Music City Food & Wine Festival is rolling back into Nashville next month, ready to turn Centennial Park into a three-day playground for chefs, distillers, and live music fans. The spring weekend runs April 24–26, with festival dinners and pop-ups scattered across the city in the days leading up to the main park events. Organizers say tickets are already on sale for everything from single-event admissions to full weekend VIP packages, and if last year was any indication, expect serious crowds and some patience-testing lines for the biggest tastings.
When and where
The festival’s main footprint is set for Centennial Park on the weekend of April 24–26, with restaurant pop-ups and intimate dinners taking over venues around town during the preceding week, according to Music City Food & Wine Festival. The festival’s events page lays out the day-by-day schedule and programming for the spring weekend.
Main events to know
Friday night kicks things off with the new Southern Fried Hootenanny, a fried-chicken–focused party that starts at 6:00 p.m. and features live music alongside unlimited bites from more than 25 local restaurants, as described in festival materials. Saturday’s Grand Tasting begins at 5:30 p.m. and offers unlimited samples from over 100 local restaurants plus wine and spirits brands, along with chef demonstrations, wine seminars, and the Mixology Competition, according to Visit Music City.
Tickets and packages
According to the Music City Food & Wine Festival, Weekend General Admission starts at $225 and Weekend VIP passes start at $449, while single-event tickets for experiences such as the Southern Fried Hootenanny and the Grand Tasting begin around $125. Third-party ticket platforms list current fees and availability, including service charges and limited-capacity notices on certain ticket types. Prices and package options can shift as the event approaches, so keeping an eye on those listings is recommended.
Why it matters
Organizers say the 2026 weekend marks the festival’s second year since its relaunch in April 2025 and note that the event is produced by FW Publishing, which is positioning Music City Food & Wine as both a showcase for local culinary talent and a fundraiser for community partners. The festival benefits groups such as Celebrate Nashville and the Centennial Park Conservancy, according to the press release. As Visit Music City notes, last year’s debut of the relaunch drew thousands and helped re-establish a citywide food weekend.
Plan your visit
Sunday’s Food Faire is free to attend and family-friendly, while the Friday and Saturday tasting events are 21+ only with a valid ID requirement, according to BigTickets. Several restaurants are also planning intimate dinners and special brunches in the days before the park events, as Nashville Guru has noted. Parking near Centennial Park can be tight on festival weekends, so public transit, rideshares, or nearby paid lots may save some stress. Vendors and ticketing partners list specific accessibility, pet, and refund policies on their own pages, so checking those details before you go is a smart move.
Organizers are directing would-be attendees to official ticketing channels and the festival website for the full schedule and the most up-to-date availability. Local reporting from NewsChannel 5 has covered the festival’s return and confirms the dates, lineup features, and ticket tiers.
