An autumnal event guide
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A scene from last year's Cheekwood Harvest. Photo: Courtesy of Cheekwood
Saturday marks the fall equinox, the official beginning of the coziest season.
- Break out your cardigans. It's time to plan for another autumn in Nashville.
🪕 The season starts with a twang this weekend, with the Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival taking over The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin.
- The headliners are The Lumineers and new No. 1 hitmaker Zach Bryan, but the roster is stacked with local favorites.
- Yola, Ashley McBryde, Margo Price and Hailey Whitters are also performing.
Pro tip: The Nashville-based band Boy Named Banjo, which is playing Saturday, is an under-the-radar joy preparing to make its major label debut.
- Their song "Feel For You" is part Chris Stapleton, part Mumford and Sons.
🎞️ Sept. 28-Oct. 4: The Nashville Film Festival is celebrating its 54th year. The festival will feature 125+ film screenings as well as panels and music events across the city and in Franklin.
🍺 Oct. 5-8: Nashville Oktoberfest is once again taking over Germantown for a celebration of German beer and food.
- The event features a brat-eating contest and a puppy parade.
🎨 Oct. 13-15: The 45th annual fall Tennessee Craft Fair will feature work from more than 190 artists in Centennial Park.
📚 Oct. 21-22: The Southern Festival of Books will highlight dozens of authors, including local treasure Ann Patchett.
- One of the many others on hand will be New York Times reporter Jonathan Abrams, who wrote "The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip-Hop."
🍁 Through Oct. 29: Cheekwood Harvest is the ultimate celebration of fall iconography, peaking with the Pumpkin Village.
🍂 Don't forget to plan ahead if you want to make the most of leaf-peeping season. SmokyMountains.com predicts the Nashville area will likely pass its peak fall colors by mid-November.