New Adventures and Festivals in Tennessee This Spring

Spring is here, and Tennessee is serving up a fresh mix of fun, quirky events, and new experiences perfect for a quick weekend escape from Atlanta. From waterfalls to chocolate gravy (yes, chocolate gravy), here’s what’s worth the short drive north.

In Knoxville, the Outlandish Adventure Festival (May 2-3) turns Ijams Nature Center into an outdoor playground. Think paddleboard yoga, kayaking, biking, and outdoor movie nights. Meanwhile, Pigeon Forge is opening Scooby-Doo Mystery Putt on May 8—because who doesn’t love mini-golf mixed with a little mystery?

If your sweet tooth calls, Celina hosts its first-ever Chocolate Gravy Festival (March 22). Chocolate-covered biscuits and pies, live music, and street vendors make this one-day fest deliciously unusual.

Adventure seekers can head to Shelbyville’s Music City Kartplex for some high-speed kart racing. And families might love Hollow Rock’s Lavender Kisses Farm—meet miniature cows, sip lavender lemonade, and hop on a wagon ride through the fields.

Nature lovers, Upper Cumberland’s “Waterfalls For All” program makes stunning spots like Burgess Falls and Cummins Falls easy for everyone to enjoy, offering accessible trails and free wheelchair reservations.

Staying overnight? Memphis’s historic Hotel Pontotoc reopens this April as a boutique getaway complete with live music and craft cocktails. Or check out Nashville’s new Caption by Hyatt Downtown, offering a chic vibe and close to everything in the buzzing Gulch neighborhood.

Looking for unique experiences? Chattanooga’s new Monospace venue combines food, music, and an after-party vibe, transforming your dinner into a sensory night out.

Wrap up spring with live tunes at Memphis’s RiverBeat Music Festival (May 2-5), featuring headliners Missy Elliott, The Killers, and Benson Boone right along the Mississippi River.

With these fun spots popping up, a Tennessee weekend might be exactly what you need to shake off winter and jump into spring.