“The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival has always sought to book its AMTE lineup with the Triangle in mind, to both pay homage and to celebrate the contributions – past and present – of the musicians and the towns they came from. This simply has never been done before where the cities in which music history was made get a spotlight to tell their story, show their history onstage, and participate in a vibrant major music festival,” shares event co-producer W. Brandt Wood. “Having introduced Sunday Morning Service in 2019 too, has served to activate and acknowledge the huge presence and impact the faith community has in Williamson County and to provide a fun and inspiring alternative to traditional church service on festival Sunday! Plus, we’re adding a Comedy Showcase this year to continue to exemplify our commitment to diverse programming.”
New this year is the after-hours Comedy Showcase with Steve Byrne and Josh Wolf. Directly following AMTE afternoon programming, Byrne and Wolf will bring the laughs for back-to-back sets that can’t be missed. Wolf, a comedian, actor, and The New York Times bestselling author, is known for his work as a roundtable guest and writer on E!’s Chelsea Lately and After Lately. A former host of Discovery’s Shark After Dark and Naked and Afraid, plus CMT’s The Josh Wolf Show, he’s most recently launched a podcast, Prinze and The Wolf, with Freddie Prinze Jr. Byrne has established himself as one of the most reliable and versatile stand-up comedians. Breaking the record early on for the most sets in one night – 13 – while getting his start in prestigious New York City clubs, he became a fixture at famous clubs in Los Angeles that launched a 20+ year career. Taping multiple specials for Comedy Central, Showtime, and Netflix, he’s been spotted across late-night talk shows and feature films Couples Retreat and Four Christmases, as well as creating and starring in TBS’ Sullivan & Son. Directing acclaimed documentary Always Amazing, about comic magician The Amazing Johnathan, Byrne also wrote and directed his latest film, The Opening Act, a semi-autobiographical feature that includes a roster of who's who in the stand-up world such as Bill Burr, Cedric the Entertainer, Russell Peters, Tom Segura, Whitney Cummings, Ken Jeong, Jimmy O. Yang, Iliza, and many others.
Produced by Better Than Ezra frontman and Franklin resident Kevin Griffin, alongside Wood and Michael Whelan, Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival will host 50+ acts across five stages with Dave Matthews Band, The Black Keys, Maren Morris, and Cage The Elephant amping up as headliners. The yearly event donates a portion of every ticket sale to help members of the music community in need through its direct partnership with the Recording Academy’s nonprofit MusiCares, in addition to Friends of Franklin Parks for capital projects at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm. The 200-acre property will support local favorites with a curated Makers Village – 70 booths stocked with handcrafted works, wares, and wearables; 35 local restaurants and cafes serving their most popular dishes; the Farm to Turntable Food Truck Park – 16 of the area’s best food trucks; and a Craft Beer Hall that’s complete with an array of libations like craft beers, local whiskeys, hard seltzers, specialty drinks, and frozen treats, plus games on the big screens.
