Pilgrimage 2025 Rocks Franklin
- Samantha Graessle
- 51 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Held on a 230-acre farm, the festival hosted food, jewelry and clothing vendors and over 27,000 people including Belmont University students from Franklin’s neighboring city Nashville, Tennessee to see headliners John Mayer and Kings of Leon and enjoy Pilgrimage's beautiful setting.
“It's such a nice experience to be in Tennessee and have the sun going down while listening to such incredible artists. We work so hard with school and work and all the things that life throws at us, it's so nice to just take a second and sit down and listen to some good music,” said Liza Hill, junior songwriting major at Belmont.
Although some artists like Sam Fender came all the way from the United Kingdom to perform, some, like Rocky Top Revue, Colony House and headliner Kings of Leon were returning to their home turf in Franklin, creating a familial atmosphere between artist and audience.
Situated in the rolling hills of Franklin, Tennessee, The Park at Harlinsdale hosted the 11th annual Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival Saturday and Sunday, drawing in crowds from all over.
“There's people that are holding down a fort for you when you're out there traveling the world, so I want to say thank you to them,” said Caleb Followill, lead singer of Kings of Leon. “When we sing our songs about Tennessee they remind us we always have some place to come over to.”
World renowned performers such as Father John Misty, Turnpike Troubadours and Young the Giant played music as festival goers enjoyed the show from blankets while families leisurely strolled between the three different stages.
“It feels very Americana, very different from something like Lollapalooza. There's a mix of young and older people, and it brings all the Nashville vibes together. It feels very inclusive,” said Conner Bogs, junior theatre education major at Belmont.
Pilgrimage’s amicable ambience helped draw in many Belmont students looking for music festival experience, new music artists and the Tennessee community.
“Honestly, coming to Pilgrimage this year wasn’t about a specific artist. I just love festival culture. I want to be involved in festivals and music venues for the rest of my life, so this felt like great exposure,” said Anna Laura Lyon, sophomore music business student at Belmont. “I feel like everyone at Belmont wants to go to festivals and be involved in them, and it’s just a really good outlet for people like us, and it's very accessible for college students.”
Belmont, partnering with Red Light Management, gives away a Pilgrimage pass and a plus-one at Rock Showcase each year, allowing students to experience the festival for free. This year, it went to senior music business student Ashley Day.
“It’s my first music festival, and it's been an amazing first one. There's so much to do and such a great lineup,” said Day.
Alongside the Belmont students attending the festival, Belmont alumni worked behind-the-scenes at Pilgrimage almost straight out of college.
“I graduated last spring, and this is my first year working at Pilgrimage and it's already been such a great experience. I’ve been able to take it all in from the behind-the-scenes perspective and I’ve already learned so much,” said Belmont alumni Megan Boyle, ticketing coordinator at Red Light Management.
While Boyle recently started working, fellow Belmont alumni Regan Rauch has worked for several years with Red Light Management as a tour marketing coordinator, utilizing what she learned at Belmont in her position at Pilgrimage.
“Belmont really taught me how to problem solve through my classes and internships. Now at Pilgrimage, I’m constantly running around and solving things and I can still hear some of my professor in my head telling me to stay calm and figure it out,” said Rauch.
Overall, Pilgrimage provided an outlet for Belmont students, Tennessee residents and families alike for an enjoyable festival experience.
This artilce was written by Samantha Graessle and photographed by Zach Watkins and Liz Markay