Guides · Nashville
Nashville in October: Weather, Oktoberfest and Live Music
Marketing Manager
Nashville in October is Music City at its most comfortable. The summer humidity is gone, the hills around the city start turning red and gold by the end of the month, and the calendar fills with festivals. This guide covers 5 things to do in Nashville in October that go beyond the downtown landmarks in our main Nashville guide: Nashville Oktoberfest, the Southern Festival of Books, a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe, Boo at the Zoo and peak fall colour at Radnor Lake State Park. Each entry has the exact address, the nearest WeGo bus route or travel time, and a Pro Tip.
On Nashville weather in October: highs average about 22°C (72°F), starting in the mid-20s and sliding into the high teens by Halloween, with lows around 10°C (50°F). Rain totals roughly 80 to 90 mm over seven or eight days, and long clear, dry spells are common. Evenings cool down quickly once the sun sets, so carry a light jacket for outdoor festivals and the walk back from evening shows.
Two festivals anchor the month, both at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park: Nashville Oktoberfest from 1 to 4 October and the free Southern Festival of Books on 17 and 18 October. Boo at the Zoo runs on selected evenings in the second half of the month, Radnor Lake usually peaks in the last week of October, and the Bluebird Cafe programmes songwriter shows every night, so a trip in the second half of October fits four of the five.
1Nashville Oktoberfest - Germantown's Beer Festival Since 1980
Nashville Oktoberfest is the city's longest-running Oktoberfest, held every year since 1980 and now drawing more than 100,000 visitors. It takes place over the first days of October at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park on the edge of Germantown, the neighbourhood settled by German immigrants in the 19th century.
German imports and Nashville craft beers pour side by side, alongside bratwurst, pretzels and schnitzel, two music stages and an artisan market. The signature contests draw the biggest crowds: the Dachshund Derby, the Pup Parade, a stein-holding contest and the 5K Bier Run. Thursday is a free Community Day, while Friday to Sunday general admission costs $10 (about €9) online or $12 at the gate, and children under three get in free.
Pro Tip: Go on the free Thursday evening for the shortest beer lines, or on Sunday for the Dachshund Derby. The festival runs rain or shine, and leashed dogs are welcome.
2Southern Festival of Books - Free Author Talks at Bicentennial Mall
The Southern Festival of Books is one of the oldest literary festivals in the United States, and it usually takes place over a weekend in mid-October. Presented by Humanities Tennessee with Vanderbilt University, it spreads across Bicentennial Mall, the Tennessee State Museum and the Tennessee State Library and Archives, with more than 175 authors on panels, readings and signings.
Admission is free for all ages. Hours run from 09:00 to 18:00 on Saturday and 10:00 to 17:00 on Sunday, with three performance stages, publishers' stalls, food trucks and a children's area. The Tennessee State Museum, which hosts many of the sessions, is free year-round and covers the state's story from prehistory to the present day, so it is easy to fill a whole day here.
Pro Tip: Check the schedule a week ahead and pick two or three panels, as popular sessions fill rooms quickly. Break for lunch at the Nashville Farmers' Market right next to Bicentennial Mall.
3The Bluebird Cafe - Songwriters in the Round
The Bluebird Cafe is a 90-seat room in a suburban strip mall that has launched more careers than almost any venue in Nashville. Opened in 1982, it is known for its in-the-round shows, where three or four songwriters sit in a circle in the middle of the room and take turns playing the songs they wrote for other artists, often with the stories behind them.
Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift were both discovered here, and the person on the next stool may well have written a number one hit. Talking during songs is not allowed, and the atmosphere is closer to a listening room than a bar. Online reservations open at set times and disappear within minutes, while a small number of walk-in seats are held for some shows.
Pro Tip: Set a reminder for the moment reservations open and book in the first few minutes. If you miss out, queue early for walk-in seats at the Monday open mic night.
4Boo at the Zoo - Halloween Nights at Nashville Zoo
Boo at the Zoo is the Nashville Zoo's annual Halloween event, held on selected evenings through the second half of October. It is designed for children aged 12 and under and turns the zoo's paths into a trick-or-treat trail with candy stations, themed displays, storytelling and costumed characters, with rides such as the carousel included in the event ticket.
The zoo covers about 188 acres (76 hectares) on the historic Grassmere farm, with animals ranging from clouded leopards and red pandas to giraffes and Sumatran tigers. Adults without children can look out for BOOze at the Zoo, a 21-and-over evening with drinks, food trucks and a costume contest. Both events sell out, especially on the weekend before Halloween.
Pro Tip: Book the earliest entry slot on a weeknight, when lines at the candy stations are shortest. Bring your own trick-or-treat bag and a warm layer for after sunset.
5Radnor Lake State Park - Peak Fall Foliage Inside the City
Radnor Lake State Park protects about 1,400 acres (570 hectares) of forest, ridges and an 85-acre lake just 20 minutes from Lower Broadway. It is the closest place to downtown for real autumn colour, and peak foliage usually arrives in the last week of October and the first week of November, when maples, hickories and sweetgums turn red, orange and yellow around the water.
The loop around the lake, combining the Lake Trail and Otter Creek Road, is about 4 km (2.6 miles) and suits all ages, while the Ganier Ridge Trail climbs to the highest points in the park for views over the treetops. Radnor is a protected natural area, so dogs and jogging are allowed only on Otter Creek Road. Deer, wild turkeys and owls are common sightings, and entry is free.
Pro Tip: Parking fills by 09:00 on fall weekends, so arrive at opening or come on a weekday. The east parking lot off Franklin Pike is often quieter than the visitor centre lot.
Get hotel deals for Nashville
Price drops, new stays and local tips for Nashville, straight to your inbox.
No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Nashville in October: Weather, Oktoberfest and Live Music - FAQ
October is mild and mostly dry in Nashville. Daytime highs average about 22°C (72°F), dropping from the mid-20s in the first week to the high teens by Halloween, while nights fall to around 10°C (50°F). Expect roughly 80 to 90 mm of rain spread over seven or eight days, so pack a light jacket and one waterproof layer.
Nearly. Oktoberfest runs 1 to 4 October and the Southern Festival of Books 17 to 18 October, so you will catch one festival, not both. A long weekend in the second half of October covers the book festival, a Bluebird Cafe show, Boo at the Zoo and Radnor Lake, though the zoo, the Bluebird and Radnor each need a car or rideshare.
Start with Radnor Lake early on a weekend morning, when the light is best and parking is easier, then spend the afternoon at the Southern Festival of Books at Bicentennial Mall. Save one evening for Boo at the Zoo and another for the Bluebird Cafe, as both run at similar times and cannot be combined in one night.
Book the Bluebird Cafe and Boo at the Zoo in advance, as both sell out on October weekends, and Bluebird reservations open online at set times. Oktoberfest general admission is cheaper online at $10 than at the gate. The Southern Festival of Books and Radnor Lake State Park are free and need no booking.
Two of the five entries are free. Oktoberfest general admission is $10 (about €9) online, the Bluebird Cafe charges a cover per show and usually a food or drink minimum, and Boo at the Zoo is the largest expense for families. Budget roughly $60 to $100 (about €50 to €85) per adult for tickets, before food and drinks.
Nashville in October is also a good time for the downtown classics in our main Nashville guide, including the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry and the Lower Broadway honky-tonks. Other options in Nashville in October are after-hours Halloween tours at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, pumpkin patches such as Lucky Ladd Farms, the Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival and Titans or Predators home games.
