Happenings in Nashville

Upcoming Events in Nashville Be sure to call ahead and confirm dates, times, location, and admission fees--things may change without notification. July 4, 2009: It's a big holiday weekend in Nashville. Wynonna Judd will headline Nashville's 25th anniversary of the Music City July 4th Let Freedom Sing celebration at Riverfront Park. Appearing with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra at 7 p.m., Wynonna will continue performing with the Gabe Dixon Band during the evening. Don't leave Riverfront Park early because the city's grand firework display will start here around 9:25 p.m. Touted as one of the country's best firework spectacles, it's a show that is immensely popular with Nashvillians and visitors.

On-Going Events

Every fourth Saturday:: Nashville Flea Market at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds., 621 Mainstream Drive. 862-5016.

The Grand Ole Opry
Every Friday and Saturday evening year-round. 615-889-3060 for more information. 2802 Opryland Drive Nashville,TN 37214. Held on the Ryman Auditiorium during the winter.

For more musical events in Nashville, see BlueShoe's Music Guide.

IMAX theatre at Opry Mills. Seven-story wall-to-wall screen and high-fidelity digital sound. Movie line: 615-514-3456.

NashTrash Tours by the Jugg Sisters: a musical-comedy tour of Nashville Wednesdays through Saturdays on board the Big Pink Bus, departing from the Farmer's Market. For more information and times, call 800-342-2132.

Day Trips from Nashville

Southeast from Nashville:

Casting for a tempting daytrip from Nashville? Chattanooga has a wonderful aquarium. On the way you may want to take in the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg. It's 75 miles southeast (see directions), with tours offered every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve day, Christmas, New Year's Eve day and New Year's Day.

Northeast from Nashville:

Mammoth Cave National Park, according to the Park literature, "preserves the cave system and a part of the Green River valley and hilly country of south central Kentucky. This is the world's longest cave system, with more than 365 miles explored. Early guide Stephen Bishop called the cave a 'grand, gloomy and peculiar place,' but its vast chambers and complex labyrinths have earned its name: Mammoth." The National Park is approximately 90 miles (145 km) north of Nashville. There are a number of guided tours you can take of the cave, including the daunting Wild Cave Tour. Here is a description of the physical challenges of the Wild Cave : "Free-climbing cave walls; lengthy crawls through areas as tight as 9 inches high; walking in a crouched position; hand and knee crawls over jagged rocks and dirt; crawling through wet areas; twisting into and out of tight crawlway openings." Sounds like fun, doesn't it? If you want a tour that is a bit less strenuous, try the Frozen Niagra Tour (suited for slow walkers and those with small children).