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Your Guide to Nashville in August 2026

Posted on July 31
Margaret Kingsbury

Margaret Kingsbury

Whitney Pastorek

Whitney Pastorek

Marie Cecile Anderson

Marie Cecile Anderson

  Rachel Iacovone

Rachel Iacovone

A bookstore with white shelves full of books, and a window showing an apartment building.

Love is in the air at our local bookstores, like The Bookshop. (Margaret Kingsbury / City Cast Nashville)

August is coming in hot here in Nashville, with epic '90s parties, some of our favorite local festivals, and even romance. Here are some must-see events to check out this month, brought to you by the entire City Cast Nashville team.

😎 Party Like It’s 1999

This month, Brooklyn Bowl is hosting two nostalgic events: Club '90s Presents: Michael Jackson Night on Aug. 1, and Club '90s Presents: Off Campus Night on Aug. 15, when TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue are also combining forces at FirstBank Amphitheater. Cannery Hall is throwing it back on Aug. 22 for Better Off Alone, a '90s and early 2000s dance rave. That same night, you don’t want to miss My-So-Called-Band: All '90s Hits Live! at The Basement East. Not in the mood(ring) to dance? Check out this ‘90s video store inspired pop-up at Sonny’s in Germantown. Grab your slap bracelet and windbreaker and head out on the town!

🍅 Be a Uniter, Not a Divider

Tomato Art Fest, East Nashville’s celebration of the most vegetable fruit, takes over Five Points on Aug. 7-8 with vendors, bands, and Bloody Marys. Don’t miss the Friday night mainstage set from Girl Tones, who just made their Bonnaroo debut. And there’s still time to enter the haiku contest! Meanwhile, there may be a few tix remaining for “East Nashville Facebook Page: The Musical,” a now-annual tradition playing at Eastside Bowl on Aug. 6-7. Check out our recent podcast with director Emma Supica to learn more.

City Cast

Your Guide to August 2026 in Nashville

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🎭 A Mid Late Summer Night

“Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind,” or both, if you find yourself seated at the Centennial Park Bandshell later this month. The annual Nashville Shakespeare Festival kicks off its rendition of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Aug. 20, and runs every weekend until Sept. 20. The pay-what-you-will performances include related lectures and a concert beforehand. Don’t forget a blanket or lawn chair, and while you’re welcome to bring a picnic, there will be plenty of food trucks. We’re a proud media sponsor of this year’s festival.

🎂 Brewery Birthdays

Raise a glass to two of our best local breweries this month: East Nashville Beer Works and Fat Bottom Brewing Co. are both celebrating anniversaries! ENBW kicks things off on Aug. 1 with Augustfest X, featuring t-shirt printing with Friendly Arctic, live music, Beer Olympics, and five new beer releases. On Aug. 29, Fat Bottom turns 14, and they’re throwing a massive bash at their taproom in The Nations. They’ll have adoptable dogs, flash tattoos, and even a limited-edition bottomless beer cup, while supplies last.

💕 Love Is in the Air

Celebrate Bookstore Romance Day at The Bookshop and Parnassus Books on Aug. 15! The Bookshop will have stickers, totes, and deals, while Parnassus is planning bracelet stations, bouquet bars, and blind dates with a book. If you’re looking for a date that’s a little more tangible than a book, Birdie’s at Lost & Found is hosting a 28+ dating event where your friends pitch you to a room full of singles. Or audition for “Love Is Blind,” which is casting in the Nashville area!

More August Activities

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