The City of Franklin Parks and the Public Works Department is hosting the Touch a Truck event at Jim Warren Park (705 Boyd Mill Ave) from 5 – 8 p.m. It is free so bring the little ones down to play and explore the many street trucks and tractors.
Step back in time with the Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County when Dickens of a Christmas returns to Franklin’s Main Street December 12-13, 2015.
Sponsored this year by Nissan, the 31st annual free street festival will recreate the time of Charles Dickens using historic downtown Franklin’s Victorian architecture as the backdrop. Some 200 musicians, dancers and characters will fill the streets, including several from Charles Dickens’s stories. Expect to see and interact with the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim Cratchit with his parents from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children.
“Dickens of a Christmas is the perfect event for our historic Main Street,” said Mary Pearce, executive director of the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County. “Downtown Franklin always exudes its own special magic, and yet this event adds an extra bit of sparkle. It dovetails perfectly with our preserved Victorian architecture and our commitment to saving and showcasing our historical treasures. As more attention is turned toward downtown Franklin in both the local and national press, we encourage festival goers to dress in Victorian costume and to add to the ambiance as they stroll the streets. Adding even a hat and scarf to modern attire helps set the scene and get everyone in the holiday mood.”
This year’s event will reprise a crowd favorite from last year: it WILL snow at Dickens of a Christmas! Come decked out in holiday style to capture that perfect family picture.
New this year will be the Lucky Scruff Wintery Whisker Revue, a competition among hirsute gentlemen for the finest facial hair. Those taking advantage of No Shave November will want to hang on to their whiskers until the Sunday afternoon competition on the stage at the Public Square. Winners will take home fabulous prizes courtesy of Lucky Scruff, a new store at The Factory specializing in accessories for the bearded gentleman, and all entrants will receive gift cards. The judging will take place at 3pm. To enter this contest, visit the Dickens event page at HistoricFranklin.com.
Favorite Victorian-era activities will return, including sugar plums and roasted chestnuts being sold on the street. Other food vendors will offer heartier old English fare. A variety of musical and dance performances will take place both on the street and on the stage at City Hall. Horse-drawn carriage rides, a petting zoo for children, live artisan demonstrations, and more than 70 vendors offering holiday arts and crafts will line Main Street from Second to Fifth Avenues. Each day will conclude with a town sing of classic Christmas carols. Saturday’s town sing will take place in front of the stage on the Public Square; Sunday’s town sing will be conducted inside the Historic Presbyterian Church at Five Points.
Dickens of a Christmas will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 13. The event is free and open to the public; some attractions will involve a small fee. More information and a schedule of events will be available at www.historicfranklin.com.
Producing Dickens of a Christmas is just one of the many activities of The Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County. Since 1967 the non-profit group has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Williamson County’s historic, architectural and geographic resources; in short, saving the places that matter.
Usher in the holiday season with an enchanting tour of historic homes and landmarks. The annual Oaklands Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes is slated for December 5, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The tour, sponsored by Oaklands Association will feature beautiful and historic private homes, distinctive churches, and the graceful Oaklands Mansion.
In the late 1860s, the Maneys subdivided and sold much of their front acreage into lots to create a residential neighborhood, originally called “Maney’s Addition,” thought to be Murfreesboro’s first “subdivision.” It later became North Maney Avenue, which intersects present-day Main Street. Advertisements for lots in Maney’s Addition appeared in local newspapers assuring prospective owners free access to the Maneys’ spring. In the late 1880s, after she left Oaklands, Adaline Maney moved into a home in Maney’s Addition known as “Big Holly.” Today that home is the property of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Bell and will be featured on the tour.
Following the old carriage path of the plantation, stops along the holiday tour include the following historic buildings:
These festively adorned historical homes and churches, dressed in holly and evergreen, will transport you to a simpler time. From the veranda of Oaklands Mansion and along the nine block tour, you will hear the music of carolers from local schools. Warm up with a cup of Demos’ famous chicken-n-rice soup or their award-winning banana pudding, on sale at their restaurant office at 503 North Maney Avenue. While at Oaklands, visit Gee-Ma’s food truck for old home cooking and a “meat and three” menu.
“This years’ tour will guide visitors along the old carriage path of the plantation and offer an opportunity to visit homes spanning several decades and various architectural styles,” said James Manning, Executive Director of Oaklands. “Visiting the festively appointed homes on our Candlelight Tour is a popular way to begin the celebration of the holidays.”
The cornerstone of the tour is the grand Oaklands Mansion. Interpreters in period attire will guide you through the history of this gracious home. At its peak, Oaklands was the center of a 1,500 acre plantation and one of the most elegant homes in Rutherford County. Since that time, Oaklands has seen dramatic changes. Following the Civil War, it deteriorated from a majestic mansion to virtual ruins and, in the 1950’s, its very existence was threatened. The mansion was brought back from the brink of destruction, saved from the wrecking ball when a group of concerned ladies created Oaklands Association in 1959. Since that time, the Association has worked tirelessly to restore Oaklands to its original splendor and preserve its unique history.
Today, local residents and visitors alike enjoy the mansion that has been lovingly restored and brought back to its former glory. The proceeds of the Candlelight Tour of Homes go toward the continuing preservation of this historic treasure. Purchase advance tickets (either online at www.OaklandsMansion.org or in the museum shop) by 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 3 and receive a special price of $12.50 for adults. Admission is $15.00 per adult at the door, $5.00 students and children, free for ages 5 and under. Sponsorships for the Tour are still available. On the night of the tour, tickets can be purchased at any home on the tour or at Oaklands’ Museum Shop. Oaklands Association is a non-profit educational organization. For information on becoming a member or a volunteer, please call (615) 893-0022 or email: info@OaklandsMansion.org.
Fairview Parks Department has announced the schedule for the upcoming Starlight Jams at Bowie Nature Park. The Starlight Jams are a whole new concert series that include picking parties. Performers include a mix of local, regional, and national performers all in the Americana and Bluegrass type genera.
October 23rd Natchez Tracers an Americana rock-n-roll band will close out this year’s Starlight Jam series. They describe themselves as Cosmic Country Funk echoed from the meandering, verdant hills of Central Tennessee.
Starlight Jams are Friday nights running through October. The events are from 7:00-10:00PM. Each month will include live Americana music on the main stage. Pickers are encouraged to bring their instruments and find a spot under the trees to jam. The goal is to provide a place for musicians to get together and play and for music lovers to have a place to go and enjoy great music in a laid back, family friendly environment under the stars.
Gates open at 6:30pm. A suggested donation of $5/adult is requested. All money collected will go back in to the music program at Bowie Nature Park. Park Staff recommends you bring your own blankets and folding chairs. You could even bring a picnic dinner or snack. Water and soft drinks will be available for purchase. The event is rain or shine. The event will be moved inside in case of inclement weather.
A long-time short-list production for Studio Tenn, “Gypsy” is widely exalted as the Greatest American Book Musical, integrating a rich, compelling story and complex characters into its Broadway songbook standards such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “Together (Wherever We Go).”
Bombastic and overbearing stage mother Rose is desperate to catapult her children to stardom during Vaudeville’s heyday. When her younger daughter June flees the family and The Circuit, quiet, sidelined Louise steps into the limelight. With Vaudeville waning, mother and daughter find themselves on an unexpected path to fame.
Studio Tenn is going all out in this bold, dynamic production–nothing short of the royal treatment “Gypsy” deserves.
For tickets, show times and more please visit Gypsy.
The Celebration is dedicated to the enjoyment of the best craft beers around. Guests will have the opportunity to sample 30+ craft beers, with many of these brews coming from the best Southern craft and micro-breweries around. This rain or shine event will take place outdoors, under a tent, at the lake on Front Street, in Westhaven Town Center.
Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door until sell-out. Tickets include a five ounce souvenir glass, a brewer’s list card and free music beginning at 6 pm with The World Turning, a fantastic Fleetwood Mac tribute band. The concert is free to the public, so you can attend without a ticket to the event. Craft beers and growlers will be available for purchase beginning at 7:00 pm. Designated Driver tickets are also available for $5. All proceeds raised from the event will benefit The Westhaven Foundation’s Excellence in Education efforts.
Tickets for the Granite City VIP area include entry to an exclusive lounge with private taps and limited food from 5 – 7 pm, and your very own porta-potti, 2 beer coupons for after 7 pm and the area will be open until the end of the concert. What a deal!
Food truck vendors will be on-site and Bellaterra fine cigars will be available for purchase. Attendees at the event must be 21-years of age or older, and no children, strollers or pets will be allowed in the Beer Garden.
For more information please visit The Westhaven Foundation.
Presented by The Tennessean Williamson
Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by Arthur Laurents
A long-time short-list production for Studio Tenn, “Gypsy” is widely exalted as the Greatest American Book Musical, integrating a rich, compelling story and complex characters into its Broadway songbook standards such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “Together (Wherever We Go).”
Bombastic and overbearing stage mother Rose is desperate to catapult her children to stardom during Vaudeville’s heyday. When her younger daughter June flees the family and The Circuit, quiet, sidelined Louise steps into the limelight. With Vaudeville waning, mother and daughter find themselves on an unexpected path to fame.
Studio Tenn is going all out in this bold, dynamic production–nothing short of the royal treatment “Gypsy” deserves.
For tickets, show times and more please visit Gypsy.
A long-time short-list production for Studio Tenn, “Gypsy” is widely exalted as the Greatest American Book Musical, integrating a rich, compelling story and complex characters into its Broadway songbook standards such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “Together (Wherever We Go).”
Bombastic and overbearing stage mother Rose is desperate to catapult her children to stardom during Vaudeville’s heyday. When her younger daughter June flees the family and The Circuit, quiet, sidelined Louise steps into the limelight. With Vaudeville waning, mother and daughter find themselves on an unexpected path to fame.
Studio Tenn is going all out in this bold, dynamic production–nothing short of the royal treatment “Gypsy” deserves.
For tickets, show times and more please visit Gypsy.
A long-time short-list production for Studio Tenn, “Gypsy” is widely exalted as the Greatest American Book Musical, integrating a rich, compelling story and complex characters into its Broadway songbook standards such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You,” and “Together (Wherever We Go).”
Bombastic and overbearing stage mother Rose is desperate to catapult her children to stardom during Vaudeville’s heyday. When her younger daughter June flees the family and The Circuit, quiet, sidelined Louise steps into the limelight. With Vaudeville waning, mother and daughter find themselves on an unexpected path to fame.
Studio Tenn is going all out in this bold, dynamic production–nothing short of the royal treatment “Gypsy” deserves.
For tickets, show times and more please visit Gypsy.
Time to celebrate the seasons of Halloween and Christmas at the 25th Annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Show and Kris Kringle Kar Klassic on October 31 and November 1, 2015 at the Williamson County Ag Expo Arena, 4215 Long Ln. This annual family event is presented by the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department (WCPR) and features an invitational car show along with great holiday shopping, plus on-site trick or treating, visits and photos with Santa, and a community band concert.
On Saturday and Sunday, over 140 vendors will be participating in the arts and crafts show, with unique, handmade gifts, holiday and home décor, jewelry, apparel and other goodies made by local crafters and artists. Select holiday gifts for the whole family! Vintage and repurposed gifts, original art, pet items and more will be for sale at the show, so bring a shopping list.
On Saturday, October 31, the craft and car shows will celebrate the spirit of the Halloween season! Bring the kids in costume and trick or treat from all 140 vendor booths indoors from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
On Sunday, the show will switch gears to December holiday fun with Santa on hand to listen to wish lists and take photos with the kids from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Plus, you can enjoy a concert by the Williamson County Community Band on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Vote for your favorite vehicle in the car show, sponsored by Hyundai of Cool Springs. The craft show is sponsored by NASH FM 103.3.
The Holiday Arts and Crafts Show and Kris Kringle Kar Klassic will be Saturday, October 31, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 1, from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 per person, and includes the car and the craft show, both held indoors at the Williamson County Ag Expo Arena, 4215 Long Lane, (I-65, exit #61) in Franklin. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. Parking is free. Concessions will be on sale both days.
For more information about the craft show and booth availability (vendors may still apply), contact Sarah Foster at (615) 790-5719, ext. 2028. For information about the Kris Kringle Kar Klassic, contact Trish Bilbrey at (615) 790-5719, ext. 2044, or visit www.wcparksandrec.com.
Williamson County Parks and Recreation is a public organization, here to benefit the community. Anyone may register for and participate in the department’s programs, teams, classes and events. For registration and additional information, visit www.wcparksandrec.com, or call (615) 790-5719, ext. 2010. You may also receive department information by “liking” Williamson County Parks and Recreation on Facebook or following us on Twitter at @wc_parksandrec or on Pinterest.