Chattanooga’s Barrelhouse Ballroom is a unique, mid-sized live music venue located inside the original home of Five Wits Brewing Company in the Southside district.
Opened in September of 2022, the dynamic space is meant to be a place where people can gather together and experience incredible live music and great craft beer. The venue features a thirty-foot stage and can hold around five hundred people.
As a live music lover, when walking into Barrelhouse Ballroom, you immediately feel at home. Both cozy and grand, the atmosphere is inviting, warm, authentic, and non-pretentious.
As you walk in the front door, a couple feet in front of you is the brewing company with people busy gathering, while on the left is an outdoor patio space, sometimes filled with unique vendors, with the space for music being on your immediate right. There are also vintage couches all throughout and no shortage of incredible bars.
The ballroom itself is beautifully designed, and the stage is only a couple feet from the audience, adding to its homespun, intimate feel.
In speaking with Marketing Director for Barrelhouse Ballroom, Amber Carrington, about the significance and history of the venue, she mentioned that the venue was designed by people and for people who truly love music.
“Barrelhouse Ballroom was born out of a simple idea: bring high-quality, high-energy live music back to the Southside in a space designed by people who truly love music.
Originally the home of Five Wits Brewing, the space has always been filled with barrels, tanks, and the heartbeat of a busy brewery. When it came time to expand and create a music venue, we didn’t want it to feel like a separate concept or a detached add-on; we wanted to build on the identity that was already here.
So we went with “Barrelhouse” as a nod to this space's brewery roots and added “Ballroom” to reflect what the space has become: a vibrant room where people gather, move, dance, and celebrate.”
Carrington went on to explain the original vision for Barrelhouse Ballroom, speaking to its partnership with Five Wits Brewing Company.
“The vision was to create a place where people would want to stay awhile—where great craft beer and great live music could coexist naturally. Five Wits Brewing brought the beer; Barrelhouse Ballroom brought the stage.
Together, we built a space that celebrates craft in every sense of the word. A brewery draws people in with community and conversation; a music venue brings them together in shared energy. Putting those two experiences side by side has created one of Chattanooga’s most dynamic gathering spaces.”
For the Southside music community, Barrelhouse Ballroom has become a place that feels like a home for music lovers and residents alike. The venue both supports Chattanooga’s growing arts ecosystem and puts the Scenic City on the map for national touring acts.
Barrelhouse Ballroom is also known for its community events, such as its annual Jerryfest, Sunday Funday, and recurring community music nights, often led by local music legend Randy Steele. There is no shortage of exciting programming.
When asked about the venue’s plans to expand in the next few years, Carrington mentioned that they are always looking to expand and bring new ideas to make the audience's experience even better.
“We’re focused on continuing to elevate the fan experience—bigger shows, more genres, more community events, and more opportunities for local artists. Expect fresh ideas, new annual traditions, and a continued commitment to bringing world-class live music to Chattanooga.”
Barrelhouse Ballroom
- 1501 Long St. Chattanooga, TN.
- barrelhouseballroom.com