Things to Do in Bristol Tonight

Bristol is the Birthplace of Country Music — the 1927 Bristol Sessions, recorded just off State Street, introduced the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers to the world, and the Smithsonian-affiliated Birthplace of Country Music Museum (on the Virginia side of the street) tells the story brilliantly. The Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion each September sets up stages across both states' downtowns for one of the best roots music festivals anywhere. The Paramount, a restored 1931 theater on State Street, hosts concerts year-round, and Bristol Motor Speedway — one of the largest sports venues in America — turns race weekends into city-scale events.