16 Things to Do Near Nashville This Weekend: Nov 6-8, 2026
This weekend near Nashville (November 6-8, 2026), the Dancing Lights of Christmas opens Saturday at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Gaylord Opryland starts A Country Christmas on Friday, and the Turnip Green Festival takes over the Nashville Farmers' Market Saturday morning. Sixteen events span Wilson, Davidson, Rutherford, and Williamson counties.
The first full weekend of November is when Middle Tennessee quietly flips from fall to Christmas. The Dancing Lights fire up at the fairgrounds in Lebanon Saturday night, Opryland goes full holiday on Friday, and Murfreesboro has two parades before lunch on Saturday. I picked 16 things worth your time, starting at home in Wilson County.
Wilson County: Lebanon and Mt. Juliet
A short Wilson list this week, but it includes the one that kicks off the whole holiday season around here.
The Dancing Lights of Christmas (Opening Night)
Saturday, November 7 · 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM · Wilson County Fairgrounds / James E. Ward Ag Center, Lebanon · $35 per family car
This is the big one. It is a drive-through light show at the fairgrounds on Sparta Pike, and the $35 per car covers Santa's Village, a Santa visit, and the petting zoo. It runs nightly, rain or shine, through January 3, so if opening night traffic on Sparta Pike is not your thing, you have about eight weeks of backup dates. Friday and Saturday hours run until 11.
Movie Night: Frozen at Breeden's Orchard
Friday, November 6 · 7:00 PM · Breeden's Orchard, Mt. Juliet · Check listing for pricing
Frozen, outside, on a farm in November. The orchard says to bring a blanket or a chair and dress warm, and I would take that seriously once the sun is down out on Beckwith Road. Tickets go through the orchard's own site.
Science Fridays at the Mt. Juliet Library
Friday, November 6 · 10:00 AM · Mt. Juliet-Wilson County Public Library, Mt. Juliet · Check listing for pricing
A classroom-style science session aimed at 4th grade and up, plus adults who just like learning things. Bring a notebook and a pencil, and get there a few minutes early.
If you're driving in from out of state to check out the area, I'll tell you the honest version of what each town is like, including the parts the tourism sites leave out. Get in touch.
Davidson County: Nashville and Hermitage
Nashville gets the holiday kickoff at Opryland plus a stack of free, low-key Saturday stuff that is worth the drive in.
A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland (Opening Day)
Friday, November 6 · All day · Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville · Check listing for pricing
The 43rd year opens Friday and runs through January 2. This year's ice sculpture attraction is themed to Home Alone, and there is ice tubing plus a new circus-style holiday show. From Lebanon or Mt. Juliet it is a straight shot west on I-40.
MBA Art Show
Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 · Fri 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sat 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM · Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville · Check listing for pricing
The show is in the Davis Building on the MBA campus on Harding Road. It is a good one if you want to buy original art from working artists rather than another print.
2026 Turnip Green Festival
Saturday, November 7 · 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM · Nashville Farmers' Market, Nashville · Free
Twenty-eight years of a festival built around turnip greens, and I respect that commitment. Braised greens, catfish and cornbread, food trucks, fall produce, live funk and soul, and activities for kids. Admission and parking are both free, which is rare that close to downtown.
KIDSVILLE at the Parthenon
Saturday, November 7 · 10:30 AM · The Parthenon, Nashville · Free
A storytime with the Imagination Library, then an art project inspired by the book. Admission is free, but registration is required, and check-in runs 10:30 to 11:20.
Plein Air Day at The Hermitage
Saturday, November 7 · 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM · Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, Hermitage · Check listing for pricing
Painters from the Chestnut Group set up across the grounds all day, and there are four ticketed workshops if you want to pick up a brush yourself. The Hermitage sits right on the Wilson County side of Nashville, so this is the easiest Davidson County stop on the list for Lebanon and Mt. Juliet folks.
Crafty Bastards Fall Arts and Crafts Fair
Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8 · 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM · oneC1ty, Nashville · Free
Two days of handmade vendors at oneC1ty. If you want to knock out a few early Christmas gifts without stepping inside a mall, this is your Saturday.
Frist Arts Fest
Sunday, November 8 · 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM · Frist Art Museum, Nashville · $20 adults, free for ages 18 and under
An afternoon of performances, hands-on art making, artist chats, and guided tours of the new Judaica exhibition. Tickets are sold on site, so there is no need to plan ahead.
Rutherford County: Murfreesboro and Smyrna
Murfreesboro is busy: MTSU homecoming and a Veterans Day parade both land Saturday morning.
Boro Art Crawl and Sip, Shop and Stroll: Holiday Edition
Friday, November 6 · 5:00 PM · Downtown Square, Murfreesboro · Check listing for pricing
Two downtown events on the same night. The Boro Art Crawl puts local artists in shops and pop-up spots around the Square, and the holiday Sip, Shop and Stroll runs 5 to 8 with storefronts decked out for the season. Park in one of the two downtown garages and walk it.
VA Tennessee Valley Veterans Day Parade
Saturday, November 7 · 10:00 AM · Alvin C. York VA Medical Center, Murfreesboro · Free
Entertainment starts at 10 and the parade steps off at 11, with antique cars, horses, school groups, and veteran organizations. There will also be live music, food vendors, and veteran resource tables out front on Lebanon Pike. Of everything on this list, this is the one I would most like to see people show up for.
2026 MTSU Homecoming Parade
Saturday, November 7 · 10:00 AM · East Main Street at Maney Avenue, Murfreesboro · Check listing for pricing
The route runs east on Main and turns onto Middle Tennessee Boulevard. The listing says the best viewing spot is before Faulkinberry. Kickoff against WKU is at 2:30 at Floyd Stadium if you want to make a day of it.
Smyrna Fall Market
Saturday, November 7 · 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM · J.J. McWilliams Old Rock School Park, Smyrna · Free admission
Local produce, pumpkins, eggs, meats, crafts, and fall food vendors. It runs Saturdays through November 21, so this is not your last chance, but it is a good one.
Williamson County: Franklin and Arrington
Two music picks this week, one dressed up and one on a hillside.
Glenn Miller Orchestra at the Franklin Theatre
Friday, November 6 · 8:00 PM · Franklin Theatre, Franklin · $77
Big band swing on Main Street in Franklin. Make it a dinner-and-a-show night downtown.
Jazz on the Hillside at Arrington Vineyards
Saturday, November 7 · 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM · Arrington Vineyards, Arrington · Check listing for pricing
The Andrew Carney Quartet plays the hillside, with food trucks serving 2:30 to 6:30. Bring a blanket and a jacket. Early November on that hill is beautiful right up until the sun drops.
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
This is the stretch of the year when living out here pays off the most. A Saturday can be a farmers' market in the morning, a parade before lunch, and a light show in Lebanon after dark, without ever getting on a plane. If this time of year has you thinking about a move, I wrote up what buying a house in winter in Middle Tennessee actually looks like. And if the Lebanon side of the map is pulling at you, my Hamilton Springs spotlight covers the neighborhood with the train station, and my Mt. Juliet guide covers the town right next door.
FAQ
What are the best things to do near Nashville this weekend, November 6-8, 2026? The Dancing Lights of Christmas opens Saturday, November 7 at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, A Country Christmas opens Friday at Gaylord Opryland, and the free Turnip Green Festival runs Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM at the Nashville Farmers' Market.
When does the Dancing Lights of Christmas open in Lebanon, TN in 2026? It opens Saturday, November 7, 2026 at the Wilson County Fairgrounds / James E. Ward Ag Center, 1033 Sparta Pike, and runs nightly through January 3, 2027. Admission is $35 per family car.
Are there free events near Nashville this weekend? Yes. The Turnip Green Festival (Saturday), KIDSVILLE at the Parthenon (Saturday, registration required), the Crafty Bastards fair (Saturday and Sunday), the Smyrna Fall Market (Saturday), and the VA Veterans Day Parade in Murfreesboro (Saturday) are all free to attend.
Thinking About a Move?
That's the weekend. If any of it made you think about being closer to it full time, that's the whole reason I do this roundup. If you're thinking about moving to or within Middle Tennessee, I'm at (615) 427-5672, or you can reach me 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.
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