Bicentennial Mall Festival Highlights Tenneseee History

Nashville, Tenn. – The fourth annual Tennessee History Festival will be held October 12-13 at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville. This event blends education and entertainment, allowing school groups and families alike to experience more than 300 years of Tennessee history. Last year, the festival drew more than 6,000 visitors to the park.

“The festival showcases Tennessee’s place in history,” Park Manager Mike Cole said. “From the time Hernando de Soto set foot in what would become Tennessee, this region has influenced and been influenced by countries and cultures across the world.”

Activities at the Tennessee History Festival will include a living time line, beginning with the period of De Soto’s explorations for Spain and the Woodland Indians and concluding with the Gulf Wars.  The festival also will feature the stories of great Tennesseans like Davy Crockett, Andrew Jackson and Sgt. Alvin C. York. Visitors can watch a mock World War II battle and stroll along an automobile time line.

The festival is free and open to the public. Activities will be offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. School groups are encouraged to plan their visits for October 12 and register in advance. Educators may arrange for bus parking and special informational packets for their visits.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is located at the foot of the State Capitol. The park is bordered by James Robertson Parkway, Jefferson Street and Sixth and Seventh Avenues. For more information about the park, please visit www.tnstateparks.com/Bicentennial.

For more information about the 2007 Tennessee History Festival at Bicentennial Mall State Park, call the park office at (615) 741-5280.