It may only be September, but the signs of fall are in the air. Cool evenings, football and combines on the corn fields portend the arrival of the best season of the year in Franklin, Tennessee.
Autumn here is packed with events and traditions to complement the brilliant landscape, from music to festivals, food and family fun. Inspire your itinerary with these fantastic fall happenings.
Kicking off the celebration is the beloved Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, taking over the 200-acre Park at Harlinsdale Farm September 28 & 29. Two days of headline musicians on two main stages — think Noah Kahan, Hozier, Lukas Nelson, Dave Matthews Band and Needtobreathe — as well as tailored experiences for kids and lovers of Americana music and culture make this a notably distinctive event. Great food vendors and artisans bring the festival vibe to the historic horse farm a short walk from Main Street.
Through October and November, Harlinsdale will play host to a number of equestrian events in the Tractor Supply Co. Arena, and the City of Franklin Parks Department will present the annual free Family Day festival with miniature train rides, hayrides, ponies and a petting zoo, as well as cane pole fishing and farm equipment demonstrations. The non-profit Friends of Franklin Parks will have equestrian displays in the Arena as well — a perfect fall day for kids of all ages.
Each year, locals look forward to the opening of Gentry’s Farm, an autumnal spectacular held each weekend from late September through Halloween at a century farm on Franklin’s western edge. Aside from the thousands of pumpkins to choose from, there are a half-day’s worth of the kind of family-friendly activities that create lifelong memories. Corn mazes, playgrounds, farm animals, tire swings, wagon rides and barnyard adventures abound. If you’re in Franklin on a fall weekend, with or without kids, don’t miss this one! It’s a picture of small town America as it should be.
On October 26, the Heritage Foundation’s 39th Annual PumpkinFest takes over downtown Franklin. From Five Points to First Avenue, the historic core will be filled with 140+ arts and crafts vendors, dozens of food and drink options, pet and costume contests, live music and more, against the backdrop of America’s Favorite Main Street. The KidZone will have plenty of activities for the little ones and college football will be on the big screen at The Franklin Theatre.
Adults who enjoy a glass of wine with their fall foliage will love a day at Arrington Vineyards. Throughout the season, Food Truck Fridays and Music in the Vines on Saturdays add to the experience, but tours and tastings are available every day of the week at this award-winning winery just a few miles from Franklin.
Then on November 2, Wine Down Main Street features more than 30 shops and galleries serving as tasting locations for this much-anticipated annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. Wines from around the world and food samples from local purveyors make for what many call the best night out of the year.
If leaf-peeping is what you’re after, Williamson County features 583 square miles of rolling hills and hardwood ridges that won’t disappoint. Get lost on a backroad between mid-October and the first of November, and you’ll be treated to some of the most scenic vistas to be found anywhere in the country. Take the Natchez Trace Parkway to the village of Leiper’s Fork, and stop for a tour and tasting at Leiper’s Fork Distillery on the way back to Franklin, for a fine fall afternoon highlight of your trip.
There’s no bad time to visit Franklin, but there’s no better time than fall!
