Now that we can officially say that the weather has turned and spring is here to stay, we’re fixing our eyes on the season of outdoor happenings! If you’re anything like us and you’ve been itching to head outside, these 20 April events in Nashville are sure to keep you busy. We’re thrilled to celebrate annual favorites like Cheekwood in Bloom, the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival, Nashville Fashion Week and the St. Jude Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon as well as welcome a new season with the Nashville Sounds, a fresh lineup at the Nashville Comedy Festival and fascinating exhibits at Art on the West Side. April, we are ready for all of it!
Cheekwood in Bloom is one of the many opportunities you have to step out and enjoy the beauty of spring in Nashville! | Image: Cheekwood
Through April 7, 2019: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
Don’t miss your chance to see the beloved classic tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar hit the stage at Nashville Children’s Theatre! The longest running children’s puppet show in New York history comes to off-Broadway Nashville and will feature more than 70 colorful and charming puppets of your favorite characters. Tickets for children are $16 and tickets for adults are $21. Check showtimes and reserve your spots now for a performance your whole family will love! nashvillechildrenstheatre.org
Through April 7, 2019: Cheekwood in Bloom
There’s no way to celebrate springtime quite like Cheekwood in Bloom! Now through April 7, Cheekwood invites you to explore more than 150,000 colorful blooming bulbs in the sprawling gardens. The gardens are open seven days a week with special activities on the weekends including crafts, live music and tours. Don’t miss the beer garden on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Not-yet-members can purchase general admission adult tickets for $20, youth tickets for $13, college students for $16, seniors for $18 and those under the age of 2 can enter for free. Make sure you bring your whole family to experience the green and wondrous display of Cheekwood in Bloom! cheekwood.org
April 2-6, 2019: Nashville Fashion Week
We’re also looking forward to April and Nashville Fashion Week 2019! In partnership with OZ Arts Nashville, this city-wide event celebrates its ninth year of showcasing our incredible fashion and retail community. Throughout four nights of runway shows, 20 local and regional designers will showcase their collections. The week culminates at the Fashion Forward Gala, an elegant evening of cocktails, dinner and an art auction. Seven impact award recipients will be honored at the event, too. Tickets for NFW range from free to $500 for All-Access VIP Front Row + Gala admission. Reserve yours before they run out and get ready to celebrate all the creative talent in Nashville! nashvillefashionweek.com
April 3, 2019: Reaching New Heights Luncheon
On Wednesday, April 3, join the Reaching New Heights Luncheon for an incredible fundraiser benefitting alcohol and drug addiction recovery center at Cumberland Heights. This annual event will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Hillwood Country Club and will feature Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner as the featured speaker. Bring your friends to support ladies around Nashville at this special luncheon. Tickets start at $150 each. Get yours now. cumberlandheights.org
April 3, 2019: Beyond the Point Author Event with Claire Gibson
“Duty. Honor. Country. That’s West Point’s motto, and every cadet who passes through its stone gates vows to live it. But on the eve of 9/11, as Dani, Hannah and Avery face four grueling years ahead, they realize they’ll only survive if they do it together.” Intrigued? Join Nashville author Claire Gibson at Parnassus a day after the release of her debut novel, Beyond the Point. StyleBlueprint CEO Liza Graves will interview Claire as Liza says, “Both my 17-year old daughter and I got to read the pre-final-edited copy of Beyond the Point and we both said we hadn’t read a book that we connected to so much in years. This book is ageless in its appeal on the power of friendship between women.” Join in on the discussion at 6:30 p.m. on April 3 at Parnassus. More details: parnassusbooks.net
April 4, 2019: Opening Day with the Nashville Sounds
Thursday, April 4, the Nashville Sounds return to First Tennessee Park for the 2019 season opener! At 6:35 p.m., head to the ballpark to enjoy your long-awaited hot dog as the Sounds take on the Iowa Cubs. Tickets start at $19, so come cheer on Nashville’s beloved baseball team. milb.com
April 5-7 & 12-14, 2019: Witherspoon Spring Home Tour
For two weekends this April, join Witherspoon Brentwood for the Spring Home Tour! From noon to 5 p.m. each day, tour 8 luxury homes in varying construction stages by Middle Tennessee’s top custom builders, including the decorated model home by Ford Classic Homes. Mark your calendar to stop by on April 6 for yummy food truck eats from noon to 3 p.m. Be among the first 150 people at the event and you’ll get free lunch! Admission to the tour is free, so swing by and enjoy the beautiful Brentwood community! witherspoonbrentwood.com
April 6-7, 2019: Art on the West Side
Join members of the community and more than 50 talented artists at the 6th Annual Art on the West Side on April 6 and 7. This cherished art event is held at the Gordon Jewish Community Center and features talented artists with pieces in paint, glass, clay, jewelry, photography, wood and fiber for a beautiful showcase and JCC fundraiser. Kickoff the show on Saturday, April 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Cocktail Reception with a suggested $15 donation and free valet parking. Continue the fun on Sunday, April 7, for Morning Jazz from 10 a.m. t0 noon with light bites and mimosas while the JPOP Marketplace is open until 4 p.m. The JCC will receive 30% of all art sales. artonthewestside.org
April 6, 2019: The Iris Ball
Join young professionals around Nashville to dance the night away at the 2019 Iris Ball! The black-tie fundraising event benefits the Oasis Center, which strives to provide youth crisis intervention through a number of personal growth, leadership and community engagement opportunities. With the purchase of a general admission ticket for $100, enjoy an open bar, hors d’oeuvres and live music by Big Bling and the Funk Machine, beginning at 8 p.m.! theirisball.com
April 8-14, 2019: Nashville Comedy Festival
Get ready for a belly full of laughs as the Nashville Comedy Festival returns to Nashville this April! This year’s festival lineup brings Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy, John Crist, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jim Jefferies and many more, for a fun-filled week you don’t want to miss. The festival’s events take place at Zanie’s, the Ryman, War Memorial and several other venues and clubs around town. See the website for schedule and ticket information: nashcomedyfest.com
April 13, 2019: Pinwheel Festival
Don’t miss the 10th Annual Pinwheel Festival on April 13! Held at Sevier Park in 12 South, the festival invites you and your whole family to enjoy performances from children’s groups, make crafts, play games and eat treats in the sunshine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Entry is free for access to bounce houses, face painting, puppets and more to celebrate family fun in Nashville! pcat.org/festival
April 13, 2019: Water Lantern Festival
Experience the magic of the Nashville Water Lantern Festival at The Parthenon on April 13! This beautiful family-friendly event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with food trucks, music and a chance to design your lantern, all leading up to the lantern launch at 9 p.m. Your $25 ticket includes festival entry, a floating lantern, commemorative drawstring bag and a wristband. Prices increase March 31, so grab yours now! waterlanternfestival.com
April 13, 2019: Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival
When the cherry blossoms bloom, we know spring is really here! Join the fun of the 11th annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival on April 13 to celebrate the beauty of the season and Japanese culture. This family-friendly day kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with the Cherry Blossom Walk in the Nashville Public Square and continues with a beautiful day of music and dance performances, festive arts and crafts, a marketplace, delicious Japanese fair and multiple opportunities to experience youthful Japanese culture until 5 p.m. This event is free, but donations to help fund the festival and continued international education are welcome. nashvillecherryblossomfestival.org
April 19, 2019: East Nashville Beer Festival
Beer lovers across Nashville, unite! On April 19, join Rhizome Productions for a true celebration of craft beer at The East Nashville Beer Festival. Beginning at noon, East Park will transform into a true beer paradise, showcasing a huge variety of local, regional, national and international brews, complete with live music, food trucks and a bunch of local vendors. Whether you are a beer aficionado or just enjoy a cold beverage, this event will be fun for all. VIP tickets are $100, general admission tickets are $60 and designated driver tickets are $25 per person. A portion of proceeds from ENBF supports Ride for Reading, a local nonprofit providing age-appropriate books to children in poverty. eastnashvillebeerfest.com
April 20, 2019: Corkdorks Nashville Wine & Food Festival
Join local chefs and winemakers from around the country for the Corkdorks Nashville Wine & Food Festival on April 20! For an entire afternoon, sample 150+ top-notch wines from 30 of the country’s premier wineries paired with delicious bites from your favorite Nashville restaurants. Attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with chefs, winemakers and food artisans through a number of demonstrations and seminars. This intimate and tasty food and wine affair is one that you don’t want to miss. Regular pricing begins on March 1 and VIP access is $135, general admission is $95 and designated driver admission is $40. The festival takes place at the Omni Hotel from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Reserve your spot now! thenashwineandfoodfestival.com/tickets
April 20, 2019: Nashville Earth Day Festival
Head to Centennial Park on April 20 for another year of the beloved Nashville Earth Day Festival! The free family-friendly event, organized by the Nashville Parks Foundation and presented by Piedmont Natural Gas kicks off at 11 a.m. and will feature exhibits, hands-on activities, interactive booths and more, all to educate the community on the importance of caring for our planet! This year’s festival highlights include various musical shows, international dance performances, food truck fare, local beer and wine and more. See you there! nashvilleearthday.org
April 23-24, 2019: The Mazza Company’s Trunk Show at Cindi Earl Fine Jewelry
Ever since Cindi Earl featured The Mazza Company as her first collection when opening her store 28 years ago, the jewelry company has had a special place in her heart. Being the unheralded creators and carved stone purveyors for many renowned jewelry houses, The Mazza Company has emerged as a leading designer of fine fashion jewelry. For two days this April, drop by the store and see why so many are continually delighted at The Mazza Company’s beautiful jewels! cindiearl.com
April 25-May 19, 2019: Tomás and the Library Lady at Nashville Children’s Theatre
This April and May, the beloved story of Tomás and the Library Lady comes to the Nashville Children’s Theatre! This special tale by José Cruz González, adapted from the book by Pat Mora will be performed with sections of dialogue in both English and Spanish, following the true story of Tomás Rivera as he befriends a local librarian. Tickets for adults are $21 and tickets for youth are $16. Choose from nine performance times and bring the whole family to this special bilingual production at NCT! nashvillechildrenstheatre.org
April 26, 2019: Spring Fling Fundraiser
Join Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation on April 26 for the 2019 Spring Fling Fundraiser! From 6 to 10 p.m. at The Cordelle, spend the evening with other conservation-minded members of the community to raise awareness and money for TennGreen’s local efforts to protect our land. Enjoy food, drinks, live entertainment and a silent auction at a beautiful venue, all benefiting a great cause! Get your $200 ticket now at springflingfortenngreen.org.
April 27-28, 2019: St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
Join more than 30,000 runners around Nashville to celebrate the 20th year of the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon on April 27 and 28! Live bands line the route as crowds of onlookers cheer on runners in both the full and half marathons. The races will conclude at Nissan Stadium and finishers will be greeted with a medal, t-shirt, cold beer and continued live music. Whether you’re running or watching, this fun Nashville weekend is one to make the April calendar! runrocknroll.com
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Happy spring! For more events, please visit our Happenings page or download the SB App.
