Fourth of July celebrations aside for just a moment, there’s plenty of revelry to be had in Tennessee this summer. None of it is ersatz. All of it rings true. Here’s some of what’s happening:
- If you crave authentic Bluegrass pickin’ and grinnin’, if impromptu jam sessions with some of the art’s most talented musicians make your day, then Smithville’s probably your destination. July 6 – 7 are the dates for the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival.
- More music? From Memphis in the west, to Knoxville in the east, this state is suffused with it. Come pay homage to the memory of one of the Grand Ole Opry’s first superstars July 13 – 15 at the 35th Annual Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival in Murfreesboro. On tap are arts, crafts, storytelling and the National Championships in Old-Time Buck Dancing, Clogging and Banjo.
- No vegging out at Rutledge’s Grainger County Tomato Festival. There’s just too much to do at the site of this authentic slice of Americana. Events include a Civil War encampment, arts expo and (best for last) tomato wars.
- Aug. 2 – 5 Jamestown is one of the points on the map for what’s billed as the World’s Longest Yard Sale, a 675-mile array of treasures stretched out along Hwy. 127. There’s nothing like this anywhere else on the planet. Believe it.
- Aug. 10 – 18 in Memphis is Elvis Week. The king isn’t dead, not in the hearts and minds of the folks who flock to west Tennessee each year to remember the monarch of rock ‘n roll. This will be the 35th anniversary gathering, a time for Presley’s music and films. The most memorable event is a candlelight vigil.
(Image: theogeo)
