Events Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Cheekwood

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La Catrina Puppets

Posted on October 27, 2020November 10, 2023 by wordpress

La Catrina Puppets

About the tradition: La Catrina first appeared with her fancy hat and clothes as we know her today in the early 1900s because of an artist named José Guadalupe Posada. Today, La Catrina is the most recognizable symbol of El Día de los Muertos.

Here’s what you’ll need:• Catrina template
*See template below

• White cardstock

• Scissors

• Markers, crayons or colored pencils

• Glue or brads

La Catrina Template

Directions:1. Print the Catrina template on cardstock and cut it out.

2. Arrange the pieces into a skeleton.

3. Attach the pieces together. You can glue the pieces together or use brads at the joints so the arms and legs can move.

4. Decorate your Catrina!

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Tots! Activity: Calaveras Masks

Posted on October 27, 2020November 10, 2023 by wordpress

Tots! Activity: Calaveras Masks

About the tradition: Calavera, meaning “skull” in Spanish, are typically placed on altars usually in the form of sugar skulls. The calavera has become one of the most recognizable symbols of the Day of the Dead. They are a sign of remembrance.

Here’s what you’ll need:• Mask template
*See template below

• Cardstock

• Markers

• Popsicle sticks

• Staples

Mask Template

Directions:1. Print the mask template on cardstock cut it out, including the eyes.

2. Color in the mask with marker.

3. Staple your mask to the popsicle stick so you can hold it in front of your face.

Try pairing the activity with one of these books:
The Day of the Dead by Bob Barner

Día de los Muertos by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh

Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead by Judy Goldman

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown

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3 Reasons We Love Elopements

Posted on June 5, 2020June 18, 2025 by wordpress

Elopements at Cheekwood

As if planning a wedding did not provoke enough anxiety, the pandemic has compounded the natural stress that already comes along with wedding planning. Brides are making really tough decisions to cancel, postpone, and reevaluate their plans to say “I Do” around a large group of family and friends. To make matters more complicated, the confusion around guidelines on gatherings, new protocols, and uncertainty of the future of the pandemic are making it harder to decided how to move forward. As an engaged couple -whatever you may be feeling – you are not alone. Many couples are turning to elopements as a solution to gain back control of their wedding and move forward. Historically elopements are thought of as a couple whisking away unknown to family and friends to hold a secret ceremony to solidify a union. These days – now more than ever – elopements are providing couples a safe and certain way to be married while including their most inner circle of guests. Cheekwood has provided a stunning backdrop for elopements way before the pandemic hit. Our team will continue to service our couples who want to keep it simple – for whatever the reason.

Here are our top 3 reasons we love elopements now and forever:

1. Keep the focus on you – Every single moment will be focused on you and your new spouse! There will be less pressure to entertain guests or to be distracted by others.

2. There’s always time to plan a bigger celebration later – The thought of planning a big gathering may make some feel uncomfortable during this time. This feeling is okay! You can still have the wedding of your dreams, even if you plan to throw a grand party at a later date. No one says it all has to be done in one day!

3. Pictures last a life time – Spend the day taking really great photos! You will feel like a million bucks, and no one will be waiting on you so they can eat dinner. Eliminating the stress and rush of a timeline will truly let your best side shine.

Whatever decision is best for you, the Cheekwood Special Events team is here to help you figure it out along the way. We offer a variety of services including:

• Photo sessions for those who want bridal portraits

• Small private evening ceremonies

• Daytime elopements

• Larger outdoor reception spaces with plenty of room for social distancing

Learn More

Photos courtesy of Janelle Elise Photography

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5 Tips for Taking the Best Photos of Your Pup

Posted on December 1, 2019December 8, 2023 by wordpress

5 Tips for Taking the Best Photos of Your Pup

Are you planning to attend our newest dog-friendly event, “Pawliday” at Cheekwood, on December 8th? Be sure to capture the pawfect photo of your furbaby with Santa by checking out these 5 tips:

1. Take advantage of the natural light!

No need to scare your pup by using flash! Natural light is great for photos, especially if it’s a cloudy day. Santa will be hanging out in our Frist Learning Center Courtyard, which is the perfect spot to take advantage of the natural lighting!

2. Bring something to get your pup’s attention!

Does your pup go crazy for treats? Do they have that one special toy they can’t get enough of?? Use what your pup loves to get their attention when it’s time to get your shot!

3. Use the best setting on your camera or phone to capture the right moment!

It can be hard to get our four-legged friends to look at the camera, so be prepared by using a setting that will continuously capture the moment. Use the sports mode setting on your camera or use the “live” feature when taking photos on your phone of your four-legged friends!

4. Take photos from your dog’s perspective!

Get down at eye level with your dog to get the best point of view. Your pup is the focal point after all, so be sure to capture them at plenty of angles. Using different perspectives will give you tons of options to choose from once it’s time to post!

5. Edit your photos to add fun filters and effects!

There are several apps available that can help you edit your photos with preset filters. Even our phones have the ability to edit photos with basic settings anyone can use. Jazz up photos of your pups before posting them to really make them insta worthy!

We can’t wait to see all the good boys (and girls) at our first ever holiday dog event! Learn more about “Pawliday” at Cheekwood by visiting our calendar page here.

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5 Things You May Not Know About El Día de los Muertos at Cheekwood

Posted on October 29, 2019December 11, 2023 by wordpress

5 Things You May Not Know About El Día de los Muertos at Cheekwood

Published: 10/29/2019

This year, Cheekwood will host its 20^th Annual El Día de los Muertos festival!

El Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is one of the most important celebrations in Mexico and Latin America. The festivals, known for their colorful decorations, energetic music, and elaborate displays, demonstrate the culture’s strong sense of love and respect for ancestors while celebrating the continuance of life.

In honor of the 20^th anniversary of El Día de los Muertos at Cheekwood, we’ve put together a list of five things you may not know about one of our most colorful celebrations:

1. The event was started to kick off Cheekwood’s outreach to Nashville’s rapidly growing Hispanic community.

El Día de los Muertos was started two decades ago as a means of outreach to the Hispanic community – a community that typically did not visit Cheekwood at that time.

“We wanted to create a space for Nashville’s growing Latino population to celebrate their culture and heritage in a fun and educational way.” – Nathalie Lavine, Vice President of Education & Outreach.

Due to the success of El Día de los Muertos in this outreach initiative, as well as Cheekwood’s desire to ensure that everyone who wanted to visit the institution would have access to do so, Cheekwood launched other outreach programs. These included the Japanese Moon Viewing event, Destination Cheekwood, Art Outreach, and others.

2. El Día de los Muertos is Cheekwood’s busiest day of the year!

With 3,000 free passes handed out for the event, plus free admission for Cheekwood Members and ALL youth 17 and under, El Día has become the best attended event at Cheekwood. Approximately 5000 people attend each year, rain or shine. And new this year we are also offering free parking and shuttles from Valor Academy off Nolensville Road so more people can enjoy the festivities!

For more information on how to take advantage of our free shuttle service, visit our calendar page here.

3. It is the largest single-day Hispanic celebration in Middle Tennessee.

Over 60 community organizations, schools and vendors fill El Día de los Muertos with Tapete displays, Altars to honor ancestors, art, food, performances, music, activities and more making it the largest single-day Hispanic celebration in Middle Tennessee.

Visitors of all ages have the opportunity to join in on art activities throughout the day that celebrates traditional aspects of El Día de los Muertos. For the 20^th Anniversary, there are two new crafts this year for visitors to enjoy. Make your own Barrilete, or colorful kite, inspired by those seen in Guatemala. Barriletes are believed to help spirits find their way back to Earth. Visitors can also make their own Monarch Butterfly, which are believed to fly by the millions to Mexico to give flight to spirits.

For the 20^th Anniversary of El Día de los Muertos at Cheekwood, we have upped the ante this year with TWO parades at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. The parades will be led by Aztec Dancers, and community participation is highly encouraged!

4. Over 300 volunteer hours are dedicated each year to prep art for the festival.

To prep the art projects for El Día a lot of cutting, pasting, painting, and sorting is necessary. Several organizations and community groups step up and volunteer. This year, it took over 60 volunteers and 300 hours to prep the material for the five art projects. This included prepping thousands of popsicle sticks, masks, tissue paper, clothespins, paperclips, sugar skulls, and more.

5. To ensure cultural accuracy, everything for El Día de los Muertos goes through a committee created specifically for the event.

Over 20 years ago, Cheekwood formed an advisory committee to plan the inaugural El Día de los Muertos festival. The committee has always strived to make the festival as authentic as possible, including altars, tapetes, and vendors from the hispanic community selling traditional treats.

Dr. David C. Julseth, Professor of Spanish at Belmont University, has served on the committee for the past 20 years. According to Dr. Julseth, the committee involved members of the hispanic community from the very beginning. The community has helped Cheekwood create an event that is fun, memorable and true to the spirit of the Day of the Dead.

The festival has become so popular, each year they have more and more people reach out to become involved in El Día de los Muertos at Cheekwood.

To learn more about El Día de los Muertos or to reserve your tickets, click here.

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Spring Art Hop FAQs

Posted on April 17, 2019December 12, 2023 by wordpress

Spring Art Hop FAQs

Published: April 17, 2019

One of Nashville’s favorite traditions is back AND newly extended! Our 27^th Annual Spring Art Hop will feature two days of egg hunts, storytime with local authors, family activities, gardens games, and more. Let this guide help ensure your Spring Art Hop experience is egg-cellent!

What days are Spring Art Hop?
Spring Art Hop is now TWO full days of springtime fun for the whole family! Don your Easter best, and join us on April 19^th and 20^th to kick off your holiday weekend.

Are you open on Easter Sunday?
Yes! We will be open 9 AM – 5 PM Easter Sunday. We will not be having any special programs or brunches that day, but it looks like it will be a gorgeous day to stroll through the gardens!

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Do I need to buy tickets in advance?
Due to popular demand, ticket reservations are recommended for the event. Tickets reservations fall into two arrival times, morning and afternoon, with no limit on your time once you arrive. Online ticket sales end on Thursday, April 18th at 5:00 PM. Limited number of walk-up tickets will be available, so make sure you purchase in advance to secure your spot!

How much are tickets?
Reservations are complimentary for our Society-Level Members. Tickets for members are $8 for adults and free for children (ages 3-17). Not-yet-member tickets are $24 for adults, $17 for children (ages 3-17), $22 for seniors, and children 2 and under are FREE!
* Tickets are valid for specific date only. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. No rain checks. Spring Art Hop is a special event, so free passes will not be accepted.

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How much is parking?
Parking is free for members and included in with tickets purchased online. Parking can sometimes be limited, so we encourage our guests to consider using Uber or Lyft. We’ve partnered with Lyft to offer exclusive ride discounts to Cheekwood! Save 10% off 2 rides to or from Cheekwood Spring Art Hop with code CHEEKEASTER.

What food options will be available?
We will have several food options available each day, including food trucks and our new Café 29! Friday’s food truck lineup includes Yayo’s OMG, Gypsy Crepe Company, Il Forno, and Bradley’s Creamery. Saturday will feature The Rolling Feast, Soul 2 Go, The Grilled Cheeserie, and Rita’s Italian Ice.
*Food trucks subject to change

Will the Beer Garden be open?
The Beer Garden will not be open during Spring Art Hop, although drinks can be purchased at Café 29. To see the café’s current menu, click here.

Will I be able to meet the Easter Bunny?
The Easter Bunny will be hopping around the gardens from 9 AM – 4 PM on Friday and Saturday! He will be quite busy preparing for Easter, but he would love to snap a selfie or two if you see him out in the gardens.

What family activities will be offered this year?
Make a spring bouquet using paper flowers, pick out your favorite temporary tattoo, or decorate your own Easter egg bag. Inside the Frist Learning Center Studios we will be planting seeds and creating garden labels. Grab some chalk and help complete our masterpiece for our Collaborative Chalk Drawing. At each egg hunt location, you can make your own egg maracas and wobbles.

How many egg hunts will there be?
This year we will be having fifty egg hunts. Yes, you heard that right…FIFTY! We will have four different locations depending on age groups. Check out our schedule below:
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2 Year Olds & Under
Wills Perennial Garden
9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM

3-5 Year Olds
Robinson Family Water Garden
9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM

6-9 Year Olds
Arboretum Lawn
9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM

10 Year Olds & Up
Arboretum Lawn
9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM

And don’t forget to BYOEB (Bring Your Own Easter Basket)!

Where will storytime be?
We will host storytime with our Little Listeners (ages 4 and under) in our Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden at 10 AM, 11 AM, and 12 PM. Our Page Turners (ages 4 and up) can enjoy storytime in the Herb Garden at 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM.

What will be on view in the Museum of Art?
Enjoy the botanical experience beyond the gardens by viewing our spring exhibition, In Bloom: Works from Cheekwood’s Permanent Collection. This exhibition will be on view in the Museum of Art beginning March 21. You can also view our current exhibition, Derived from the Decorative, until June 9.

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Are there still tulips?
The majority of our tulips are gone as we prepare our gardens for summer, but we have just a few right outside the mansion that are still showing off their gorgeous colors. Check out our two latest blog post to check out what’s currently blooming here!

Want to see the full lineup for this year’s festival? Visit our Spring Art Hop calendar page here for more information.

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The 5th Annual FALL FOR CHEEKWOOD

Posted on October 8, 2018 by wordpress

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