As April showers give way to May flowers, Middle Tennessee springs to life. From outdoor adventures to a musical smorgasbord, here's what to expect—and where to go when—if you're heading this way within next month.
Annual International Dogwood Festival
(Credit: International Dogwood Festival)
When: May 6-8
Where: Winchester
What: This small town adjacent to Tims Ford Lake comes alive for three days each May as the dogwoods bloom and the food trucks pull into the square. On top of copious music—bluegrass, gospel and more—the festival features a parade, kids zone, car show, tractor show, dog show, cornhole tournament and the Miss Dogwood Festival Pageant.
Keg County Poker Run
When: May 9
Where: Centerville
What: The bucolic countryside surrounding Centreville is a cacophony of revving engines and a sea of chrome when the The Keg County Poker Run motorcycle ride crisscrosses through Hickman County's moonshine country.
Musicians Corner
(Credit: Musicians Corner)
When: starting May 13
Where: Nashville
What: In late spring and throughout the summer, Nashville is brimming with free tunes like Musicians Corner, kicking off its seventh straight year. Two Fridays a month feature acoustic sets from artists like Andrew Ripp and Emerson Hart while every Saturday is a smorgasbord of local acts in this series that takes over Centennial Park on weekends in warmer months.
Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival
When: May 14
Where: Portland
What: Up north of Nashville near the Kentucky border, strawberries grow by the fields' full. And every May, more than 100 vendors—and all the locals—come out to pay homage to the colorful berry through fun runs, a pancake breakfast, live music, a parade and fireworks.
Full Moon Pickin' Party
When: starting May 20
Where: Nashville
What: On the Friday of the full moon each month, Music City lives up to its name with an all-out jam session in Warner Parks. Guitars, mandolins, fiddles, banjos, dulcimers and other stringed instruments get dusted off for the occasion, and families and groups of friends bring picnic blankets and enjoy the live show. While it's $25 to get in, if you bring your own instrument, you'll get discounted admission for $5 to $10.
Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival
(Credit: Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival)
When: May 27-28
Where: Dickson
What: In its ninth year, this two-day event at the Dickson County Fairgrounds celebrates artisans through 50 vendors selling their wares and more than 40 workshops ranging from felting and weaving to spindling and soap-making.
