The Caverns will host the inaugural CaveFest on October 9th and 10th with a lineup featuring Sam Bush Band, Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Yonder Mountain String Band. The partially-subterranean bluegrass festival will debut at the Pelham, TN home of PBS‘ Bluegrass Underground.
Also on tap for CaveFest are Rising Appalachia, Jim Lauderdale, Kitchen Dwellers, The Lil Smokies, Sierra Hull, Rumpke Mountain Boys, Lindsay Lou, Larry Keel Experience, Volunteer String Band, Pressing Strings, Sicard Hollow, Kendall Street Company, and Taylor Scott Band. In addition to performing her own set, Lindsay Lou will serve as an artist-in-residence, popping by various performances throughout the weekend for memorable sit-ins.
“Fall is an absolutely gorgeous time to visit Tennessee, and that’s why we picked early October for our first CaveFest,” The Caverns owner Todd Mayo said. “With the addition of our new campground and full capacity outdoor amphitheater combined with our caves, we’re excited to welcome guests for a 2-day festival experience that only The Caverns can deliver.”
Debuted in October 2020 with a run of pod shows from Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, The Caverns has pivoted the above-ground amphitheater’s socially-distanced format into full-capacity shows. The Tennessee venue has also recently introduced camping in an adjoining field and will host a variety of food trucks and on-site vendors throughout the weekend.
Of course, there are also the historic caverns below. CaveFest will allow fans to explore the underground environment with cave tours, cave jams, cave yoga, and plenty more activities. The venue will offer 60-minute walking tours through the famous Big Room Cave, in addition to Adventure Cave Tours that take guests beyond “Tombstone Pass” to see an underground river, a chamber of natural soda straw formations, and more.
Two-day tickets for The Caverns’ inaugural CaveFest go on sale on Friday at 11 a.m. CT for $99, camping included. VIP two-day tickets with camping and overnight packages will also be made available. Pending availability, single-day tickets will go on sale at a later date. $1 from every CaveFest ticket will go to the Sewanee Mountain Grotto to support their cave conservation efforts.
