Early in 2001, six Main Street shop owners in Franklin had a problem that had nothing to do with wine. They wanted more customers coming through their doors. They took it to Mike and Phyllis Hyland, who ran a public relations company. Phyllis suggested a progressive tasting that would turn each shop into a pouring station and bring in local restaurants as food stops, so guests would keep moving from one store to the next and see what each one sold. Williamson Herald's 10th-anniversary feature told that origin story and gave the six a nickname: "The Main Street 6."
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, Wine Down Main Street holds its 25th anniversary edition from 7 to 10 p.m., with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. Today it has sponsors, VIP tiers and live music on several stages. Under all that, it still runs on the shopkeepers' original plan. The pours happen inside the stores, and the best way to spend the evening is to treat it as a slow walk through downtown's shops.
A shopping problem, solved with a wine glass
Some of the founders weren't sure it would work. Faye Snodgrass Tevebaugh, who owned Faye Snodgrass, told the Williamson Herald she hadn't seen how a tasting would bring customers to Main Street.
"I was really surprised it took off to the extent it did."
The first year, they printed 500 tickets and sold every one. According to the same Herald piece, many of those guests had never been inside the Main Street shops before, and some came back later as customers. Jan Erickson of Franklin Tea told the paper the event "brings people downtown who may not be familiar with all that Main Street has to offer but also offers an opportunity for our regular customers to experience the street in a different setting."
This year, organizers expect more than 2,000 people. That's four times the size of the first crowd, on the same few blocks. A night that size can still feel like a shopping stroll if you plan your route around the stores.
The shops are still the pouring stations
The 2026 event page says more than 20 local shops will host wines from around the world. According to the FranklinIs announcement, this year's participating merchants are:
- Bink's Outfitters
- boutiqueMMM
- Dear Vincent
- Dion's South
- Emmaline
- Finnleys
- Franklin Fine Jewelry
- Franklin Theatre
- Grit & Grace Franklin
- Hester & Cook
- John Henry
- Onyx + Alabaster
- Posh Franklin
- Rooted from Yarrow Acres
- Saint Goose Wine + Spirits Shop
- The Cellar on Main
- The Green Room
- Twine Graphics
- Vinnie Louise
- Visit Franklin
Two names from the 2010 Herald account show up on that list in some form. Sheri Gramer of Yarrow Acres remembered how it felt when the first check was presented to the Club, and Janice Swartz of The Cellar urged first-timers to come. The announcement also pitches the night as the start of holiday shopping, with guests sipping and strolling through the boutiques as they work on their gift lists. In practice, that means a stop at Hester & Cook or Franklin Fine Jewelry can be both a tasting and a gift errand.
Lipman Brothers returns as the official wine sponsor. The event page calls it Nashville's oldest and largest distributor of wine and spirits. BancCard is the presenting sponsor, and the evening includes beer and spirits along with the wine.
Food stops and stages along the route
Restaurants were part of the plan from the beginning, set up as food stops between the shops. This year's lineup includes Back 9 BBQ, Butter Bean Sourdough & Things, Front 9 Event Catering, K Sweets Delights, Menu Maker Catering, Puckett's, Scout's Pub, Superica, The Optimist Nashville, Triple Crown Bakery and Waldo's Chicken & Beer.
The music is spread across several spots, so it works as a set of landmarks for the evening:
- Main Stage: Elecoustic Soul, a Nashville funk and soul band that plays covers and its own songs.
- Franklin Public Square Stage: DALONA, a Nashville R&B and soul vocalist whose sound has roots in gospel and Motown.
- VIP Stage: Braunzie Gurl, a Nashville piano vocalist who blends jazz and soul.
- Public Square Stage: to be announced on the event page.
To mark the anniversary, the VIP Experience runs from 6 to 9 p.m. inside The Franklin Theatre. VIP guests get premium wines and food there before heading out to Main Street. Organizers plan gift bags for 100 Premium VIP guests, and those gift bags include items from Kilwins Franklin, Twine Graphics and Visit Franklin.
Getting in, getting parked, getting home
Where you go first depends on your ticket, and the lines open before the event starts:
| Ticket | Where to go | When |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | Check in on the Square or at the corner of Fourth and Main | Lines open by 6:30 p.m. |
| VIP and Premium VIP | Check in at the registration tents outside The Franklin Theatre | From 5:45 p.m. |
| Designated driver | Buy at the ticket booths on the Square or at Fourth and Main | Sold the night of the event, $50 |
A few rules from the official FAQ: every guest must be 21 or older with a valid photo ID, and no children, babies or pets are allowed. The event goes on rain or shine, and tickets can't be refunded because it is a charity fundraiser. For check-in, organizers prefer either a physical ticket or the paper receipt with your online order number. Attire is business casual, and organizers suggest comfortable walking shoes. General admission comes with a commemorative souvenir wine glass. Designated-driver tickets don't include a glass, but they do include the food and water tents. Tickets are sold through the event's Eventbrite page and in person at the Franklin Boys & Girls Club. Check that page for current prices for each tier.
Parking takes the most planning. Organizers point guests to the garages on 2nd Avenue South and 4th Avenue South, plus parallel parking on side streets where it's available. The City of Franklin lists those two garages as free, with 300 spaces each. That's 600 garage spaces for a crowd organizers expect to top 2,000, so if you live close enough to walk, walking is the simplest option.
For everyone else, organizers suggest Uber or Lyft and also list A1 Brentwood Taxi at (615) 376-8294 and Concierge Ride TN at (931) 505-1152.
Where the proceeds land
The shopkeepers' plan always included a beneficiary. Proceeds first went to what was then called the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin/Williamson County, and the first check was for $17,000. Today the event supports the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, which lists a Franklin Clubhouse at 129 W. Fowlkes Street and a Fairview Clubhouse at 1814 Fairview Blvd. The Franklin Clubhouse page lists after-school programs for kindergarten through 12th grade and summer programs for rising first through 12th graders.
"For 25 years, this event has brought people together to support young people throughout Middle Tennessee, and we are excited to celebrate that legacy while investing in the next generation," Denise Carothers, the organization's chief development officer, said in the FranklinIs announcement. If you'd rather help than attend, Events Coordinator Aria Grinstead takes questions about volunteering and committee roles at [email protected].
The next nights on the same blocks
Wine Down is the first of several big downtown evenings this season. The City of Franklin's annual events list has the rest of 2026:
- Christmas Tree Lighting, Friday, December 4
- Franklin Christmas Parade, Saturday, December 5
- Dickens of a Christmas, December 12 and 13
Each one uses the same Square, the same garages and many of the same storefronts you'll pass on November 7.
It's good to see a night that started with six shop owners still running on their idea 25 years later. If you're walking Main Street on November 7 and start wondering what it would be like to live within walking distance of the Square, I'd be glad to talk it through with you. You can reach me through Rita Ash. Let's Connect.
