General Jackson Riverboat Cruises
This 300 foot paddlewheel riverboat is one of the largest showboats in the country. A beautiful two-story Victorian Theater located in the center of the boat hosts live music shows. This summer, mid-day cruises feature Tim Watson's Fiddlin' Around, a show, beloved for its country music classics and down-home humor. The show ticket includes a southern lunch served family style in bottomless bowls. Lunch cruises board at 11:30a.m. and return at 2:30p.m. The show presented on the evening cruises is Country Music USA™ Presented By Sam Adams, a lively tour through the history of the genre, beginning with songs by Hank Williams and Patsy Cline and ending with Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts. Evening cruises Monday - Saturday board at 6:15p.m. and return at 10:00p.m.; Sunday evening cruises board at 5:15p.m. and return at 9:00p.m. For tickets call (615) 458-3900 or go to generaljackson.com. Mention discount code Key20 and receive a $20 discount for up to six adult Tier 2 tickets.

Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – Grand Ole Opry
See the show that made country music famous! The Grand Ole Opry is the world’s longest-running live radio show, featuring the best in country, bluegrass, and more since 1925. Shows every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. Due to last May’s record-breaking floods, the Opry has been temporarily displaced from the Opry House. Please join us this summer as we visit a number of Nashville venues including the historic Ryman Auditorium, the War Memorial Auditorium, Municipal Auditorium, TPAC’s Jackson Hall, and Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena. For Opry tickets and information visit opry.com or call (615) 871-OPRY.

Through December, 2010 – Johnny & June at the Ryman
Ryman Auditorium, 116 5th Ave. N. As Grand Ole Opry members, Johnny Cash and June Carter met backstage at the Ryman in 1956, an amazing love story was set in motion. Many of the most important times in their lives happened at the Ryman Auditorium. The Johnny & June at the Ryman exhibit is comprised of many artifacts on loan from the personal collections of John Carter Cash, Marty Stuart and the archives of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Included in the exhibit is the Fender acoustic guitar engraved with the name Johnny Cash that was a gift from longtime friend and guitarist Luther Perkins; an autoharp played by June Carter; the dress June wore on The Johnny Cash Show shortly after the birth of their son along with one of Johnny's iconic black ensembles; handwritten lyrics for Trail of Tears and the gold record for Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. Video monitors display rare footage from June Carter's early days at the Opry, "The Johnny Cash Show" and the couple performing together at both the Opry and the CMA Awards. Ryman is open daily for tours 9:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Admission for the standard tour is $12.50 for adults and $6.25 for children 4-11; daytime tour plus backstage tour is $16.25 for adults and $10.00 for children 4-11.For a listing of this month's concerts, see the Performing Arts section.

Through December 2010 – Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy
Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, 222 Fifth Avenue S. This exhibit, held over by popular demand, examines the personal lives of Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr. and explores the dynamics that inspired their music through examples of their music and over 200 rare artifacts never before seen by the public. Included with the price of admission. Tickets for the are $17.95 for adults; $9.95 for youth (ages 6-17); $16.15 for Seniors over 55, students and military; $16.50 for AAA adults; $9.00 for AAA youth and free for children ages 5 years and younger. For information, call (615) 416-2001 or see www.countrymusichalloffame.com.

Through September 12 – The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway. Organized by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, which possesses one of the finest costume collections in the world, this exhibit makes its only US stop in Nashville. The exhibition celebrates an important decade in fashion history that began with the launch of Christian Dior’s famous New Look in 1947 and ended with his death in 1957. The romantic postwar silhouette pioneered by Dior scandalized and delighted the public, and ushered in a period of remarkable creativity. Other designers celebrated in this exhibit include Cristóbal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy, and Pierre Balmain and London designers including Hardy Amies, Charles Creed, and Norman Hartnell. Examples of daywear, cocktail dresses, and evening gowns designed for royalty and aristocracy are included. Images by legendary photographers Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, and Irving Penn demonstrate how fashion magazines enhanced the prestige of couture, while also making its innovative ideas widely known. Open 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; 10:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 1:00p.m. - 5:00p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for college students (with ID), seniors (over 65) and military (with ID). Call (615) 244-3340 for more information. To order advance-time tickets, go to the website at fristcenter.org or call (866) 683-4978.

July 1-3, 15-22 and 27-31 – Nashville Sounds Home Games
Greer Stadium, 534 Chestnut St. This month, the Nashville AAA franchise of the Milwaukee Brewers plays home games July 1- 3 vs. the New Orleans Zephyrs; July 15 - 18 vs. the Omaha Royals; July 19 - 22 vs. the Albuquerque Isotopes; July 27 - 30 vs. the Omaha Royals and July 31 vs. the Round Rock Express. For tickets, go to nashvillesounds.com or call (615) 690-HITS.

July 1 – VETS ROCK- Freedom Celebration
Limelight Nashville, 201 Woodland St. Featuring emcee Johnny Mack and artists Artimus Pyle, Blessid Union of Souls, Indigenous and Hip Kitty, Charlotte Medley, Jamie Saylor, Kara Clark, Jessica Rae and LUNGE. Doors open at 6:00p.m.; show begins at 7:00p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $99 for VIP (includes special seating and meet n greets with the bands) and $25 at the door. Proceeds go to provide food, shelter and clothing to veterans in need, with a portion going to provide assistance to veterans and active military seriously effected by the recent flood. For more information, call (800) 213-2910.

July 3 – First Saturday Art Crawl
Downtown galleries. The first Saturday of every month, downtown art galleries stay open late, many providing wine and snacks. The Nashville Downtown Partnership provides two free shuttles among the galleries from 6:00p.m. - 10:00p.m. To see the gallery list and shuttle map, go to the website nashvilledowntown.com/play.

July 3 – Red, White and Zoo
Nashville Zoo, Grassmere Park, 3777 Nolensville Rd. The Nashville Zoo celebrates American independence one day early, from 11:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. with food, games and entertainment for all ages. Taking place on the Zoo’s Festival Field, activities include an inflatable bounce house, obstacle course, hula hoops, bean bag toss, horseshoes, special docent stations and more. At the center of Red, White and Zoo is an all-you-can-eat buffet from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. of classic cookout favorites, including hot dogs, baked beans, coleslaw, chips, cookies, and beverages. All games and activities for Red, White and Zoo are included with Zoo admission. The all-you-can-eat buffet is $7 per person for registration received by noon on July 2. (Guests may register online at nashvillezoo.org.) After July 2, the buffet cost is $10 per person and can be paid at the event. For more information about Nashville Zoo, please call (615) 833-1534.

July 2-4 – Music City 4th: Let Freedom Sing!
Riverfront Park, 100 First Avenue N. This year's Independence Day celebration is spread out over the whole weekend, and as usual offers free live music and one of the best fireworks displays in the country. On July 2, the General Jackson Showboat celebrates its 25th Anniversary by offering excursion cruises for $8. At 8:00p.m., Chuck Wicks performs a free concert at Riverfront Park, and fireworks close the show. To reserve a space, go to generaljackson.com/25. On July 3, A Prelude to the Fourth begins at noon, with family fun. That evening, Julianne Hough performs a free concert, ending with fireworks. And finally, on July 4th, the main event, Let Freedom Sing, kicks into gear with inflatables, giveaways and plenty of food, drink and souvenirs. The concert begins at 2:00p.m. and features Jordyn Shellhart, Calico Trail, Damien Horne and Jessie James. It goes on into the evening with Jaci Velasquez, Julianne Hough and Trace Adkins, and culminates with fireworks choreographed to the Nashville Symphony's stirring Independence Day program. For more information, see the website at musiccityjuly4th.com. No coolers, pets, backpacks or beverages are allowed.

July 4 – Lawn and Roof Fireworks Viewing
Adventure Science Center, 800 Fort Negley Blvd. If you love fireworks but hate fighting the traffic downtown and being caught up in the crowd, consider watching the fireworks display from the unobstructed view on the hill at the Adventure Science Center. There are three exciting packages offering very special holiday experiences for you and your family. The Lawn Viewing Package, for $25 per person, includes parking in ASC's secure lot, entry into the ASC from 6:00p.m. - 11:00p.m., space on the lawn, and entertainment provided by Party Patrol, including live feed from the riverfront during the fireworks display. Bring a blanket and picnic dinner. The Rooftop Viewing Red, White and Yazoo! Package is $65 per person, and includes parking; cookout style dinner and drinks served in Jack Wood Hall from 6:00p.m. - 8:00p.m.; space on the roof to watch the fireworks from 8:00p.m.-11:00p.m.; beer provided by Yazoo Brewing Company; tickets to the patriotic laser show, Spirit, shows at 7:00p.m., 8:00p.m. or 10:00p.m. and entertainment provided by Party Patrol. Finally, the exclusive White Linen and Champagne Dinner Package for $300 per couple provides the same experience as the Rooftop Viewing Package, but with exclusive rooftop seating near the color-changing pyramid, and an elegant dinner with champagne and wine. The Center will be open to the public 12:30p.m. -5:30p.m. on the 4th of July. Packages are only for the evening event from 6:00pm-11:00pm. Available space is limited. For more information, call (615) 401-5055 or see the website at adventuresci.com. A portion of each package is eligible for a charitable tax deduction.

July 4 – Music City Hot Chicken Festival
East Park, 700 Woodland St., East Nashville. That peculiarly Nashvillian culinary tradition, firey hot chicken, is celebrated with this festival of free food, and a cooking competition. The first 500 people will be treated to free chicken from Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, The Chicken Shack and Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish. After that, more may be purchased at the food garden, along with locally brewed Yazoo beer, Corsair Artisan creations, and other beverages. Inflatables will keep the children entertained while adults watch amateur chefs compete for bragging rights in the Hot Chicken Cooking Competition. Admission to the festival is free. Hours are noon - 5:00p.m. The competition begins at noon, with judging at 3:00p.m.

July 11 and 25 – Jazz on the Lawn
Belle Meade Plantation, 5025 Harding Pk. The Tennessee Jazz & Blues Society presents its summer "Concert on the Lawn" series beside the Carriage House at Belle Meade Plantation. Dana Robbins performs on July 11; the Moe Denham All-Stars With Rahsaan Barber, Jim Williamson, Bob Sabelico and Robert Bond perform July 25. Tickets are $20 for non TJBS members and $10 for members. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets are welcome. Performances begin at 6:00p.m. For more information, see jazzblues.org.

July 16-18 – National Corvette Homecoming
Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green, KY. Scores of Corvettes convene for the annual National Corvette Homecoming, which features seminars, an arts and crafts marketplace, a vendor swap meet, a car corral, an autograph session, Sans Pareil, a reunion show, live music, an all-Corvette parade and more. For more information visit corvettehomecoming.com and visit the National Corvette Museum while you are in Bowling Green.

July 17 – Soul Food Festival
Riverfront Park, 100 First Avenue N. Presented by The Kinfolks Foundation, which promotes education to underprivileged youths. The festival features live music, game stations, food and beverage vendors and a marketplace with arts and crafts, CDs, and souvenirs and gifts for sale. Hours are 4:00p.m. - 11:00p.m. Tickets are $30 - $55, ranging from general admission to VIP seating. For information and tickets, see the website at ilovesoulfood.com or call 1-888-512-SHOW.

July 29 – Live at Cheekwood: Joan Baez
Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, 1200 Forrest Park Dr. Listen to legendary songwriter and performer Joan Baez in the beautiful setting of Cheekwood's gardens (rated one of the Top Ten Southern Gardens by readers of Southern Living). The show starts at 8:00p.m. Gates open at 5:00p.m. The concert will be held rain or shine and tickets are non-refundable. Tickets are $40, with VIP tickets at $125 (includes preferred seating, complimentary heavy hors d’oeuvres, and the opportunity to purchase a $20 per concert parking pass for parking on site.) Buy tickets at cheekwood.org.

July 31 – Ninth Annual Music City Brewer's Festival
Hall of Fame Park, 121 4th Avenue S. $35 admission includes samples from the best local, regional, national, and import breweries in the world. Tickets are limited. There is food from some of the city's best beer-friendly restaurants, and live music. This is a 21 or older event: no children are allowed. No tents, coolers, pets (except service animals) or outside food and beverages will be permitted. There will be no re-entry once inside the gates. For information or tickets, see musiccitybrewersfest.com.