15 Things to Do in Middle Tennessee This Weekend: Oct 23-25, 2026
This weekend in Middle Tennessee (October 23-25, 2026), the biggest events are Halloween in the Park at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet on Saturday, the first-ever two-day PumpkinFest on Main Street in Franklin, and the TN Hot Sauce Expo at East Park in Nashville. Fifteen verified events run from Gallatin to Franklin, and several are free.
Halloween weekend came a week early, and Wilson County is leaning all the way in. Mt. Juliet has its biggest park event of the year Saturday, Breeden's Orchard is doing trunk or treat from breakfast to bedtime, and there's a 1940s swing dance in a hangar at the Lebanon airport, which I did not have on my bingo card. Franklin and Murfreesboro both bring their own fall staples, so pick a direction and go.
Lebanon and Mt. Juliet
Wilson County's weekend is mostly a Saturday story, with Charlie Daniels Park doing the heavy lifting.
Halloween in the Park
Saturday, October 24 · 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM · Charlie Daniels Park, Mt. Juliet · Free
This is Mt. Juliet Parks and Rec's largest annual event: hay and pony rides, a trackless train, inflatables, and costume contests by age group starting around 11:30 with the pets. Contest times are approximate, so get there early and park once. If you are new to Mt. Juliet, here is my full local guide to living there.
N.C. Hibbett Hall Train and History Museum Open House
Saturday, October 24 · 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM · Hibbett Hall, Charlie Daniels Park, Mt. Juliet · Free
Same park, same afternoon. When the costume contests wrap, walk over and watch the model trains run while Conductor Keith talks locomotives.
Trunk or Treat at Breeden's Orchard
Saturday, October 24 · 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM · Breeden's Orchard, 631 Beckwith Rd, Mt. Juliet · Check listing for pricing
Costumes, candy, and decorated farm vehicles on a working orchard. Twelve hours is a generous window: go early with little ones, or go after dinner when the crowd thins out.
Community Fall Festival at Highland Heights Church of Christ
Saturday, October 24 · 5:00 PM · Highland Heights Church of Christ, 510 N. Castle Heights Ave, Lebanon · Check listing for pricing
Bounce houses, face and pumpkin painting, balloon animals, and a supper of chili, hot dogs, and cider slushies. An evening festival close to the square, which makes it an easy add after a Mt. Juliet morning.
CAF Music City Wing 5th Annual Swing Dance and Dinner
Saturday, October 24 · 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM · AV8RS Hangar, Lebanon Municipal Airport, Lebanon · $80
A 1940s hangar dance honoring WWII-era service members, with dinner, a live big band, and swing lessons for those of us with two left feet. This is the most distinctive thing on the Wilson County calendar this weekend. Dress the part.
First Mt. Juliet Fall Fest
Sunday, October 25 · 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM · First Baptist Mt. Juliet, 735 N. Mt. Juliet Rd, Mt. Juliet · Free
Carnival rides, trunk or treat, food, and games for all ages.
People ask me all the time which Middle TN town they should be looking at. It depends on your commute, your budget, and how much land you want. Ask me and I will give you a straight answer.
Nashville
Three picks worth the drive in.
2026 Fall Ball, Y'all Festival
Saturday, October 24 · 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM · Nashville Farmers' Market, 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, Nashville · Free
Free admission and free parking, which in Nashville counts as an event on its own. Bluegrass from Get Off My Grass, cooking demos, a kids' zone with a tractor to climb, and fall produce to take home.
TN Hot Sauce Expo
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25 · 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM · East Park, 700 Woodland St, Nashville · $10 general admission, kids 10 and under free
Two days of tastings in East Nashville. There is also a $35 craft beer ticket if you want something to put the fire out.
Nashville Jazz Festival
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25 · Music starts 6:00 PM Saturday, 5:00 PM Sunday · 3rd and Lindsley, Nashville · Check listing for pricing
Saturday closes with Bill Evans and Jeff Coffin featuring Keith Carlock. Sunday closes with saxophonist Kirk Whalum. Tickets are sold by the day.
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County
The Boro does fall right, and two of its best are free.
Harvest Days at Cannonsburgh Village
Saturday, October 24 · 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM · Cannonsburgh Village, 312 S. Front St, Murfreesboro · Free
This is the 50th year. Blacksmithing demos, clogging at the gazebo, a Stones River Car Club show, local art, and food trucks. If Murfreesboro is on your list of places to live, here is what buyers should know before moving there.
Barfield Bash Carnival
Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 · 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM · Barfield Crescent Park, 697 Veterans Pkwy, Murfreesboro · Free ballfield activities, game tickets sold separately
Games, prizes, food trucks, and trick or treating along the Avenue of Treats. The Old Scream Road hayride runs 8:30 to 10:00 PM, and the city says it may be scary for small children, so plan the night accordingly.
Fall Harvest Festival at Lucky Ladd Farms
Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25 · 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM · Lucky Ladd Farms, 4374 Rocky Glade Rd, Eagleville · Check listing for pricing
The farm's fall festival is in its final stretch, running through October 31. Eagleville is a haul from Lebanon, so make a full day of it.
Franklin
PumpkinFest is the headliner of the whole weekend, and this year it doubled in size.
41st Annual PumpkinFest
Saturday, October 24, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday, October 25, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM · Main Street, Franklin · Check listing for pricing
For the first time, PumpkinFest runs two days. Fall food and drink, live music all day, costume contests, and a big regional arts and crafts market. My advice: Sunday will likely be the calmer of the two days.
Fear Fest: Ghostbusters (1984)
Saturday, October 24 · 10:00 AM · The Franklin Theatre, 419 Main St, Franklin · $15
A morning Ghostbusters screening, steps from PumpkinFest. Catch the movie, then walk out onto Main Street.
Gallatin
King's Road Cannibals
Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 · 7:30 PM · The Palace Theater, 146 N. Water Ave, Gallatin · Check listing for pricing
A new musical by Gallatin native Zach Leon, staged at the historic Palace downtown.
Details can change. Dates get moved and events get cancelled. I link every event to its source so you can confirm before you drive out.
Living Here
A normal October weekend out here means a costume contest in the morning, a farm in the afternoon, and live music at night, without ever touching an interstate if you do not want to. That mix of small-town calendar and big-city access is the biggest reason people pick Wilson County. If you are weighing the cost side, I ran the rent versus buy numbers for Lebanon.
FAQ
What are the best things to do in Middle Tennessee this weekend, October 23-25, 2026?
The top picks are Halloween in the Park at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet (Saturday, 11 AM to 3 PM, free), the two-day 41st Annual PumpkinFest on Main Street in Franklin (Saturday and Sunday), and the TN Hot Sauce Expo at East Park in Nashville (Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM).
What free events are happening in Lebanon and Mt. Juliet this weekend?
Halloween in the Park and the Hibbett Hall Train and History Museum open house are both free on Saturday, October 24, at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet. First Mt. Juliet Fall Fest is free on Sunday, October 25, from 3 to 5 PM at First Baptist Mt. Juliet.
When is PumpkinFest in Franklin, TN in 2026?
PumpkinFest 2026 runs Saturday, October 24, from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday, October 25, from 11 AM to 5 PM on Main Street in downtown Franklin, according to the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. It is the festival's first two-day year.
Come out, see the area, and if you decide you want to stay, you know where to find me. Thinking about moving to or within Middle Tennessee? Call me at (615) 427-5672 or reach out here.
Khristian Schlemmer is a REALTOR® and the founder of First Class Real Estate in Lebanon, Tennessee. He lives and works in Wilson County and helps buyers, sellers, and folks relocating to Middle Tennessee find their footing here. Reach him at 615.427.5672 or khristian@nearnashvillehomes.com.
First Class Real Estate | Keller Williams
Event details are compiled from public listings and were accurate at the time of publication. Confirm with the organizer before making plans. First Class Real Estate is not affiliated with and does not endorse the events listed.
Comments