Tinsel and twang Music City cranks up the cheer as the festive season nears By: Eva Wasney Posted: 3:00 AM CST Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/12/2024 (654 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s capital is a city of transplants.

While it’s rare to meet a native Nashvillian, residents are quick to welcome newcomers with warm southern hospitality in this fast-growing mecca of music and health care.

(Mildly fun fact: many major American health-services companies are headquartered here, making the industry the largest local employer).

But most tourists aren’t flocking to Nashville for its mighty med-tech sector. Rightfully called Music City, it’s the booming live-music scene steeped in history that draws people into the fold.

Before hitting the town, take a moment to bask in the latter — the superstar connections past and present are immense. Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash loom large here and there’s a non-zero chance of running into celebrities like Keith Urban or Nicole Kidman, who call the city home.

Hallowed ground

Music museums abound in downtown Nashville and most are within walking distance of one another along Rep. John Lewis Way, a central thoroughfare named for the late civil rights activist and U.S. congressman.

At one end is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, a two-storey shrine to the genre’s glitz, bravado and humble beginnings. Highlights include a dizzying display of gold and platinum records, Webb Pierce’s insane pistol-adorned Pontiac and more rhinestoned, tasselled outfits than you can shake a stick at. Country is so glam.

Head north and you’ll find the red-brick facade of the Ryman Auditorium, a.k.a the “Mother Church of Country Music.” A former evangelical temple turned historic music venue, this is where the Grand Ole Opry radio show lived for 31 years before moving into a larger theatre in 1974. (If you’re planning a visit to the Opry, stop at the Ryman first to better understand the architectural nods.) The auditorium is open for daytime tours, which include a free commemorative photo on the stage.

Across the street is the National Museum of African American Music, a brand-new institution celebrating more than 50 musical genres, from gospel to blues to hip-hop. The introductory film is excellent, tracing the art form’s evolution from indigenous African music through slavery and to modern social-justice movements. Take your time exploring the interactive galleries kitted with downloadable playlists and a faux recording studio.

Further north, John Lewis Way terminates at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. Another sprawling sanctuary, but less polished than the rest, this is a museum dedicated to the people behind famous recordings — session musicians, engineers and producers.

Audiophiles and gearheads will likely delight in the array of instruments and reproductions of hallowed studios. Snag a guided tour with J.Q. if you can, as his knowledge and passion are a thing to behold.

While not music-adjacent, the Frist Art Museum is also a worthy downtown stop. Located in a grand former post office, the visual-art centre holds no permanent collection but features rotating exhibits of community, contemporary and major touring art shows. Don’t skip the top-floor art workshop.

Lively entertainment

Where to begin? Nashville has more than 180 live-music venues with concerts taking place at all hours, every day of the week.

The aforementioned Grand Ole Opry House hosts weekly variety shows featuring eight or more performances, often by big names. The two-hour hosted program is broadcast live on WSM Radio Fridays and Saturdays and celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025. The Opry also runs backstage tours, which offer a peek at the venue’s dozens of themed dressing rooms and a chance to stand in the circle — a wooden inlay made from a section of the Ryman stage.

At The Listening Room Café, audiences can hear a panel of songwriters talk about their process while performing original tunes, some of which may be chart-topping hits picked up by major artists. It’s a neat chance to take in a cross-section of the city’s vast songwriting community. Shows run during brunch, lunch and dinner with a minimum $15 food-and-drink spend.

Looking for a less civilized time? Located along Lower Broadway, Honky Tonk Row is a glowing Vegas-style strip of bars pumping live music daily from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.

The street is populated by well-worn dives, like Legends Corner and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, as well as celebrity joints from Kid Rock, Morgan Wallen, Jon Bon Jovi and others.

Between the neon lights, the cacophony of music spilling onto the street from open windows, and the roving crews of tipsy bachelor and bachelorette parties, it’s chaotic fun mixed with sensory overload. Honky Tonk Row is a tourist trap to be sure, but a necessary Nashville experience.

Food and drink

I didn’t have a bad meal in Nashville. The city has a raft of southern barbecue joints, cheffy fine-dining establishments and casual cafés.

Some memorable bites: The lentil soup and kabobs from Edessa, a Kurdish eatery located in a suburban strip mall and recently named one of the 50 best restaurants in the country by the New York Times; the roasted buttermilk hot chicken (a Nashville specialty) from The Farm House — I’m still thinking about the dill-pickle relish; the tender, smoky brisket and rich banana pudding from Edley’s Bar-B-Que; the silky whipped feta and grilled steak with crispy chickpeas from Butcher & Bee, a hip East Nashville spot with Israeli-inspired shareable plates.

The Café at Thistle Farms is off the beaten path but deserving of a mention. Located in West Nashville, the breakfast and lunch café is part of a social-enterprise organization which provides free housing, health care, therapy and job training for survivors of prostitution, human trafficking and addiction.

The menu is approachable, with fun coffee options and the attached shop sells very nice candles and body products made by women in the program.

Tennessee is known for its whiskey, but until fairly recently the modern local market was dominated by Jack Daniel’s and other major producers.

Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery began operating in 2014 and is the resurrection of a 150-year-old distillery founded by the current owner’s great-great-great grandfather. Tours include local prohibition history, an overview of the production process and a guided tasting flight.

Pad your stomach with indulgent comfort food and top-notch fries from the onsite restaurant.

You can also find locally produced wine at Belle Meade — a former plantation and thoroughbred stud farm with ties to famous racehorses, such as Seabiscuit and Secretariat. Fair warning: the stuff is closer to saccharine fruit juice than wine.

Honky-tonk holiday

Christmas is a big splashy deal south of the border and there are plenty of holly jolly vibes to be found in honky tonk central.

I visited Nashville during the first week of December and, as a Manitoban, it was a bit jarring to see Christmas decorations everywhere sans snow. The city did, however, deliver some unseasonably frightful weather. The temperature hovered below 10 C with a biting wind — don’t be a dummy like me, pack more than a light jacket if visiting during the winter.

Unsurprisingly, the city has Christmas concerts galore, including at the Grand Ole Opry and too many other venues to list here.

If holiday lights are your jam, the Nashville Zoo puts on an impressive Zoolumination event, featuring thousands of Chinese silk lanterns made to look like mythical animals, pagodas and the North Pole. The twinkle lights running through the Cheekwood Estate botanical gardens are also highly regarded.

Families looking for self-contained accommodations may be interested in the festive offerings at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. A massive 2,000-room hotel complex that spends more than half the year preparing for its annual Christmas extravaganza. The hotel’s tagline “So. Much. Christmas.” rings very true. There are countless bedazzled trees, frequent Santa sightings and an outdoor skating and tubing facility. ICE!, an indoor ice sculpture park, is the main attraction, with Frosty the Snowman starring as this year’s theme.

I’m admittedly a bit of a Grinch and generally don’t go hunting for holiday-themed activities. As such, I was skeptical about visiting the festive pop-up bars that dot downtown Nashville every season. I can also admit when I’m wrong. Whether it was the Whoville-inspired decor or the boozy flaming cocktail served by a bartender in a candy-cane neckerchief, the holiday speakeasy at Hidden Bar in the basement of the Noelle hotel was a delight. Would recommend.

Getting to Nashville

Getting to Nashville from Winnipeg is about to get easier — at least for part of the year. Following a successful two-month trial this fall, WestJet announced it will be running regular direct flights between the cities during its six-month summer season in 2025.

Eva Wasney was provided a promotional trip to Nashville.