16 Southern Events & Happenings: August 2026
From family-friendly festivals and hot-air balloons to championship golf and more, these standout Southern events are keeping us busy this August. Image: Facebook / Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival
Summer may be winding down, but when it comes to Southern events, August is still going strong! The month is packed with state fairs, film festivals, a world-class golf championship, and plenty of other reasons to keep your calendar booked and busy.
Through August 9, 2026: Shakespeare Festival — Louisville, KY
Hear ye, hear ye! Kentucky Shakespeare closes its festival season in Louisville’s Central Park with two fresh takes on the Bard: Romeo and Juliet performed by the Globe Players and Louisville Ballet’s original Hamlet & Ophelia. Food trucks, preshow entertainment, and open-air performances make both evenings worthy of a midsummer outing. kyshakespeare.com
Through August 9, 2026: South Carolina New Play Festival — Greenville, SC
The South Carolina New Play Festival turns downtown Greenville into a stage for fresh theatrical talent, pairing world-premiere productions and free readings with Broadway performers, live street acts, and an arts fair along Main Street. The 2026 lineup promises plenty of drama, in the very best sense of the word. southcarolinanewplayfestival.org
August 1 & 2, 2026: Satchmo SummerFest — New Orleans, LA
Satchmo SummerFest tips its hat (and trumpet) to Louis Armstrong with two days of live jazz, Cajun bites, insightful lectures, and free admission to the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Brass bands, big personalities, and plenty of Crescent City flavor keep it swinging. frenchquarterfest.org
August 5 – 9, 2026: Lobsterfest — Key West, FL
Key West Lobsterfest hails the opening of Florida’s spiny lobster season with five days of buttery feasts, pool parties, live music, and a sprawling Duval Street fair. It’s a delicious excuse to soak up the island spirit while supporting the Key West High School Scholarship Fund. keywestlobsterfest.com
August 8, 2026: Chicken & Beer Festival — Memphis, TN
The Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival takes over Tiger Lane with finger-licking dishes, more than 90 beverage samples, live music, and oversized lawn games. The 21-and-over event pairs two of the South’s favorite food groups while benefiting Merge Memphis. memphischickenandbeer.com
August 8 & 9, 2026: Sourwood Festival — Black Mountain, NC
Black Mountain’s Sourwood Festival celebrates the start of sourwood honey season with live music, regional food, and more than 110 makers and vendors filling the picturesque downtown streets. Sweet, spirited, and distinctly Appalachian, the free two-day tradition has been drawing crowds since 1977. explorethevalley.org
August 12 – 16, 2026: FedEx St. Jude Championship — Memphis, TN
The FedEx St. Jude Championship brings the PGA Tour’s top 70 players — including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler — to TPC Southwind for five days of high-stakes playoff action. World-class golf, fan experiences, and plenty of Bluff City flavor make the annual tournament a winning late-summer tradition. fedexchampionship.com
August 13 – 22, 2026: Tennessee State Fair — Lebanon, TN
Dubbed “The Best 10 Days of the Year,” the Tennessee State Fair returns to Lebanon with midway thrills, live music, livestock shows, homespun competitions, and enough fried fare to satisfy every fairground craving. wilsoncountytnstatefair.com
August 14 – 22, 2026: Georgia Mountain Fair — Hiawassee, GA
The 76th Annual Georgia Mountain Fair returns to Hiawassee with carnival rides, live music, regional arts and crafts, and a nostalgic look at North Georgia’s mountain heritage. Set against the Blue Ridge Mountains, the beloved tradition offers two weekends of family fun — with funnel cakes, naturally. georgiamountainfairgrounds.com
August 15, 2026: Sip TN Wine Experience: Townsend — Townsend, TN
This wine-lover’s experience in Townsend, TN, features tastings from 15 Tennessee wineries, along with the chance to meet the makers and purchase bottles to take home. Held alongside the Great Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival, guests can also enjoy a summertime spectacle of illuminated balloon displays and tethered rides that light up the evening sky. tennesseewines.com
August 15 & 16, 2026: Piedmont Park Arts Festival — Atlanta, GA
The Piedmont Park Arts Festival fills Atlanta’s favorite green space with the work of more than 200 painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelers, and other makers. Artist demonstrations, live acoustic music, festival fare, and family-friendly fun make this free weekend a colorful celebration of Southern creativity. affps.com
August 24 – 30, 2026: Sidewalk Film Festival — Birmingham, AL
The 28th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival takes over Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District with more than 200 independent films, filmmaker Q&As, workshops, parties, and plenty of cinematic buzz. sidewalkfest.com
August 20 – 30, 2026: Kentucky State Fair — Louisville, KY
The Kentucky State Fair brings the iconic World’s Championship Horse Show, live music, rides, and deep-fried delights to Louisville’s Kentucky Exposition Center. This year also pays tribute to America’s 250th birthday while showcasing the heritage and hometown pride of all 120 Kentucky counties. kystatefair.org
August 22, 2026: Music City Brewers Festival — Nashville, TN
Music City Brewers Fest takes over Walk of Fame Park with tastings from more than 40 breweries, along with spirits, ciders, seltzers, and alcohol-free pours. Live music, food trucks, and lawn games keep the afternoon hopping, all in support of the Nashville Humane Association. musiccitybrewersfest.com
August 22 & 23, 2026: St. Louis Day — Castroville, TX
A ”Homecoming for the State of Texas,” the 144th St. Louis Day serves a hearty helping of Lone Star tradition, from live music and children’s games to homemade Alsatian sausage and mesquite-smoked brisket beneath the pecan trees of Koenig Park. A Saturday-night biergarten gets the festivities rolling before Sunday’s picnic brings the “Little Alsace of Texas” together. saintlouisday.com
August 28 & 29, 2026: Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run — Mena, AR
The Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run brings some 200 gleaming street rods and hot rods to Mena, AR, for a scenic two-day celebration in the Ouachita Mountains. Show-and-shine events, prizes, and a winding drive to the mountaintop “Castle in the Sky” keep this more-than-50-year tradition going strong. queenwilhelminarodrun.com
Here’s to celebrating the end of summer!
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To see more great Southern events, visit our Happenings calendar.
Anne Marie Hanna
An Ole Miss alum residing in Nashville, Anne Marie is passionate about telling the stories shaping the South. Outside of work, you’ll likely find her on a porch with a coffee and a good book, gardening, listening to music, or enjoying time with friends and family.