Live on the Green to Return in 2027, Relocate to Ascend Amphitheater

In 2009, the folks at Lightning 100 launched Live on the Green, a free outdoor concert series that, over the course of the ensuing decade, proved to be a popular, reliable late-summer event downtown. The series — which took place at Public Square Park, adjacent to the historic Metro Courthouse — regularly pulled in Best of Nashville readers’ poll honors like Best Concert Series thanks to lineups featuring Jenny Lewis, Ben Folds, Yola, Passion Pit, Gary Clark Jr., Car Seat Headrest, Cold War Kids, Band of Horses, Spoon, Alabama Shakes, The Wood Brothers, Cage the Elephant and dozens more.

The series managed to weather the COVID years, going to a radio-only format in 2020 and sitting 2021 out before returning in person in 2022 with a crowd-pleasing headlining set from Nashville’s own Sheryl Crow. Little did we know that was to be the last LOTG for a half-decade. The festival did not return in 2023, and has lain dormant since. 

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But Lightning 100 and the Opry Entertainment Group are announcing today that Live on the Green will return in 2027 after five years out of commission — and it will have a new home. Though organizers have not yet announced a date for next year’s fest, it’s set to take place at Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater, which is now operated by OEG and was newly upgraded this year.

Organizers are also announcing plans for a kickoff party Oct. 18 at Ascend. That event will feature performances from LOTG alums Grace Potter and Guster and others, with more than 1,000 free tickets in the mix. Organizers say tickets for the Oct. 18 event go on sale at 8 a.m. this Friday via Live on the Green's site, but 1,000 free tickets will go to fans who register at the site before Wednesday at midnight. 

VIP tickets for the "Lawnwarming" are available here, and Lighting 100 will be doing some on-air giveaways as that date approaches.

Welcome back, Live on the Green, and welcome to your new titular green.