Discover Festival Season – Taste, Listen, Experience, Enjoy!
The 9 Lakes Region of East Tennessee is a festival destination year-round. From Appalachian food and traditional music to international cultures, arts, history and outdoor adventure, festivals throughout the region celebrate the people and traditions that make East Tennessee such a welcoming and diverse place to explore.
Ready to explore? Check the 9 Lakes Region events calendar and start planning your cultural tour of East Tennessee. You never know what festival, concert, food celebration or cultural experience you’ll discover.
Taste: Appalachian Food & Global Flavors
Food tells the story of a place—and in East Tennessee, that story is wonderfully diverse.
Appalachian food traditions are deeply rooted in the region. Many of the foods and traditions found in East Tennessee reflect the knowledge and ingredients shared by Indigenous Cherokee people with early settlers.
Spring brings one of the region’s most distinctive food traditions: ramps. This pungent, garlicky wild onion was an important spring food for early settlers and is celebrated today at festivals throughout the region. The annual Ballplay Ruritan Ramp Festival in Tellico Plains carries on the tradition with ramps, fried potatoes, streaked meat, pinto beans and cornbread.
East Tennessee’s food story continues to evolve. The region’s communities have been shaped by generations of newcomers, immigrants and families bringing their own culinary traditions. Today, festivals and restaurants offer opportunities to experience flavors from around the world alongside the foods and traditions of Appalachia.
The Asian Festival is one example of the region’s growing cultural diversity, bringing together food, music, dance, arts and traditions from across Asia. It’s an opportunity to experience another part of the world without leaving East Tennessee—and to celebrate the many cultures that now help define the region.
East Tennessee also has a growing craft beverage scene. Early settlers made wine and cider, and today that tradition is being reimagined through local wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries. Tasting rooms can be found throughout the 9 Lakes Region, while festivals such as Townsend’s Grits and Grains Festival and Sip of Summer in downtown Clinton offer opportunities to sample local flavors and the region’s craft beverage creations.
Listen: From Appalachian Roots to Global Sounds
Music is a universal language, and it has a special place in the 9 Lakes Region. Appalachian musical traditions have influenced many of the genres that helped shape American music, including bluegrass, country and gospel.
The Townsend Spring Festival celebrates the roots of Appalachian music with traditional bluegrass and gospel performances while honoring the history and heritage of the region.
But the soundtrack of East Tennessee is bigger than Appalachian music alone. Festivals throughout the region showcase music and performance traditions from different cultures, generations and communities.
In Wartburg, the Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival combines Appalachian music, food, arts and outdoor adventure. Held each spring around the town square, the festival also offers guided hikes to see the mountain laurel blooming in the nearby Obed Scenic River National Recreation Area.
Music and history come together at Oak Ridge’s annual Secret City Festival. Along with national headlining bands, the festival celebrates Oak Ridge’s unique history, diverse community and role in shaping America’s future. The event’s lineup can include everything from a juried arts show to a robotics competition.
In Knoxville, Big Ears Festival brings together musicians and listeners from around the world for a multi-disciplinary, multi-stage celebration of adventurous music and the arts.
Experience: A Rich Tapestry of Cultures
The culture of East Tennessee is a story of many people and many traditions.
Indigenous Cherokee traditions, Appalachian customs and the influences of settlers from around the world have all contributed to the region’s heritage. Today, that story continues as new generations and diverse communities add their own traditions, foods, music and celebrations to the cultural landscape.
The Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival & Games in Maryville celebrates Scottish heritage through traditional games, music, food and cultural activities. Held each May, it reflects the influence of the Scots-Irish and other European settlers who helped shape the region.
The Asian Festival offers another window into the cultural diversity of East Tennessee, celebrating the traditions, arts, food and music of Asian communities. Together with Appalachian, Scottish, African American, Cherokee and other cultural celebrations throughout the region, these festivals offer visitors a chance to experience the many stories that make East Tennessee unique.
For a completely different experience, step into the past at the annual Medieval Faire. This springtime community festival celebrates medieval traditions through pageantry, games, entertainment, crafts, music and food, creating a magical village for visitors of all ages.
