10 Things to Do in Nashville in September
September marks the end of summer in Nashville, but it's also a great time to continue enjoying the pleasant weather and the start of festival season. Are you in?
Nashville is one of the most visited cities in the Southern United States in the summer, and as the summer season comes to an end and fall begins, the capital of Tennessee continues to maintain a pleasant climate and kicks off the season of festivals, musical concerts and cultural fairs.
Some of the best things to see and do in Nashville in September include the Cultural Festival, the Southern Book Fair, concerts and musical performances at the Nashville Public Library and open houses from the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, which coincide with the start of fall in the city.
1. Join the tractor tour to celebrate the start of harvest.
The tractor tour is one of Nashville's signature attractions and a public holiday held several times throughout the year, although if you plan to visit the city in September you can take part in the tour celebrating the start of harvest that consists of a caravan through downtown Nashville on party tractors. Be sure to reserve your place at a Nashville tractor party, you'll be amazed.
In these caravans you can enjoy the music, the dance floors and the city from a different perspective, because you can soak up the agrarian spirit of Nashville in one of the city's celebration dates, which begins in September during the beginning of the harvest in the southern United States and ends in November with Thanksgiving.
Please note that since most of these activities include an open bar , you must be 21 years of age or older to participate in the tractor tours.
Details of interest
- Price... It is around 47 €.
- When... Thursday to Sunday.
- Where... In Nashville.
2. Attend the Nashville Whiskey Festival
The Nashville Whiskey Festival is one of the city's most eclectic events and brings together both newcomers, fans and connoisseurs of the whiskey world each year in September for a weekend of whiskey lectures, live music performances, food trucks and booths, and whiskey tastings.
The festival is also characterized by whiskey competitions in which whiskey experts compete blind and the participant who guesses the quality of each bottle wins, which is one of the most attractive activities of the event. If you visit Nashville in September, the Whiskey Festival will be included among the best food tours in the city.
The event is hosted by Nashville's main distilleries and experts from each company provide seminars, lectures and conferences for attendees, so if you are a whiskey aficionado you will enjoy the event very much. And in case you liked the proposal, be sure to book a tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery.
Details of interest
- Price... Admission to the distilleries participating in the event is free.
- When... Every year during a weekend in September.
- Where... At different distilleries in Nashville.
3. Enjoy concerts at the Nashville Public Library
In September of each year the Nashville Public Library opens its doors and offers free lunchtime concerts at shows that combine local and regional band shows with some national acts.
These concerts are held in the library's Robinson Courtyard and are not suspended due to weather conditions, which is good news because September is a rainy month in Nashville. The library also sets up tables and chairs, so you can also consume food and beverages, and it is one of the most interesting and inviting free events in Nashville during September.
The library is located downtown and is accessible by the 52 bus or the Nashville Sightseeing Bus, which includes a stop near the entrance to the Robinson Courtyard.
Details of Interest
- Price... Admission to library concerts is free.
- When... Every year during September.
- Where... 615 Church St, Nashville.
4. Participate in the Cumberland River Festival
The Cumberland River is one of the great prides of Nashville and the state of Tennessee so the event celebrating the city's main tributary aims to fete the river and also raise awareness among locals and visitors of the importance of caring for nature and clean water.
This free, family-friendly festival includes live music performances, the participation of local and regional artists, food trucks and booths, a dragon boat race that rewards the winner with a basket of items donated by the festival sponsors, as well as activities for children.
Along with the Southern Parthenon and Nashville's finest museums, the Cumberland River is one of the city's great attractions and also the perfect place to take an evening cruise or riverside tour. In fact, many visitors book a lunch cruise in Nashville.
Details of interest
- Price... Admission to the festival is free.
- When... Every year during September.
- Where... Cumberland River, Nashville.
5. Take in the views from the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
The John Seigenthaler Bridge, at nearly 1.5 miles long, is one of the largest bridges in Nashville and one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. This footbridge connects the city's historic district with Riverside Park, located on the East Bank Greenway, thus linking two of the most important points in Tennessee's capital city. From there, in the fall and during clear days, you can access the most beautiful open views of the city.
Since this century-old bridge was closed to vehicles it has become a popular site for pedestrians to visit, especially during the fall when they come to see the sunset and sunset reflected in the skyscrapers and surrounding forests of the city, as from the bridge you can see a wide panoramic view of Nashville.
This bridge also has a cycling and Segway lane, so you can optimize your time by booking a guided Segway tour in Nashville, which will be ideal if you have a short stay in the city planned. If that is your case, here is a list of activities so you can discover Nashville in 3 days
Details of interest
- Price... Free of charge.
- When... Any time of the year, although September is ideal for clear skies.
- Where... John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge.
6. Participate in the African Culture Street Festival
Tennessee is home to one of the largest African American communities in the United States and most live in Nashville, making the African Culture Street Festival one of the city's busiest events.
The festival is held each year in September and includes African film screenings, plays, food booths, and arts and crafts venues. During the festival there are also themed parades, workshops and lectures on African culture and the event closes with a music festival combining local and African genres.
The African Culture Festival is held each year for a full weekend in Hadley Park and is recognized as one of the premier events to promote cultural exchange between Africa and the United States. If your trip doesn't coincide with this event, be sure to book tickets to Nashville's National Museum of African American Music.
Details of interest
- Price... Admission to the event is free.
- When... Every year on a weekend in September.
- Where... Hadley Park, Nashville.
8. Celebrate the arrival of fall with a stroll through Warner Parks
Edwin and Percy Warner Parks, just outside Nashville, are Tennessee's main urbanized green lung and each year attract millions of visitors who stroll the trails, bike the nature trails and enjoy the outdoors, but if you plan to visit the city in September you can experience the beginning of autumn there and experience the changing of the parks, which are dressed in yellow leaves creating a magical atmosphere.
The park can be reached by the city's public transport buses or by some of the tour buses that include a stop in the park area. You can also book the Nashville Sightseeing Trolley Tour. Admission is free and it is one of the best things to do with kids in Nashville if you plan to see the city as a family.
The best time to visit is during the first days of autumn, at the end of September, when the weather is still mild and the forest changes its skin transforming the green of its vegetation into a blanket of dry leaves, where you can take some of the best pictures of Nashville!
Details of interest
- Price... Admission is free.
- When... Beginning in September.
- Where... Warner Parks.
8. Visit the Southern Book Fair
The Southern Book Fair is one of Nashville's most attended cultural events and one of the oldest literary festivals in the country, hosting hundreds of authors and thousands of visitors from Tennessee and the surrounding area each year. This festival is free and is held at War Memorial Plaza on a weekend in September.
This fair has activities for adults and kids, includes performance stages, food trucks and booths, publisher and bookseller venues and also virtual programming and evening activities, making it one of the best things to do in the city if you plan to tour Nashville at night
War Memorial Plaza is located in the downtown area, so you can make the most of your visit to that part of the city and take some of the best tours of Nashville that start at the sites near the Tennessee Capitol and Legislative Plaza. There you can start Downtown walking tours, Segway tours, bike tours or you can even book a golf cart tour of Nashville to optimize the time of your excursion.
Details of interest
- Price... Admission to the fair is free.
- When... Every year on a weekend in September.
- Where... War Memorial Plaza, Union St., Nashville.
9. Attend the Nashville Cultural Festival
The Nashville Cultural Festival is an event to celebrate the plurality of Tennessee, the state where one in six residents is a foreigner, making it one of the state capital's most vibrant celebrations and a perfect excuse to promote the city as one of the best places in the United States for outsiders.
This free festival offers a multicultural dialogue and is one of Nashville's best attractions because it features a variety of musical and dance performances on different stages throughout the city, food booths offering dishes from around the world, children's activities, teen areas and, as you can't miss in Tennessee, music concerts.
This festival takes place every year during a weekend in September in different parts of Nashville and if you visit the city during the event you will be able to enjoy many of the activities in open spaces and with a pleasant climate. I recommend that you book a tour on the Nashville sightseeing bus to move between the different venues.
Details of interest
- Price... Admission to the event is free.
- When... Every year during a weekend in September.
- Where... Different locations throughout Nashville.
10. Experience the Tennessee State Fair
The Tennessee State Fair is the state's premier event, held each year in September to promote regional culture and as a gathering place for all locals. At this fair you can find children's rides, amusement parks, booths and food trucks, lectures, workshops and fun competitions.
The event is usually held every year during the second week of September, including the surrounding weekends, at the Nashville Fairgrounds and attracts local personalities, especially during the opening and closing of the event, which takes place during the last day.
The fair also organizes children's activities so it is a good alternative if you plan to visit Nashville with children or family.
Details of interest
- Price... Admission to the event is free.
- When... Every year during a weekend in September.
- Where... Hadley Park, Nashville.
Nashville weather in September
The high in Nashville in September is 25° and the low is 14° and the average temperature is 19°, so you'll enjoy pleasant weather for outdoor activities.
This time of year also coincides with the beginning of autumn in the city so you can see some of the best views of the city, especially in the city's parks and green lungs.
Keep in mind that while September tends to include mostly clear days it is also a rainy season, so I advise you to always carry a waterproof coat during your tours.
Nashville's tourist crowds in September
Nashville's high season ends with the summer so from the second half of September onwards the tourist influx decreases substantially, which will ensure that you can enjoy the best things to see and do in Nashville in peace and quiet with few visitors around.
If you plan to visit Nashville in October you will see that the influx of tourists increases due to the large number of music festivals organized by the city at that time of the year, so the second half of September is one of the ideal times to visit the city with few visitors and with a pleasant weather that will allow you to enjoy the tours.
Nashville prices in September
September is the end of Nashville's high season so prices in the city drop drastically, especially for accommodations and tours, making it a good time to enjoy the capital of Tennessee while saving money.
You can also optimize your city tour prices by booking tours in advance online and planning an itinerary to get the most out of Nashville tours, which can be a big city if you don't have an organized trip.
What to pack for a visit to Nashville in September?
September is a month with a very good temperature in Nashville, but also with some rain, so I recommend that you include the following items in your suitcase:
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
- Comfortable shoes.
- Sun hat.
- Light T-shirt.
- Light coat.
- Light pants.
- Raincoat.
- Waterproof footwear.
- Waterproof coat.
- Waterproof boots.
- Light sweaters.
- Umbrellas.