Bedford County: Experience History, Festivals, and Landscapes
Accommodation in Bedford County
Bedford County combines horse history, local traditions, museums, and special excursions on the water. Those planning a trip with cultural discoveries, festivals, and changing ideas for day trips will find a range of opportunities for shaping their stay here. When looking for a vacation rental or holiday home, it helps to decide on the desired focus: history and events lead to different starting points than water activities or scenic drives.
Horse History and Culture in Shelbyville and Wartrace
In Shelbyville, The Celebration® represents a long-standing tradition. The event has taken place every year without interruption since its first staging on September 7, 8, and 9, 1939. The grounds include their own equestrian complex covering more than 100 acres. The Bedford County History Museum, located in the Fly Arts Center, presents the community’s local history from the past 200 years. The exhibitions cover The Fly, Founders, The Square, Industry, Echoes of Valor, and Equine Fame.
The Gilliland Historical Resource Center is also part of the cultural heritage of Shelbyville and Bedford County. It is an African American cultural arts center. The Gilliland House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Those interested in the Tennessee Walking Horse can explore the breed’s heritage at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum in central Wartrace through exhibitions on its history and influential figures. Admission to the museum is free. Wartrace is also considered the birthplace of the Tennessee Walking Horse; the first officially organized horse show took place there in 1906 on the town square.
Festivals, Markets, and Regional Specialties
The American Mule and Bluegrass Festival was founded by Marty Ray Gordon in 2021. The program includes the Jr Mule Skinner program, which covers topics related to mule anatomy, parts of harnesses, and the history and origins of bluegrass music. The wagon train travels approximately 15 miles along secondary roads. The festival also includes judging for a cast-iron cooking competition.
Bell Buckle adds further seasonal highlights. The RC Cola-MoonPie Festival takes place there every year on the third Saturday in June. It includes 10-mile and 5-kilometer races on certified courses; at the end, the world’s largest MoonPie is cut. Bell Buckle Daffodil Day takes place every year on the third Saturday in March. It is associated with thousands of daffodils growing along roads and farmland over a six-mile stretch leading to Bell Buckle. From June through August, the Bell Buckle Farmers Market offers locally grown vegetables, canned goods, fresh eggs, and various homemade products on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. The season runs from the first Friday in June through the last Friday in August.
Water, Trails, and Excursions
Normandy Reservoir is a 3,048-acre reservoir. Shore fishing is possible at the Normandy Dam boat access. Local providers rent canoes and kayaks on the Duck River and also organize tours with overnight camping. This makes it possible to add active days on the water to your travel plans without giving up the trip’s cultural focus.
For those arriving by car, Bell Buckle is eight miles from Interstate 24. Wartrace is considered a suitable starting point for scenic drives through Bedford County and Middle Tennessee. In eastern Bedford County, the Normandy Historic District comprises 52 predominantly residential buildings arranged along the Seaboard Railroad. The Shelbyville Hydroelectric Station is significant as a representative example of small privately operated hydroelectric technology projects in Tennessee. The Shelbyville Courthouse Square Historic District is also listed in the Tennessee National Register inventory for the Public Square area.
If you mainly want to experience museums, horse history, and festivals, you should take these priorities into account when choosing a location for your accommodation. For water activities, markets, or scenic drives, a different travel plan may be more suitable. For further orientation, you can also visit the pages on Shelbyville and Bell Buckle.
For the broader travel overview: Tennessee.
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