TGIF, Nashville. Can someone please tell us how it’s the end of April already? Freaky calendar tricks aside, we’re now at that time of year when festivals take over our schedules every weekend. We’re actually taking a little road trip down to Memphis this weekend to the Beale Street Music Festival, so we fully expect all of you to enjoy Nashville’s many weekend festivities on our behalf (we know we’re leaving Nashville in good hands). Here are our top picks for the weekend:
Night Market. Friday, April 29 at the Nashville Farmer’s Market, 6-8pm, free. This weekend is the very first Night Market to take place both indoors and out, with the usual special Night Market vendors plus a few new additions. Arnold Myint, Nashville’s own claim to Top Chef fame, will be on hand to debut offerings from his new Farmer’s Market venture, and Kenny from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheeses will also be a special guest. And Boozeballs! Ah, the boozeballs.
1st Annual Stache Bash. Friday, April 29 at Trim Classic Barber, 6-9pm, $5 donation. The kind of event that one could only dream up in 12 South, the 1st annual Stache Bash at Trim offers beard makeovers, haircuts, moustache competitions, snacks from 12 South Taproom, prizes from local 12 South businesses, music spinning from Grimey’s all night and the $5 requested donation goes to a great cause, Nashville’s own Blood:Water Mission.
Friendly Arctic Market. Saturday, April 30 at 1601B Riverside Drive, 10am-3pm. Local artisans from Cool People Care, Friendly Arctic Designs, Owlette Collective, Pine Street Makery, Katie Vance, Mary Kiolbasa, This Tiny Life, Fiber Content and Observation Full and Felt join forces to create the Friendly Arctic Market, opening in East Nashville this Saturday. (If you can’t make it this weekend, they’ll be there through May 7.)
Franklin Main Street Festival. Saturday, April 30 from 10am-10pm; Sunday, May 1 from 12-6pm in downtown Franklin, free. We’re big fans of downtown Franklin and their festivals, and this weekend is no different. It’s the perfect time of year for an outdoor street festival and the streets will be lined with more than 200 artisan vendors, three stages of entertainment, two carnivals and an international food court. Don’t forget the Fourth Avenue Street Dance, which will continue past the festival hours until 10pm on Saturday, so you really have no excuse for not getting your dance on.
“Endada” – A Music and Arts Festival. Saturday, April 30 at Montgomery Bell Academy, 10am-2pm. Montgomery Bell Academy has put together quite the impressive event this weekend, with a day full of music and artistic performances from MBA students. They’ll screen student-made documentaries, host artistic demonstrations from students and alumni, and they’re even bringing in artists from the community for special demonstrations. Hatch Show Print, the Lost Boys Foundation, the Frist Center and Cheekwood will all be represented. Don’t forget the food – The Grilled Cheeserie will be slinging grilled cheese alongside several other delicious, artery-clogging vendors.
Those Darlins with Heavy Cream and Trophy Wife. Saturday, April 30 at Mercy Lounge, 9pm, $5-10. We haven’t been able to stop spinning Those Darlins’ new record Screws Get Loose since its release last month, so we’re pretty excited that they’re making a rare hometown stop at Mercy Lounge this weekend. Even better, word on the street from the Nashville Cream is that you can snag half-price tickets to the show at Grimey’s.
Photo by pope saint victor.