10 Things to Do in Nashville in August

Nashville is one of the most visited cities in the southern United States and summer is peak season, so the warm weather is joined by a long list of family-friendly activities, music festivals, outdoor concerts, dance competitions and theatre performances.

Some of the best things to see and do in Nashville in August include the Summer Shakespeare Festival, which is one of the city's most famous theatre events, the Labor Day Parade in Cumberland Park, the Fire on the Water Festival and Family Mondays at the Frist Art Museum.

Schermerhorn Symphony Center is Nashville's classical music cultural landmark and home to the city's Symphony Orchestra. On weekends in August, you can attend this evening performance, where each year the local symphony will perform the classics of Respighi, Beethoven and Chopin under the starry blanket of the summer skies.

This show is free, open-air and suitable for all audiences, although you should note that to attend the show in locations close to the stage you will need to book a ticket in advance online. The symphony orchestra will be led by a local conductor each evening.

Schermerhorn Symphony Center is located in the area near the Ryman Auditorium, so to get the most out of your visit you can book a walking tour of the city's musical highlights.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to the performances is free but if you want to get a seat in the area near the stage you must book in advance on the Schermerhorn Symphony Center website.
• When... Every year during August evenings on various dates.
• Where... 1 Symphony Pl, Nashville.

The Live On The Green Music Festival is a free outdoor event traditionally held each year in August that showcases the city's emerging artistic talent. Promoted by the popular local radio station WRLT Lighting 100, this festival is also one of the most numerous and distinctive local events, combining the passion of locals for music with the talent of emerging artists.

This festival includes live performances, artist interviews, food stalls and trucks, souvenir vendors and VIP spaces, as well as two stages highlighting a permanent line-up of local artists throughout the 4-day event.

The Live On The Green Festival is also a family-friendly event, making it an ideal choice if you plan to visit Nashville with children, and a perfect opportunity to experience the spirit and tradition of the city's music outside of the Country Hall of Fame and the Johnny Cash Museum, two of the state capital's finest museums.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to the event is free, although you can also purchase VIP spaces.
• When... Every year for a week in August.
• Where... Public Square Park, Nashville.

Nashville is a city built on the banks of the Cumberland River and the Cumberland River is a major contributor to its success as an industrial hub, so you can also enjoy excursions that include water tours, such as the river cruise tours that are available year-round but are most popular in August due to the city's weather.

In June and July the city hosts a number of events that use the river as a backdrop, so cruises are restricted or cancelled for a few days, but in August the Cumberland is entirely available for tours and the weather is also less hot than during the rest of the summer and more pleasant for lunches and dinners on the boat deck.

Visiting the Cumberland River on a cruise is one of the best tours of Nashville and is also an ideal opportunity to see the city from a different perspective. If you're planning to visit Tennessee's capital in August, you'll be able to enjoy these excursions in balmy weather and clear skies.

Details of interest

• Price... Dinner and lunch cruise tours start at approximately 100 euros.
• When... August is the best time to enjoy the Cumberland with the right weather and the river clear of activities.

Most Nashville events are interactive and the Big Band Ball at Centennial Park is no exception, as you can take part in both the professional and beginner competitions held each year in August in one of the city's most famous green lungs.

During this event beginner dancers can attend classes in the ballroom before the big dance, which takes place each night at approximately 10pm, so it's also one of the best things to do during the night in Nashville. ****

The **** Big Band Ball also includes food trucks, craft and souvenir vendor booths and street music performances, but the main show is the finale between the best dancers of the day.

You can make the most of your visit to Centennial Park by also visiting the Southern Parthenon, which is a replica of the traditional Athenian building. You can get to the show site on the 3 and 50 bus and Nashville's hop on-hop off tour bus.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to the dance performances are free.
• When... Every year during August evenings on various dates.
• Where... Centennial Park, Nashville.

The tomato is one of Nashville's top local productions, which is why the city hosts an annual tomato art festival every August. This event consists of an exhibition at the city's former Art and Invention Gallery that each year features hundreds of pieces by local artists, with the only requirement being that the works include the tomato.

The free festival also includes competitions for various activities, live music performances, art booths, food booths and a costume parade for visitors to participate in, making this event one of Nashville's best attractions.

The colourful festival also closes with the Bloody Mary Garden Party, a celebration that turns red to honour the tomato and draws crowds to the stages around the main event site and to the pop-up performances.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the event is free.
• When... Every year on a weekend in August.
• Where... Five Points, Nashville.

Belmont University hosts the Shakespeare Festival twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. If you plan to visit Nashville in January you can attend the winter edition, while if you visit in August you can enjoy the summer version of this theatrical event in which university students perform a play by William Shakespeare that varies each year and offers several performances throughout the month.

This summer festival is held on the Belmont University campus and also on two open stages in Nashville and Franklin, making it a much more popular event than the winter edition which only takes place at the Troutt Theatre.

The Shakespeare Festival, which is one of the most popular in the city, also includes musical performances, art shows sponsored by the arts faculty and private shows for parents of students.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the box office located at the entrance to the event.

Details of interest

• Price... Tickets for the summer edition have an initial cost of approximately 15 euros per person.
• When... Every year in August, on several different dates.
• Where... At different venues on the Belmont University Campus, at 8 City Blvd in Nashville and at 112 Everbright Ave in Franklin.

Nashville is a quintessential arts city with a strong local artist scene, so it's no wonder that the Defy Film Festival has been listed among the top indie film festivals and noted as one of the top 100 events in the country, combining local talent with self-funded experiences, a current challenge for all artists.

Defy Film is presented as a festival by filmmakers for filmmakers and includes each year a film marathon and lecture series with the directors, screenwriters, actors and producers of each of the works presented at the festival. The event is held every year during the third weekend of August on the stages of Studio 615.

In addition, Defy Film also encourages filmmakers from all over the world to present their works at the event, so it is also a possibility to promote cultural exchange for local artists.

Details of interest

• Price... Entrance to the festival has an initial cost of approximately 30 euros per person.
• When... Every year during the third weekend in August.
• Where... 272 Broadmoor Drive, Nashville.

Gallatin, just a short drive from Nashville, hosts the annual Fire on the Water Festival in August, an event that combines live music, fire circus shows and theatrical performances with food trucks and booths and craft beer bars, which is one of Tennessee's most popular products.

This eclectic event is ideal for braving the summer heat in the city, as you can also take a dip and enjoy the water attractions. Plus, the festival lasts several days and Gallatin is only half an hour away, so you can enjoy the event even if you're only in town for a short stay. If that's the case, here's a list of things you can do to discover Nashville in 3 days.

You can also make the most of your visit to Gallatin by visiting the Opryland Theatre, the home of the Grand Ole Opry, America's oldest and one of the most traditional country music radio shows. The theatre is located on the outskirts of Nashville, halfway between downtown and Gallatin.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to the festival is approximately 15 euros per person.
• When... Every year for several days in August.
• Where... Lock 4 Park, Gallatin.

Arrington Vineyards is a modern vineyard but has established itself as one of Nashville's best and holds several events throughout the year. On Fridays in August, Arrington Vineyards hosts Food Truck Friday, a roving festival of stalls and food trucks featuring live music and great food on the vineyard grounds.

During Food Truck Friday you can also sample local wines and take a guided tour of the vineyard to learn about the workings of one of Nashville's most successful industries, which competes with the production of craft beer, another of the city's culinary highlights.

Visiting Arrington Vineyards will allow you to combine a visit to the outskirts of the city with one of Nashville's best food tours, which you can put together on your own with a wide range of food and musical performances, which are a constant feature of events in the capital of Tennessee.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the Food Truck Festival is free.
• When... Every year on Fridays in August.
• Where... 6211 Patton Road, Arrington.

The Frist is one of the city's most famous art museums and has no fixed collection, so it changes its exhibits each year, in an opening party that you can attend if you're planning to visit Nashville in February. In August, the Frist opens its doors for Family Mondays, where for the cost of a 15 euro ticket, the whole family can get in.

Visiting the Frist Art Museum is an opportunity to escape the city's inclement August sun and also enjoy the exhibitions which often include works by Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, René Magritte and many other prominent artists.

Frist's August Family Mondays also include special programming for children, such as theatre cycles, storytelling and interactive guided tours of the museum's rooms.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to the museum costs approximately 15 euros for adults. On Mondays in January the whole family can enter for the cost of a single ticket.
• When... Mondays in August.
• Where... 919 Broadway, Nashville.

In August the maximum temperature in Nashville is 32° and the minimum is 20°, while the average temperature is 26°, making it an ideal climate for enjoying water and outdoor activities.

August is also a time of clear skies, although showers are frequent, as they are most of the year in the city, so keep a light coat handy at all times.

August is part of the city's peak season, as is the whole summer, so the number of tourists is high, but less so than if you visit Nashville in June or July.

To ensure that the large numbers of visitors don't disrupt your itinerary you can book tours in advance to reserve your place on the tours and also enjoy the outdoor activities.

August is part of the city's peak season and is not usually a cheap month to visit Nashville, so be aware that accommodation and tour costs are higher than in the winter months.

If you want to tour the city at a cheaper time, you can enjoy autumn by visiting Nashville in September or October, when the weather is pleasant and prices for accommodation and tours are lower than in summer.

August offers mild and warm weather in Nashville but there are also rainy days, so I recommend packing the following in your suitcase.

• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Comfortable shoes
• Sun hat
• Lightweight T-shirt
• Lightweight coat
• Lightweight trousers
• Rain jacket
• Waterproof footwear
• Waterproof coat
• Waterproof boots
• Light jumpers
• Umbrellas