We’ve got good news for longtime Nashville residents! Dancin’ in the District is coming back to Riverfront Park this year.
If you’re new to Nashville, you may not be familiar with Dancin’ in the District. It was a free community event that brought live music fans together right there on the bank of the Cumberland River. It was a downtown staple for many years.
This year, they’re bringing it back for one day only. It happens on Oct. 10 and it’ll continue to be free, all-ages and even pet-friendly! It’s from 4 PM to 10 PM and proceeds benefit Music Health Alliance, an organization that helps professional musicians find medical and financial solutions they may need.
Leftover Salmon will headline the return of this Nashville event and Widespread Panic’s keyboardist JoJo Herman and his band, Slim Wednesday, will also take the stage. Space Capone and Alanna Royale are also on the bill.
Daddy’s Dogs, 8th & Roast and Ole Smoky Moonshine will be there slinging food and drinks as well.
Dancin’ in the District started in the early 90s and, over the years, staff from Nashville Noise saw acts like Everclear and Barenaked Ladies perform. The whole thing was started to reconnect this great city with the music that gave it its name.
“In the ’80s Lower Broadway struggled to maintain its connection to the music scene Nashville was famous for,” says Nashville restauranteur and Dancin’ founder Tom Morales. “At the time, this street was full of pawnshops and porn shops, and had been abandoned by locals.”
Morales teamed up with some like-mind individuals and enlisted the help of Mayor Phil Bredesen to create what became Dancin’ in the District.
“Dancin’ quickly became the catalyst to bring people downtown and was a selling point for investment on Lower Broadway. The Titans were the title sponsor at one point and the Predators engaged as well. The riverfront ‘happy hour’ quickly grew to crowds of over 10,000 people and the vitality of Lower Broad was back.”
We can’t wait to hear what the return of Dancin’ in the District does for Nashville this time around. Stay tuned for more and, in the meantime, check out their website.
