Oaklands opens its lawn for a day of art and craft vendors\, live music\, games\, crafts and door prizes. The fair itself is free to walk\, which makes it an easy low-commitment Saturday ā you can stay twenty minutes or four hours.
\nWhen: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
\nWhere: Oaklands Mansion\, Murfreesboro
\nCost: Free; self-guided mansion tours $5
The grounds are wide open and shaded in patches\, which is what you want in early September.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/oaklands-fall-art-craft-fair-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260910T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260910T200000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230343Z CREATED:20260810T230158Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230343Z UID:10041327-1789059600-1789070400@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Downtown After Five in Murfreesboro DESCRIPTION:Downtown Murfreesboro stays open late for an evening of shopping\, dining and entertainment. It is not a kids' event as such\, but it is a pleasant\, walkable\, well-lit evening downtown with music and food ā which is often exactly what you want on a school night when nobody wants to cook.
\nWhen: Thursday\, September 10\, 2026\, from 5 p.m.
\nWhere: 225 West College Street\, Murfreesboro
September's amphibian edition of the Discovery Center's Monday-morning SPARK! program. Frogs\, toads and salamanders\, up close\, for the preschool and early-elementary crowd ā and the wetland boardwalk at Murfree Spring is right outside if you want to go look for the real thing afterward.
\nWhen: Monday\, September 14\, 2026\, 9 to 11 a.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
Register online in advance where possible.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/discovery-center-spark-amphibian-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260921T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260921T120000 DTSTAMP:20260806T151338Z CREATED:20260806T151338Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T151338Z UID:10041252-1789984800-1789992000@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Achieve | Community Event DESCRIPTION:ACHIEVE COMMUNITY EVENT\nConnect. Collaborate. Grow.\nJoin local business owners\, entrepreneurs\, members\, and neighbors for a relaxed community gathering at Achieve. Meet new people\, hear what's new\, enjoy great conversations\, and see how Achieve is becoming a hub for business growth. \n\nš Monday\, September 21\, 2026\nChoose the session that works best for you\nā 10:00 AM ā 12:00 PMCoffee & NetworkingFeaturing Yellow Door Coffee \nOR \nš½ļø 6:00 PM ā 8:00 PMFood\, Networking & Community Updates \n\nš Location\nAchieve Coworking & Entrepreneur Center1630 South Church Street\, Suite 100Murfreesboro\, TN 37130 \n\nWhat to Expect\n\nš¤ Meet local business owners and entrepreneurs\nā Coffee provided by Yellow Door (Morning Session)\nš½ļø Food provided (Evening Session)\nš Tour the Back Room Sessions podcast studio\nš Learn what's new at Achieve\nš Event only specials and giveaways\nš¬ Plenty of time to network and build relationships\n\n\nEveryone Is Welcome\nWhether you're a member\, business owner\, remote worker\, entrepreneur\, or simply curious about Achieve\, we'd love to meet you. \n\nRSVP Today\nSpace is limited. Registration is appreciated. \nš² Scan the QR Code \nor visit: \nachieve.borodevagency.com/event \n\nWork ā¢ Connect ā¢ Grow URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/achieve-community-event/ LOCATION:Achieve Entrepreneur & CoWorking Center\, 1630 S Church St\, MURFREESBORO\, TN\, 37130-5551\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://murfreesboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/community-event-sept-21.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260926T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260926T170000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230250Z CREATED:20260810T230059Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230250Z UID:10041319-1790416800-1790442000@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Hispanic Heritage Day at the Discovery Center DESCRIPTION:The Discovery Center gives over a full Saturday to Hispanic Heritage Day\, running the length of normal opening hours. It is the kind of day where the regular exhibits stay open and the special programming layers on top\, so you get the museum plus the event for one admission.
\nWhen: Saturday\, September 26\, 2026\, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
\nCost: Included with admission
September's closing SPARK! session goes to birds ā beaks\, wings\, nests and how they all work. It lands right as fall migration gets going through Middle Tennessee\, which makes the follow-up walk around Murfree Spring more interesting than usual.
\nWhen: Monday\, September 28\, 2026\, 9 to 11 a.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
Register online in advance where possible.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/discovery-center-spark-beaks-wings-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261008T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261008T160000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230339Z CREATED:20260810T230145Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230339Z UID:10041326-1791471600-1791475200@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Creature Connection: Chinchilla Foraging DESCRIPTION:One animal\, one hour\, up close. October's first Creature Connection is built around the Discovery Center's chinchilla and how foraging works ā which mostly means watching an extremely soft rodent solve puzzles for food.
\nWhen: Thursday\, October 8\, 2026\, 3 to 4 p.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
\nCost: $5 per student\, $5 per chaperone
October's first SPARK! session takes on wind and moving air ā the kind of topic that turns into a lot of things flying across a room\, which is the point. Aimed at preschool and early elementary.
\nWhen: Monday\, October 12\, 2026\, 9 to 11 a.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
Register online in advance where possible.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/discovery-center-spark-windy-wonders-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261015T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261015T200000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230258Z CREATED:20260810T230103Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230258Z UID:10041320-1792087200-1792094400@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:All Access Night: Fall on the Farm DESCRIPTION:The Discovery Center's All Access Night opens the museum for an evening with a fall farm theme. These evenings are deliberately quieter and less crowded than a Saturday afternoon\, which makes a real difference for kids who find the usual noise level hard going.
\nWhen: Thursday\, October 15\, 2026\, 6 to 8 p.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
Worth registering ahead ā evening programs here tend to cap attendance.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/discovery-center-all-access-night-fall-farm-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T210000 DTSTAMP:20260810T213801Z CREATED:20260810T213649Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T213801Z UID:10041314-1792173600-1792184400@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Cannonsburgh Village After Dark ā Friday DESCRIPTION:Cannonsburgh Village is a good afternoon any time of year. After dark in October it is something else entirely. Bring a flashlight\, work through the hunt in the dark corners of the log cabins\, and stop for hot drinks and sweet treats between the fall crafts\, games and music. Costumes are welcome.
\nWhen: Friday\, October 16\, 2026\, 6 to 9 p.m.
\nWhere: Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village\, Murfreesboro
\nCost: $5 per person\, free for ages 5 and under. Tickets online in advance or at the gate.
This is a flashlight-hunt event\, not a haunted attraction ā it plays well for elementary-age kids and younger.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/cannonsburgh-village-after-dark-friday-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261017T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261017T130000 DTSTAMP:20260810T213811Z CREATED:20260810T213710Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T213811Z UID:10041316-1792227600-1792242000@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Tennessee STEAM Festival at Murfreesboro Airport DESCRIPTION:Murfreesboro Municipal Airport hosts its Tennessee STEAM Festival morning alongside the Discovery Center\, and the pitch is simple: a field full of aircraft and emergency vehicles\, with exhibitors letting families climb in and put hands on the controls.
\nWhen: Saturday\, October 17\, 2026\, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
\nWhere: Murfreesboro Municipal Airport (MBT)
On display: an AH-64E Apache from the 101st Airborne\, a UH-60 Blackhawk from the Tennessee Army National Guard\, a Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter\, member-owned experimental aircraft\, jet and piston engines\, and Murfreesboro Police and Fire and Rescue vehicles. The Experimental Aircraft Association chapter runs a how-airplanes-fly station and flight simulators\, and MTSU brings its DA-40 along with its aircraft maintenance lab and drone operations.
\nScience\, technology\, engineering\, art and math\, delivered in the form your kid actually wants it: sitting in a helicopter.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/murfreesboro-airport-steam-festival-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261017T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261017T210000 DTSTAMP:20260810T213807Z CREATED:20260810T213701Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T213807Z UID:10041315-1792260000-1792270800@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Cannonsburgh Village After Dark ā Saturday DESCRIPTION:The Saturday night run of Cannonsburgh's after-hours event. Same setup as Friday ā flashlights\, a hunt through the dark corners of the log cabins\, fall crafts and games\, music\, and something warm to drink ā with the advantage that nobody has school the next morning.
\nWhen: Saturday\, October 17\, 2026\, 6 to 9 p.m.
\nWhere: Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village\, Murfreesboro
\nCost: $5 per person\, free for ages 5 and under. Tickets online in advance or at the gate.
Costumes welcome. It is a flashlight hunt\, not a haunted house ā gentle enough for younger kids.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/cannonsburgh-village-after-dark-saturday-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261022T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261022T160000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230331Z CREATED:20260810T230141Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230331Z UID:10041325-1792681200-1792684800@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Creature Connection: Tarantula Web Making DESCRIPTION:The Discovery Center's Creature Connection sessions put one animal at the center of an hour\, and late October belongs to the tarantula. It is a genuinely good way to take the scary edge off spiders for a kid who has decided they are terrifying.
\nWhen: Thursday\, October 22\, 2026\, 3 to 4 p.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
\nCost: $5 per student\, $5 per chaperone
SPARK! is the Discovery Center's Monday-morning program for the preschool and early-elementary crowd ā two hours of hands-on science on a single theme\, in a building that is otherwise quiet. October's pumpkin edition is exactly what it sounds like\, and exactly as messy as you would hope.
\nWhen: Monday\, October 26\, 2026\, 9 to 11 a.m.
\nWhere: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring\, Murfreesboro
Registering online in advance is strongly encouraged. Dress everyone for mess.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/discovery-center-spark-great-pumpkin-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261030T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261030T180000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230237Z CREATED:20260810T230039Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230237Z UID:10041317-1793372400-1793383200@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Trick or Treat Around the Historic Rutherford County Square DESCRIPTION:Downtown Murfreesboro turns the Public Square into a trick-or-treat loop the afternoon before Halloween. For families with small kids it is arguably better than the neighborhood version: it happens in daylight\, the sidewalks are flat and continuous\, and there is not a driveway or dark yard in sight.
\nWhen: Friday\, October 30\, 2026\, from 3 p.m.
\nWhere: Public Square\, Murfreesboro
Costumes expected. Go early ā the square gets shoulder to shoulder as the afternoon wears on.
URL:https://murfreesboro.com/event/trick-or-treat-rutherford-county-square-2026/ CATEGORIES:Family Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261106T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261106T200000 DTSTAMP:20260810T230346Z CREATED:20260810T230208Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T230346Z UID:10041328-1793984400-1793995200@murfreesboro.com SUMMARY:Sip\, Shop & Stroll: Downtown After Five Holiday Edition DESCRIPTION:The holiday edition of the downtown after-five evening\, and effectively the start of the season around the square. Shops stay open\, the lights are on\, and it is an easy first outing of the holiday stretch before the calendar gets crowded.
\nWhen: Friday\, November 6\, 2026\, from 5 p.m.
\nWhere: 225 West College Street\, Murfreesboro