Local festivals celebrate hometown flavors where everyone is a neighbor. Try Erwin/Unicoi's Ramp Festival
in the spring or the
Apple Festival in the fall.
The
Iris Festival in Greeneville is a tremendous explosion of color,
while the natural beauty of the rhododrendron is the star of the
Rhododrendron Festival
at Roan Mountain State Park.
Johnson City's
Blue Plum Festival has the feel of a neighborhood block party. Kingsport's
Fun Fest is a great family-oriented festival.
Damascus is well-known for its hospitality to hikers on the Appalachian Trail and
Trail Days
is the special celebration that brings in hikers from around the world!
Area State Parks (
Warrior's Path,
Davy Crockett State Historic,
Sycamore Shoals, and
Roan Mountain) feature full schedules
of events and ongoing exhibits, from frontier re-creations to planetariums to wolf habitats.
Since before the first pioneers and settlers came into this area, music has been an important part of life here and it continues
to fill the air today. Whether it's the best mountain music at
The Birthplace of Country
Music Alliance or the
Carter Family Fold, great music and arts festivals such
as the
Blue Plum Festival, the
Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion,
the
Little Chicago Blues Festival or
The Symphony of the Mountains,
there's something special here for every musical taste.
Bristol hosts numerous racing events including the Spring Nationals drag races and NASCAR's Sharpie 500.
The Bristol Motor Speedway transforms itself during the winter holidays into the
"Speedway In Lights" with an incredible light display and skating
rink, with proceeds going to local children's charities.
Jonesborough Days takes you into the Fourth of July holiday with historic recreations of Tennessee's oldest town.
Greeneville's International Storytelling Center keeps a full schedule year-round and culminates
with the National Storytelling Festival in early October.
August's highlight is the Appalachian Fair in Gray. It's a classic State Fair complete with big-name
entertainment, agricultural displays, farm and food competitions, cotton candy, rides, and more!