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Things to do in Nashville this weekend

By Midstate Daily Events Desk · Edited by Channing Webb · Nov. 12, 2026

The red-brick Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville on a clear day — Photo: Daniel Schwen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

TLDRChristmas Village opens Thursday at The Fairgrounds Nashville, and Lauren Alaina plays the Ryman. Friday, Nashville Zoo's new Glow Wild light show opens, Gallatin hosts Yuletide at the Station and Pickin' Leiper's Fork starts. Saturday brings Murfreesboro's first Veterans Day Parade, Delight the Lights at The Avenue and Pie Weekend at Breeden's Orchard. The Titans host Jacksonville at noon Sunday. Nights dip near 28, so pack hand warmers and layers.

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Looking for things to do in Nashville this weekend? We checked official venue, organizer and tourism pages for Thursday, Nov. 12, through Sunday, Nov. 15, and narrowed the list to 11 verified picks across all five Midstate counties: holiday markets, new holiday lights, country music, a first-time parade, pie and Titans football.

Dress for real cold. The National Weather Service in Nashville forecasts highs near 50 Friday and Saturday and lows around 30 Friday night and 28 Saturday night, with widespread frost each morning. Our hard freeze forecast has the details. Here is what is on, where and what it costs.

Thursday, Nov. 12: Christmas Village and Lauren Alaina

Christmas Village: Thursday through Sunday at The Fairgrounds Nashville, 500 Wedgewood Ave., Nashville. The holiday market, run by Pi Beta Phi volunteers since 1961, brings more than 250 merchants from 29 states. Thursday is Sneak-A-Peek night, 4 to 9:30 p.m., with separate invitation tickets. General admission runs Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Price: $15 online; children 9 and under free. The ticket page says parking is free this year. No pets, and Thursday bars carts and strollers. Official page: christmasvillage.org.

A holiday market stall stacked with glass Christmas ornaments and candles — File photo of a holiday market stall. Photo: Globetrotter19 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

Lauren Alaina with Hannah Harper: 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Ryman Auditorium, 116 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville. The Grand Ole Opry member closes out a night of country hits at the Mother Church. Price: ticketed, on sale now; prices vary by seat. Official page: ryman.com.

Ryman Auditorium lit up at night on Fifth Avenue North in downtown Nashville — Ryman Auditorium at night. Photo: Artaxerxes via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (source)

Thursday through Saturday: Grand Ole Opry

Grand Ole Opry: OPRY 100 shows at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Grand Ole Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville. Thursday features The Bellamy Brothers, Matthew West, Rhonda Vincent and Riders In The Sky. Friday brings Hannah Harper, John Conlee and Lee Roy Parnell. Saturday includes Valerie June, Connie Smith, Rhett Akins and the Opry Square Dancers. Price: ticketed; prices vary by show and seat. Official page: opry.com.

The Grand Ole Opry House entrance and plaza in Nashville — Grand Ole Opry House. Photo: Antony-22 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

Friday, Nov. 13: Glow Wild opens, plus Gallatin and Leiper's Fork markets

Glow Wild opening night: 5 to 9 p.m. nightly starting Friday at Nashville Zoo, 3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville. The zoo's new holiday light show replaces Zoolumination this year, with glowing wildlife displays and an 85-foot synchronized Christmas tree. Price: $27 single night, $39 Platinum Pass for unlimited visits; children under 2 free but still need a ticket; parking $10. Ice skating is a separate ticket, and the rink can close if it is warmer than 50 degrees, which should not be a problem this weekend. Official page: nashvillezoo.org.

A green basilisk lizard perched on a branch at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere — Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Photo: Timothy Rhyne via Wikimedia Commons / Unsplash, CC0 1.0 (source)

Yuletide at the Station: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at The Station, 117 W. Main St., Gallatin. The Gallatin Farmers Market's holiday market has local vendors, handmade goods, baked treats and live singer-songwriters, part of Gallatin's Tinsel & Treasures merchant open house weekend. Price: Free. Official page: Gallatin Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Sumner County Courthouse in downtown Gallatin, Tennessee — Sumner County Courthouse, downtown Gallatin. Photo: Ichabod via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (source)

Pickin' Leiper's Fork: noon to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at PROPS, 4208 Old Hillsboro Road, Leiper's Fork (Franklin). The 10th annual vintage, antique and artisan market has music and food trucks daily and goes on rain or shine. Price: Free. Official page: Visit Franklin.

A yellow cottage art boutique in the village of Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee — Leiper’s Fork village. Photo: Sardonic G via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (source)

Saturday, Nov. 14: A parade, pie and lights

Rutherford County Veterans Day Parade: 10 a.m. Saturday on Main Street in downtown Murfreesboro. The first annual parade steps off near MTSU and marches from First to Eighth Avenue toward the Public Square, with marching bands, veterans' units, vintage vehicles, scouts and first responders. It wraps around noon, followed by music and awards at 12:30 p.m. Price: Free. Official page: rucoveteransdayparade.org.

The Rutherford County Courthouse on the Murfreesboro Public Square at night — Rutherford County Courthouse on the Murfreesboro square. Photo: Jacob bloodaxe via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

Delight the Lights: 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at The Avenue Murfreesboro, 2615 Medical Center Parkway, Murfreesboro. The shopping center's holiday kickoff has free photos with Santa, music, holiday crafts and giveaways, plus a drawing for a $1,000 shopping spree. Price: Free. Official page: The Avenue Murfreesboro.

A Slice of Fall: Pie Weekend: starts 9 a.m. Saturday and runs through 8 p.m. Sunday at Breeden's Orchard, 631 Beckwith Road, Mt. Juliet. Expect bakery pies, fresh cider and a loaded pie-and-ice-cream treat served in a glass mug, plus Thanksgiving pie pre-orders. Price: Free entry to the orchard; food and pies priced separately. Official page: breedensorchard.com.

A slice of lattice-top apple pie on a white plate — File photo of apple pie. Photo: Shisma via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (source)

Sunday, Nov. 15: Titans host the Jaguars

Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: noon Sunday at Nissan Stadium, 1 Titans Way, Nashville. Gates and the Titan Up Tailgate open at 10 a.m., and parking lots open at 8 a.m. It is part of the farewell season for the current stadium. The clear-bag policy applies. Price: ticketed; prices vary. Official page: tennesseetitans.com.

Nissan Stadium seen across the Cumberland River in Nashville — Nissan Stadium. Photo: Praneeth Thalla via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 (source)

All weekend: Dancing Lights of Christmas in Lebanon

The Dancing Lights of Christmas: 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Sunday at the Wilson County Fairgrounds / Ward Ag Center, 1033 Sparta Pike, Lebanon. Tennessee's largest drive-through light and music show opened Nov. 7 and runs through Jan. 3. Price: $35 per family vehicle, which includes Santa's Village, a Santa visit and the petting zoo. Use the entrance across from Dollar General. Official page: thedancinglightsofchristmas.com.

A tree wrapped in colorful holiday lights at night — File photo of holiday lights. Photo: Robert Ashworth via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (source)

Planning tips

Evenings this weekend will drop into the 30s fast, so pack hats, gloves and blankets for Glow Wild, the drive-through lights and the Titans game. Buy Opry, Ryman, Titans and Glow Wild tickets online before you go. If you missed it last week, Gaylord Opryland's A Country Christmas is open through Jan. 2; see our Opryland Christmas 2026 guide. For more local coverage, browse Rutherford County news and Wilson County news.

Sources

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