Free and Cheap Thanksgiving Week Happenings in Nashville, TN

Looking for a fun outing without spending your Christmas savings? Whether your a life long Nashvillian or visiting for the holidays your sure to find something to do in Music City with this handy guide to free events and happenings throughout Thanksgiving week. Everything on this list is under 20 bucks!

Movies and plays

Catch a free movie at Outloud! Bookstore and REVIVE Coffeehouse. Located at 1703 Church street in downtown Nashville, TN, the bookstore an coffee shop is seated in the heart of Nashville's music and cultural scene. It is within walking distance of some of the most popular Nashville music bars, sports bars, restaurants and cultural arts centers. Admission is always free and their movie schedule for Thanksgiving week includes a free full screen viewing of Home for the Holidays on Tuesday, November 25th at 7 pm, and Finn's Girl on Wednesday, November 26th at 7 pm. Catch a free men's oriented film every Tuesday and women's oriented film on every Wednesday. Seating is based on capacity and snacks and drinks are quite reasonably priced though not required for attendance.

For Senior citizens: Located a short half hour drive from Nashville central, The Renaissance Center of the Jackson Foundation in Dickson, TN spreads Christmas cheer with a night of revelry, dinner and a live show for $20. A Tuna Christmas a senior matinee is geared towards the senior citizen crowd aged 55 and older and promises to deliver a night of laughter and amusement for the audience. Characters cope with a haphazard production of a little theatre Christmas play, a yard decorating contest that keeps getting sabotaged and the lighter side of common holiday events. Tickets include the show, dinner, drinks and desert. Gratuity not included. The Renaissance Center is located at 855 Highway South in Dickson, TN. Show times are Thursdays and Fridays at 12 pm, the show starts at 1 pm both days. Call in advance for Thanksgiving day availability as this is listed TBA at 615-740-5600. There is also a concurrent running of the show for the whole family at $30 per ticket at 6:30 pm show starting at 7:30 pm on the same dates.

Comedy performances:

Take in a free comedy standup show at The Place. Presented by StayOnTheGo Promotions, The Place brings it's audience free performances by comedy favorites from Def Comedy Jam, BET's Comicview and Lafapalooza from May 21 through Dec. 31. The Place is located at 217 2nd Ave. S. in downtown Nashville, TN. Show times are on Wednesdays at 9 and 10 Pm. Drinks are reasonably priced and the club also offers a happy hour earlier in the day as well as a dance floor for those who want to come early and make a night of it. The club opens at 3 pm daily.

Dancing and Night Clubs

Learn to dance the Salsa, for free! The Cafe Bella, Nashville's hottest Latin Club offers free Salsa lessons on Fridays nights. Thanksgiving weeks lessons are scheduled for Friday November 28th starting at 10 pm. The club also offers an excellent happy hour from 4 to 8 pm, a good sized dance floor, and live performances by local Latin artists. The Cafe Bella is located at 609 9th Ave. South in downtown Nashville, TN. Drinks are reasonably priced and party goers can catch a decently priced meal here as well.

The Station Inn offers various performances by popular and up and coming artists every night of the week. Prices vary per show. Thanksgiving weeks show times for under 20 bucks per ticket are as follows: The Mashville Brigade at 9:30 on Nov. 25th for $8.50, The Roland White Band at 9 Pm on Nov. 28th for $10, and the Bluegrass Rescue at 9 Pm for $10 on Nov. 29th. The Station also offers a free admission bluegrass jam every Sunday night starting at 8:30 Pm. The Station Inn is open 7 days a week at 7 Pm., closed Thanksgiving Day. Visitors will find reasonably priced drinks, specialty beers, pizza, sandwiches and snack foods on the menu. The Station Inn is located at 402 12th Ave. South in Nashville, TN. Call 615-255-3307 for directions and parking information.

12th And Porter offers a variety of really cheap performances Thanksgiving week for those looking to get a taste of Nashville's music scene. Thanksgiving weeks schedule is as follows: Nov. 26th - Colier with special guest Jon Stone for $5 per ticket at 8 pm, Nov. 28th - Minor Kings with The Modern Society for $5 per ticket at 9 pm, and Nov. 29th - an evening with Josh Hoge and KS Rhoads with special guest Rob Blackledge for $10 per ticket at 9 pm. Guests will find reasonably priced drinks, specialty drinks and wine available. 12th And Porter nightclub and stage is located at 114 12th Ave. North in Nashville, TN. Call 615-254-7250 for more details and directions.

The Bluebird Cafe presents D4A$, a Cheap Date with Don Shultz on Nov. 26th. Tickets for the show are just $1. Show starts at 9 pm. Enjoy one of Nashville's most popular local artists while wining and dining at reasonable prices. The Bluebird Cafe offers a wide variety of live performances for free and cheap throughout the year. The cafe prides itself in offering its guests the best of Nashville in a listening room environment. Hear great music and enjoy good food without all the hubbub and drama of traditional nightclubs. The Bluebird Cafe is located at Visit their website for a host of free and cheap event times and dates at: http://www.ticketsnashville.com/WebSales/Pages/EventListCalendar.aspx?epguid=2ae0daa4-93ce-4345-b985-525ecf702c7e&

Blues lovers can enjoy a show at BB Kings Blues Club and Restaurant. Performances at the club for Thanksgiving week include Burning LasVegas on Nov. 26th at 7:30 pm for $5 per ticket, Chainsaw Dupont and The Blues Warriors on Nov. 28th at 7:30 pm for $5 per ticket, and Carl Stewart and More on Nov. 29th at 4:30 pm for $5 per ticket. The club is located at 152 2nd Ave. North in downtown Nashville, TN. Call 615-256-2727 for more details and directions.

For the kids:

Davis - Kidd booksellers offer free story telling events throughout the year. Thanksgiving week's schedule includes a reading and signing by Lance Smith - The Old Man and the Cat on Nov. 28th at 2 pm. Davis - Kidd booksellers is located at 2121 Green Hills Village Drive Suite 281 in west Nashville, TN. Call 615-385-2645 for more details and directions.

Fairytale Bookstore located at 1603 Riverside Drive in East Nashville, TN offers free storytelling events monthly. Thanksgiving week schedule includes author Sue Boothe reading and signing Ja-Cab Joins the Monkeys on Nov. 29th at 10:30 am. There is no cost to join the story time but you must purchase the book to have a copy signed. Also on the schedule, author Dr. Gary Flagel performs a free magic show, The Magic of Smiles at 10 am on Nov. 28th. Call 615-915-1960 for more details, listings and directions.

Located a short 20 minute ride from Nashville, TN, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, TN offers a Snowflake Special Model Trains and Children's activities program on Friday Nov. 28th from 10 am to 1 pm. The children's activities are free with paid museum admission to the train showcase and include making a craft stick log house or clothespin doll. Museum admission is cheap, $5 for adults, $4 for seniors 55+, $2 for college students with picture I.D. and $1 for kids age 6 to 18. Children under 6 get in free. The museum is located at 200 South Second Street in Clarksville, TN. Free parking for museum visitors can be found behind the museum at the top of the hill just off Second Street. Call 931-648-5780 for more details and other special events throughout the year.

Tours:

The Historic Christ Church Cathedral located at offers a free guided tour every Saturday from 10:30 am till noon. Guides will walk tour groups through the Cathedral and grounds and discuss the history of the church and its ties to famous people, the architecture, various furnishings and the stain glass all made in Nashville. Great for history buffs or for those with a love for classic architecture.

Just a hop, skip and a jump from downtown Nashville, walk through historic Franklin on this guided tour Monday through Saturday starting at 10 am and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets are available at the Landmark Bookstore at 114 Main Street in Franklin, TN which is where the tour meets to kick off, or can be bought on line at http://www.franklinonfoot.com/usecreditcard.htm . Reservations for the tour must be made by 6 pm the previous evening. Prices are reasonable for this 90 minute walking tour adults $10, children 6-12 for $5 and children under $6 for free. The entire tour is also wheel chair accessible. Tour guides discuss history and stories associated with the sights visited. Tours are subject to cancellation due to weather conditions. Franklin also offers ghost tours and widow walk tours for those interested in the "darker" side of the town's history. Call 615-400-3808 for more details.

Other events:

Help The Toys for Tots Christmas program by donating a new unwrapped toy worth $5 or more at the Lane Motor Museum and get a tour for free between Nov. 28th and Dec. 14th. The Lane Motor Museum offers an extensive collection of vehicle exhibits including micro cars, European cars, antique and modern vehicles, amphibious vehicles, experimental vehicles, competition cars and more. The museum maintains all its vehicles in running order. On Nov. 28th the museum will hold a special all day event including rides in selected vehicles for adults and children, basement tours where guests can see the museums mechanics at work and demonstrations of how various vehicles and parts work. The museum is located at 702 Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville, TN. For those without a toy to donate, don't worry, admission prices are fairly cheap, $5 for adults, $3 for seniors 55+ and kids under 17 get in free. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and on Thanksgiving day.