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When I first moved to Nashville, I decided to live on Centennial Park — not because of any familiarity with the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “Invisible String” at the time, but (equally embarrassing) because of a lifelong obsession with all things Greek mythology.
But outside of the Parthenon, there were a shocking amount of other attractions: the Children’s Memory Garden, which glowed with string lights during the holiday months; the Sunken Garden, where our former criminal justice reporter Samantha Max handed me a piece of still oven-warm challah one Rosh Hashanah; Lake Watauga, where I followed a pack of men’s league players out to a pickup hockey game on the thin ice; the bee colony at the center of the lake, which is cared for by keepers who must arrive by boat; and, of course, the clamshell and ship.
On the corner of 27th Avenue North and West End, there’s also this unassuming stage — that is, when it’s not being used.
Musicians Corner
Musicians Corner is a much newer addition to the centuries-long history of the park — only beginning in 2010.
Basically, it’s a free concert series that gives the public access to quality music (of which there is plenty in Nashville). And since its inception, more than 1,500 artists have performed on summer nights, eventually leading to the construction of the permanent stage that was unveiled in 2016.
It was there that I saw (with our current criminal justice reporter, Paige Pfleger) WNXP darling Liza Anne perform “I Love You, But I Need Another Year” before, fittingly, her move to New York.
This weekend, Musicians Corner is taken over and extended by Free Fest.
The festival began last night with performances from artists like Hovvdy, who was one of the first to perform in WNXP’s Sonic Cathedral. It continues today at 5 p.m. with performances through tomorrow night. You can find the full lineup and schedule here. (While you’re there, scroll farther down to find out more about the artists to come each Friday in September.)
Want to make a night of it?
I recommend grabbing food at Red’s Hot Chicken on 27th right near the entrance, or if that’s a little too hot in this heat, there’s always Elliston Place Soda Shop on the other side of the park. Be warned: Both have great food but close early (around 4).
So, for my stragglers: There’s A-Roi (run by the same folks behind Mt. Juliet fave Smiley Thai). It’s on the other side of 27th Avenue North, across Charlotte. It’s open late, has a menu of options from Thai classics to sushi to appease all in your party — and came as a recent dinner spot pick from our former education reporter, Juliana Kim.
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