Aug 6, 2026 - Things to Do

Mules, Moon Pies and doodle soup: A guide to Tennessee's fun-but-weird festivals

If you want to keep up the strange celebrations after this weekend's Tomato Art Fest, Tennessee offers plenty of options.

We're highlighting some of our favorite food-focused festival options on the calendar. Plus one about mules.

🍑 Peach Cobbler Festival: Saturday, Murfreesboro.

🍉 Watermelon Festival: Aug. 15, Nashville Farmers' Market.

🍠 Tater Town Day: Celebrating sweet potatoes Sept. 5, Gleason.

🫛 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off: Sept. 12, Charleston.

🥣 Doodle Soup Days: Sept. 25-26, Bradford.

Fun fact: Bradford bills itself as the world capital of this beloved local recipe, which includes a broth that's made from the drippings of roasted chicken mixed with salt, vinegar, cayenne pepper, water, sugar and flour.

🍎 Unicoi County Apple Festival: Oct. 2-3, Erwin.

🍌 National Banana Pudding Festival: Oct. 3-4, Centerville.

If you go: The "puddin' path" features 11 variations on the classic dessert that include special ingredients such as Moon Pies, salted caramel and s'mores.

🫏 Mule Day: April 1-3, 2027, Columbia.

Flashback: Mule Day has been a local tradition since the 1840s and has evolved into a multiday festival, with a parade, square dancing, livestock shows and lumberjack competitions.

🍓 Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival: May 7-8, 2027, Portland.

🥤 RC Cola-MoonPie Festival: June 19, 2027, Bell Buckle.

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