Welcome to HolidayFest, TN

HolidayFestTN.org is the place to gather friends and families and plan your holiday and Christmas activities in and around Sumner County from September thru December!

HolidayFest, TN brings together the Sumner County community, its people, businesses, government, and service organizations in a celebration of Community, Tradition, Charity, Creativity, and Literacy. 

We are so happy to be back and stronger than ever in 2022!  HolidayFest, TN presents events planned for the 2022 Holiday Season including  Holiday Parades,  Local Shopping Extravaganzas, Concerts, Galas, and of course Breakfast with Santa all organized by local businesses, organizations, and non-profits. Your family and friends are sure to be delighted!

We support so many wonderful organizations that greatly benefit from the fun, like Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center, Make-A-Wish Foundation Middle Tennessee, Salvus Center, and so many more! And Sumner County, this Holiday Season is shaping up to be even BETTER!

Find your favorite events, or join us for something new and start a tradition by searching our EVENTS CALENDAR by date, or title. Then, click the link for details including location, time, and description.

So, let's get started and make this the best year EVER!

Your friends and neighbors at HolidayFest, TN

HolidayFest, in its 17^th year, brings over a dozen Events to Sumner County for the benefit of our local charities!!
So, don't be shy! Join us for one or all of the events and let us help you to make your holiday season merry and bright!

HOLIDAYFEST'S IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY (read now)

The King and Queen act as the Ambassadors of HolidayFest and they appear and attend many of the events, especially, the St. Nicholas Ball where they are honored and lead the dancing for the evening. They also ride in the Annual Christmas Parade with three other couples who serve as their Royal Court. “This year the theme of the parade is “A Very Frosty Christmas” and we know that they will all serve well. These Royal Count couples are also picked from those nominated. Past Kings and Queens have been 2021, Christa and Greg Yandall, 2020 Johnathan and Tammy Hayes, 2019 Derek and Cindy Kimbro, 2018 Tommy and Rachel McAuley, 2017 Darlene and Mike Rawls, 2016 Sherry and Michael Smith, Bill and JJ von Kessel, 2014: Ed and Irene Bruchas, 2013: Mike and Beverly Fussell, 2012: Van Hohe and Rachel Collins, 2011: Don and Shelly Ames, 2010: Rae Collier and Dave LeMarbre, 2008: Matt Cochran and Lisa Stubbs, 2009: Len Silverman and Jo Kennedy, in 2008: Lisa Stubbs and Matt Cochran,2007 and the first King and Queen were  Fred See and Kym Sims in 2006.

Brenda Lee is an international icon and she will be our 16^th Honorary Chair. This petite singer is known for her big voice and an even bigger heart. She rose from poverty to become a child star and then continued to achieve success over the next six decades across multiple genres of music.

In October 1958, 13-year-old wunderkind Brenda Lee entered the recording studio to record a new song by Johnny Marks, the songwriter behind “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. The song was called “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and she and her producer, Owen Bradley, felt it had a lot of potential. Lee, who had already earned the nickname, “Little Dynamite,” belted out the lyrics, “Rockin’ around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop. Mistletoe hung where you can see every couple tries to stop.” while the band rocked on around her to create one of the biggest, most indelible, holiday songs of all time. “It was just one of those magical moments in the studio when everything came together,” Lee remembered. “The sax solo, the little guitar lick that’s in there. Everything just sort of fell into place.”

In 1960, Lee’s teenage anthem of unrequited love, “I’m Sorry” became a #1 smash hit. Decca Records reissued “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and the song turned into a #14 hit. Over the last six decades, the timeless song has become a perennial holiday favorite around the globe with continual airplay and streaming and has sold more than 36 million copies with the 5th most digital downloads sold of any Christmas single. It has been featured in several movies including an iconic scene in the hit movie, “Home Alone.” Since 2014 “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” has returned annually to the Billboard Hot 100 chart and last year as it turned 60, it reached an all-time chart peak of #9 during the holiday season.

Lee holds the distinction of being the only person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Rockabilly and Pop Music Halls. As well, she is a recipient of the esteemed Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and countless other accolades spanning her stellar career.

Throughout her career, she shared stages and earned the respect of the world’s most revered performers. The Beatles opened for her and the lads from Liverpool became good friends with the Southern belle from Atlanta. Elvis Presley and Lee made their Grand Ole Opry debut on the same night. “I’ll never forget, he came in and they sent him down to that men’s shop in the arcade to get a tux. They said he wasn’t dressed right, so here he comes back with a tux. He wowed the audience. He tore the house.

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” continues to top the holiday charts year after year.  “Owen had a Christmas tree in the studio when we recorded it and Christmas lights. He had the air conditioner on full blast and it was all Christmassy,” Lee recalls of the session. “I never get tired of singing it. I sing it all year long.  I love singing it and it’s a simple song. It’s not complex at all. It’s a feel-good song and we all had fun doing it.” In addition to dominating multiple charts and performing on the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Hollywood Bowl and the London Palladium,

These days she still enjoys performing for her fans, spending time with family, and hosting a weekly Bible study with her girlfriends. Life is good and she’s grateful for her blessings.

HolidayFest is honored to have Brenda Lee and we expect this year will be our most successful one yet!