What is The Knoblin??

In 1784, James Todd was granted 640 acres of land in present-day Donelson by the North Carolina government for having been one of the pre-1780 settlers of Davidson County.  His 640 acres included the notable elevated feature of the area, which he named Todd’s Knob.  Early settlers used the land for farming, including apple and peach orchards.  It was also the site of one of many distilleries in the Donelson area, which may have contributed to the nickname of the town, Slip-Up.  One might “slip up” to the tavern (some history states that it was called Slip Up because all the springs located on and around Todd’s Knob would freeze up during the winter causing you to “slip up” while walking into town.  You can decide which story you believe.)  While there is much rich history of Todd’s Knob, the history of the Goblin of Todd’s Knob or the Knoblin is one that was almost lost.

The story of the Knoblin dates back to at least the early 1800s and was recently refound while researching the history of the Donelson area.  Reports of unusual sightings, missing food and livestock, and strange noises on and around the Todd’s Knob area led to residents referring to the mysterious creature as a goblin, eventually giving it the name of Knoblin, due to its location.

Everyone who claimed to have seen or known about the Knoblin gave different descriptions of its appearance. Some said it resembled a giant catfish, others a horned mountain lion, or a giant owl with the legs of a deer, and still more described it as half human, half animal.  Most that saw it did agree on one thing though, its shadow never matched its silhouette, leading some to say that it could change its form.

The Knoblin Festival is a music and arts festival in Donelson, a suburb of Nashville TN.

Its founders discovered the Knoblin while researching local history and saw potential for a fun, annual community event, bringing neighbors together to celebrate local lore, music, and arts!

Hosted by the Friends of Donelson, a local non-profit that is an inclusive coalition of Donelson organizations, businesses, and neighbors working together to coordinate and promote unified community events and support.

Our hope with the festival is to encourage, inspire, and support creativity within our community, through music, art, imagination, a marketplace, and events like costume contests, Knoblin calling contests, and more!

Visit knoblinfest.com for additional information and to apply as a musician, artist, vendor, sponsor, volunteer, business, or to learn more about our contests!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Questions?

Email us at info@knoblinfest.com

Media

Email us at media@knoblinfest.com