Nashville Lifestyles Magazine July 2022

I have spent a great deal of my life downtown. My first memories were watching the 4th of July fireworks from the then Shelby Street bridge (which is now the pedestrian bridge) when I was a kid. I went to high school at Hume-Fogg right on Broadway. Listen, to be honest with you, I was terrified getting out of my mom’s car and walking up those stairs. I wasn’t a city kid; we lived in Goodlettsville in the country. But I grew to love downtown quickly. You know back then there was a mall downtown called Church Street Center, which is where the library and parking garage are now. Only a block away is the new Fifth + Broadway. It is funny how things come back. Back then parking was $2…

Summertime in Nashville—is there anything quite like it? July is always such a fun month in Music City—packed with tons to do and see—and our July issue is no different. This month we’re excited to have worked with the Nashville Downtown Partnership to create a survey asking locals to share their favorite downtown establishments. And let me tell you this survey is all encompassing. We’ve got eating, drinking, dancing, singing, dogs, exercise, life hacks, rooftops, and everything in between. One thing about Nashvillians: they’re always happy to give you their opinion on the best places to go and things to do in their town. We’re so grateful to the locals who filled out our survey to help fill this feature with tons of great spots for you to visit this summer…

THROUGH SEPT. 5 GAYLORD OPRYLAND RESORT’S SUMMER OF MORE Experience all the fun of summer under one roof at Gaylord Opryland Resort with a lineup of seasonal events and activities the whole family can enjoy. The resort’s Summer of More programming transports guests into a fun-filled fantasy world with Pirates and Princesses themed activities to delight kids and adults alike. Guests can also beat the heat at the resort’s infamous water attraction, SoundWaves; wine and dine at award-winning restaurants; or indulge in a healthy dose of relaxation at a full-service spa. (Gaylord Opryland Resort; times vary; gaylordopryland.com) 2324 WHISKEY LIVE This month, the world’s largest and longest-running global whiskey event, Whiskey Live, arrives in Music City for a two-day convention of exclusive tastings, education, distiller sit-downs, demonstrations, curated food pairings, and plenty of good…

In the web comedy series Nashville Dads Club, three local fathers embrace those only-in-Nashville quirks specific to #dadlife in the 615. And with the early success of two seasons tucked into their jeans, the dad jokes have only just begun. Starring Phillip Cordell, Rashad Rayford, and Dean Shortland, the show cracked two million views and scored a Nashville Film Festival nod with its first season, then followed up with a second helping. Season two is out now poking just as much fun as it preaches hometown love – and with plenty of “it-city” snark, it captures the absurdist beauty of raising kids through Nashville’s boom years. From on-location scenes at your favorite hangs, to locals-only send ups like hot yogurt, treadmill taverns, and celebrity branded Rite-Aids, anyone who loves our fair city…

These days it’s not a stretch to call Luke Combs one of country’s biggest stars, but it wasn’t long ago that the North Carolina native was a “baby act” – the somewhat-diminutive term applied to Music Row’s fledgling artists. Well, six years and three albums later, Combs is all grow’d up; he just hasn’t lost the blunt honesty of youth. The 2021 CMA Entertainer of the Year, with a record breaking 13 Number Ones to start his career, Combs released his Growin’ Up album on June 24, and its title is fitting for the freshly minted full-blown superstar. Yet despite his success, Combs remains famously un-starlike. Never a great fit for the mainstream mold – too honest, too transparent, too realistic – Combs is perhaps the most relatable country artist since Alan…

The Swan Ball, one of the premier charity events in the United States, is a white tie gala benefiting Cheekwood. The Ball takes place on the Swan Lawn at Cheekwood each June, and includes an evening of cocktails, seated dinner, live auction, a featured fine jewelry exhibit, and of course, a level of entertainment found only in Music City as guests dance the night away to huge music artists among the likes of Darius Rucker and Tony Bennett. The event—one of the only remaining white tie galas in the country—is led by volunteer chairs who start working almost full-time a year ahead of the Ball. The 2022 chairs, Mary Catherine McClellan and Elizabeth McDonald, were kind enough to sit down with us and give us their perspective on the event and…