Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, scheduled for September 25-26 at The Park at Harlinsdale, is experiencing a record pace for early ticket sales. According to festival producers, this is a phenomenon happening at festivals across the country.
“The response to our lineup and the pace of ticket sales in our first two weeks reinforces our belief that there is a pent-up demand for live events,” said Pilgrimage Co-Producer Brandt Wood. “Festivals around the country are selling out, and we anticipate the same for Pilgrimage.”
Visit Franklin, the convention and visitor’s bureau for Williamson County, is also seeing strong interest from out-of-towners planning to attend the festival. Following the 2019 festival, Visit Franklin partnered with Pilgrimage to commission a study that showed the festival created a more than $3 million impact for the local community.
“Once we started pushing out the lineup and ticket information on our socials and through digital advertising, we’ve seen a heightened level of excitement and interest from those outside of the market,” said Lauren Ward, Visit Franklin Interim President and CEO. “Pilgrimage Festival has proven to drive revenues by increasing occupancy in our hotels and generating revenue in our restaurants and shops. The other added benefit is that those coming from out-of-town add days before or after the festival, generating even more economic benefits for the community.
“From an exposure standpoint, Pilgrimage has proven to be an incredible gateway to introducing Williamson County and Franklin to potential visitors through the national – and even international – publicity it receives,” she added. “With travel opening back up, we fully expect our community to be buzzing with visitors before and after the festival this year.”
Hosted in its seventh year at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, the celebration of art, culture, and diverse music will also cue performances by Khruangbin, Black Pumas, Amos Lee, Tanya Tucker, Better Than Ezra, Houndmouth, Tank and the Bangas, Valerie June, JD McPherson, Jamestown Revival, Low Cut Connie, Robert Finley, Katie Pruitt, Morgan Wade, Larry Fleet, Harlem Gospel Travelers, Hailey Whitters, Dylan LeBlanc, Anna Vaus, Blessing Offor, Natalie Madigan, and many more. Five stages featuring 50-plus acts will stand on the 200-acre park, boasting main stages Fender Premium Audio Midnight Sun and Gold Record Road Stage, alongside local stages Shady Grove, Lil’ Pilgrims Family Stage, Americana Music Triangle Experience – built by Mike Wolfe from HISTORY’s American Pickers.
For those seeking an elevated experience at Pilgrimage, the VIP Village offers an open bar, air-conditioned restrooms, plenty of shade and culinary treats all weekend. Festival producers expect all pass types to sell out in advance this year.
The brainchild of Better Than Ezra singer and Franklin resident Kevin Griffin – among co-founders W. Brandt Wood and Michael Whelan – Pilgrimage continues its mission in supporting the region’s makers, distillers, brewers, and food vendors by providing an all-encompassing hometown experience. The 200-acre park will support the region’s best with a curated VIP Village, Maker Village with 70 booths stocked with handcrafted works, wares, and wearables; 35 local restaurants and cafes serving their most popular dishes; the Farm to Turntable Food Truck Park – 20 of the area’s best food trucks; the now famous Craft Beer Hall that’s complete with an array of local, regional and national craft beers, plus plenty of bars throughout the grounds featuring libations like local whiskeys, hard seltzers, specialty drinks, and frozen treats.
Committed to making a year-round impact and being a driving force in bringing tourism to Williamson County, the festival has a direct partnership with the Recording Academy‘s non-profit MusiCares, donating a portion of every ticket sale to help members of the music community in need, as well as Friends of Franklin Parks, which leads fundraising and preservation efforts at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm. Additional non-profit partners include community organizations: The Heritage Foundation, High Hopes Development Center, BrightStone, GraceWorks Ministries, and Mercy Community Healthcare.
A prime Franklin-based staple, Pilgrimage thanks returning sponsors: Fender Premium Audio, Hendrick’s Gin, Milagro Tequila, School of Rock, and Visit Franklin, as they welcome guests to #MakeThePilgrimage this fall.
Two-day General Admission and VIP passes are available now. Payment plans are also available for those who want to spread their purchase across multiple payments. For ticket information, visit www.Pilgrimagefestival.com.
