Though Franklin’s promising, on the rise Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival entered its fourth year in 2018 on a high, boasting headliners Jack White, Chris Stapleton, and Lionel Richie (following a record year with partner and co-producer Justin Timberlake in the time slot), and looking like it had crossed the hurdle of perseverance for a relatively new, boutique musical event, unprecedented rain and thunderstorms, which forced the fest to cancel halfway through its first day, served as a stark reminder that even the most organized, well-run events can’t control nature.
An unfortunate turn, to be sure, though definitely the right call to make (we were on the grounds, and can attest that the second day would’ve be a logistical nightmare and a severe blow to the park that plays host), so, when Pilgrimage announced last year their intention to regroup, improve the site, and commit to a 2019 return, we were beyond thrilled to see one of our favorite regional events perservere. Scheduled for its typical timeframe of Sept. 21 & 22, once again at The Park at Harlinsdale, Pilgrimage has just unveiled its exciting 2019 lineup, and in its fifth year, it’s clear that the fest intends to bounce back strong and stick around for many years to come.
Perhaps the flashiest headliners since year one, Foo Fighters, The Killers, and Keith Urban top the bill, with performers like Leon Bridges, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Head & the Heart, Live, Jenny Lewis, Phosphorescent, Better Than Ezra, Rayland Baxter, Justin Townes Earle, Adia Victoria, Caroline Rose, The Watson Twins, and more rounding out the lineup. Notably, the festival is really looking past last year and starting fresh, with only a couple would-be 2018 performers returning, and, at first glance, less repeat acts from the first three years than normal as well. With flashy names, a mix of local and national talent, and artists proven to draw big crowds, year five is smartly curated and should be a huge draw, helping Pilgrimage continue to assert itself as an essential late summer event.
Weekend passes, available in general admission, VIP, and the ultra-deluxe Grand Champion levels, go on sale this Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. CDT right here (or, if you’re an AmEx cardholder, you can grab special pre-sale tickets now). With such a strong lineup, we expect spots to go fast (the fest has a limited capacity, and has sold out before), so don’t wait! We’ll have more about Pilgrimage in the coming months, but, for now, check out the full lineup and announcement video below!
Foo Fighters
The Killers
Keith Urban
Leon Bridges
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
The Head & the Heart
Live
Jenny Lewis
Lauren Daigle
Phosphorescent
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Better Than Ezra
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Rayland Baxter
Justin Townes Earle
The War And Treaty
The Wild Reeds
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Adia Victoria
Molly Tuttle
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
Caroline Rose
Devon Gilfillian
Lucie Silvas
Stephen Kellogg
The Dip
Cedric Burnside
Songhoy Blues
Kacy & Clayton
The Watson Twins
J.P. Harris
Chloe Gendrow
Anna Rose
Vincent Neil Emerson
Mando Saenz
Anna Shoemaker
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