These 7 Tennessee Towns Have The Most Unique Festivals

With a music Mecca capital city like Nashville at its center, the state of Tennessee is no stranger to festivals and fun. But some of the wild and interesting festivals of small-town Tennessee, overshadowed by the alluring and endless party that is the capital, deserve their own recognition, too. And there is no shortage of options, either, between the charming and the surreal and everything in between. From the world’s biggest fish fry in Paris to the banana pudding cook-offs in Centerville, these local celebrations show just how much character small-town Tennessee can pack into a single weekend. Here are the seven most unique festivals of this southeastern state.

Cookeville

Cookeville is home to two annual events: the first, Fall FunFest, takes place on Main Street in September and brings families together to enjoy delicious food and great music. Featuring headlining musical acts over two days, this festival also takes over the historic town square with arts and crafts, as well as activities geared toward younger audiences. Prominent performances include musicians like the Garrett Boys and Easton Corbin, who played in 2025.

The second annual event is the Putnam County Fair. This festival features a carnival, livestock shows, a pageant, motorsports, and much more in Cookeville. Bring your appetite and enjoy the many rides that the fair provides, because you will want to be part of the huge crowd this festival attracts each year at the start of August.

Portland

Held every spring, the Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival celebrates all the delights of the post-winter bloom. More than just strawberry picking, this festival puts on a Strawberry Jam Concert, fireworks, a wrestling competition, a golf tournament, and dozens of food vendors. The festival spans two days, with the first focusing on the concert and fireworks, while the second day is considered the main event.

Near and dear to Portland's history, this festival celebrates the town's roots as a major strawberry shipping location; in its heyday, Portland would ship 30 railroad cars filled with strawberries per day. Its economy blossomed from the harvesting of these berries, and buildings were erected to reflect that: a fruit processing plant, a canning factory, and a freezing facility for the strawberries' use in ice cream. While modern-day Portland no longer relies on strawberries for its economy, this festival showcases the town's history and provides an array of fun activities for people of all ages.

Manchester

Each year, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival returns to Manchester. Held every summer, this festival features over 150 acts over the course of the weekend, but it delivers so much more than just music. There are parades, some of which are so casual and fun that anyone attending can join, regardless of how outlandish their outfit may be. A village market is set up to sell all merchandise related to the festival, including crafts, artwork, posters, and more. There is also yoga, a Ferris wheel, and a “Roo Run,” which encourages all manner of unique and creative costumes as participants complete a 5K run. Much more than just music, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival of Manchester combines the weird, wild, and wondrous.

Paris

It might not be that Paris (even if Paris, Tennessee, has a replica Eiffel Tower looming large in Eiffel Tower Park), but this small town in Henry County is home to the World's Biggest Fish Fry. Taking place during the last full week of every April, this event (which also features a two-hour fish fry parade) dates back to 1938. Originally called Mule Day, the festival once centered around the local farmers' trade of mules and the desire for socialization. Once the advent of the tractor replaced mules in the field, the town of Paris sought to continue a tradition. As such, the world's biggest fish fry, which has now blossomed into an event serving a whopping five tons of catfish to attendees, was born. The famous fish tent serves these thousands of pounds of fish to lucky visitors, while the rest of the festival is replete with dances, races, and a carnival.

Lewisburg

Right in the heart of Tennessee and 50 miles south of Nashville, Lewisburg is a foothill town with plenty of fine dining and shopping opportunities. It has more than enough attractions on its own, between its historic downtown and lively arts community. However, the Goats Music & More Fair in October focuses on country music, with vendors selling food and crafts. And of course, goats. There is a petting zoo for families to enjoy, goat races to watch, and even goat yoga. So walk and run with the goats as you listen to local artists on stage or partake in local cuisine, because in this Lewisburg festival, there is a little bit of everything.

Centerville

Home to the legendary country comedienne Minnie Pearl, Centerville is also the site of the National Banana Pudding Festival in October. Growing every year since its debut in 2010, the festival exists to support local non-profits, and of course, to enjoy live music (and pudding). Lots of pudding. So much pudding, in fact, that there is a Puddin' Path, set up for visitors to sample dozens of different banana pudding recipes. If that is not enough, there are nearly 100 craft vendors to choose from, along with a live national cook-off that pits the best against each other in an attempt to crown a champion. A panel of judges declares whose pudding recipe reigns supreme. Attendees can also purchase merchandise to support local artists. Above all, this delicious pudding-filled event is a family-friendly, fun, and lighthearted experience.

South Pittsburg

Similar to Centerville's Banana Pudding Festival, South Pittsburg specializes in another food-based annual event. The National Cornbread Festival, held annually in April, invites people to try what it considers the cornerstone of Southern cuisine and promises sights, sounds, and tastes to remember. Names like Cornbread Alley (offering cornbread in a variety of flavors, such as sweet or spicy) and Cornbread Fondo (a bike race that covers Tennessee and Alabama) are certainly not easy to forget.

For those who have had their fill of local delicacies, the festival showcases the talent of regional artisans. Booths are set up for visitors to browse through handmade jewelry, pottery, and artwork, while the carnival provides rides and games for all ages. Bring your appetite; South Pittsburg's Cornbread Festival waits, just on the other side of winter.

Explore the Uniqueness of Tennessee's Festivals

A state like Tennessee, with its acres of wilderness and rugged terrain, offers opportunities for adventure and excitement. But sometimes that excitement comes in the form of annual festivities, local events curated to display talent in a variety of forms: culinary, musical, and artistic. These seven unique festivals on Tennessee soil have a mixture of all of the above, ensuring that attendees will never leave unsatisfied or hungry. Plan a trip to Tennessee today, and check out a festival (or two).