389-9663.
• The RoseMont Festival is set for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 21 in Gallatin with live music, book signings, craft booths featuring the works of local artisans and tours of this lovely mansion that was built in 1836. RoseMont is at 810 S. Water Ave.www.historicrosemont.org or 615-451-2331.
• The annual Irish Picnic on the St. Patrick's Church grounds inMcEwen will be held July 25-26, with games, music and food. It is said to be the oldest continuously running festival in the state, with this being the 159th annual event. More than 4,200 chicken halves and 20,000 pounds of pork will be ready. 931-582-3417.
• The East Side Hootenanny, a mini festival with music, food and beer, takes place from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays through June. The kid- and dog-friendly events, which take place at 700 Woodland St., feature East Nashville bands, great food from area restaurants, arts and crafts vendors and pop-up shops from neighborhood stores.www.eastsidehoot.com.
• The 11th annual Tomato Art Fest takes place 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 9. It's a family-oriented, costume-friendly festival with plenty of tomato eating, tomato-themed games, contests, a parade, art and business booths, music and children's activities in and around Art & Invention Gallery in Five Points in East Nashville.www.tomatoartfest.com or 615-226-2070.
• The Nashville Shakespeare Festival's Shakespeare in the Park is celebrating its 27th year of theater under the stars at the Centennial Park band shell with "As You Like It." The performances are Thursdays-Sundays Aug. 14 through Sept. 14. Patrons can bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs. There is family-oriented pre-show entertainment at 6:30 p.m., with the show following at 7:30 p.m. It's free, but the Shakespeare Festival suggests a $10 donation. www.nashvilleshakes.org or 615-255-2273.
• The Arts Alliance of Middle Tennessee and the City of Mt. Juliet's Summerfest offers a free music and/or theater festival on one Saturday night each month through the summer at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet. On June 7, it is Encore Theatre Company; on July 12, it's The Jazz Alliance and Exit 219; and on Aug. 9, it's The Jazz Alliance again with dancing encouraged. These start at 6 p.m. 615-758-6522 or www.cityofmtjuliet.org/parkevents.cfm.
• Ashland City Parks Summerfest offers live music June 24-28 from 6 to 10 p.m. each night at the Riverbluff Park on Old Cumberland Street in Ashland City. Search "Ashland City Summerfest" on Facebook.
• There are, of course, lots of Fourth of July festivals coming up, including Nashville's award-winning Let Freedom Sing! festival featuring the Nashville Symphony and a fireworks extravaganza at Riverfront Park, but we will feature those festivals closer to their time.
Family Fun
• Enjoy a library summer reading program. Just about every county's system has a program, and it's a great way to entertain children, as well as stretch them academically. The Nashville Public Library's program for preschoolers through high-schoolers has a ton of prizes and perks for reading lots of books. The program runs through Aug. 15, and you can register at the branches or online at
http://www.library.nashville.org/summerchallenge/
.
• The Nashville Public Library has an active summer calendar, with wonderful programs making the rounds to the various branches. Among the offerings: Origami workshops with artist Malachi Brown, family entertainer Rachel Sumner, magician Scott Cantrell, Mr. Bond The Science Guy, Farmer Jason, The Balloon Guy (Scott Tripp), Bobo the Clown, performer Dennis Scott, Snowbird, a snake program with state naturalist Randy Hedgepath and a round of back-to-school fiestas. Checkwww.library.nashville.org to see which programs will be at which branches.
They also have story times at the main branch at at 615 Church St. featuring Library Pete, the Professor and Mary Mary singing, juggling and reading at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays year-round.
The Nashville Public Library puppeteers are bringing four free shows to the Main Library: "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. June 6-7; "Ellingtown," a musical journey through jazz music, at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. June 13-14; "Stonecutter," based on a traditional Asian folktale and featuring Bunraku puppetry, at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays July 11-19; and "String City," an hour-long chronicle of country music's history, at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays July 25-Aug. 16.
The Nashville Public Library puppeteers also will be busy traveling from library branch to branch this summer, with a 30-minute production of "Hansel and Gretel" making the rounds at 10:30 a.m. June 7 at the Richland Park branch and also 2:30 p.m. that day at the Inglewood branch. You can find the whole schedule at www.library.nashville.org.
• The Brentwood Library has a great performance lineup for children: Mr. Bond The Science Guy at 1 p.m. June 3; Natural History Educational Co. animal program at 1 p.m June 10 and July 24; storyteller/magician Barry Mitchell at 1 p.m. June 12; magician Bruce Amato at 1 p.m. June 17; musician Roger Day at 1 p.m. June 19; Irish Step Dancers at 1 p.m. June 24; Scott Humston at 1 p.m. June 26; musician Kevin Kidd at 1 p.m. July 1; a "Super Science" program at 1 p.m. July 8; Runaway Puppet Theater at 1 p.m. July 10; ventriloquist Joyce Carroll at 1 p.m. July 15; Rachel Sumner at 1 p.m. July 17; magician Rodney Kelley at 1 p.m. July 22. 615-371-0090, ext. 8380, or http://www.brentwood-tn.org/index.aspx?page=91.
• Parnassus Books, 3900 Hillsboro Road, has two story times every week for children ages 6 and younger. One is at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays with various readers/storytellers, and the other is at 3:30 p.m. Thursdays featuring WSMV's Nancy Van Camp. Plus, children are always invited to come in and pet the store dogs, Sparky, Bear, Opie and Gracie. www.parnassusbooks.net or 615-953-2243.
• Barnes & Noble at CoolSprings has children's program including "A Very Hungry Caterpillar" story time at 11 a.m. June 4, a Father's Day story time at 11 a m. June 14 and a "Five Little Monkeys" story time at 11 a.m. June 28.
• RiverGate Mall has a storytime with the Goodlettsville Public Library the fourth Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. in the mall's Kids Play Area. www.rivergate-mall.com
• Metro Parks will present "Tales at Twilight" performances at Cumberland Park at 7 p.m. on three Fridays in July. On July 11, it's Mr. Chris Hip Hop Dance; on July 18, Coal Train Rail Road; and on July 25, The Library Puppet Truck will perform "Hansel and Gretel." Bring lawn chairs and a picnic and enjoy an interactive evening of magic, stories, dance and music. This event used to be at Red Caboose Park, but it has moved to Cumberland Park for this season. 615-862-8400, www.nashville.gov/parks/.
• The Frist Center for the Visual Arts has an "Artful Tales" program for ages 3 and older: On June 15, it's "The Frog Who Wanted to Sing," the story of an African bullfrog who uses music and rhythm to find his heart's desire. On July 20, it is "Rudy Rhythm and the Rules of Writing." And on Aug. 17, it is "Brother Snake and Sister Possum." These are at 2 p.m. in the Frist Auditorium and are followed by an art project in Artquest. www.fristcenter.org.
• Wilson Bank & Trust in Lebanon has a Family Entertainment Series with movies and family activities planned for June 26 and July 24. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. at the vacant lot across from the main office at 623 Main St. in Lebanon. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. 615-444-2265, www.wilsonbank.com.
• The City of Franklin has a popular "Kids Show" series on select Wednesdaymornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Pinkerton Park at 405 Murfreesboro Road. The lineup includes a "Magic and Movement" show with Terry Hedges on June 4, "Music Mayhem" on July 9 and "Dance Happy" on July 23. http://franklintn.gov/index.aspx?page=141or 615-550-6947.
• Tour the Tennessee Executive Residence. Free tours of the home and beautiful grounds are offered on most Tuesday and Thursday mornings, where you can see where Gov. Bill Haslam and first lady Crissy Haslam live. It is best to sign up at least two weeks in advance at http://tn.gov/firstlady/residence/tour.shtml. Adults need to bring a photo ID. 615-532-0494.
• Enjoy a hands-on kids' clinic one Saturday a month at The Home Depot, or every other Saturday at Lowe's. To see the upcomimg projects, seewww.homedepot.com or www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/pages/default.aspx.
• Visit the new Hatch Show Print at the Country Music Hall of Fame. In business since 1879, Hatch was the printer of choice for "Grand Ole Opry" stars for many decades. The shop moved from Broadway to the HOF in the fall, so check out the new digs. They offer a free monthly family program, which is typically the first Sunday of every month. On June 8, children ages 5-18 can use the Hatch block images to make their own posters. 615-256-2887 or www.countrymusichalloffame.org.
• The Tennessee Agricultural Museum at Ellington Agricultural Center offers a hands-on look at the 19th and 20th centuries from a farming perspective. TheSummer Saturdays series runs 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays in July, with different themes each week: July 5, Goats Galore; July 12, Old McDonald's Farm; July 19, Wild and Wonderful; and July 26, Horsing Around. 615-837-5197, www.tnagmuseum.org.
Check out one of our Midstate farmers' markets.
The Nashville Farmers' Market at 900 Eighth Ave. N. not only has local produce and Tennessee products but also some special events, including the Night Market, a "shop and sip" under the stars event the third Friday of the month. It's a fun family outing, with music, demonstrations, children's activities, special fun lighting throughout the market, and wine and beer for sale. www.nashvillefarmersmarket.org or 615-880-2001.
The Franklin Farmers Market is open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the back of The Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Road, and features live music and children's events some weeks. www.franklinfarmersmarket.com.
Murfreesboro's Saturday Market is open 8 a.m.-noon every Saturday starting June 7 on the Murfreesboro Public Square on the west side of the courthouse. 615-895-1887, www.downtownmurfreesboro.com.
For a full list of markets in Tennessee, including East Nashville, Richland Park, Lebanon, Brentwood and Gallatin, check the state Department of Agriculture's website at www.picktnproducts.org.
• Enjoy one of the horse, cattle or dog shows around town. The Williamson County Ag Expo Park, at 4215 Long Lane in Franklin (615-595-1227,www.agexpopark.info), has a horse show on June 13-15 and a sheep show on June 21. The Tennessee Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro has team roping July 11-13, the International Grand Champion Walking Horse Show July 27-Aug. 2 and cowboy mounted shooting beginning Aug. 29. www.mtsu.edu/tmc or 615-494-8961.
• Watch the Tennessee Titans practice at Baptist Sports Park, 45 Great Circle Road at MetroCenter. There should be open practices in late July and early August, with times to be announced at a later date. You can just show up and watch, and often get some autographs. www.titansonline.com.
• Metro's Regional Community Centers at Hadley, Coleman, Hartman, McCabe and East parks have free indoor walking tracks and gymnasiums, as well as affordable fitness classes and workout centers. All but McCabe also have free indoor swimming pools. 615-862-8400, www.nashville.gov/parks/.
• Kids can bowl free. All you have to do is register online at www.kidsbowlfree.comand you'll receive vouchers via email every Sunday for two free bowling games each day that week, all summer long at local alleys including Donelson Plaza, Hillwood and Tusculum Strike & Spare and Oak Valley Lanes.
• Plus, the Franklin Family Entertainment Center in Franklin has free deals for kids ages 18 and younger all summer through its "Incredabowl" program. Just go towww.jaymarfec.com.
• For anyone with an interest in antique cars, the 2014 Grand National and National Antique Automobile of America Shows is June 13-14 at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon. More than 800 cars are expected. Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and parking is free, too. 615-308-0586.
Music
• Frist Center for the Visual Arts has a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, "A Patriotic Salute" by the 101st Airborne Division "Air Assault Band" from Fort Campbell.
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• The Nashville Symphony Summer Community Concert series is a perennial summer favorite. Dates and locations for the free concerts are 7:30 p.m. June 4 at Centennial Park; 8 p.m. June 5 at East Park; 8 p.m. June 6 at Bicentennial Mall State Park; 7 p.m. June 8 at Crockett Park in Brentwood; 7:30 p.m. June 11 at Key Park in Lafayette, Tenn.; and 7 p.m. June 12 at Two Rivers Mansion. www.nashvillesymphony.org or 615-687-6500.
• The popular Saturday night Centennial Park Big Band Dances start June 7 and run through August, with bands including the Moonlighters (who start the season on June 7 and end it on Aug. 30). In between there is the Jerry Vinett Big Band on June 14; the Paul Ross Orchestra on June 21; the Bill Sleeter Band on June 28; The Merchants of Cool on July 12; Rory Partin and His All Star Big Band on July 19; Music City Swing on July 26; Debbie Bailes and Her Band on Aug. 2; The J. Bradley Big Band on Aug. 9; Radio Daze on Aug. 16; and the Lynn Beal Band on Aug. 23. The dances are 7:30-10 p.m. in the event shelter at Centennial Park, with free dance lessons starting at 7 p.m. To see the full schedule, visit http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation.aspx. 615-862-8440.
• Nashville Dancin' (formerly Dancin' in the District), the popular Thursday night downtown concert series, is back. The Dollar General-sponsored series kicks off at 5 p.m. June 12 and continues Thursdays through July 31 at Riverfront Park. The lineup includes Houndmouth, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Los Colognes and The Kernal and his New Strangers on June 12; Xavier Rudd, The Main Squeeze, Ash Grunwald and Ray Scott on June 19; and Will Hoge, Drake White & The Big Fire, Clare Dunn and Brian Collins on June 26. Find the full eight-week schedule atwww.nashvilledancin.com.
• Metro Parks' Red Caboose Concert Series, featuring live music for families,is held 7-9 p.m. Friday nights in June at Red Caboose Park in Bellevue. On June 6, it's Roux de Bayou Cajun; on June 13, it's Michael and Jennifer McLain and the Banjocats bluegrass; on June 20, it's Delicious Blues Stew; and on June 27, it's The One Hitters, a one-hit wonder cover band. www.nashville.gov/parks/ or 615-862-8424.
• Dragon Music Sundays, organized by the Hillsboro West End Neighborhood Association and Metro Parks, run through June 8. All shows are 4-6:30 p.m. at Fannie Mae Dees Park on Blakemore Avenue. Sunday, it is Jonell Mosser. On June 1, it's Beth Nielsen Chapman, and June 8 the William Tyler Band will perform. 615-862-8400.
• The weekly Musicians Corner lawn parties take place noon-5 p.m. Saturdays in June at Centennial Park, across from McDonald's. These family- and dog-friendly gatherings offer two stages of music and a Kidsville area with children's activities. This week, it is K.S. Rhoads, Jason Eskridge, Music City Dough Boys and Lucie Silvas.www.musicianscornernashville.com.
• New this year from Musicians Corner is a Friday lunchtime acoustic concert series in June, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with unplugged music and food trucks.www.musicianscornernashville.com.
• Jazz on the Cumberland, the concert series at the waterfront at Cumberland Park at 592 S. First St., features smooth and traditional jazz every third Sunday through October, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. On June 15, it is Steve Roper, followed by Joe Johnson on July 20 and Tyronn Hamilton on Aug. 17. 615-862-8400.
• New this year is the Hip Donelson Farmers Market concert series, which has a different band every Friday night at 2730 Lebanon Road (the old Two Rivers Ford parking lot). The market opens at 4 p.m., and the music starts at 5 p.m.
• Gallatin's Third Thursdays on Mainis a series of outdoor concerts held monthly on the Historic Public Square. On June 19, it's The Parks, on July 17 Adam Pope will perform, and on Aug. 21 it is The Springs. Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m.www.mainstreetgallatin.com.
• There is a Brown Bag Lunch jazz concert series from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m on the second and fourth Thursdays through October at Centennial Park's event shelter. 615-862-8400 or www.nashville.gov/parks.
• The 60-member Williamson County Community Bandwill have summer concerts starting with one at 10 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park in downtown Franklin. Other dates are: 6:30 p.m. June 28 at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ; 6:30 p.m. July 26 at Aspen Grove Park; 3 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Brentwood Library; and 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at the College Grove Artsitorium featuring 5 Points Swing. 615-790-5719 orwww.wcparksandrec.com.
• Harpeth Hills Church of Christ's annual "One Nation Under God" concert is at 6:30 p.m. June 28, with music by the Williamson County Community Band, free ice cream all night and a professional fireworks display on the church lawn at 1949 Old Hickory Blvd. in Brentwood. www.harpethhills.org/events or 615-373-0601.
• The Nashville Community Concert Band, which has about 50 regular members, is in its 41st year of "Voluntary Performing," and its season kicks off with three free concertsSunday and Monday. The first is from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday at The State Veterans Cemetery on McCrory Lane. The band then moves to Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens on Highway 100, where it will perform at 3:30 p.m. as part of Harpeth Hills' annual Memorial Weekend Service. And at 1 p.m. Monday, the band will play again as part of the annual Memorial Day program at the Nashville National Veterans Cemetery in Madison. You also can look forward to a NCCB Father's Day concert June 15 at Centennial Park. 615-352-7713 or www.nashccband.org.
• Smyrna Parks and Recreation has a Music at the Millseries at Gregory Mill Park, 390 Enon Springs Road in Smyrna. Concerts are at 6:30 p.m. June 6 (The O'Donnells) and Aug. 15 (Top Tier). 615-459-9742, ext. 2622, orhttp://www.townofsmyrna.org/default.aspx.
• The Hendersonville Arts Council has a summer concert series at Monthaven Mansion, 1154 W. Main in Hendersonville, at 6 p.m. one Sunday each month. On June 15, it's the Jeff Coffin Band, followed by Anthony Belfiglio on July 20 and Annie Sellick on Aug. 17. www.hendersonvillearts.org or 615-822-0789. SeveralMiddle Tennessee wineriesoffer concerts this time of year. Take a picnic, buy a bottle (or not) and enjoy good, live outdoor music. They also have free wine tastings.
• Arrington Vineyardsin Arrington, Tenn., has the largest offering with its Music in the Vines concert series from 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday and 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday. 615-459-9742, ext. 2622, or www.arringtonvineyards.com.
• The Sumner Crest Wineryin Portland has concerts from 6 to 9 p.m. about twice a month through October. First up on June 7 is Shake Rattle and Roll with '50s and '60s music. 615-325-4086 or www.sumnercrestwinery.com.
• Beachaven Winery in Clarksville holds its Jazz on the Lawn concert series on scattered Saturday nights through October. Next up is Roux du Bayou on June 7 and The Dance Band on June 21. 931-645-8867 or www.beachavenwinery.com.
• Murfreesboro's Friday Night Live, its first Friday concert series on the downtown square, kicks off from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on June 6, and there are concerts on July 4, Aug. 1 and Sept. 5. 615-895-1887 or www.downtownmurfreesboro.com.
• Perry County's Music on Main StreetSaturday night concert series is back for its sixth year, alternating from week to week between Linden and Lobelville, Tenn., through Aug. 30. The concerts are at 7:30 p.m. and include an array of musical styles and performances, including Charlie McCoy and Joe Sun on July 5. For more information, call 931-593-2285 or 931-589-2736.
• Crockett Park in Brentwood has a series of 7 p.m. Sunday concerts in the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater through mid-July. The lineup features Boomerang on June 1; the Nashville Symphony on June 8; the WannaBeatles on June 15; South Street Players on June 22; and Bad Dog Band on June 29. 615-371-0060 or www.brentwood-tn.org.
• Murfreesboro's Cannonsburgh Village has a Third Friday Outdoor Concertseries featuring different bluegrass and/or country bands each month from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at 312 S. Front St. in Murfreesboro. 615-890-0355.
• Be a part ofTrinity Music City'slive studio audience at several "Praise the Lord" concerts: Tuesday with Wess Morgan hosting; June 3 with Terry Warren; June 9 with Jason Crabb; June 17 with Joseph Morgan; July 8 with Terry Warren; and Aug. 11 with Crabb. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the program at 7 p.m. 615-822-8333 ortrinitymusiccity.com.
• Metro Nashville's Live on the Green concert seriesstarts Aug. 14 and runs Thursday nights in August and Sept. 4-6 at Public Square Park.www.liveonthegreen.net.
• Nashville Public Library's Concerts in the Courtyardseries begins Aug. 12. These are at noon on Tuesdays at the main library. www.library.nashville.org
• The Nashville Public Library also has free concertsat 10:30 a.m. June 11 at the Green Hills branch and at 10:30 a.m. June 17 at the Hadley Park branch, featuring Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers Band, a band that is a big hit with little ones. And in Goodlettsville, two local singer-songwriters will do free concerts in the Garrett Family Gardens outside the Goodlettsville library. Bring a blanket and enjoy Sarah Lou Richards at 3:30 p.m. June 14 and Adam McDonough at 3 p.m. July 12.