Things to do in Nashville this weekend (Nov. 5-8)

By Staff · Nov. 5, 2026

Downtown Nashville skyline with high-rises under a clear blue sky — Photo: Brooke Cagle via Wikimedia Commons / Unsplash, CC0 1.0 (source)

TLDRThursday kicks off with Gaylord Opryland's free lighting ceremony and the Jonas Brothers at Bridgestone. Friday brings Dave Matthews Band and A Country Christmas. Saturday packs Predators hockey, the Turnip Green Festival, Crafty Bastards and Lebanon's Dancing Lights. Sunday wraps with Frist Arts Fest. Arena shows often require a clear stadium bag.

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Looking for things to do in Nashville this weekend? We checked official venue and festival pages for Thursday, Nov. 5, through Sunday, Nov. 8, and narrowed the list to 11 verified picks across concerts, sports, free festivals, holiday lights and a Broadway musical.

Storms should clear by Thursday evening, with a dry stretch and highs in the low to mid 60s through the weekend. Here is what is open, where and what it costs.

Thursday, Nov. 5: Opryland lights and Jonas Brothers

Gaylord Opryland 43rd annual lighting ceremony: 5:30 p.m. Thursday on the Magnolia Lawn at Gaylord Opryland Resort, 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville. Free and open to the public (standing room only). Live performances and the switch flip for more than 5 million holiday lights. Official details: christmasatgaylordopryland.com and Gaylord's lighting-ceremony ticket page.

Jonas Brothers: The Burning Up Tour All Over Again, with Franklin Jonas: 7:30 p.m. Thursday (doors 6 p.m.) at Bridgestone Arena, 501 Broadway, Nashville. Tickets on sale via Bridgestone Arena. See bridgestonearena.com.

Friday, Nov. 6: Dave Matthews Band and Christmas opens

Dave Matthews Band: 7:30 p.m. Friday (doors 6 p.m.) at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville. Tickets on sale. See bridgestonearena.com.

A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland opens Friday and runs through Jan. 2. ice! featuring "Home Alone," ice tubing, skating, Santa photos and the new cirque show POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance are ticketed separately online. The free nightly tree lighting on the Magnolia Lawn starts at 5 p.m. (carolers at 4:55 p.m.). The Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan stops at the resort Thursday through Sunday only. Full dates and ticket tips are in our Opryland Christmas 2026 guide. Official site: christmasatgaylordopryland.com.

Grand Ole Opry: OPRY 100 on Friday at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the Grand Ole Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville, featuring Carrie Underwood, Bill Anderson, Louis York, Steven Curtis Chapman, Colony House and Mark Wills. Saturday repeats at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. with Carrie Underwood and a different supporting cast. Thursday's 7 p.m. show features HARDY; Sunday's 7 p.m. show celebrates the CMA Awards with Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and others. Tickets: opry.com.

Saturday, Nov. 7: Hockey, greens, crafts and drive-through lights

Nashville Predators vs. St. Louis Blues: noon Saturday at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville. Tickets on sale. See bridgestonearena.com or nhl.com/predators. More Predators coverage.

2026 Turnip Green Festival: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Nashville Farmers' Market, 900 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, Nashville. Free admission and free parking. Braised greens, catfish and cornbread, food trucks, fall produce, a kids' zone and live funk and soul from the Nashville All Stars Band. Official page: nashvillefarmersmarket.org.

Crafty Bastards Fall Arts & Crafts Fair: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at The Yard at oneC1TY, 8 City Blvd., Nashville. Free and all ages. More than 80 handmade-goods vendors, food trucks and a cocktail bar. $3 parking in the garage and surface lot. Official site: craftybastards.com.

The Dancing Lights of Christmas opens Saturday at Wilson County Fairgrounds / Ward Ag Center, 1033 Sparta Pike, Lebanon. Hours Saturday are 5 to 11 p.m. (Sunday through Thursday 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m. through the season). $35 per family vehicle includes Santa's Village, a Santa visit and the petting zoo. Open rain or shine through Jan. 3. Use the entrance across from Dollar General. Official site: thedancinglightsofchristmas.com.

Saturday and Sunday: Death Becomes Her at TPAC

Death Becomes Her, the Tony-winning musical comedy, runs through Sunday at TPAC's Jackson Hall, 505 Deaderick Street, Nashville. Remaining listed shows include 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday (ASL, open captioned and audio description available Sunday). Tickets: tpac.org.

Sunday, Nov. 8: Frist Arts Fest

Frist Arts Fest: 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Frist Art Museum, 919 Broadway, Nashville. Performances, hands-on art making, music, artist chats, a makers market and gallery activities tied to current exhibitions. Free for members and ages 18 and under; $20 for adults. Tickets sold on site; no advance purchase required. Official page: fristartmuseum.org.

Planning tips

Buy arena, Opry and ice! tickets online before you go. Bridgestone limits bag sizes, so travel light. Day visitors to Gaylord should budget for parking and check the resort's holiday access rules. For more Midstate coverage, see Davidson County news and our Opryland Christmas story.

Sources

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