On the north end of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Court of Three Stars sits inside a ring of bell towers. Since late February the bells have been silent and the park has been a construction site. On Saturday morning, if the state's schedule holds, Germantown will hear the carillon again.
Tennessee State Parks and the Friends of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park have scheduled a free Carillon Concert for Saturday, November 7, from 11 a.m. to noon. The park's listing calls it a chance to "celebrate the reopening of the Carillons," with "classic Tennessee melodies and other fun tunes" played on the 95-bell instrument. The concert will be held in the field next to the Carillon and Court of Three Stars. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Parking is free on 6th and 7th Avenues North.
The listing announces a reopening of the carillon alone. The bells come back first. The fountains, the lighting and the lawns are part of the same contract, and none of them has a public return date yet.
A Project Approved in 2022, Built in 2026
The work has a plain name in state records. The State Building Commission's October 2022 minutes list the job as project 126/124-01-2022, covering landscaping and masonry updates, irrigation and Carillon repairs. The minutes set a $9,710,000 budget drawn from FY 2022–23 capital maintenance funds. That money sat approved for three years before anyone could bid on it. The state's invitation to bid, titled "Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park Equipment Repairs," held its pre-bid conference at the park's visitor center on September 24, 2025. Bids were due October 8, 2025. Kline Swinney Associates, a firm based on Lindsley Avenue in Nashville, is listed as the designer.
Construction started a few months after bids closed. WSMV reported on February 19 that the park called the project "extensive." The station said work would begin Monday, February 23, to improve lighting and electrical systems and to restore the Rivers of Tennessee fountains and the Bell Carillons. The first closure ran on 6th Avenue North from Jr. Gilliam Way to Jefferson Street, and more closures were possible.
So the instrument is reopening about eight and a half months after crews arrived, and more than four years after the state set aside the money.
Six Line Items, One With a Date
The bid notice lists the scope in one sentence. Here it is item by item, set against what the state has said publicly so far.
| Line item in the state's bid notice | Public status heading into November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Replace Carillon | Reopening concert scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7 |
| Repair fountain | No published return date |
| Replace lighting | No published return date |
| Wash and repair sidewalks | No published return date |
| Crown lawns and install new irrigation | No published return date |
| Replace curbs | No published return date |
The park's own page still warns that visitors may face temporary closures and limited access because of capital improvement work. It says nearby parking and roads may be affected, and it doesn't say which areas are finished or when the rest will open. If you walk the mall's length from the Capitol end toward Jefferson Street, expect fencing in places through the season.
The Rivers of Tennessee fountains will be the most noticeable absence. The bid notice lists fountain repair, and the WSMV report names the Rivers of Tennessee fountains as part of the job, so their return is the next milestone to watch.
What Is Coming Back Saturday
The carillon is easy to walk past without knowing what it represents. Tennessee State Parks says it has 95 bells, one for each of the state's counties, and a 96th bell on the State Capitol grounds that rings in answer. A state park tour describes the instrument as 95 bells of iron and bronze housed in 50 bell towers. The park was created for Tennessee's bicentennial celebration on June 1, 1996, and dedicated on the state's 200th birthday. The park marks 30 years in 2026, and it spent much of that anniversary year behind construction fencing.
Before the renovation, the park described a carillon that chimed every 15 minutes and played Tennessee songs at the top of each hour, including "Tennessee Waltz," "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "Iris Time in Tennessee." The bid notice says the Carillon is being replaced, not just repaired, and the state hasn't said whether that daily schedule returns with the new system. Saturday's concert is the first scheduled chance to hear it.
One More Line in the State Budget
The repair project may not be the last construction at the mall. The state's approved FY 2026–27 capital appropriations include a separate $2.5 million Davidson County item titled "Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park History Wall," paid entirely from state funds. That item has its own title and its own budget line. The state hasn't tied it to the current $9.71 million repair contract, and it hasn't published a schedule for it. Even after the fountains and lights return, the mall may see more work.
Planning the Morning Around 11 a.m.
The concert lands in a busy week on the north side of downtown. Here is a Saturday built around the bells:
- 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Park Tour. Tennessee State Parks lists a Park Tour tied to the Carillon Concert, with registration through the state's reservation system.
- 10:30 a.m., Nashville Farmers' Market. The outdoor farm sheds switched to winter hours on November 1: Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with weekday hours set by each vendor. The Farmers' Market hours page lists the schedule through February 28. Under winter hours, Saturday is one of only three days the sheds have set hours, so the market and the concert fit the same morning.
- 11 a.m. to noon, Carillon Concert. It's held on the north-end field next to the Carillon and Court of Three Stars. The event is free, and the park asks guests to register.
- Afterward, Jefferson Street. Geist's holiday pop-up was scheduled to open Wednesday, November 4, at 311 Jefferson Street, with seasonal decor, drinks and food.
State Parks notes that schedules and events may change, so check the listing before you leave.
The Next Date on the Park Calendar
The bells aren't the only reason to be at the park this month. On Friday, November 13, from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., the park will host Campfire Fridays: Cobbler Edition at the amphitheater.
December looks different. The park's calendar showed no December 2026 events at Bicentennial Mall as of late October. The Farmers' Market is closed December 25, closes at 3 p.m. on December 30, and is closed December 31 and January 1. Some vendors also close December 24. That makes the two November dates the main state park events in Germantown before the new year. Whether the fountains run again by spring is the next question for the project.
The state's work at Bicentennial Mall is changing the park next door to Germantown. If you'd like to talk through what that means for your own home, and what it's worth today, contact Kate Giarratana for a private consultation or an instant home valuation.
