Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is known throughout the state of Tennessee for its yearly line-up of signature seasonal festivals, one for each of the four seasons. As temperatures (hopefully) start to drop and the leaves begin to change, it can only mean one thing: it’s time for the autumn festival, Cheekwood Harvest, which is open from Sept. 21 to Oct. 27.
The fall fun fest kicks off with the official opening of the 11-foot-tall Pumpkin House and surrounding pumpkin patch. This year, however, Cheekwood Harvest will unveil not one, but two Pumpkin Houses in addition to a number of other season-specific attractions. These include more than 5,000 chrysanthemums planted throughout the gardens, dozens of themed scarecrows created by different community groups in and around Nashville and the Cheekwood Beer Garden open on weekends.
The long-awaited Halloween Pooch Parade and its accompanying canine costume contest return Oct. 26, and Cheekwood’s signature Thursday Night Out events, featuring live music, lawn games and food trucks, will offer half-priced admission during the Harvest Fest in celebration of the season.
Cheekwood Harvest is open to visitors every day except Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission costs $16 for college students. Half-priced admission hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Thursday for the Thursday Night Out events. Check out a full schedule of Cheekwood Harvest events below:
Every Saturday
Live Music 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Storytime in the Herb Garden 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m.
Family Activities 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Beer Garden featuring lawn games and food trucks 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
House and History Tour 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m.
Walk with a Gardener 11 a.m.
Guided Garden Tour 1 p.m.
Every Sunday
Live Music 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tai Chi 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Yoga in the Garden 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
House and History Tour 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m.
Walk with a Gardener 11 a.m.
Guided Garden Tour 1 p.m.
Workshops (additional fee and online registration required)
The Art of Kokedama Sept. 21, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Ceramics for Beginners Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Arranging Fall Florals Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Plant Propagation, Seed Selection, Budding and Grafting Oct. 12, 12 p.m.
Pick Your Own Bouquet with the Nashville Rose Society Oct. 19, 10 a.m.
Behind the Scenes Tours
Renovating the Blevins Japanese Garden Sept. 22, 2:30 p.m.
Photo Ops with the Cheekwood Marketing Team Sept. 29, 2:30 p.m.
Putting the Permanent Collection in the Historic Teams Oct. 6, 2:30 p.m.
Designing the Gardens Oct. 13, 2:30 p.m.
Restoring the Loggia Oct. 20, 2:30 p.m.
Tour the Cheekwood Greenhouse Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m.
