Tennessee To-Do List: Spring Festivals
List courtesy of Tennessee Department of Tourism Development
Credit: Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
Cheekwood in Bloom
Nashville
Celebrate spring during Cheekwood in Bloom March 8-April 13, 2025 at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. Thousands of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils fill the gardens with vibrant color and special events featuring music and art encourage everyone to get out into the sunshine.
The Beer Garden is a lively space full of music, food and drinks, and places to relax. Snap a photo with Robert Indiana's iconic "The American LOVE (White Blue Red)" sculpture, develop your green thumb with like-minded horticulturists at Cheekwood Gardening School, enjoy Spring Afternoon Tea in Cafe 29, and celebrate the Hindu "Festival of Spring" Holi March 22.
An egg hunt during Easter Weekend, the pet-friendly Dogs & Dogwoods and Arbor Day celebration round out the full calendar of events.
Mule Day
Columbia
Credit: Mule Day
Yes, Tennessee has a "Mule Capital" of the world and it's in Columbia. Mule Day is April 3-6, 2025 and hosts dancing, music, food, competitions like log-loading and pony mule pulling, and parades of mules and their miniature counterparts. It's an adorable festival kids of all ages love to attend.
Trails & Trilliums
Beersheba Springs
Celebrate Earth Day with Tennessee naturalists during Trails & Trilliums April 4-6, 2025 for guided hikes, workshops and talks at Beersheba Springs Conference Center. Visit Stone Door, Savage Gulf, Greeter Falls and Collins Gulf to enjoy amazing overlooks, serene trails, wildflowers and waterfalls. Family-friendly activities include fair house building, campfire cooking, hands-on wildlife seminars, nature hikes and pioneering. It's a great way to experience Tennessee's scenic beauty and learn more about natural preservation.
Hot Slaw and Art Y'all
Cleveland
Credit: Hot Slaw and Art Y’all Festival
Hot Slaw was recently named as as an official state food. Celebrate the delicious condiment you can put on hotdogs, hamburgers or eat as a side at the family-friendly food and art festival in Cleveland, Tennessee. The Hot Slaw and Art Y'all! festival takes place April 5, 2025 with live music, artist exhibitors, pop-up street performances, food vendors, contests and, of course, hot slaw smothered on burgers, hot dogs and more.
Tennessee Tulip Festival Eagleville
The highly anticipated Tennessee Tulip Festival takes place April 5-6, 2025 at Lucky Ladd Farms in Eagleville, Tennessee, located about 40 miles south of Nashville. Experience 1 million tulips showcasing over 100 different varieties at the largest pick-your-own tulip farm in the Southeastern United States. Festival happenings include pick-your-own tulips, stunning photo opportunities, arts and crafts with a kid's market, live music, tulip photo contest, Dutch-themed food and treats, petting farm and zoo, nature trails and more. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended.
Flower & Food Festival at Dollywood
Pigeon Forge
Dollywood is your springtime destination as the award-winning, family-friendly attraction introduces a new event, Flower & Food Festival April 18 - June 8, 2025. Marvel at the topiary structures, crafted by horticultural artists, reaching up to 14 feet. Take a selfie underneath Umbrella Sky, a tapestry of colorful umbrellas suspended over Showstreet. Keep your calendar open for the in-the-kitchen demonstrations and special culinary events that highlight the fresh ingredients of spring.
World's Biggest Fish Fry
Paris
Thousands of people flock to the small town of Paris April 19-27, 2025 for the five tons of fried catfish that is served during the all-you-can-eat feast each April. Stay an extra day to enjoy the World's Biggest Fish Fry's Grand Parade, pageants, catfish races, and arts and crafts.
Polk County Ramp Tramp Festival
Reliance
Polk County Ramp Tramp Festival
Find out what a ramp is and how to use it in meals at this unique culinary festival dedicated to the ramp April 25-26, 2025 at this 4-H Camp McCroy in Reliance, Tennessee. The Ramp Tramp Festival kicks off with bluegrass music and servings of white beans, cornbread and ramps. Saturday is a full day with a ramp meal featuring fried ramps in eggs, fried potatoes, streaked meat, white beans and cornbread. Music fills the air all day and local craftsmen have handmade items for sale. Buck dancing and clogging happen later on in the afternoon.
Dogwood Arts Festival
Knoxville
Credit: Dogwood Arts Festival
The Dogwood Arts Festival is one of the most celebrated cultural events in Knoxville, offering over 100 fine art vendors, live music, children's activities, entertainment, community art activities and more. The celebration takes place April 25-27, 2025 on the Performance Lawn in World's Fair Park.
Additional spring events leading up to the festival include the incredible, live art competition Chalk Walk April 5, 2025, hiking on the Chapman Highway Dogwood Trail and the Dogwood Trail Walk and Talk April 10 at Knoxville Botanical Gardens.
Memphis in May International Festival
Memphis
Memphis in May International Festival packs the month of May with unforgettable events. The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is May 14-17, 2025 at Liberty Park, where barbecue teams from around the world compete for the title of World Champion and prize money. Thousands flock to watch and taste barbecue with a trip through BBQ Alley by Big Green Egg & Friends and more.
The Great American River Run May 24, 2025 introduces an inaugural 10k run along with the half marathon and 5k routes. Take in Memphis as you run or watch runners compete along the banks of the Mississippi River and through downtown Memphis. Post-race fun includes music, food, and beverages.
West Tennessee Strawberry Festival
Humboldt
Let your sweet tooth lead you to downtown Humboldt for the annual West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, Tennessee's largest and longest-running festival since 1934 that takes place May 4-10, 2025.
An art extravaganza, fireworks, a contest for the best strawberry recipe, shortcake in the park, the Strawberry Market, live music and entertainment, parades and pageants make this festival a must-attend for any traveler.
Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival
Portland
The annual Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival includes new offerings like magic show performances, live music and Robocars May 9, 2025 in downtown Portland.
Be sure to catch the Strawberry Slam Wrestling Event, story hour, pancake breakfast, more than 150 food, craft and information vendors, live music, strawberry farmers and much more. Stay for the strawberry festival parade and fireworks that cap off the festival.
Iroquois Steeplechase
Nashville
Credit: Iroquois Steeplechase
More than 25,000 spectators come to the beautiful Percy Warner Park in Nashville for the time-honored tradition of Iroquois Steeplechase May 10, 2025. Southern fashions, incredible food and thrilling horse races make this a crowd-pleasing event. Tailgating, furnished tents and family areas are available for guests to make the day a truly enjoyable experience.
Southern Skies Music Festival
Knoxville
The Southern Skies Music & Whiskey Festival returns to Knoxville's World's Fair Park May 10, 2025. The celebration of music and community features performances from Americana legends Old Crow Medicine Show as well as The Dirty Guv'nahs, Charley Crockett, Willow Avalon, Devon Gilfillian, Southern Avenue, and Cruz Contreras & The Black Lillies.
And, in collaboration with the Tennessee Distillers Guild, some of the top distilleries in Tennessee will offer a wide variety of whiskey and other unique, handcrafted spirits, bottles for sale and educational opportunities on the art of distilling, barrel aging and distilling history.
Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival
Wartburg
Celebrate the gorgeous mountain laurel blooms in Wartburg during the Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival with hikes along several trails as well as fun activities and events including live music, beer tastings, car show, children's games, craft demonstrations and so much more. The 2025 festival takes place on Courthouse Square on May 17.
Memphis Italian Festival
Memphis
The garlic, breads, pastas, and cheeses will lead your cravings for good food to the Memphis Italian Festival May 29-31, 2025. Enjoy dinner in the air conditioned Luigi's Cafe while overlooking Marquette Park. Live music, cooking demonstrations, a slew of food vendors and arts and crafts will also be featured.
Kids and kids at heart will love Luigi Land, a collection of carnival games like Plinko, Roller Bowler, Balloon Pop and more along with mini carnival rides, mechanical bull and others. Smaller children can enjoy the inflatable bounce houses.
