Author: Julia Baker

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Spirit Guides: The Broom Closet Hosts Ghost Hunting 101 Workshop

CREDIT: Stefano Pollio | Unsplash

On one fateful February evening in 1918, Memphis police officer Edward L. Broadfoot and his partner L.C. Dowdy were responding to a tip about bootleggers operating out of Preferencia Cafe located at 546 Main Street. When the two officers arrived at the scene and approached three men in the cafe, the suspects opened fire on the officers, wounding Dowdy and killing Broadfoot.

The Broom Closet is now open for business at that location, and the owner, Stephen Guenther, says that Broadfoot’s spirit still lives on within those walls.

Stefano Pollio | Unsplash

If you have ghosts

“We feel like he’s just hanging around,” Guenther says. “This is where he gave his greatest sacrifice. We don’t feel like he’s trapped or anything because it’s like he’s still on patrol.”

Guenther says Broadfoot’s presence has been picked up by various instruments, like a spirit box that provides a white noise for spirits to speak through.

“Sometimes, we’ll get his name or his wife’s name or different things coming through,” Guenther says. “We’ve also had law enforcement people down here. One gentleman got a little tug on his gun when he was here — not nefarious, but more like, ‘Hey, I used to have one of these.'”

Guenther says this is nothing to worry about, as spirits typically aren’t malevolent.

“It can be a very, very positive thing,” says Guenther. “A lot of it is just friends and loved ones trying to look in on us or get our attention to let us know that they’re okay.”

On Wednesday, Guenther will lead guests in a workshop on the basics of reaching out to Broadfoot’s and others’ spirits.

Ghost Hunting 101 Workshop – So you wanna be a ghost hunter?, The Broom Closet, 546 S. Main, Wednesday, January 15th, 7-9 p.m., $10.

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Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Find Out at this Trivia Night

CREDIT: Cerrito Trivia

Think you’re smarter than a fifth grader? Test your wits at Cerrito Trivia’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” game night at either Rec Room or Dan McGuinness Southaven this Tuesday.

Kevin Cerrito, founder and operator of Cerrito Entertainment, says this game is perfect for those who are intimidated by typical trivia nights.

“Oftentimes, people will be like, ‘Oh, it’s too hard,'” he says. “Well, this shouldn’t be too hard for you. These are all questions a fifth grader should know the answer to.”

Cerrito Trivia

Are all squares rectangles? Are all rectangles squares?

Cerrito says the idea to quiz people’s fifth-grade knowledge came from their monthly game show night, wherein each round is modeled around different game shows. The Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? theme became such a hit, they built an entire trivia night around it. And with the spring semester beginning this month, Cerrito says this is a great time for teachers to sharpen their thinking skills.

“Teachers love it,” he says. “Or they hate it, depending on the question.”

While Rec Room will be 18+, attendees at the Dan McGuinness Southaven location may be able to call on their children for help.

“It’s definitely to your advantage if you can bring a fifth grader because a lot of it is based on the TV show,” says Cerrito. “So much of it is stuff that you just forgot. Things that may not have been a life skill but you really needed to pass school, like outlining a sentence or something.”

Play ”Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?” in Memphis or North MS, Tuesday, January 14th, Dan McGuinness Southaven (3964 Goodman E., 6:30-8:30 p.m.) and Rec Room (3000 Broad, 8-10 p.m.), free, must RSVP on eventbrite.com.

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Memphis Pets of the Week (1/7/20-1/13/20)

Each week, the Flyer will feature adoptable dogs and cats from Memphis Animal Services. All photos are credited to Memphis Pets Alive. More pictures and more information can be found on the Memphis Pets Alive Facebook page.

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Memphis Pets of the Week (12/31/19-1/6/20)

Each week, the Flyer will feature adoptable dogs and cats from Memphis Animal Services. All photos are credited to Memphis Pets Alive. More pictures and more information can be found on the Memphis Pets Alive Facebook page.

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The Radio Broadcast Brings its Mario Kart 64 U.S. Tour to Hi Tone

CREDIT: Angel Carrera

Houston-based electronic duo The Radio Broadcast brings its Mario Kart 64 U.S. Tour to the Hi Tone Sunday, December 29th.

The electroclash group, made up of couple Kristin and Michael Heilman, incorporates video game styles into their eclectic sound, sometimes using actual Nintendo Game Boys to do so. They also typically integrate video game play at their local shows, so when they decided to embark on this tour, they thought that hosting a Mario Kart competition seemed like the perfect idea.

“With us doing a tour, we figured, ‘Well, let’s try to do something a little bit bigger,'” says Michael. “A game that everybody definitely enjoys is Mario Kart. We usually do some kind of video game competition, but we’ve never brought a Nintendo 64 out before. So we thought, going from city to city, that this is like a Mario Kart circuit on its own. So we refined everything and came up with the idea to make it a little competition.”

Angel Carrera

Rainbow Road rage across America

During the competition, guests will be invited to play four Mario Kart races per round. The number of rounds that can be played are unlimited, and whoever earns the most points by the end of the show will have the opportunity to receive special prizes, like a 2020 Mario calendar, Nintendo mints and candies, figurines, and more. The event winner will also be put into a list of finalists from the entire tour for a chance to win the grand prize: a Nintendo 64 game console with an original copy of Mario Kart 64.

Michael says there is no prerequisite to join in on the tournament.

“The main requirement to play is to just have fun,” he says. “We want this to be fun for everybody.”

Mario Kart 64 U.S. TOUR, Hi Tone, Sunday December 29th, 9 p.m., $7.

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Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park’s First Day Hike Festival is January 1st

CREDIT: David Duplessis | Tennessee Photographs

Anyone with resolutions of starting off the new year with a more active and healthy lifestyle may be interested in attending Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park’s ninth annual First Day Hike Festival on Wednesday, January 1st.

The hiking festival, held in conjunction with a series of five signature hiking events hosted throughout the year by all Tennessee State Parks, will feature a two-mile hike on a flat, paved road that begins at the park’s Shelter 2 (736 Piersol Road, Millington), reaches a mid-point at the Woodland Shelter, and ends back at the starting point.

David Duplessis | Tennessee Photographs

Samantha Cox, park ranger of Shelby Forest, says this event began in 2011 to promote a more active lifestyle.

“It was the first major step in promoting healthy living outdoors,” she says. “We wanted to get people outside to get healthy physically and mentally and enjoy the outdoors, this free resource that we have.”

Since the event’s inception, the annual hike has become popular, and with an attendance of as many as 700 people, it’s developed into a festival.

Samantha Cox

A walk in the woods

At the midway point, participants will be rewarded with festivities, where they can gather around a bonfire to roast s’mores, eat fruits, drink hot cocoa and other nonalcoholic beverages, meet with Friends of the Forest volunteers, see the birds of prey that inhabit the park, and view black powder demonstrations and a Frontier Rendezvous camp.

Cox says this event is great for those who’d like to spend time with each other for the holidays.

“It’s just a fun thing for members of the community to get a nice afternoon with their families and friends,” she says.

First Day Hike Festival, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, Wednesday, January 1st, 1-4 p.m., free.

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Shop Local: Suburbs

This holiday season, we’re encouraging our readers to support local businesses and consider these and others for their gift-giving needs.

Outdoors, Inc.

Outdoors has been a trusted source for more than 40 years, with quality customer service and selection. This Patagonia Men’s Better Sweater Vest ($99), made for versatility, can be worn for outdoor adventures or social engagements. Constructed with recycled polyester fleece, it was made with the environment in mind. Available at Outdoors locations (833 N. Germantown Pkwy., Cordova, and others) or online at outdoorsinc.com.

Dinstuhl’s

Dinstuhl’s has been a leading candy merchant in Memphis for more than 100 years. If you’ve ever tried their sweets, you’ll know why. These Ice Chips ($12.50), an assortment of lemon, lime, orange, and peppermint candies made of confectioner’s coating and hard candy pieces, will leave a good impression on party guests. Available at Dinstuhl’s (7730 Poplar #3, Germantown; 231 New Byhalia, Suite 101, Collierville; and others).

Indigo

Smart travelers know that maximizing suitcase space is key for a seamless airport check-in. Instead of stressing over spills or size requirements for your body wash, consider packing this Spongellé Spongette ($9) instead. Travel-sized and convenient, this body wash-infused buffer, in Bulgarian Rose, will leave skin feeling clean and exfoliated. Available at Indigo (7509 Poplar #102, Germantown) or online at shopindigo.com.

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Almost Elton John’s Christmas Extravaganza at Lafayette’s

CREDIT: Ben Gibson

Anyone who missed Elton John’s final stop in Memphis on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour this October can almost see the Rocket Man play this Friday at Almost Elton John & the RocketMen: The Christmas Extravaganza at Lafayette’s.

The group, led by tribute artist Jerred Price, will play the annual holiday show as part of its monthly residency, blasting hits like “Tiny Dancer,” “Crocodile Rock,” and “Bennie and the Jets,” mixed in with a couple of Christmas songs and one of Price’s favorites, “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” an 11-minute rock ballad from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Ben Gibson

Jerred Price (left) and Elton

“It’s one of my favorites to perform because it goes from one end of the spectrum to the other,” says Price. “It goes from this dark, haunting-sounding song into a complete rock-and-roll jam session, and it’s just beautiful. So much fun.”

Price, who taught himself to sing and play Elton John covers at a young age, says he credits John for shaping him as a person.

“By far, he’s been my biggest influence as far as music, but also just as a human being with his humanitarianism and what he’s done for other people,” says Price.

Price has modeled his own humanitarian efforts after John, working as a commissioner for Memphis City Beautiful, a volunteer for numerous local organizations, and a fund-raiser for Elton John’s AIDS Foundation.

In addition to his philanthropic work, Price says he believes in giving back through his music.

“Music is the one thing when, at that moment, at least, people are smiling and they’re having fun,” he says. “And they don’t care if they’re sitting next to somebody that may not be the same color or political party as them.”

Almost Elton John & The RocketMen: The Christmas Extravaganza, Lafayette’s Music Room, Friday, December 20th, 10 p.m., $5.

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Soul in the City with DJ Brian Hamilton and More at Canvas

CREDIT: Creation Studios

Local house DJs Brian Hamilton, Pat Allgood, and friends will bring their souls to the city this Saturday at CANVAS.

The house music collective, otherwise known as Memphis House Mafia, hosts Soul in the City events at CANVAS the third Saturday of each month, emphasizing free musical entertainment for all.

“Making money has never been the goal,” says Hamilton. “It’s more about making music and sharing it with people.”

Creation Studios

Brian Hamilton

Hamilton was influenced to produce electronic music 25 years ago by local artist DJ David the Worm.

“My friend shared some of his mixtapes with me,” says Hamilton. “I listened to those, and I thought, ‘I’d like to do that, too.'”

Since then, Hamilton has used his previous experience playing piano, as well as tuba in high school band, to shape his electronic musical styles.

“People tend to go for the heavier electronic sounds,” he says. “I like music with soul, hence the name Soul in the City. I like music that has vocals, horns, and other real instruments mixed in with the electronic.”

Hamilton says he hopes to change peoples’ lives with music, just like it has for him.

“I enjoy making people dance and seeing people smile,” he says. “Knowing that something you created, someone enjoyed. And the few times people have come up to me and said that the things I did changed their life, that makes it all worth it.”

Anyone unable to make it to Soul in the City can catch Hamilton’s free set at New Year’s Eve with Iz & Diz at Alchemy on December 31st.

Soul in the City and Handmade Holiday Market, CANVAS of Memphis, Saturday, December 21st, 11 p.m., free.

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Memphis Pets of the Week (12/17/19-12/23/19)

Each week, the Flyer will feature adoptable dogs and cats from Memphis Animal Services. All photos are credited to Memphis Pets Alive. More pictures and more information can be found on the Memphis Pets Alive Facebook page.
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