The Weekendist: Running Like Chickens Edition

TGIF, Nashville. Your Nashvillest editors have big out of town plans tomorrow, so we hope you’ll forgive us for the abbreviated nature of today’s Weekendist. And though we may be going out of town tomorrow, we’ll be making up for it on Sunday by running around town in The Nashville Challenge: The Ultimate Urban Scavenger Race (you can still sign up to compete against us!). So whether you come downtown to laugh at us cheer us on or choose to spend your weekend stuffing your face with baklava, we won’t hold it against you.

Americana Music Festival
We’re just going to throw this out there – We’re completely embarrassed at the lack of love we’ve given this fantastic festival that’s camping out in Nashville this week. Some of the biggest names in songwriting (with the occasional smattering of international superstars like Robert Plant) have graced five of our local venues this week. Thankfully, it keeps going through the weekend. Click HERE for the upcoming lineup, and keep an ear out for last-minute “secret” shows to be announced.

Tennessee State Fair
The Tennessee State Fair opened to a soggy start today, but the drier forecast for Sunday means it’s a great chance to explore opening weekend at the new, revamped Tennessee State Fair. Check out the schedule HERE and plan to catch some ice cream eating contests, pig racin’ and especially Kenya Safari Acrobats. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for kids and ride wristbands are $25.

Nashville Greek Festival
We hit up the Nashville Greek Festival every year for tasty, traditional Mediterranean treats and entertainment. You can check out the menu and the schedule of entertainment HERE (PDF warning!), or just head down to the backyard at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Franklin Pike to check it out for yourself. Admission is $2, and the fest runs through Sunday evening at 7pm (Saturday hours 10am-9pm, Sunday hours 12-7pm).

Belle Meade Plantation Fall Fest
If “fall” is in the title, we’re in. Though fall is technically still a couple of weeks away, celebrate its coming at the Belle Meade Plantation at their 25th annual Fall Fest. There will be games, rides, music, crafts, antiques, wine and the promise of fall in the air (or maybe we made that part up). Admission is $10 for adults, children under 10 are free, and the fest runs Saturday from 9am-5pm and Sunday from 10am-5pm.

Tennessee Titans v. Oakland Raiders
Okay, so if you don’t already have tickets you’re probably not going to this one. Even so, it’s worth mentioning that our Titans are playing their season opener against the Oakland Raiders right here in town this Sunday, so brace yourself for traffic or just steer clear (you can find the season road closures HERE).

Nashville Challenge: The Ultimate Urban Scavenger Race
Did we mention that we’ll be running around downtown like crazies this Sunday? That’s because we’ll be following a set of 12 clues to different places in Nashville, taking cute snapshots of ourselves all sweaty and out of breath, and racing back to the finish line for a whopping $200 first-place prize. Go Team Nashvillest! You can sign up on race day until 3pm (clues are handed out at 3:30pm), so there’s still time to get in on the action. But you’d better not beat us.

Regions Free Days at the Adventure Science Center
Free. Science. “Grossology.” The Adventure Science Center is free this Sunday from 12:30-5:30pm, so unleash your inner kid (or your real kids) and hop on that moonwalk. For more info, click HERE to read last week’s post about Sunday’s upcoming free day.

Photo by ibeginz.