NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A longtime Nashville tradition returned for the first time since 2019.
Around 50,000 music fans filled Public Square Park in downtown Nashville throughout the five-day Live on the Green music festival.
"I’ve had the luxury of getting to come for a long time," said Joel Tomlin, a Nashville native. "It’s got a magic that carries every single time."
The free event started back in 2009, but was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. For the first time, the event featured five consecutive days of music over the Labor Day weekend. Organizers said it took a lot of work to make it come together.
"We were late getting started, and had a lot of challenges booking a schedule when people are already booked into other events," said Lester Turner, executive producer of Live on the Green and president of Lightning 100. "We’ve had fun. We’re having fun, and our guests have had a great time."
Turner said this year's event featured a diverse lineup of performers ranging from Sheryl Crow and Moon Taxi to Coin and Yola. More than three-quarters of the artists who performed were from Nashville. The first day of the festival featured a completely female lineup, for the first time ever.
"We booked the schedule we could get, and then we looked at it and it was like, gosh all our friends are here!" said Turner.
The festival also featured increased security measures at the entrances, and vendors selling local products. Food trucks were also positioned throughout the park selling food and drinks.
Both longtime and new Nashville residents gave the event positive reviews.
"I haven’t been before, but I love live music and the fact that it's free, and you get to hang out, it's so fun," said Jasmine Aguinaldo, who attended Live on the Green.
"It's very kid-friendly," said Max Cikerle, who attended with his family. "They can play outside. Usually, the weather is good, and they love live music."
Organizers said they hoped the festival would return over the Labor Day weekend in 2023, but no dates have been set yet.
