There is a rhythm to Tennessee, a melody that hums through its valleys and echoes off the Smoky Mountains, where every corner has a story, and each town plays its own tune of Southern charm.
1. **Nashville’s CMA Music Festival (501 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203):**
The heart of country music beats strongest in Nashville during the CMA Music Festival. Country fans gather under the golden summer sun to celebrate authenticity and storytelling at this grand event. It’s more than just concerts; it's an intimate connection with artists akin to Johnny Cash's deep voice - resonant and full of soul.
2. **Memphis in May International Festival (56 S Front St, Memphis, TN 38103):**
This month-long festival celebrates Memphis culture with events focusing on culinary arts akin to Craig Claiborne’s intricate food essays—spicy yet comforting like good Southern barbecue—and wraps up with the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Each year honors a specific country which feels like walking into a Faulkner narrative; complex histories intertwining beneath strings of festive lights.
3. **Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree & Crafts Festival (Downtown Smithville, TN 37166):**
With fiddles singing and banjos plucking out stories older than the hills they’re played upon, this jamboree encapsulates Tennessee’s living history as townsfolk dance square dances passed down through generations—a scene reminiscent of Alex Haley's vivid cultural tapestries woven in "Roots."
4. **Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair (234 Historic Nature Trail Road Gatlinburg TN 37738):**
Twice yearly Gatlinburg becomes home to artisans showcasing Appalachia craftsmanship which resonates with sincerity similar to Dolly Parton's lyrics—down-to-earth yet exquisitely crafted pieces from woodwork to pottery that tell tales as layered as Cormac McCarthy novels set against the state’s rugged backdrop.
5. **Bonnaroo Arts & Music Festival (Great Stage Park: 627 Campground Rd., Manchester, TN 37355)**:
For those who wander among Kerouacian adventures on endless summers or seek philosophical musings amidst Fleurs du Mal blooms—the Bonnaroo experience melds music genres into an eclectic symphony while promoting sustainability like Wendell Berry insists we should live by; conscious enjoyment within nature’s embrace.
Each place chosen paints part of what makes Tennessee not merely great but legendary for everyone from intrepid travellers seeking quirky local customs at small-town fairs like Smithville Jamboree or large festivals such as Bonnaroo that go beyond mere entertainment towards profound communal joy.
Tennessee invites you not only into its warm embrace but also challenges you intellectually—with every note played echoing storied pasts meeting vibrant present realities urging us all forward together under starlit Southern skies promising adventure for those keen enough to explore their depths.
Websites:
CMA Music Festival - www.cmafest.com
Memphis in May International Festival - www.memphisinmay.org
Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree - www.smithvillejamboree.com
Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair - www.gatlinburgcraftfair.com
Bonnaroo Arts & Music Festival www.bonnaroo.com
Twitter Handles:
CMA Fest (@CountryMusic)
Memphis in May (@memphisinmay)
Smithville Jamboree (@smithvle_jambo)
Gatlinburg Crafts (@Crafty_Gatlinbg)
Bonnaroo (@Bonnaroo)
501 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
United States
56 S Front St
Memphis, TN 38103
United States
Smithville, TN 37166
United States
234 Historic Nature Trail Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
United States
Great Stage Park
627 Campground Rd.
Manchester, TN 37355
United States
@Countrymusic Tn
TN
United States
@Memphisinmay Tn
TN
United States
@Smithvle_jambo Tn
TN
United States
@Crafty_gatlinbg Tn
TN
United States
@Bonnaroo Tn
TN
United States