Upcoming Southern Festival Weekend: May 14-17, 2026

A weekend filled with Food, Cultural and Springtime Festivals.

Welcome back, Festival Fans.

The Southern Region festival map has tons of pins, indicating all the cities with festivals.

If you love Food Festivals, you’re in for a treat (many, rather) as there are festivals celebrating Strawberries, Blackberries, Watermelon, Honey, Pecans, Catfish, Crab, Pickles, Ramps, Cornbread, BBQ and more.

And this isn’t even considering all the Cultural Festivals this weekend with all of their delicacies.

This weekend, you can also expect Floral/Blossom Festivals, Springtime Celebrations, Music Festivals, Art/Crafts Festivals, Renaissance Festivals and more.

Here are only a few of the festivals going on in each state…

Catfish Festival in Alabama
Mountain Laurel Arts and Music Festival in Alabama
Fayetteville Strawberry Festival in Arkansas
Atkins Picklefest in Arkansas
Newberry Watermelon Festival in Florida
Tupelo Honey Festival in Florida
Marietta Greek Festival in Georgia
Daylily Festival in Georgia
Register Pecan Festival in Georgia
Beattyville Appalachian Memories Festival in Kentucky
Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival in Kentucky
Louisiana Blackberry Festival in Louisiana
A’Fair Arts and Crafts Festival in Mississippi
NC Potato Festival in North Carolina
Cheerwine Festival in North Carolina
St. Philip Neri Italian Festival in South Carolina
World Famous Blue Crab Festival in South Carolina
Middle TN Cornbread Festival in Tennessee
Greeneville Iris Festival in Tennessee
Montpelier Center Celtic Festival in Virginia
Whitetop Mountain Ramp Festival in Virginia

Be sure to go through the lists below and check out the map, as there may be festivals going on around you..

For future weekend of festival posts, be sure to come back and/or Subscribe to receive email notifications when new posts come out.

****

Have a great weekend, everyone!

If you happen to be in Ohio this weekend, check this weekend’s post at OhioFestivals.net to see what’s going on. You can find this week’s post at https://ohiofestivals.net/ohio-weekend-051726/

And here are the other two sections again…
Northern Section: https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/north-festival-weekend-051726
Western Section: https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/west-festival-weekend-051726

Until next week…

Love, Peace and Festival Grease!

Upcoming Festival Weekend: May 14-17, 2026

********************

MAP of festival and fair food cities this weekend.

If you can’t see the map on your smartphone, click HERE.

ALABAMA

5/14-5/16 – Shoals Storytelling Festival – Florence
5/15-5/17* – Hangout Music Festival – Gulf Shores – CANCELLED
5/15-5/17* – Sand in my Boots Festival – Gulf Shores – CANCELLED
5/16 – Poke Salat Festival – Arab
5/16 – Arley Day Festival, Car Show and Parade – Arley
5/16 – Birmingham Folk Festival – Birmingham
5/16 – Everything’s Art in the Park – Dadeville
5/16 – Freedom Ignited – Dothan
5/16* – Festival at the Well – Glenwood – CANCELLED
5/16 – Camp to Amp Festival – Huntsville
5/16 – Leeds Creek Bank Festival – Leeds
5/16 – Millbrook Mayfest – Millbrook
5/16 – Pelham Palooza in the Park – Pelham
5/16 – Mountain Laurel Arts and Music Festival – Pisgah
5/16 – Catfish Festival – Scottsboro
5/16 – Night Markets on the Square I – Scottsboro
5/16 – Cahaba Lily Festival – West Blocton
5/16 – Rebel Jam Music Festival – Winfield
5/16 – Woodstock Music Festival – Woodstock
5/16-5/17 – Arts Alive Fine Arts and Craft Festival – Florence
5/16-5/17 – Valley Head Rails and Roots – Valley Head
5/17 – Birmingham Taco Fest – Birmingham
5/17 – The Market at MidCity X – Huntsville

ARKANSAS

5/14-5/16 – Loose Caboose Festival – Paragould
5/15-5/16 – Atkins Picklefest – Atkins
5/15-5/16 – Dermott Crawfish Festival – Dermott
5/15-5/16 – Magnolia Blossom Festival – Magnolia
5/15-5/16 – Osceola Heritage Music Festival – Osceola
5/16 – Forrest City Downtown Music and Art Fest – Forrest City
5/16 – Little Rock Water Lantern Festival – Jacksonville
5/16 – Pioneer Days – Norfork
5/17 – Fayetteville Strawberry Festival – Fayetteville

FLORIDA

5/15-5/16 – Digital Graffiti Festival – Alys Beach
5/15-5/16 – Lionfish Festival – Destin
5/15-5/16 – Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival – Fort Walton Beach
5/15-5/17 – OCC Invitational Bike Show – Clearwater
5/16 – Wild Amelia Nature Festival – Fernandina Beach
5/16 – Haitian Compas Festival – Miami
5/16 – Newberry Watermelon Festival – Newberry
5/16 – Pensacola Pickles and Wings Festival – Pensacola
5/16 – Fishermen’s Village Celtic Fest – Punta Gorda
5/16 – Tupelo Honey Festival – Wewahitchka
5/16 – Makin’ Bacon Festival – Williston
5/17 – Asian Cultural Festival – Ocoee

GEORGIA

5/11-5/17 – Yaarab Shrine Circus and Fair II – Marietta
5/13 – Powder Springs Marketplace I – Powder Springs
5/14 – Taste of Alpharetta Festival – Alpharetta
5/15 – Perry’s Summer Breeze Block Party – Perry
5/15-5/16 – Breakaway Music Festival – Atlanta
5/15-5/16 – Suds on the Parkway – Fayetteville
5/15-5/17 – Marietta Greek Festival – Marietta
5/15-5/17 – Powder Springs Seafood Festival – Powder Springs
5/16 – Daylily Festival – Adel
5/16 – Soil Festival – Atlanta
5/16 – Down Home Days Festival – Chickamauga
5/16 – Mountain Laurel Festival – Clarkesville
5/16 – Cornelia Music Fest – Cornelia
Weekend continues below…

5/16 – Taste of Douglasville – Douglasville
5/16 – Thunder Over Evans – Evans
5/16 – OG 97.9 Fest – Fayetteville
5/16 – Harmony Hollow Fest – Griffin – CANCELLED
5/16 – La Fiesta en Hapeville – Hapeville
5/16 – Georgia Mountain Fire and Smoke Cooking Festival – Hiawassee
5/16 – Georgia Jug Festival – Knoxville
5/16 – Loganville Wing Fling – Loganville
5/16 – Hike Bike Brew: Lula Lake Beer Festival – Lookout Mountain
5/16 – Geranium Festival – McDonough
5/16 – Register Pecan Festival – Register
5/16-5/17 – Barnesville BBQ and Blues Bash – Barnesville
5/16-5/17 – Dahlonega Arts and Wine Festival – Dahlonega
5/16-5/17 – Duluth Spring Arts Festival – Duluth
5/16-5/17 – The Georgia Renaissance Festival VI – Fairburn
5/16-5/17 – Romanian Spring Festival – Lilburn
5/17 – Rock the Block Party – Woodstock

KENTUCKY

5/14-5/16 – Apple Blossom Festival – Elkhorn City
5/14-5/17 – Kentucky Yoga Festival – Center
5/15 – Versailles Block Party I – Versailles
5/15-5/16 – Beattyville Appalachian Memories Festival – Beattyville
5/15-5/16 – Blackey Day Festival – Blackey
5/15-5/16 – Houndstock: Americana Music and BBQ Festival – Lexington
5/15-5/16 – Monticello Spring Fest – Monticello
5/15-5/16 – Bluegrass Burn Run – Shelbyville
5/15-5/16 – Art in the Park – Versailles
5/15-5/17 – Covington Maifest – Covington
5/15-5/17 – Poorcastle Music Festival – Louisville
5/16 – Bagdad Day – Bagdad
5/16 – Wild and Scenic Red Riverfest – Clay City
Weekend continues below…

5/16 – BloomFest at Bernheim – Clermont
5/16 – Georgetown Rotary Kite Festival – Georgetown
5/16 – Glendale SpringFest – Glendale
5/16 – SummerFest – Henderson
5/16 – GCA Art in the Park – Leitchfield
5/16 – Forest Fest – Louisville
5/16 – Old Louisville Springfest – Louisville
5/16 – Jeffersontown Night Market I – Louisville
5/16 – Madisonville Salutes – Madisonville
5/16 – Mayfest – Whitesburg
5/16-5/17 – Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival – Lexington
5/16-5/17 – Bluegrass Pug Festival – Louisville
5/16-5/17 – Norton Commons Art Festival – Prospect
5/16-5/17 – Benton Farm Craft Spring Fling – Walton

LOUISIANA

5/14-5/16 – Cruisin Cajun Country – New Iberia
5/15-5/16 – Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival – Natchitoches
5/15-5/17 – Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo – New Orleans
5/16 – Louisiana Cann Festival – Baton Rouge
5/16 – Louisiana Blackberry Festival – Houma
5/16 – Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival – New Orleans
5/16 – Keith Lee’s Familee Day – New Orleans
5/16-5/17 – Tunica-Biloxi Pow Wow – Marksville

MISSISSIPPI

5/14 – Taste of Ocean Springs Food and Wine Festival – Ocean Springs
5/15-5/16 – Pirate Day in the Bay – Bay St. Louis
5/16 – Women in Blues Festival – Clarksdale
5/16 – Flowood Family Festival – Flowood
5/16 – VetFest – Hattiesburg
5/16 – A’Fair Arts and Crafts Festival – Hernando
5/16-5/17 – Festival of the Fae Spring Renaissance Faire – Columbus

NORTH CAROLINA

5/15 – Cary Night Market III – Cary
5/15-5/16 – North Carolina Sweetpotato Festival – Bailey
5/15-5/16* – Beaufort Music Festival – Beaufort – NEXT IN 2027
5/15-5/16 – Carolina Indie Fest I – Sanford
5/15-5/16 – Summerfield Founders’ Day – Summerfield
5/15-5/17 – NC Potato Festival – Elizabeth City
5/15-5/17 – Got to Be NC Festival – Raleigh
5/15-5/17 – White Lake Water Festival – White Lake
5/15-5/17 – Wilmington Greek Festival – Wilmington
5/15-5/17 – Greek Food Festival – Winston-Salem
5/16 – Beach Music Festival – Atlantic Beach
5/16 – Art in the Park I – Blowing Rock
5/16 – Charlotte Dragon Boat and Asian Festival – Charlotte
5/16 – Cornelius Jazz Festival – Cornelius
5/16 – Bimbé Celebration – Durham
5/16 – Yadkin Valley Wine Festival – Elkin
Weekend continues below…

5/16 – Wild About Nature – Holly Springs
5/16 – Plottfest – Maggie Valley
5/16 –Marshville Food and Brews Festival – Marshville
5/16* – Goose Nest Festival – Oak City – CANCELLED
5/16 – Pickin in the Park – Pleasant Garden
5/16 – Cheerwine Festival – Salisbury
5/16 – Saluda Arts Festival – Saluda
5/16 – Operation Honor: Rural Salute NC – Sanford
5/16 – Party in the Park – Stedman
5/16 – WoodMill Winery Strawberry Wine Festival – Vale
5/16 – Waxhaw Bloom and Brews Fest – Waxhaw
5/16-5/17 – Strawberry Jam Festival at Darnell Farms – Bryson City
5/16-5/17 – Artsplosure – Raleigh
5/16-5/17 – Ole Gilliam Mill Park Crank-Up – Sanford
5/17 – Festa Italiana Charlotte – Charlotte
5/17 – Funky Flower and Foodie Fest at Waterline Brewing Company – Wilmington

SOUTH CAROLINA

5/12-5/17 – Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally II – Myrtle Beach
5/14-5/16 – St. Philip Neri Italian Festival – Fort Mill
5/15 – Sunset Palooza – Bluffton
5/15 – Art on State – Columbia
5/15 – Taste of Fort Mill – Fort Mill
5/15-5/16 – Red Rose Festival – Lancaster
5/15-5/16 – Johnsonville Heritage Festival – Johnsonville
5/15-5/16 – Williamston Pig in the Park – Williamston
5/15-5/17 – Greenville Greek Festival – Greenville
5/15-5/17 – Fair at Heritage Park I – Simpsonville
5/15-5/17 – Sumter Iris Festival – Sumter
5/16 – Bulls Bay Nature Festival – Charleston
5/16 – Drink Pink Rosé Festival – Columbia
5/16* – Augusta Craft Beer Festival – North Augusta
5/16 – Mountain Roots Herb Festival at Hagood Mill – Pickens
5/16-5/17 – The Festival at the Friar’s Gate – Irmo
5/16-5/17 – World Famous Blue Crab Festival – Little River
5/17 – Inman’s Market on Mill III – Inman

TENNESSEE

5/13-5/16 – World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (Memphis in May) – Memphis
5/14-5/16 – Sheriff Buford Pusser Festival – Adamsville
5/14-5/17 – Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch – Hurricane Mills
5/15 – Friday Night Market in the BORO and Food Truck Festival III – Murfreesboro
5/15-5/16 – Kilgore Station Bluegrass Festival – Cross Plains
5/15-5/16 – Bloomin’ BBQ Music and Food Festival – Sevierville
5/15-5/17 – State St. Tattoo Fest – Bristol
5/16 – Bruceton in May – Bruceton
5/16 – Big Pig BBQ Festival – Chattanooga
5/16 – Chattanooga River Market XI – Chattanooga
5/16 – Jfest Christian Music Festival – Chattanooga
5/16 – Mill Spring Makers Faire – Jonesborough
5/16 – Children’s Festival of Reading – Knoxville
Weekend continues below…

5/16 – Memphis Water Lantern Festival – Memphis
5/16 – Morristown’s Strawberry Festival – Morristown
5/16 – Bellevue Community Picnic – Nashville
5/16 – Nashville Rosé Festival – Nashville
5/16 – Whiskey, Wine and Whiskers – Nashville
5/16 – Giles County Honey Bee Festival – Pulaski
5/16 – Middle TN Cornbread Festival – Smithville
5/16 – Strawberry Plains Festival – Strawberry Plains
5/16 – Wayne Scott Strawberry Festival – Unicoi
5/16 – Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival – Wartburg
5/16-5/17 – Tennessee Renaissance Festival III – Arrington
5/16-5/17 – The Muster at Fort Watauga – Elizabethton
5/16-5/17 – Greeneville Iris Festival – Greeneville
5/16-5/17 –Misfits Market Expo – Jackson
5/16-5/17 – Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival and Games – Townsend
5/17 –Collegedale Pickle Festival – Collegedale

VIRGINIA

5/14-5/17 – Chesapeake Jubilee – Chesapeake
5/15-5/17 – Appalachian Trail Days – Damascus
5/15-5/17 – Festival in the Park – Danville
5/15-5/17 – Mount Vernon Spring Wine Festival – Mount Vernon
5/15-5/17 – Bayou Bon Vivant Cajun Music and Food Festival – Norfolk
5/15-5/17 – Dominion Energy Riverrock – Richmond
5/16 – Amelia Court House Corks and Forks Wine and Food Festival – Amelia Court House
5/16 – Fairfax Antique Car Show – Fairfax
5/16 – Virginia Wine and Craft Festival – Front Royal
5/16 – Goochland Day Parade and Festival – Goochland
5/16 – Farm Garden Flower (FGF) Festival – Louisa
5/16 – McLean Day – McLean
Weekend continues below…

5/16 – Montpelier Center Celtic Festival – Montpelier
5/16 – Music and Merchants – Pulaski
5/16 – Local Colors Festival – Roanoke
5/16 – Suffolk International Fest – Suffolk
5/16 – Stuart Strawberry Festival – Stuart
5/16 – Neptune’s Spring Wine Festival – Virginia Beach
5/16-5/17 – Virginia Fantasy Festival III – Madison
5/16-5/17 – Stockley Gardens Arts Festival – Norfolk
5/16-5/17 – Tephra ICA Festival (formerly Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) – Reston
5/16-5/17 – Virginia Renaissance Faire II – Spotsylvania Courthouse
5/17 – Asian Festival on Main – Fairfax
5/17 – Whitetop Mountain Ramp Festival – Whitetop

****************