Nashville's fall festivals for 2026: Cheekwood Harvest with 100,000 pumpkins through Nov. 1, Harvest NIGHTS on Thursdays, Boo at the Zoo nightly and park hikes.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. Dates and details come from each organizer’s own page: Cheekwood Harvest, Harvest NIGHTS, the Nashville Zoo and Metro Parks. Farm listings outside the county are in the state’s Pick Tennessee Products pumpkin patch directory.

Nashville’s biggest fall festival is Cheekwood Harvest, which runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, and fills the 55-acre botanical garden with 100,000 pumpkins, a Pumpkin Village and a Scarecrow Trail. Thursday evenings bring Harvest NIGHTS through Oct. 29. For families, the Nashville Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo runs nightly to Nov. 1. Metro Parks questions: 615-862-8400.

Plan ahead

  • Cheekwood: timed-entry tickets are required for everyone; when parking fills, walk-up tickets go only to visitors arriving by rideshare.
  • Boo at the Zoo: advance tickets required because of limited parking; rain or shine.
  • Metro Parks programs: 615-862-8400; some need advance registration.

Cheekwood Harvest

Sept. 19 to Nov. 1, 2026, at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

  • 100,000 pumpkins across the estate, and a Pumpkin Village with three interactive pumpkin houses.
  • New this year: the Marigold River, more than 2,500 orange, red and yellow blooms lining the walk from the Bradford Robertson Color Garden to Arboretum Lawn.
  • Scarecrow Trail: 15 storybook-inspired scarecrows by local artists and groups; this year’s theme is “Once Upon a Harvest.”
  • Pick a pumpkin to take home.
  • Harvest Weekends Music, noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Last two weekends: Tony Hannah (Americana) on Saturday, Oct. 24 and Jerry Tachoir (jazz) on Sunday, Oct. 25. Bring a blanket or chair.

Harvest NIGHTS, Thursdays 5 to 9 p.m., show the scarecrows lit after dark, with pumpkin carving demonstrations by master carver Lundy Cupp, garden games, music, food trucks and an “Ask a Gardener” table. Remaining nights: The Cowpokes on Thursday, Oct. 22, and the “Bootanical Bash” with Lydia Brittan and the Royal Family on Thursday, Oct. 29.

Also at Cheekwood: the Halloween Pooch Party, Oct. 24-25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with dog costume contests at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Boo at the Zoo

The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere’s Halloween festival runs 5 to 9 p.m. nightly through Nov. 1, with fall-themed scenes, trick-or-treating for children and animal shows. The zoo lists tickets at $19 Monday to Thursday and $23 Friday to Sunday for everyone 2 and older, with parking $10; children under 2 are free. The Nov. 1 Día de los Muertos night is sold out.

Fall in the parks

Metro Parks nature centers run fall programs; see the Parks events calendar:

  • Creepy-Crawly Family Hike, Bells Bend Outdoor Center, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24.
  • Shelby Bottoms Ghostbusters, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
  • A Haunted House in Warner Woods, Warner Park Nature Center, Friday, Oct. 30, ages 16 and up, registration by email.
  • Fall Migration Bird Banding, Warner Park Nature Center, 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 20 and Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Pumpkin patches on the farm

We did not find a farm pumpkin patch in Davidson County with its own published 2026 schedule. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Pick Tennessee Products directory lists them by county, with a separate corn and hay maze list.

What this means for you

  • Want pumpkins without the drive? Cheekwood’s Pumpkin Village lets you pick one out in town.
  • Going on a weekend? Book Cheekwood or the zoo early; both warn that parking fills.

Related guides: Halloween events, trick-or-treat hours, things to do this month and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see pumpkins in Nashville?

Cheekwood Harvest, through Nov. 1, 2026, fills the 55-acre garden with 100,000 pumpkins, a Pumpkin Village of three pumpkin houses and a Scarecrow Trail. Timed-entry tickets are required.

When is Cheekwood Harvest 2026?

Sept. 19 to Nov. 1, 2026. Harvest NIGHTS run Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. through Oct. 29, and weekend music plays from noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Is Boo at the Zoo a good fall festival for kids?

The Nashville Zoo bills it as Nashville’s favorite family Halloween event, with fall scenes, trick-or-treating and animal shows from 5 to 9 p.m. nightly through Nov. 1. Advance tickets are required.

Are there pumpkin patches on farms near Nashville?

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Pick Tennessee Products directory lists farm pumpkin patches and corn mazes by county; we did not find one in Davidson County with a published 2026 schedule.