Nashville Date Night: Cheekwood’s Concerts Under the Stars
Am I ready to leap right into a discussion of my dating life in this, the second post ever on my new blog?
Well, that’s actually a story in itself — and it’s one that is playing out much like a quirky chick lit romance novel, now that I think about it. The kind that gets optioned for Netflix. Hmmm…. Maybe I should wri–
ANYWAY.
I do have things to say about dating after divorce and I will say them eventually, but let’s just ease into that discussion, shall we? We have time.
I love a good date night, though, and I’m always looking for fun things to do in Nashville that are a little different from the norm. And with that said, I present to you Cheekwood Botanical Garden’s Music Under the Stars series. It checks all my date night boxes.
My, um, manfriend and I went to the most recent Music Under the Stars concert last Friday night and the evening was pretty fantastic — and quite romantic as well. We bought cocktails at the bar, then spread picnic blankets on the lawn and sat down, side-by-side. As you can see from my feet positioning, at first I was very demure, very mindful. I kept a dinner plate’s distance between our bodies.
But as soon as bluegrass legend Sam Bush began strumming his mandolin, all propriety went out the window.
See how I made my move? I wasn’t born yesterday — This is what they call ‘rizz,’ you guys. And it totally worked. The very next day, we watched a documentary together about whether serial killers were crazy or just insane. I’m pretty sure he likes me.
But that’s not what this post is supposed to be about! Why did y’all get me off topic like that? We are talking about Music Under the Stars right now! So here’s what you need to know: Tickets to these concerts range from $55-$65 for members, $65-$75 for non-members. They include admission to the concert and to the gardens, which are worth seeing if you haven’t been to Cheekwood before. Music acts this season have been fantastic, and included The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and a songwriters night featuring several hit songwriters, in addition to the Sam Bush bluegrass evening.
The night is a perfect opportunity for a picnic since there are several food trucks on site, as well as two bars selling wine by the bottle and glass, craft beers, and cocktails. You can bring blankets and/or lawn chairs — If the concert is being held in the ‘music meadow,’ I’d actually recommend just bringing blankets, since the hill is somewhat steep and the grass is thick. I felt like we were more comfortable sitting on the ground than I would have been in a chair on that slope. Also, if you’re sitting on the ground, you have the option of going and sitting right in front of the stage — It’s like having front row seats!
And maybe I’m just getting old, but being able to find decent parking is something that matters to me lately — It’s a safety issue for me as much as anything else. Fortunately, there’s plenty of parking at Cheekwood. Be prepared for a walk, but c’mon, it’s a botanical garden – you should be prepared for a walk, anyway. Once we entered the gardens, check-in was quick and easy and the event, which was sold out, never felt too crowded. Food and drink lines were totally manageable.
And that’s it. Tickets for next season will go on sale in March, so keep an eye out to see who will be playing in 2025.
Oh, and if you want to use my signature picnic blanket moves on your next Cheekwood date night, you have my blessing. Get it, girl.
