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Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion voted best music festival
Selected by an expert panel and voted by readers, the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival is listed among the very best in the country in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice travel polls.
"This recognition from USA Today’s readers is incredibly meaningful because it reflects what our community and fans already know; there’s something truly special about Bristol,” said Melissa Roberts, Executive Director of Birthplace of Country Music. “To be named a top-five festival in the country, and the only one in the top ten from Tennessee or Virginia, speaks to the authenticity, spirit, and sense of place that define Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. This festival doesn’t just celebrate music, it brings our story, our streets, and our people to life.”
The Birthplace of Country Music reported that USA TODAY 10BEST voted Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion as #5 nationally in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Music Festival. Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is the only music festival to win in either Tennessee or Virginia, ranking it as the best for both states.
The top 10 winners for Best Music Festival are ranked as follows:
1. Musikfest – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania;
2. Mile 0 Fest - Key West, Florida;
3. Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree, California;
7. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – New Orleans, Louisiana;
8. Waterfront Blues Festival – Portland, Oregon;
9. Lollapalooza – Chicago, Illinois;
10. Ohana Festival – Dana Point, California.
These nominations were curated by a panel of subject matter experts and USA TODAY 10BEST editors before being voted on by the public. The official announcement is available at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-music-festival/.
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Axe and Ale House to host a Boot Scootin' Block Party
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is inviting the public to come celebrate the last week of the Boot Scootin’ History: The Craft and Stories of Cowboy Boots Special Exhibit with a Boot Scootin’ Block party on March 27.
Everyone is invited to bring out your best boots for the Cowboy Boot Contest, explore the Special Exhibit for free to learn about the history of cowboy boots and what it takes to make boots by hand from one of the best bootmakers in the business, and boogie the night away Line Dancing with Carla at the Dance Tent outside Axe and Ale House.
This event is open to all ages and no experience is necessary. Food and drinks are available for purchase inside Axe and Ale House.
Registration for the Cowboy Boot Contest will be in person starting at 5:30 p.m. outside the Dance Tent. The contest starts at 6:30 p.m. and will be judged by Ella Patrick, Dallas Wayne, Clint Holley, and a representative from Wiseman's Western. Each contestant will be called up to strike a pose, do a jig, or otherwise show off their boots in the best way you know how. Once all contestants have displayed their boots, three guest judges will choose the top three boots of the evening.
Prizes for the Cowboy Boot Contest include:
• Two 3-Day GA tickets to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion;
• Two tickets to Radio Bristol’s May 14 Farm and Fun Time and an Axe and Ale House gift card;
• Two tickets to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a Boot Scootin’ History exhibit poster, boot-themed playing cards, and swag from Axe and Ale House; and
• $100 Giftcard to Wiseman's Western
Boot Scootin' Block Party supported in part by Wiseman's Western.
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