Entertainment for July: Things to do in Rutherford County – Daily News Journal
ON STAGE
‘The Laramie Project’
Murfreesboro Little Theatre presents “The Laramie Project” at 7 p.m. July 8-10 and 2 p.m. July 11 at Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St. Tickets are $7 for students and seniors, and $10 for adults. For reservations and more information visit mltarts.org or call at 615-893-9825.
The play follows the story of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old University of Wyoming students who was murdered because he was gay. The hate crime attracted attention worldwide, bringing sexual discrimination and violence to the forefront of public discourse.
Hop Springs
Enjoy live music each weekend at Hop Springs Beer Park, 6790 John Bragg Highway in Murfreesboro. More details, including purchasing information, can be found on the Hop Springs Facebook page and hopspringstn.com.
- 7 p.m. July 2: The Smokin’ Peas will perform the best of 90s rock from Green Day, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Cracker and more. Admission is free.
- 7 p.m. July 10: Live standup comedy by Jim Seward and Mark Anderson. Cost is $20 for the 21 and older show, with open seating on first-come basis. Purchase at the door or on eventbrite.com.
- 7 p.m. July 24: Mixtape 80s Tribute. Cost is $17 for the all ages show. Purchase on eventbrite.com.
- 6:30 p.m. July 31: Summerland Tour featuring Everclear, Hoobastank, Living Colour and Wheatus. Tickets start at $35. Purchase online at ticketmaster.com.
Americana Brunch continues each Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with live music, food on site and brews. Admission is free.
Seasons of Murfreesboro
See live music at Seasons of Murfreesboro, 2227 Old Fort Parkway at the Clarion Inn.
- 7 p.m. July 2: Toto Tribute band. Cost is $17. Purchase on eventbrite.com.
- 6 p.m. July 3: Polly’s Pocket 90s tribute night. Cost is $5 at the door for the all-ages show.
- 7 p.m. July 9: Fleetwood Mac Tribute on stage. Cost is $17. Purchase on eventbrite.com.
- 9:30 p.m. July 16: Staticpop cover band will play 80s favorites through today’s hits. Admission is free.
Def Leppard tribute
Main Street Music, 527 Main St. in Murfreesboro, will host Excitable: Def Leppard tribute band at 7 p.m. July 30. Tickets are $14 and can be purchased on eventbrite.com.
FUNDRAISERS
Summer soiree
Oaklands Mansion will host its annual Summer Part at 6:30 p.m. July 9 on the grounds of the historic site, 900 N. Maney Ave. in Murfreesboro.
Enjoy Uncle Bud’s Southern-fried chicken and catfish cooked on site, and sip on signature and hand-crafted cocktails. The Home Sweet Home Band will perform and the historic mansion will be open.
Tickets are $75 per person. Purchase at oaklandsmansion.org or call 615-893-0022.
More:Looking for things to do in Murfreesboro? We’ve got you covered.
Taste of Rutherford
Main Street’s Taste of Rutherford fundraiser is set for 7-9 p.m. July 17 at Cannonsburgh Village, 312 S. Front St. in Murfreesboro. Enjoy food and drink samples from more than 20 food vendors and restaurants, a beer garden, entertainment and games.
VIP access is 6-7 p.m. and cost is $100 per person, which includes two drink tickets, beer garden wristband with souvenir glasses, a private bar and hors d’oeuvres.
General admission is open from 7-9 p.m. and cost is $50. Children 12 and younger get in free.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit mainstreetmurfreesboro.org/tasteofrutherford/.
FOURTH OF JULY
Smyrna
Smyrna’s Independence Day Celebration will be held from July 2 at Lee Victory Recreation Park, 110 Sam Ridley Parkway East. Admission is free and includes inflatables for kids and live music. Fireworks will begin at dark to end the evening’s festivities.
Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Bring your own food or purchase concessions.
Be sure to plan ahead for parking. The public is not allowed in the fireworks safety zone. Parking is prohibited on the roads, shoulders and marked safety areas. There is no parking along Nolan Drive, although you can sit in the grass in the area to view fireworks.
Parking is allowed at Smyrna Event Center and Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center. SOAC staff will have activities for guests and the restrooms will be open. SOAC will have activities on the lawn for patrons and restrooms will be open. Both playgrounds, including the new Freedom Playground, will be open.
Closures will be in place at 8:30 p.m. in preparation for the display. Sam Ridley Parkway will be closed from Lowry Street to Fitzhugh Drive. Nolan Drive will be closed from the roundabout to Sam Ridley Parkway.
Rockvale
Rockvale’s annual Fourth of July picnic will take place on July 3 at the Rockvale Community Center, 9920 Rockvale Road, just off New Salem Highway about one mile from the convenience center.
Hosted by the Rockvale Ruritan Club, festivities start at 10 a.m. and run until 2:30 p.m.
Registration for the corn hole tournament is 10-10:30 a.m. and cost is $5 for ages 16 and older.
Food vendors will be selling shaved ice, baked goods, hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, homemade ice cream, among other treats. Arts and crafts vendors will also be selling wares. Other festivities include children’s activities and hayrides.
There is no admission and parking is free. Be sure to bring musical instruments for shade-tree pickin’ and your lawn chairs.
La Vergne
La Vergne’s annual Independence Day celebration will be from 5-10:30 p.m. July 4 at Veterans Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Drive.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and music starts at 6 p.m. Families are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs, as well as their own picnic dinners. Visitors may also dine from a selection of food vendors that will be on site.
Fireworks begin at dusk and admission is free. Be sure to bring your own chairs and blankets.
Fireworks are allowed to be shot off within city limits between 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 2-5, On July 4 those times are extended to 11 p.m. Anyone wishing to report fireworks being discharged outside of the allotted times may contact the La Vergne Police Department at 615-793-7744.
Murfreesboro
Celebration Under the Stars, presented by Middle Tennessee Electric in partnership with Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation, is set for July 4 at Fountains at Gateway, 1500 Medical Center Parkway.
The community is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for picnicking on the grass for the free event beginning at 4 p.m. Burger Republic, Just Love Coffee and The Soda Bar will also be open for business.
Be sure to bring your bathing suits or clothes to get wet for the splash pad, which will be open during the event.
Live music featuring The Cleverlys will begin at 7:30 p.m. from the Fountains stage. The Cleverlys are a comedy/music blend that plays upbeat, bluegrass-style versions of many pop hits spanning the decades.
The fireworks display by Pyro Shows will light up the sky at 9 p.m. For safety purposes, pets, alcoholic beverages, cooking grills and personal fireworks or sparklers are not permitted on the celebration site.
Fireworks will be set off from the field near the fire hall on Medical Center Parkway and should be visible for approximately half a mile, depending on how cloudy the sky is that night, and any obstructions such as buildings and trees.
For more information about the celebration, contact Singer at 615-642-3723 or rsinger@murfreesborotn.gov. Updates and more information may be found at murfreesboroparks.com and on Facebook.
ONGOING
Weekly food truck fest
Friday Night Market in the Boro, a food truck and vendor fest, is set for 5 p.m. each Friday at Cannonsburgh Village, located at 312 S. Front St. in Murfreesboro. The weekly event will feature vendors selling a variety of products and services, as well as area food trucks. Admission and parking is free. Visit the group Facebook page to keep up with weekly vendors.
Movies Under the Stars
Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation’s “Movies Under the Stars” is back this summer. Be sure to bring your own treats, blankets, lawn chairs or even sit in your truck bed. Admission is free. Limited concessions will be sold. Showtime begins at 8:30 p.m.
Locations are:
- Mondays: Barfield Crescent Park, 697 Veterans Parkway
- Thursdays: Richard Siegel Neighborhood Park, 515 Cherry Lane
- Fridays: Cason Trailhead, 1000 Cason Trail
- Saturdays: Fountains at Gateway, 1500 Medical Center Parkway
For a list of movie titles showing each week, visit murfreesboroparks.com or call 615-890-5333.
Splash Out returns
Ages 12 and younger can enjoy the cool spray of a fire hose at Splash Out, held regularly over the summer. Splash Out is 1:30-3 p.m. at the following locations:
- July 8: Barfield Crescent Park, 697 Veterans Parkway
- July 22: Old Fort Park, 1025 Old Fort Parkway
There is no charge. Call 615-893-2141 for more details.
Farmers markets
Farmers markets are open for the season in Rutherford County.
Here’s what to know about each of them if you’re a customer or prospective vendor. farmers markets in Rutherford County, whether you’re a vendor or a customer.
Farmers markets
- Rutherford County Farmers Market, 315 John Rice Blvd. in Murfreesboro, runs each Tuesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to noon through Oct. 29. Educational classes are at 9 a.m. Topics range from sustainable gardening, cooking, food preservation, crafts, and environmental education. Visit tinyurl.com/RuCofarmer2021 for a list of classes this season. Call 615-898-7710 for more information.
- The La Vergne Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday through Sept. 11 on the walking trail at Bicentennial Park next to La Vergne City Hall, 5093 Murfreesboro Road. Visit lavergnetn.gov/407/Farmers-Market for more details.
- Lascassas Farmers Market, 7684 Barlow Lane in Lascassas, is 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday all year. Keep up with events and vendor highlights by following the Facebook page. For more details or to become a vendor, call 615-893-4142.
- Smyrna Depot Farmers Market is 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday through Sept. 18 in the downtown Smyrna Depot area along Front Street. For more information or to find an application, visit carpeartista.com/product/sdfm. Keep up with weekly events by following the Smyrna Depot Farmers Market on Facebook.
Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com. Keep up with restaurant news by joining Good Eats in the ‘Boro (and beyond) on Facebook and follow Murfreesboro Eats on TikTok.