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Franklin Wine Festival: Middle Tennessee’s Premier Wine and Culinary Festival

Franklin, Tennessee, is a community of over 68,000 people located 20 miles south of Nashville. The city features a unique blend of history and modern activities that make it an ideal location for your next fall getaway.

 

From the moment you arrive in Franklin, the level of historic preservation will make a big impression. You’ll encounter numerous historic sites open to the public that paint an accurate picture of the city’s past. The Carter House is a great educational site to visit, and was the site of the Civil War’s Battle of Franklin. It was one of the most costly battles of the war in terms of lives lost, with over 8,000 people dying. The site offers detailed guided tours of the battlefield and educational classes that outline the impact of the battle on American history. Carnation Plantation is another major historical site worth a visit. During and after the Battle of Franklin, it served as one of the largest field hospitals during the Civil War. Now the site offers tours that highlight field medicine of the period, as well as the soldiers that fell here and toll the battle took on the community.

 

While the city aims to preserve its rich history, that hasn't stopped modern activities from moving into town. The beautiful downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places, and its preserved buildings are packed with fun things to do. Franklin Theater was built in the 1930’s and was beautifully remodeled in 2010. It’s a great place to catch a classic movie, live music concert or theater performance. The downtown area is also home to a plethora of shopping opportunities. The Franklin Antique Mall is a must visit for any shopping enthusiast. They carry a variety of items that range from clothes to home furnishings. When you’ve finished your shopping excursion, head to one of the area's excellent eateries. Jack and Jameson's Steakhouse offers a selection of delicious bbq and burgers, in a rustic and comfortable environment.

 

Events and festivals in Franklin cover a wide spectrum of interests. The Franklin Wine Festival is a local favorite returning for its 12th year. It’s a showcase for wines from around the world, with over 300 featured for sampling. In addition to the vino, 30 of the region's best restaurants and food providers will be serving up a variety of tasty foods to pair with wines. Silent auctions will be held throughout the event and you can even bid via smartphone for your convenience. A variety of acts will be performing live music on multiple stages. Most importantly, the festival supports a great cause: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. Make your Franklin experience one that you won't forget and stop by the Franklin Wine Festival! We got the chance to interview Sarah Beatty, Director of Events and Communications for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, to talk about this great event.

 

RAL: How long has the event been running?

SB: 2016 marks our 12th year and we’ve gotten bigger and better each year.  

 

RAL: How many annual participants do you draw and who are they demographically?

SB: Generally we see between 2,000 and 2,200 attendees. We are a 21-and-up event, so no kids. We see a lot of couples and folks bringing their adult parents. This is a great event for older people since we are indoors and have lots of seating options. We also see a lot of groups of people who come together.

 

RAL: What makes this event unique?

SB: There are a lot of wine tastings out there, but not a lot of them feature 300 quality wines. We pair that with plenty of food from 30 of Middle Tennessee’s favorite restaurants, caterers, and specialty food providers. Since we are so close to Music City, we have live entertainment on three separate stages. This year we even have a ukulele group! What other event out there has a ukulele group performing at a wine festival?

 

RAL: Take me through a day at the event.

SB: We pop the corks at 7:00 pm. Once guests check in, they receive an official event plate, wine glass, and event program. The program includes a map where you can decide which vintages you want to try and plan your route. It’s also great because once you find a new wine you love, you can make a note in the event program, and the next week at Cool Springs Wines & Spirits that wine will be on sale.

 

New for this year we added a Biergarten to the mix. We feel that there are so many wonderful artisan beers surfacing in our community, and we want to be able to highlight that aspect of our area as well.

 

There is a silent auction in one of the event halls. Since our event footprint encompasses just over a quarter mile, attendees bid via their smartphones throughout the night. We are blessed to have so many great auction donors. We start the auction early for some preview weeks, and you can check out what we are auctioning now at www.501auctions.com/FranklinWineFestival.

 

We crown our “King and Queen of the Vines” at 8:30 pm on the Commons area stage, which is very fun to watch.

 

Here is an insider tip. Arrive at the event early and go check out the auction starting at 6:30 pm.  You’ll already be parked and bidding on some great items before the event even starts. That way if you get outbid, your phone will let you know and you can bid from wherever you are at that point.

 

RAL: Will there be any guest appearances?

SB: We have musical entertainment on multiple stages throughout the evening. Performers include Michael Biscotto, the Jim Fox Trio, The Ukedelics, Ken Jolly and the Nightmasters, and Buddy Jewell. We even have a local guy, David Seckman, who sets up a keyboard and sings along in a couple of different spots in the venue. It’s never boring, for sure!

 

RAL: What is the overall environment like?

SB: The Factory at Franklin is literally a former factory that made stoves originally, then mattresses, and is now a multi-use facility with great shopping, restaurants, and several artist studio spaces.

 

RAL: What can an attendee expect to find for local lodging?

SB: Franklin has something for everyone. The city has an incredibly charming Main Street and historic downtown area with several bed and breakfasts nearby. Franklin also has the Cool Springs area which is a newer retail hub. Anything can be found there from multiple chain hotels to resorts.

 

RAL: What does this event mean to the community?

SB: For the residents of Middle Tennessee, this is the premier food and wine tasting event in the area. No other event has the extensive wine and food offerings that the Franklin Wine Festival features. This event is a huge fundraiser for the local Big Brothers Big Sisters.

 

RAL: Does this drive business to your local economy?

SB: I would definitely say so. Some of the Factory merchants stay open at night during our event, which is not something they do for any other event held there.

 

RAL: Does the event support a special cause in the community? (School funds, etc.)

SB: Yes, the event supports the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. Its mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

 

There are 250 event volunteers that help make this event happen, and many if not most of the folks donning aprons and pouring your wine are volunteer mentors with the local Big Brothers Big Sisters program. That’s a great little “inside tip”.


For more information about the Franklin Wine Festival, please visit their website.