Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival to Skip 2026, Has Plans for ‘Something Bigger’ in 2027

Organizers for the annual Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, set in Franklin, Tenn., are skipping the fest for 2026, with plans to return with “something bigger, something better, something brighter” in 2027, according to an Instagram post shared on March 25. The Instagram video announcement noted, “11 years of memories, of magic, of music…now something new is blooming.” Meanwhile, the video was captioned with, “New sights, new sounds, new surprises!

This move will allow us to bring you the best festival experience. We can’t wait to see you next year!” No other details were given regarding nixing the 2026 fest, or regarding the plans for 2027’s festival. Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin co-founded the festival along with Brandt Wood and Michael Whelan. Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival launched in 2015, headlined by artists including Cage The Elephant, Willie Nelson and Wilco, all performing at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin.

The 2016 installment of Pilgrimage featured performances from Beck, Jason Isbell, and Daryl Hall & John Oates. Since then, the festival has always prioritized a blend of country,...