Nightfall 2026 continues this Friday night with the Spooklights headlining at 8pm, preceded by the local trio of Forlines, Hightower & Steele. Now in its 39th season, Nightfall is a 14-week series of free outdoor concerts in downtown Chattanooga’s Miller Plaza and Miller Park through July 31.
Since 1988, Nightfall has been a staple of summertime activity by gathering people of all types in the heart of downtown to enjoy original music by diverse and interesting headline artists as well as some of Chattanooga’s best local talent.
Now for almost four decades, Nightfall has kept the music going and the City growing with its fresh and original approach to entertainment, which also includes local food trucks and brews, over 20 local artisans and kids’ activities.
Headlining Nightfall this week is The Spooklights, an “Ozark Stomp Grass” duo from Missouri, featuring Ben Miller (Ben Miller Band) and Pat Kay (The Kay Brothers) that blends traditional Midwest mountain music and folklore with electronic, futuristic sounds.
Formed in 2021 under the name MK Ultra and rebranded in 2023 as The Spooklights, they create a "jangle-stomp" sound using banjos, slide guitars and homemade electronics. The Spooklights combine roots music tradition with homemade electronic wizardry - creating a jangle-stomp time machine to explore hillbilly music from another dimension.
The band is named after the Hornet Spooklight, a paranormal, flickering light phenomenon that appears on Route 66 near the OK/MO border, which they witnessed while on tour.
Opening the show at 7pm on Friday is Forlines, Hightower and Steele, featuring three revered Chattanooga musicians Joel Forlines, B.J. Hightower and Randy Steele. Experience a rare opportunity to hear some of our city’s best musicians combine forces for a special Nightfall performance. Enjoy their renditions of folk and bluegrass tunes on guitar, bass and banjo, accompanied by strong vocal harmonies.
Come early at 6pm to start shopping at the art market in Miller Park and visit our food and drink vendors. Live music begins at 7pm and concludes around 9:30pm.
Special savings on bulk beer ticket purchases for the season will be available this year through May, offering a 20% savings on a packet of 20 beer tickets. No outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought into Nightfall since concession sales are a primary funder of Nightfall (outside alcoholic beverages are prohibited by law at Miller Park/Plaza).
Motorcycle parking will be made available in the 800 block of Market Street, between 8th Street and M.L.King.
Known for its family-friendly environment as well as being recognized nationally for the quality of its musical programming, Nightfall is a family-friendly concert series. Special themes and programming will be updated through our Facebook and instagram page
Nightfall is locally produced by Chattanooga Presents.
For more information on this FREE community concert series and samples of this year’s music, visit NightfallChattanooga.com.