Vanderbilt University presents the Southern Festival of Books a Program of Humanities Tennessee (Nasville)

HOST: Humanities Tennessee/Southern Festival of Books

WHEN: Saturday, October 18th 2025, 9:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, October 19th 2025, 10:00am-5:00pm

REGION: Middle Tennessee

WHERE: 600 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville TN 37243

WHAT: The Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word is among the oldest literary festivals in the country, annually welcoming hundreds of authors and thousands of visitors to downtown Nashville each October. Come engage with writers and visit the Fest's Creativityland to put your own words to paper.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Free

WEBSITE: humtn.org
sofestofbooks.org

Planetarium: Memphis Skies (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025, 4:00pm-5:00pm

REGION: West Tennessee

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue, Memphis TN 38111

WHAT: WHAT’S THAT IN OUR NIGHT SKY? Find out more about “what’s up tonight” in just a few minutes than some people do in a lifetime. Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to planetarium space music in this full dome audiovisual experience.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Adults $14.75
Seniors $12.75
Youth $12.75

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.org

Planetarium: Black Holes (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace

WHEN: West Tennessee

REGION: October 10th-26th 2025, 2:00pm-3:00pm

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue, Memphis TN 38111

WHAT: Black holes are the most extreme objects in the universe - objects so dense, that not even light can escape them. This show gives an overview of what black holes are, how they form, and what would happen if you fell inside one.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Adults $14.75
Seniors $12.75
Youth $12.75

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.org

Planetarium: Forward to the Moon (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025, 11:00am & 1:00pm

REGION: West Tennessee

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue, Memphis TN 38111

WHAT: A look into the Artemis program, NASA's new project to return to the moon. From landing humans on the surface, to building a space station in lunar orbit, learn how NASA plans to establish a permanent human presence on the moon.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Adults $14.75
Seniors $12.75
Youth $12.75

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.org

Giant Screen Theater - Fantastic 4: First Steps (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025, 3:00pm

REGION: West Tennessee

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue. Memphis TN 38111

WHAT: Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Adults $14.75
Seniors $12.75
Youth $12.75

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.org

Giant Screen Theater - Oceans: Our Blue Planet (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025, 2:00pm-3:00pm

REGION: West Tennessee

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue, Memphis TN 38111

WHAT: Embark on a global odyssey to discover the largest and least explored habitat on earth. New ocean science and technology have allowed us to go further into the unknown than we ever thought possible.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Adults $14.75
Seniors $12.75
Youth $12.75

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.org

Giant Screen Theater - T REX (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025, 11:00am and 1:00pm

REGION: West Tennessee

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue, Memphis TN 38111

WHAT: This immersive film explores the life of the GOAT—the Greatest of All Tyrants—while highlighting famous specimens, landmark discoveries, and the evolving interplay between speculation and scientific evidence. Narrated by Sam Neill, the film tells the remarkable true story of three kids who discovered a teenage T. rex fossil, a find that made international headlines in over 2,000 media outlets.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Adults $14.75
Seniors $12.75
Youth $12.75

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.org

Overcoming Hateful Things: Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery (Memphis)

HOST: Museum of Science and History (MoSH) Pink Palace

WHEN: Friday, October 10th-19th 2025, 10:30am-5:00pm

REGION: West

WHERE: 3050 Central Avenue, Memphis TN 38135

WHAT: Explore the Jim Crow system, its impact on African Americans, and its ongoing legacies, focusing on the resistance and resilience of Black communities. On view May 31 - Oct 19.

AUDIENCE: Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Adults with Special Needs

COST: Free with museum admission
Members: Free

WEBSITE: moshmemphis.com

Spice it Up! Discovery Lab Program (Gray)

HOST: Hands On! Discovery Center

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025
Programs by announcement periodically throughout each day.

REGION: East

WHERE: 1212 Suncrest Drive, Gray TN 37615

WHAT: Join Hands On! Discovery Center to explore the chemical properties that contribute to the unique properties of kitchen spices in recognition of National Chemistry Week’s 2025 theme, "The Hidden Life of Spices". Discovery Lab programs announced periodically throughout each day. FREE with paid general admission. (*This program contains food allergens such as wheat, nuts, and a variety of spices including cinnamon, black pepper, mustard, onion, garlic, etc.)

Additional program dates available at visithandson.org

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs

COST: Free with paid general admission.

WEBSITE: visithandson.org

October Art Studio Programs (Gray)

HOST: Hands On! Discovery Center

WHEN: October 10th-26th 2025,
Tuesdays - Saturdays - 9:00am-5:00pm
Sundays - 1:00pm-5:00pm

REGION: East

WHERE: 1212 Suncrest Drive, Gray TN 37615

WHAT: Join Hands On! Discovery Center for Pablo Picasso inspired cubism drawings, Frida Kahlo inspired Day of the Dead collages, bug and insect plate rubbings, and crayon resist watercolor eerie mansions. All activities are self-guided with instructions provided. FREE with paid general admission

Additional program dates available at visithandson.org

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs

COST: Free with paid general admission.

WEBSITE: visithandson.org

Solar Observing (Knoxville)

HOST: University of Tennessee Physics and Astronomy

WHEN: Sunday, October 12th 2025, 1:00pm-4:00pm Sunday, October 19th 2025, 1:00pm-4:00pm Sunday October 26th 2025, 1:00pm-4:00pm

REGION: East

WHERE: 1408 Circle Drive Knoxville 37996-1200

WHAT: Come and look at the star of our solar system, the SUN. You will have the opportunity to see the closest star to us through white light filtered, telescopes that show us surface features like sunspots, faculae, limb darkening, and through our Hydrogen alpha filters, prominences, filaments, plages spicules and maybe even a solar flare. It's safe, it's fun and you can learn a lot about our life-giving star.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: FREE

WEBSITE: physics.utk.edu

Explore the Arts at Frist Art Museum (Nashville)

HOST: Frist Art Museum

WHEN: Friday, October 10th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Saturday, October 11th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Sunday, October 12th 2025, 1:00pm-5:30pm
Monday, October 13th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Thursday, October 16th 2025, 10:00am-8:00pm
Friday, October 17th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Saturday, October 18th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Sunday, October 19th 2025, 1:00pm-5:30pm
Monday, October 20th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Thursday, October 23rd 2025, 10:00am-8:00pm
Friday, October 24th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Saturday, October 25th 2025, 10:00am-5:30pm
Sunday, October 26th 2025, 1:00pm-5:30pm

REGION: Middle Tennessee

WHERE: 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37205

WHAT: Visit the Frist Art Museum and explore the award-winning Martin ArtQuest®. This inclusive and interactive art-making space is for guests of all ages where they can be creative with activities that delight and inspire. ArtQuest's accessible art-making stations offer you an opportunity to draw, animate, make prints, paint, and more—and discover your unique talents and celebrate your creative energy, and just have fun!

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families

COST: Adults: $20; Children 18 years of age and younger: Free

WEBSITE: FristArtMuseum.org

Ripley's STEAM Activities at Wears Valley (Sevierville)

HOST: Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

WHEN: Friday, October 17th 2025, 9:00am-6:00pm Saturday, October 18th 2025, 9:00am-6:00pm Sunday, October 19th 2025, 9:00am-4:00pm

REGION: East

WHERE: 3179 Wears Valley Road Sevierville TN 37862

WHAT: Join the education staff from Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies at Wears Valley Fall Fest in the kids area for interactive STEAM activities and to learn more about programs offered at the aquarium!

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Families, Children/Youth with Special Needs

COST: FREE with festival admission

WEBSITE: https://www.ripleys.com/attractions/ripleys-aquarium-of-the-smokies

44th Annual NAIA Tennessee Indian Education Pow Wow (Nashville)

HOST: Native American Indian Association of Tennessee

WHEN: Friday, October 17th 2025, 9:00am-10:00pm Saturday, October 18th 2025, 9:00am-10:00pm Sunday, October 19th 2025, 9:00am-10:00pm

REGION: Middle

WHERE: Long Hunter State Park, 2910 Hobson Pike Nashville TN 37076

WHAT: Our Pow Wow serves to advance social change and growth with the surrounding communities through the sharing of diverse traditional Native American Indian artisans' works and their stories, educating visitors and younger generations, as well as advocating for the cultural revitalization of Native American Indians in Tennessee. An event such as the Pow Wow establishes and develops connections between the Native American Indians and the surrounding communities; connections that will expand and develop understandings for mutual benefit. There are are engaging enrichment activities for everyone which include inter-tribal traditional dancers, a hoop dancer, two drum groups, teepee and encampment, storytelling with demonstrations, with arts and crafts and food vendors.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: CASH ONLY at the gate; $8.00/adult; $4.00 senior citizen and children 6-12; free for children 5 and under and persons with disabilities.

WEBSITE: naiatn.org

Paint Your Own Pumpkin Patch (Murfreesboro)

HOST: Board and Brush

WHEN: Sunday, October 12th 2025, 10:00am-1:00pm
Saturday, October 18th 2025, 10:00am-1:00pm
Sunday, October 19th 2025, 10:00am-1:00pm
Saturday, October 25th 2025, 10:00am-1:00pm
Sunday, October 26th 2025, 10:00am-1:00pm

REGION: Middle

WHERE: 1500 Medical Center Pkwy. Suite 1E Murfreesboro 37129

WHAT: Pick a $5 pumpkin from our patch & stencil on a sweet or spooky face to add to your fall decor.

AUDIENCE: Children, Youth/Teens, Adults, Families, Senior Citizens, Children/Youth with Special Needs, Adults with Special Needs

COST: $5

WEBSITE: boardandbrush.com/murfreesboro