Mac Wallace started the event that became the Nashville Punk Rock Flea Market in her backyard as a pandemic era necessity.

• Wallace is the owner of the clothing business All Hallows LLC, and she had a house full of items she needed to sell at a time when retail business was bottoming out.

Catch up quick: So she invited people to her backyard for a sort of punk rock yard sale, asked a few bands to play and put on a spur-of-the-moment event. "It was so unintentional to do it," Wallace tells Axios.

Fast forward: Word spread quickly, and Wallace put on more flea markets over the years. Nashville Punk Rock Flea Market surged into a preeminent showcase of the thriving local punk music scene.

• It wouldn't be surprising to see over 3,000 people show up to the next flea market at Eastside Bowl on Saturday and Sunday.

Why it matters: The DIY ethos of the Punk Rock Flea Market makes it a refreshing festival at a time when Nashville feels more like Music Business City than Music City.

Details: Nashville Punk Rock Flea Market features performances by local punk bands and vendors selling items that appeal to rock music fans.

• The event spans two days with about two dozen artists taking the stage.
• There's also a charitable component, as the flea market partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank and asked attendees to bring boxes of cereal to donate.

What she's saying: "We've come a long way since my backyard," Wilson tells Axios. She says she gets asked what the Punk Rock Flea Market is when people see her bumper sticker at gas stations. "I tell them, 'It's an alternative event with vendors and live music. It's just a casual thing.'"

Zoom in: Perusing the website for Wallace's clothing shop All Hallows LLC, you can see how she gravitated toward punk music.

• A canvas tote for groceries has "F*ck plastic bags," printed on the side.
• Another shirt reads, "Keep Nashville Clean," and depicts a stick figure throwing away a swastika.

If you go: The Nashville Punk Rock Flea Market costs $5 for one day or $10 for two days. A $15 ticket lets attendees arrive early to shop.

• Bangzz, Bazookatooth, Elzig and Olivia Jean are among the bands performing.

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Against the backdrop of the national Democratic Party targeting his seat, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles turned in a paltry fundraising total.

Why it matters: Ogles figures to need a healthy sum in order to fend off challengers for his District 5 seat, which covers parts of Nashville and its surrounding suburbs, in 2026.

By the numbers: Ogles reported raising $53,187.28 for the period ending June 30. He has $59,406.19 cash on hand. He continued to report a $20,000 outstanding loan.

Zoom out: In the same period where his fundraising lagged, Ogles has been in the news quite a bit. He called for changing the 22nd amendment so President Trump could serve a third term.

• Ogles used Islamophobic language while calling for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani to be denaturalized.
• And he unleashed an intense attack on Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell for his response to ICE arrests in Nashville in May.

State of play: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has plans to target Ogles' seat. It is an unprecedented effort by the DCCC in recent Tennessee political history, and figures to pump money into the Democratic nominee's campaign.

• Metro Councilmember Mike Cortese announced his candidacy for the seat last week.

What they're saying: Jake Sherman, founder of the Washington D.C. politics outlet Punchbowl News, called Ogles' fundraising numbers "absolutely horrific."

• DCCC spokesperson Madison Andrus seized on the report, sending out a statement asking, "Does Andy Ogles know he's running?"
• Axios reached out to the Ogles campaign for comment.

Reality check: Ogles has shown the ability to win tough races, fending off Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston in the last GOP primary and cruising to victory in the general election. He still has time to turn around his fundraising.

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🌊 Nashville is moving toward a program that would test if AI can improve water management. The pilot program would aim to deliver early warnings of problems. (Tennessean)

💰 Federal spending cuts are hampering HIV prevention efforts in Tennessee. (Institute for Public Service Reporting Memphis)

✅ The U.S. Senate confirmed local attorney Whitney Hermandorfer to serve as a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Hermandorfer, who most recently worked for the Tennessee attorney general, was the first judicial appointment of President Trump's second term. (AP)

Parents heading into tback-to-school season are facing rising prices and looming tariffs.

Why it matters: Back-to-school is the second-biggest retail event of the year after the holidays. It's also a stress test for family budgets.

Catch up quick: New U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports — including backpacks, pens, binders and shoes — kicked in earlier this year, rose sharply, then came back down to levels that are still historically high.

• Stationery and supplies prices have risen 30% over the past five years, according to Deloitte's 2025 back-to-school survey.

Zoom in: The United Way of Greater Nashville held its 17th annual Stuff the Bus event this week to collect school supplies for thousands of local students.

• You can still donate to support the effort, which helps relieve the financial strain many families are facing.
• If you or someone you know needs support, you can call the United Way's 211 helpline for more information about available services.

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