In Pictures: Pilgrimage Festival Celebrates Return To Franklin After Two Years

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Day 2 of Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival on Sept. 26, 2021. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival came back to Middle Tennessee this past weekend (Sept. 25 & 26). The two-day event welcomed a crowd of 25,000 to The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee.

Maren Morris performs onstage during day one of the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Led by back-to-back headliners both nights, Maren Morris and The Black Keys kicked things off on Saturday, and Cage The Elephant and Dave Matthews Band capped the event on Sunday.

Over 50 acts in total appeared across five stages: the Midnight Sun Stage, Gold Record Road Stage, Simple Truth X Shady Grove Stage, Lil’ Pilgrims Family Stage, and Americana Music Triangle Experience. Paste Magazine’s Paste Studio on the Road: Pilgrimage Music Festival was also livestreaming backstage appearances throughout the weekend from Hailey Whitters, The Harlem Gospel Travelers, Jamestown Revival, and Wax Owls.

Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys perform onstage during day one of the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images

“All the stars aligned for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival this year. We were blessed with a full crowd, brilliant weather, and one of the best lineups that we’ve ever had. It truly seemed like every artist was giving their absolute best, knowing just how meaningful it was to finally be able to bring music lovers together,” shares event co-producer W. Brandt Wood. “People were smiling, kids were dancing, and the music was rocking. We wanted to give everyone a transcendent experience that truly brought joy, and the crowds really came out in mass to celebrate as one community. We’re already counting down until next year!”

Co-produced by Wood, Better Than Ezra frontman and Franklin resident Kevin Griffin, and Michael Whelan, Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival aims to boost tourism in Williamson County while also supporting the local community. A portion of every ticket sale will be donated to members of the music industry in need through the Recording Academy’s nonprofit MusiCares, in addition to Friends of Franklin Parks for capital projects at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm.

Dave Matthews Band performs onstage during day two of the 2021 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant performs onstage during day two of the 2021 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Lydia Farthing
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