Compiled by Kelly Williams

May

May 19-20, 26-28

Tennessee Renaissance Festival Celebrate 16th-century England on the grounds of Castle Gwynn, a full-size replica of a border castle just 25 miles south of Nashville in Triune. Highlights include 16th-century music, comedy, and stage theater; fire-eaters; full-armored competitive jousting; magicians; exotic food and wares; and tours of the castle. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $13 adults, $5 children. For information, visit www.tennesseerenaissancefestival.com.

May 19-20

27th Festival of British and Appalachian Culture Stroll through an actual Victorian village in historic Rugby, located on Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau. This celebration of merging cultures features British and Appalachian music and dancing, traditional arts and crafts, walking tours, and more. For information, visit www.historicrugby.org. $6 adults, $3 students (K-12).

May 18-20

Mayfest Fabulous ’40s Celebration This unique festival celebrates Oak Ridge, once known as America’s “secret city,” and the decade marked by World War II. Visitors can tour 1940s-era historic homes, ride the Secret City Excursion Train at the former K-25 World War II Manhattan Project facility, watch a swing-dance competition, or listen to the many performances of local musicians. For information, call (865) 425-3619 or visit www.ci.oak-ridge.tn.us.

May 19

Historic Collinsville Gospel Music Festival Montgomery County is home to Collinsville, a living historical settlement with 14 period structures, established to teach visitors about life in the 1800s. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on this Saturday in May, Collinsville will hold an all-day celebration of gospel music. Admission is $5. For directions and more information, call (931) 648-9141 or visit www.historiccollinsville.com.

May 20

Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society Summer Concerts Roscoe Shelton and Earl Gaines kick off this year’s “Concert on the Lawn” series at Belle Meade Plantation. Concerts will run 6-8 p.m. every other Sunday until Aug. 26. Tickets are $10 adults, children 12 and under free. For more information, call 386-7500 or visit www.jazzblues.org.

May 25

Easter Seals Golf Classic This annual fund-raising event benefits Camp Lindahl, providing a residential camp experience for children and adults with disabilities and special needs. Tournament will be held at the Windtree Golf Course in Mt. Juliet. To register or to receive more information, call 292-6640.

May 27-June 3

Bell South Senior Classic Last year, over 75,000 spectators attended this tournament stop of the Senior PGA Tour, held at the Springhouse Golf Club. For information (including how to volunteer), visit www.bellsouth.com/srclassic. For information on ticket packages, call 871-PUTT.

June

June 1, 8, 15, 22

Tales at Twilight Family story entertainment told with music, puppets, and dance will take place Friday evenings in June, 7-8 p.m. at the Bellevue Red Caboose Theater. Bring a picnic and a blanket.

June 1-July 6

National Youth Sports Program Tennessee State University is offering a free summer program full of fun athletic activities and valuable health education. The program is open to boys and girls ages 10-16 and will run 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri. To attend the camp, children must have a medical exam. TSU will offer free exams 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sat., May 26. Applications may be filled out that day or picked up at TSU’s main campus in Room 303 of the Gentry Center. For more information, call 963-5605 or 963-5889.

June 2

National Trails Day Service Project Join REI employees and members for this all-volunteer project, which will construct an eight-mile section of the Ridge Top trail overlooking the lake in Edgar Evans State Park. The park is located off I-40, 60 miles east of Nashville, and all volunteers can camp for free Friday and Saturday nights. Call REI in Brentwood at 376-4248 for more information and to sign up.

June 2-3

Tour de Cure “The Chattanooga Challenge” The American Diabetes Association’s nationwide “pedal for the cure” fund-raising event will take bicyclists 150 miles, beginning at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro and ending in Chattanooga, over a two-day period. Along the way, riders are promised great food, beautiful vistas, and fabulous entertainment. Registration fee is $30; call (800) 868-7888 for information or visit www.diabetes.org/tourdecure/.

June 8, 15, 22, 29

Kid’s Day Out Free weekly arts activities for families with children take place 10-11:30 a.m. every Friday in the events shelter at Centennial Park.

June 8, 15, 22, 30

Nashville Symphony Concerts Every week in June, the Nashville Symphony will perform a free concert outdoors. All concerts but the last one will be held in the Centennial Park Bandshell. The June 30 event will be at Shelby Park.

June 9

Train Robbery and Civil War Reenactment Excursion Train Sponsored by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum, this event takes passengers from Nashville to Lebanon and back to witness a reenactment of two Civil War battles and to experience life as it was in the 1860s. The train departs from the Railway Museum in Nashville at 9 a.m. and will return around 4 p.m. All seats are reserved, and ticket prices range from $28 to $55 for adults. To order tickets, call 244-9001 or visit http://home.hiwaay.net/~bgaddes/tcrm.

June 10, 24

Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society “Concert on the Lawn” Series The TJBS summer concert series continues into June at Belle Meade Plantation. Featured events this month include “Tenor Madness,” with four great jazz tenor saxophone players, on June 10; and “Welcome Home, Moe,” with Moe Denham, on June 24. Admission is $10 for adults. For more information, call 386-7500 or visit www.jazzblues.org.

June 11-July 27

Camp Renaissance The Renaissance Center in Dickson offers a summer camp of six one-week sessions, with built-in progression for children who enroll for more than one week. Camp runs 8:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. each day; campers will spend four days per week at Ruskin Cave along Yellow Creek and one day at the Renaissance Center. Swimming, nature hikes, rappelling, climbing, spelunking, basket-making, leather-working, and face-painting are some of the activities planned. The Renaissance Center will also offer laser and planetarium shows and computer, drama, music, and art workshops. Deadline for registration is May 21. For information, call 740-5518; to register, call 740-5533.

June 14-17

Fan Fair 2001 After a 17-year run at the Nashville Fairgrounds, Fan Fair makes a move this year to downtown Nashville. Now running Thursday through Sunday, Fan Fair will feature over 200 artists who’ll sign autographs and perform live. New this year: the Fan Fair National BBQ Championship Cook-Off and the Fan Fair Carnival. For information, call (866) FAN FAIR or visit www.fanfair.com.

June 16

RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival This Bell Buckle festival has been voted one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southern Tourism Society. This year’s theme is “O Bubba, Where Art Thou?” Register to be in the parade and decorate your own float, cool or unusual car or truck, marching band, wagon, mule, etc. The parade begins at 11 a.m., but for the more active and athletic, there’s the 10-mile run at 7:30 a.m. The King and Queen of RC Cola and Moon Pies, country artists Charlie Louvin and Gail Davies, will be crowned at noon. For more information, call (931) 389-0011 or (931) 389-9694.

June 18-29

The Arts Center of Cannon County Summer Youth Conservatory Taught by professional artists, this conservatory in the town of Woodbury offers students basic theater training, including acting, stage movement, music, dance, and directing. Students are also invited to participate in an end-of-session production. The junior session, for children in grades 1-6, runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 18-29; senior session, for children in grades 7-12, runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. July 9-27. To make reservations or for more information, call 563-ARTS or (800) 235-9073.

July

July 8, 22

Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society Summer Concerts “Ladies of Jazz” perform July 8; Dan Dowling and the Metrotones perform July 22. Both concerts are 6-8 p.m. at Belle Meade Plantation. Admission is $10 for adults. Call 386-7500 for more information or visit www.jazzblues.org.

July 14

Murder Mystery and Jazz Excursion Train This train will take riders from Nashville to Watertown and back, 90 miles round-trip. On the train, passengers will enjoy a murder-mystery play; off the train, they’ll visit Watertown’s Jazz Festival on the Square. Ticket prices range from $27 to $55. Train will depart Nashville at 4 p.m. and will return around 10 p.m. Call 244-9001 or visit http://home.hiwaay.net/~bgaddes/term for more information.

July 20-22

32nd Annual Original Threshing Show in Adams See antique cars (like this year’s 1940 Ford sedan), steam engines, old gas tractors, and threshers in action. Witness the antique tractor pull, the heavy horse and mule pull, Tennessee Clog Jammers, puppet shows, woodworking and blacksmithing demonstrations, and more. Gates open Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. Admission is $5 adults, children under 12 free. Adams, home of the Bell Witch, is located on Hwy. 41, 13 miles north of Springfield. Call 325-2330 or 696-8179 for more information.

August

Aug. 12, 26

Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society Summer Concert Series The Afro-Rican Ensemble performs Aug. 12; “Jazz Vocal Special” takes place Aug. 26. Concerts are 6-8 p.m. at Belle Meade Plantation. Admission is $10 for adults. For information, call 386-7500 or visit www.jazzblues.org.

All summer long

The Viking Culinary Arts Center This retail/instructional outlet at The Factory at Franklin will host a number of classes and cooking series. The summer’s lineup of teaching chefs includes Scott Alderson of 6º, Josh Weekley of Atlantis, and Steve Scalise of The Corner Market. To receive a complete schedule of classes and events listings, contact Viking at 599-9617 or (877) 599-9617.