Festivals in Tennessee

From the ridges of the Cumberland Plateau to the banks of the Mississippi in Memphis, Tennessee may be the most musical state in America — the cradle of Beale Street blues, the rockabilly born at Sun Studio, and the Nashville country industry. Every summer the small town of Manchester becomes the live-music capital of the world during Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, four days and nights on a 700-acre farm where pop headliners, jam bands and DJs play around the clock. In Nashville, the CMA Music Festival spreads its stages all the way into the Titans' stadium and parades the genre's biggest voices, while Americanafest celebrates folk, roots and Americana each autumn across the historic clubs of Music City.

Farther east, Knoxville nurtures a singular avant-garde scene with Big Ears Festival, a forward-thinking gathering where experimental music, jazz and contemporary classical converse in downtown venues; at the other end of the state, RiverBeat Fest sets the Mississippi riverfront in Memphis alight, true to the city's soul and blues legacy. Whether you lean toward the guitars of Manchester or the harmonies of Nashville, FestT calculates your FestiScore — the match between a lineup and your favorite artists — and keeps dates, headliners and ticketing up to date so you never miss a moment of the season.