SEC Party in the Park to be March 14-15 at Music City Walk of Fame Park

NASHVILLE –SEC Party in the Park will be held on Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15 as a free fan activation with live music, food trucks, family-friendly games, and a video screen to watch the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament taking place next door at Bridgestone Arena, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced today. The free SEC Party in the Park will kick off at 10 a.m. on both days and is in the second year as an initiative of the NCVC and the Southeastern Conference.

“The SEC Party in the Park will once again serve as the ultimate gathering spot for fans to connect during games and enjoy entertainment in between tournament action,” said NCVC President and CEO Deana Ivey. “It’s a family-friendly destination where locals and visitors without game tickets can enjoy the excitement of the tournament and cheer on their favorite SEC teams. We’re excited to showcase live local music and local food during the event in a way that only Music City can.”

Quartz Hill Records country music trio Runaway June will headline live music at SEC Party in the Park with a free performance from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, at Music City Walk of Fame Park. The Fieldhouse Bar will offer cold beer, and phone charging stations will be available. There will be an SEC photo booth, face painting, and games, including cornhole, pop-a-shot and giant Jenga. More event details are at visitmusiccity.com/events/.

Attendees are invited to bring blankets and collapsible chairs, but no coolers, backpacks, pop-up tents and no pets. (Please see full list of House Rules.) The SEC will host SEC Fan Fare on Rep. John Lewis Way from Broadway to the Hilton valet with fan-friendly activities.

This is the 13th year for Nashville to host the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, dating back to 2001. The tournament kicks off with a noon game on Wednesday, March 12, and runs to Sunday, March 16, when the championship game is played at noon. The full Men’s Tournament schedule also is available at secsports.com/championships/.

The Music City Walk of Fame Park stage lineup will include DJs and local musicians representing diverse genres. DJs will perform between games and during set changes. All times Central Time. (Schedule subject to change.)

Face painting will be available on both days from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Food trucks will be located at Music City Walk of Fame Park next to Bridgestone Arena, including Pie Town Tacos, Hoss’ Loaded Burgers, Bruster’s Ice Cream and The Tennessee Cobbler Co. and more, along with a Daddy’s Dog kiosk. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available at The Fieldhouse Bar.

Community partnerships for SEC Party in the Park include Safe Bar, a partnership with the Sexual Assault Center, to train key bar and security staff in bystander intervention and awareness. Safe Bar helps create safe, welcoming and respectful environments for patrons and staff in places where alcohol is served. Free coasters that can detect drugs in drinks will be available. The event will also offer recycling and composting in partnership with Compost Nashville.

Nashville is currently hosting Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball games, bringing professional women’s basketball to Municipal Auditorium through March 2. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup taking place in the United States this year includes three matches at Geodis Park in June. Nashville has been recognized as a top sports city with accolades from the national Sports Business Journal that include being one of the Best Sports Business Cities in 2023 and the Best Sports City in 2019. The NFL Draft hosted in Nashville was named Sports Event of the Year in 2019.

Rep. John Lewis Way from Demonbreun to Broadway will be closed for the events. See the full list of Road Closures associated with the event.

Runaway June

Strong-minded, soft-hearted, and wildly free-spirited, each member of Runaway June possesses the kind of powerhouse talent and radiant charisma that fully commands the spotlight. But when the three musicians sing together, their crystalline harmonies create an impact well beyond the sum of its parts and instantly stir up a whole world of feeling: sweet relief from heartache, escape from everyday chaos, and an unabashed freedom to shake off your inhibitions. Gifted, celebrated creators from the writing room to the studio and concert stage, Runaway June is comprised of founding member Jennifer Wayne (vocals, rhythm guitar), Natalie Stovall (vocals, fiddle, mandolin), and Stevie Woodward (lead vocals and guitar, harmonica). Runaway June’s career triumphs include earning nominations from the Academy of Country Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards. They’ve brought their electrifying live set to spots on tour with country icons like Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan. Scoring a major radio hit with their gold-certified breakthrough single “Buy My Own Drinks,” the Nashville-based trio are now set to deliver a new chapter with their effervescent sound shining like never before. “New Kind of Emotion” is the latest song release from the “next hot trend in country music” (Billboard). Produced by two-time GRAMMY-winner Kristian Bush (Sugarland), “New Kind of Emotion” is an intoxicating, feel-good rush that delivers on its lyric’s promise that “This is what a love song feels like.” Released in January 2024, “Smoke, Wine & Whiskey” is their three-track EP featuring the boot-stomping “Make We Wanna Smoke,” the playful “Fine Wine” and addictive “Miss Me.”

Joe West Band

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Joe West is the house band for the Nashville International Airport, and his music serves as a warm welcome to thousands who visit and call Nashville home. He is described as a cross between Kenny Rogers, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, and Merle Haggard. He has had multiple performances at the world-famous Bluebird Cafe, private events at the home of the legendary Naomi Judd, opened for The Wooten Brothers and Sara Evans, and shared the stage with Wendy Moten, Country legend Janie Fricke, blues legend Keb’ Mo’. He was a finalist in the Charlie Daniels Round-Up and has performed at Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the National Museum of African American Music, and The Kennedy Center. He is the son of Sarge and Shirley West, the first and only African American Country and Western Duo. He was raised on a healthy diet of traditional country music, rock, folk, blues, and jazz. Joe is a survivor of a dissected aorta and considers his life to be a miracle and himself to be “the richest man in the world.” hestherichestman.com

SanRafaelBand

Nashville-based Rafael Vasquez fuses Latin jazz with the broader adult contemporary market, taking the reigns as a leading Latin artist in Music City. His music is a unique combination of the fiery guitar lines of Santana, the classical technique of Andreas Segovia, and the soulful and gritty vocal sound reminiscent of Sting. This compelling blend of jazz, blues, and rock has created a new and popular sound that combines the best of salsa, Latin jazz, and rock. Rafael’s newest musical project, El Cine del Corazon (The Theater of the Heart), is a joint project between Acklen Entertainment and Belmont University. The collection contains an eclectic range of styles—from flamenco guitar to classic Latin rock.

The Nashville Soul Experience

Nashville-based Rafael Vasquez fuses Latin jazz with the broader adult contemporary market, taking the reigns as a leading Latin artist in Music City. His music is a unique combination of the fiery guitar lines of Santana, the classical technique of Andreas Segovia, and the soulful and gritty vocal sound reminiscent of Sting. This compelling blend of jazz, blues and rock has created a new and popular sound that combines the best of salsa, Latin jazz, and rock. Rafael’s newest musical project, El Cine del Corazon (The Theater of the Heart), is a joint project between Acklen Entertainment and Belmont University. The collection contains an eclectic range of styles—from flamenco guitar to classic Latin rock.

The Woods

Recently named by NPR as a “Top 10 Nashville artists on the rise,” The Woods are digging in their roots. Their debut single, “World’s on Fire,” saw airplay on more than 70 U.S. country stations, reaching Top 50 on the Music Row Country Breakout Chart and earning a feature by Billboard Magazine’s Tom Roland. Their musicianship and unique three-part harmony has garnered them spots opening for The Cadillac Three, Drake White, and opening for Tim McGraw on their first arena tour. Steeped in the folk and classic rock sounds of the 1960s and 70s, The Woods manage to evoke something fresh and timely. Bringing back the old to make something new in the country music landscape, The Woods don’t sound like anyone else and they wouldn’t have it any other way. getintothewoods.com

DJ Case Bloom

Recently named by NPR as a “Top 10 Nashville artists on the rise,” The Woods are digging in their roots. Their debut single, “World’s on Fire,” saw airplay on more than 70 U.S. country stations, reaching Top 50 on the Music Row Country Breakout Chart and earning a feature by Billboard Magazine’s Tom Roland. Their musicianship and unique three-part harmony have garnered them spots opening for The Cadillac Three, Drake White, and opening for Tim McGraw on their first arena tour. Steeped in the folk and classic rock sounds of the 1960s and 70s, The Woods manages to evoke something fresh and timely. Bringing back the old to make something new in the country music landscape, The Woods don’t sound like anyone else and they wouldn’t have it any other way. getintothewoods.com

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City

The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.

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