Where to get festive in Nashville

For the New Year’s Eve bash that dreams are made of, Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, right in downtown Music City, is the place to be on 31 December. An annual free, public event since 2009, Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight gets bigger every year, attracting tens of thousands of revellers. Headlined by Keith Urban for the third year in a row, the night’s multi-genre line-up includes Peter Frampton, Devon Gilfillian, Judah & the Lion, Caitlyn Smith, and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Nashville was even named number one Best Place to Ring in the New Year by the December 2017 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice listings. Gates open at 4pm, and midnight sees the traditional Music Note Drop that triggers fireworks and biodegradable rice paper confetti.

Whether you hit up Nashville during or after the festive season, Santa will be waiting for you at his very own dive bar, located beyond the well-worn paths of downtown’s party-packed streets. You’ll enjoy a cold beer, a warm welcome and the chance to appreciate a taste of Nashville’s less glitzy past. The Santa Pub’s owner’s St. Nicholas resemblance is real, as are the chilled beers and the nightly karaoke magic that starts at 7pm, except on Sundays when it follows the house band’s 7pm show. What’s more Southern than a mobile home trailer filled with year-round Christmas decorations? Don’t forgot to bring cash, as that’s the only payment Santa will accept.

From early November through to 1 January, Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas offers a variety of Christmas-time favourites, including fun activities like ice skating and gingerbread decorating for the little tikes in your entourage. Plenty of Nashvillians, at least the ones willing to brave large crowds and heavy traffic, make an annual tradition of wandering Gaylord Opryland Resort’s three-million-light-strong holiday decorations. Ticketed events include ICE!, this year featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! portrayed in interactive ice sculptures; the dazzling Cirque Dreams Holidaze acts; and A Trace Adkins Christmas.

The Ryman is a favourite venue for locals and tourists alike, no matter the time of year. But the Christmas season brings a number of annual concerts to the Ryman that are staples of many locals’ festive plans, though there are enough tickets available for visitors to get in on the tradition too. For two nights in December, the 19th annual Behold the Lamb of God tour by Dove Award-nominated Andrew Peterson will make two stops in Nashville, Peterson’s home base. In these concerts, Peterson always pulls in a solid roster of fellow artists to give voice to the Christmas story’s deepest meanings. Also, at the top of the list of many people’s Christmas traditions are the annual Christmas at the Ryman shows put on by superstars Amy Grant and Vince Gill. They’ve added additional dates this year to accommodate the high demand for their only-at-the-Ryman holiday season concerts.