I can't tell you how many times we've passed through downtown Franklin only to find some big event going on that we didn't even have a clue about.

It's kind of our own fault, because we don't subscribe to the local newspaper. And that "free paper" that arrives... on occasion... well, we don't usually get around to reading it until a week or so later. By then, any events advertised have already taken place.

But I'm still surprised that there isn't more advertising and signage in the weeks leading up to events around here -- especially the bigger ones. We've lived here (just a hop, skip & a jump away from historic downtown Franklin) for 6 years now, and I don't think we've ever received a flier in the mail or a postcard reminder about events taking place in Franklin.

I realize it's a small town, and word of mouth is probably what this town is used to in terms of getting the word out about major events. But in every other community we've lived in, we got postcards & fliers in the mail to remind us of major events. You know... the kind that of notices that you can then stick on the fridge, so you don't forget!

To date, we've been to the Bluebird more times than we can count.

We are members of their "frequent visitor club". (For example, we used our "special privileges" once to score front row seats for Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Ashley Cleveland, Lari White, and Leslie Satcher on 11/13/2004.)

Open since June of 1982, The Bluebird Cafe features songwriters and acoustic music 7 nights a week, providing a stage for both the newest songwriters in town to play as well as for Nashville's most established writers. The Bluebird is known for helping start the careers of many country artists including Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood and Kathy Mattea." Source

The Hi-Way 50 Drive-In in Lewisburg, Tennessee is a single screen drive in theater that first opened in 1946.

Jim and I went for the first time last night.

We saw Spiderman 3 and Vacancy.

A double feature for just $6.00 per person... ya gotta love that!

If you're from around here, then you may have heard that the Hi-Way 50 Drive-In experienced a fire in the Control Room and the Concession Stand in March of 2007. For awhile, the owners, Gary & June Douglas, were unsure as to whether they would be able to show movies at the Hiway 50 Drive In anymore. Fortunately, thanks to donations and their ability to repair or replace much of their equipment, they were able to reopen in a matter of weeks.

Did you know that Sally Field's latest movie venture, "Two Weeks" was filmed here in Nashville?

I didn't.

Hmmm... wonder where I was back in 2005 when they were filming this movie. You'd think there there would've been a little more hub-bub at the time.

The movie recently opened in theaters. Here's everything you want to know about the movie and about Sally Field...

I actually got word that Franklin Cinema might be closing a few weeks ago from someone with ties to both sides (someone who works at Franklin Cinema and someone who was involved with the sale of the building), but I decided not to post any "rumors" at that time.

Now that it's public knowledge, and the facts have been revealed, I just want to share my $.02 on the closing of Franklin Cinema...

Well, I don't know what I was thinking...

Of course Franklin Tennesse has FREE movies in the park!

...and FREE concerts in the park!

...and even FREE movies at the theater!

Here's the scoop:

While I have yet to hear of anything like this in the Franklin area Franklin offers their own FREE movies by Moonlight series, FREE Concerts in the Park, and even FREE summer movies at Franklin Cinema, I can strongly recommend the Movies in the Park which take place each year in Nashville (in the West End area).

...Check out our fun photos and video footage from the premiere!

The premiere of the movie "Elizabethtown" took place last night here in Franklin, Tennessee. Surprisingly, there was very little pre-show publicity around here about the movie premiere at Franklin Cinema.

Mostly in attendance -- lining the red carpet leading up to Franklin Cinema -- were diehard Orlando Bloom fans, as well as followers of the musicians that performed: I Nine (a hot new band from Columbia, South Carolina) and Patty Griffin (a classic singer/songwriter from Austin, Texas) -- each group performed one song that was also featured on the "Elizabethtown" soundtrack.

Everything was slated to begin at 4pm, so we made the decision to get there a little after 2pm. Thankfully, we scored the last "good" spot that was available.

TIP: If you attend a movie premiere at Franklin Cinema in the future, take along a stepstool! We did, and we got some incredible views of the stars... It put us just high enough above the crowd, eliminating a lot of extraneous heads, waving hands, and elbows.

For those who live in Tennessee (like us), here are all the drive-in movie theaters I could find in the state of Tennessee:

Check out our review of the Pink Cadillac drive-in, Centerville, TN and our review of the Hi-Way 50 drive-in, Lewisburg, TN.

Broadway Drive-In
3020 Highway 70 East
Dickson, TN 37055
(615) 446-2786

• Photos of this drive-in


• What makes this drive-in unique:
  One of the oldest... opened in 1949.

Dunlap Drive-In
Highway 127
Dunlap, TN 37327
(423) 949-3759

• Visitor comments & photos


• What makes this drive-in unique:
  Single feature only.

Higgins Moonlite Drive-In
John Bragg Highway
Woodbury, TN 37190
(615) 563-7900

• Visitor comments & photos


• What makes this drive-in unique:
  They have two movie screens.

Hi-Way 50 Drive-In
1584 Fayetteville Highway
Lewisburg, TN 37091
(931) 270-1591

• Visitor comments and photos


• What makes this drive-in unique:
  Two music videos were filmed here (Tammy Cochran's "So What" and Joe Diffie's "Pickup Man")

Hot off the press!...

Here are some of the photos we took tonight at the world premiere of Billy Bob Thornton and Tim McGraw's movie (opening October 8th) called "Friday Night Lights".