Bluegrass Along the Harpeth 2026

Bluegrass Along the Harpeth 2026

 Bluegrass Along the Harpeth

Over the weekend, every nook and cranny of Downtown Franklin turned into a stage for fiddlers, banjo pickers and guitar strummers as folks gathered to celebrate the 35th annual Bluegrass Along the Harpeth.

Held every fourth weekend in July, the organization allows space for bluegrass enthusiasts of all ages to perform and compete.  

Kicking off the fest Friday night at 7 p.m., a slew of patrons dressed in collared button-downs and cowboy hats sat in camping chairs right in front of the main stage. Stepping out in a simple brown button-down, jeans and a cowboy hat, James Carothers and the rest of his band took the stage to perform a mix of old country covers and a couple of pickin’ bluegrass staples. 

Performing songs such as Hank Williams' timeless “Hey, Good Lookin'" and American outlaw anthem “The Highwaymen,” Carothers poured classic country out into the crowd with a vintage 1990s sound. As he played, a couple of kids in flannel and cowboy boots fearlessly fled to the space below the stage to two-step, clog and twirl, starting what would become a night full of swing dancing. 

“We love Nashville, but it’s even better when you get a little outside of Nashville,” Carothers called out to the crowd as folks danced around Downtown Franklin.

Set up under a gray canopy tent in the very back of the fest, hodgepodge fiddles, banjos, dobros and more huddled in a circle– calling out songs and playing songs on the spot. As fast-moving fingers moved up and down fretboards, the Williamson County Bluegrass group performed for only themselves and passersby, wailing out sweet southern harmonies dripping in the nostalgic sounds of timeless Bluegrass tunes. 

Right before stepping onto the main stage, Alabama-reared Stoney Lonseme practiced next to the large white pillars of the Williamson County Courthouse. One player in a Tyson Foods hat, overalls and a green butcher shirt soaked in sweat kept time on a beat-up Martin guitar while a man beside him in a dress shirt and jeans fast-picked on a gorgeous, dark-wooded mandolin. 

The Alabama bluegrass pickers closed out Friday night, playing out to a crowd of twirling dresses and do-si-doers. 

Bright and early Saturday morning, a crowd had already gathered downtown, many eager to compete in the day’s steady flow of competition. Fifteen different categories of competitions ranged from flat top guitar to beginner freestyle dance performed throughout the day. Competitors ranged widely in age, from playing quarter-sized fiddles to older folks who’ve played since they were the age of the youngest on stage. The competitions were split into ages and categories.

 

Standing in a little corner a little ways from the main stage, players Bonnie Norris (fiddle), her brother Nick Norris (guitar), Sarah Hathaway (claw hammer banjo), Eric Cameron (bass) and Noah Goebel (mandolin) played with one another. Prior to Bluegrass Along the Harpeth, the group had met at another competition. 

Earlier in the day, Bonnie Norris won her fiddle division.

“The whole festival is just a lot of fun, and it’s nice because it’s a good time for everybody to meet up,” she told Williamson Scene. “We get to see friends we haven’t seen in a while, and everyone just plays, jams, performs, competes– all of it. It’s just a fun time for all ages.” 

Despite some rain and thick, muggy weather throughout the day, Downtown Franklin pulled through for a lively and vibrant 35th annual Bluegrass Along the Harpeth.