Category: We Recommend

For the Foodies: Craft Food & Wine Festival

Post author By Abigail Morici
Post date September 3, 2025

Sip and snack at this fest. (Photo: Courtesy Craft Food & Festival)

This Saturday marks the return of the Craft Food & Wine Festival, Memphis’ favorite all-inclusive, unlimited tasting event. For the sixth annual feast, this year at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 35 local vendor stations offering food, drink, and artisan retail will share their finest bites and goods.

Cristina McCarter, owner of Feast & Graze and co-owner of HighP Hour Wellness, founded the Craft Food & Wine Festival in 2019 shortly after starting her charcuterie business. The goal was, and still is, to highlight “foodpreneurs” like herself, people who specialize in a certain food or drink product, whether that’s artisanal cheeses, vegan creations, wellness beverages, or gourmet snacks. “Having a restaurant is one thing, having a food truck is one thing, having a catering company is one thing, and then you add in food products as a way to make it in the culinary world,” McCarter says, “I think that one doesn’t get noticed as much in the local world. We’re all out here doing amazing things, and I just want to be able to showcase it.

“And that’s how Memphis works. It’s a community of people; we all inspire each other.”

For the evening, McCarter’s own Feast & Graze will serve Italian sliders among other snacks, and her HighP Hour Wellness will have fresh-pressed juices mixed with tequila. Chef Corrinne Knight of Grecian Gourmet will prepare a grazing table for the VIP experience, which includes early admission at 5 p.m., a champagne toast, and exclusive wine tastings. Other vendors include The Paper Sack, The Chocolate Pour, Dance Like a Cupcake, and Clay’s Smoked Tuna.

Plus, the night will have cocktails by Solida Tequila and Old Dominick Distillery, and DJ A.D. will set the vibe. “We do also have that aspect where, if you like something, say, you enjoy the herbal popcorn or something, you could buy it from that vendor,” McCarter says.

“You’ll discover some new people, for sure, because most of the time these brands may only be at farmers markets or on the Kroger shelves, so you never get to see the face behind the brand, but here you will,” the foodpreneur adds. “So it’s a great time to just connect it all together.”

Tickets for the Craft Food & Wine Festival can be purchased at craftfoodandwinefest.org. A full lineup of vendors can be found there as well.

Craft Food & Wine Festival, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Avenue, Saturday, September 7, 6-9 p.m., $70/general admission, $105/VIP, 21+.

Tags Craft Food & Wine Festival, Cristina McCarter, Feast & Graze, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

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WE SAW YOU: Sunday Salute!

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date September 3, 2025
No Comments on WE SAW YOU: Sunday Salute!

Clark Shifani, Stephanie Bowen, Katherine Bennett, Darsy Ramirez, and Anthony Jones (Photos: Michael Donahue)

About 125 people attended “Sunday Salute! A Neighborhood Welcome Spirited by Old Dominick” at Cocozza East. It was held on a bella sera (beautiful evening) in the waning hours of August 17th.

**Hailey Laurie, Lee Crump,** **Stacy Crump, Ron Kastner, and Catherine Kastner**

It was the “grand opening of Cocozza East,” says Deni Reilly, who along with her husband, chef Patrick Reilly, are owners of the restaurant at 919 South Yates as well as Cocozza in Harbor Town and Majestic Grille Downtown.

**Steve Masler, Jean Richardson, James Richardson, and Marilyn Master**

**Seamus Reilly, Sadie Edelstein, Jake Edelstein, and Charlotte Lightfoot**

People could stay for dinner following the party, but they’d have to be mighty hungry after dining on the “Bar Snacks” at the event. In addition to marinated olives and roasted Marcona almonds on the tables, guests were to treated to sausage and mushroom crostinis, toasted ravioli, antipasto panino, bruschetta and, on the buffet table, meatballs, vodka rigatoni, and cheesy garlic bread.

**Alexis Montesi, Elliot Montesi,** **Emily LaForce, and Ashley LaForce**

Tags Cocozza, Cocozza East, Deni Reilly, Patrick Reilly

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Lantern Parade to Shine for Tom Lee on 901 Day

Post author By Abigail Morici
Post date August 27, 2025

Make your own lantern in honor of Tom Lee. (Photo: Courtesy MRPP)

One hundred years ago, Tom Lee steered his tiny boat back and forth along the Mississippi to rescue 32 people from a capsized steam boat. He did not know how to swim, yet he continued through nightfall, hanging a lantern on his skiff. He became a hero, local and national. “Shine on, Tom Lee, shine on!” the African Methodist Church hailed at the time.

And now, a century later, Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) wishes to raise (at least) 100 lanterns in honor of Lee’s heroism on 901 Day. As Jasmine Coleman, director of programming and engagement at MRPP, says, Tom Lee’s Mississippi River Gumption Revival Lantern Parade is “really focusing on his gumption and figuring a way to revive our own courage and just have that at top of mind.”

For the parade, MRPP enlisted the help of Chantelle Rytter, a parade artist known for founding the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade. With Rytter, MRPP conceptualized three types of lanterns that community members could make in workshops and later parade with: a kerosene lantern, a catfish lantern, and an illuminated parasol, each with their own symbolism. The kerosene lantern, Coleman says, represents Lee’s own that he hung from his boat, while the catfish symbolize Mississippi River life and the parasols are reminders of the survivors who used their parasols to stay afloat by popping them open and trapping the air beneath.

As the lantern-making workshops conclude on August 30th, Coleman reflects, “Instead of just being a spectator, we really didn’t want to shy away from being able to get the community involved and help further the legacy of Tom Lee.”

For those who couldn’t make a workshop, Coleman says, people of all ages can bring their own. Instructions to make the ones from the workshops are available here. “But it’s up to their own creativity. It doesn’t have to be the ones that we’re teaching people how to make,” Coleman says. “Even if they have a [store-bought] lantern, they could definitely march in the parade.” (A limited number of lanterns will be available for purchase.)

The Lucky Seven Brass Band will lead the parade in a second line, and some of Rytter’s larger lantern puppets from previous parades will join in the fun. The artist is also creating a 7-foot catfish specifically for the Gumption Revival.

Before the parade steps off at 7:45 p.m. into Tom Lee Park, where it will be viewable, MRPP will host a 901 Day celebration under the Sunset Canopy from 6 to 9 p.m., with bounce houses, food, games, music, and more.

“I’m really excited to see it come to life,” Coleman says. “I think it’s hard to picture what it will look like since it’s something that hasn’t happened before [in Memphis]. … And hopefully this is going to be a lasting tradition. People are always looking for fun things to do on 901 Day, and I’d love to bring this back.”

Volunteers are needed for the Mississippi River Gumption Revival Lantern Parade. Sign up here.

Tom Lee’s Mississippi River Gumption Revival Lantern Parade, Tom Lee Park, Monday, September 1, 6 p.m.

Tags Memphis River Parks Partnership, Mississippi River Gumption Revival Lantern Parade, Tom Lee, Tom Lee Park

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WE SAW YOU: UNAPOLOGETIC.10

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date August 27, 2025

Kristine Fister, CmaJor, Jake Fister, and Nick Pita (Photos: Michael Donahue)

James Dukes is justifiably proud of UNAPOLOGETIC.10, which was held August 15th inside and outside Memphis Made Brewing Co. and outside in The Ravine. Music, food, booths, and activities were included in the event, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of UNAPOLOGETIC, the music, media, and apparel collective.

“I think the event went amazing,” says Dukes, who is the founder of UNAPOLOGETIC. “I was really proud of the event. I was really proud of the attendance, the performers, the way people showed up as themselves, the way everybody had fun.”

He adds, “How would I summarize the past 10 years in one word? I don’t know if this counts as one word, but ‘liftoff.’ When a rocket leaves Earth, it takes a lot of power to get it off the ground. And then once you get it off the ground it still has to escape the Earth’s atmosphere. And there’s a lot of debris. There’s a lot of friction just escaping the Earth’s atmosphere. And so getting a rocket into space is hard, so now it’s time to explore.”

Tags James Dukes, Unapologetic

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Memphis Youth Art Mart Brings Together Young Vendors

Post author By Abigail Morici
Post date August 20, 2025

Expect tote bags, T-shirts, prints, jewelry, plushies, and even patches and blankets. (Photo: Courtesy Baylus Schaffler)

The Memphis Youth Art Mart began out of teenage boredom, the kind that pops up in the summer when school’s out. “We have jobs and stuff, but outside of that, we’re not really doing anything,” Baylus Schaffler, one of the mart’s founders, says. “And one of my friends was like, ‘Hey, we should do a yard sale for little art pieces.’ And I kind of took that and was like, ‘What if we made it bigger?’”

After all, Schaffler and her friends have been creative entrepreneurs since kindergarten, she says. “A couple of my friends and I would sew tiny pillows and sell them as businesses or draw on people’s arms and call them tattoos and stuff. It’s always just been something I’ve been drawn to, so taking it to the next level is real fun.”

The first Memphis Youth Art Mart was last year, with 19 teen art vendors representing at least six or so schools. This year, they’ll have almost 30. “I’m selling tote bags, T-shirts, prints, that kind of stuff,” says Schaffler, a senior at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. “I know we’re having a lot of people selling prints of their artwork. We’re having a lot of jewelry, plushies, crochet. One of my friends is sewing patches and blankets, like entire quilts to sell. It’s gonna be a lot of different stuff.”

To add to the fun, teen bands Parasoline and Above Jupiter will be performing live, and Albee’s Food Truck will be on-site. Schaffler also has plans to add a crafting table for kids.

Already looking to next year, Schaffler says the Memphis Youth Art Mart won’t end with her once she goes to college next year. “I’ve got some people lined up that are willing to take it over, and I think they’re going to do a great job,” she says.

Memphis Youth Art Mart, Wiseacre Brewing Company, 2783 Broad Avenue, Saturday, August 23, noon-4 p.m.

Tags baylus schaffler, memphis youth art mart, Parasoline

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Find Whimsy and Humor at Memphis Magic Night

Post author By Morgan Thomas
Post date August 14, 2025

Memphis Magic Night is a new monthly live magic show featuring local and national magicians, comedians, mentalists, and various artists. This month’s show on Monday, August 18th, at Bar DKDC will showcase Memphis magician and mentalist Joe M. Turner and comedian Rob Love, a 15-year veteran of the Memphis comedy scene.

Turner says, “The audience is welcome to come early to have a drink and some food. I’ll be doing a close-up magic set while meeting new friends; then the comedian will come on for 20 minutes to make you laugh really hard. This is the kind of magic I want people to enjoy and remember.”

Turner founded Memphis Magic Night in March 2025 after hosting a similar night in Atlanta for 11 years. He has 25 years of experience in the business and has traveled all over the world as a magician and mentalist. He has performed in 50 countries, in theaters, on cruises, and on television, with shows at the Hollywood’s Magic Castle, the Chicago Magic Lounge, the Monday Night Magic series in New York, and the London Palladium.

Meanwhile, comedian Rob Love is not only a Memphis comedy veteran but has performed at the Apollo Comedy Club in New York, the Comedy Store in L.A., and the Laugh Factory in Hollywood.

The PG-13-rated Memphis Magic Night isn’t for kids, so there will be no birds or rabbits at Turner’s set. The performances are interactive for audiences, with tons of surprises and mentalism. If you enjoy comedy shows and cabaret-like performances, then this is the event for you. Tickets are $20 in advance (here), $25 at the door, and can be paid in cash or through Venmo.

Tags comedy, Joe M. Turner, magic, Memphis Magic Night, Rob Love

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Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival Is Back This Saturday

Post author By Morgan Thomas
Post date August 13, 2025

Chicken and beer — what could be better? (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival)

With delicious food and local breweries, the Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival marks its seventh year on Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, this year presented by iHeartMedia, Lincoln of Memphis, and The Original Clubtails Cocktail in a Can. As iHeartMedia’s regional event director Caroline Hall says, “Everyone loves the event, [which] is a true reflection of Memphis. It’s a diverse event with tailgating at the stadium.”

The beverages for this year’s event are by Angry Orchard, Blue Moon, Coors Seltzer, Jack Daniel’s, Meddlesome Brewing Company, Memphis Made Brewing Co., Simply Spiked Lemonade, White Claw Hard Seltzer, and more. Food will be available for purchase from restaurants and vendors such as Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Smurfey’s Smokehouse, KFC, Waldo’s Chicken & Beer, Owens Bakery, Dipsticle Artisan Gelato Cafe, and CueGuard Smokehouse. Live music will be provided by the Memphis Funk-N-Horns band, singer Devin Crutcher, and DJ Mic Tee from radio station K97. There will also be fun festivities like a mechanical bull ride, football, and basketball hoops.

Profits from the event will go to Merge Memphis, a nonprofit that aims to support underserved women in the Memphis area.

Tickets to the Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival include admission, a souvenir glass, all beverage samples, and a portion benefiting Merge Memphis. General admission starts at $54.35 plus taxes and fees. VIP tickets are $94.87 plus taxes and fees and include early 30-minute entry, a VIP lanyard, and access to the VIP lounge. You must be 21 or older to attend.

Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, 335 South Hollywood Street, Saturday, August 16, 6-10 p.m., $54.35-$94.87.

Tags Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival

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WE SAW YOU: Elvis 7s Rugby Tournament

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date August 13, 2025

(front) Mimsy Milnor-Scott and Carley Fontenot; (back) Thomas Strickland, Joshua Scott, and Ethan Milnor-Scott (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Rugby players got a break at the recent Elvis 7s Rugby Tournament. As in a break in the weather. Not fractures.

Temperatures were in the 80s instead of the 90s at the annual event, held August 2nd at McBride Field in Tobey Park.

**Caleb “Hair” Dunlap, Matthew Gilbert,** **John Sutton, Jordan Williams, Trey Maokhamphiou**

Not only was the weather on the cool side, but the tournament was cool, too. It paid homage to Elvis. Recorded music by The King played while the ruggers played the game. Elvis trivia was shared through a loudspeaker. A Mr. Sideburns contest was held.

The event, which celebrated its 38th anniversary, is sponsored by the Memphis Blues Rugby Club.

**Lindsay Jones, Kaelin Boyd, and Katie McCord**

“There were 12 men’s teams and four women’s teams,” says event founder Wally Dyke. “We had one team from Waco, Texas. New Orleans had a team here.”

The Falcofsky Falcons of Murfreesboro won the men’s championship and the Memphis Pink Flamingos won the women’s championship.

And a woman “who put on a wig” won the Mr. Sideburns contest, Dyke says.

Tags Elvis 7s Rugby Tournament, Memphis Blues Rugby Club, Toby Park

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Memphis Urban Fashion Week Kicks Off

Post author By Abigail Morici
Post date August 11, 2025

Prep Curry, founder of Memphis Urban Fashion Week (Photo: Courtesy MUFW)

Kicking off this Tuesday, August 12th, the inaugural Memphis Urban Fashion Week (MUFW) will spotlight creatives shaping style in the South.

Curated by designer Prep Curry, the week of events, sponsored by We Are Memphis, lasts through Saturday, August 16th, and culminates in a fashion show with 13 local and regional designers working in a range of attire — from streetwear to high fashion. Among those to be seen include The Grizzlies, South of Mane, Ashton Hall, Peer Pressure, Immoral Ink, and FUBU, whose co-founder Jay Alexander also is co-founder of MUFW.

“I wanted to create a lane for Memphis and people that don’t have exposure, as well as the people that do have exposure, [with a focus on people of color],” Curry says of MUFW.

Curry himself has been in fashion his entire life, he says. “You know, my name speaks for itself. They used to just call me the little preppy guy. So I was always into fashion. Starting next month, it’ll be 15 years since I started my brand, and I realized that I have a voice and people listen to me, and I’m very good with putting events on as well. So I just wanted to keep pushing and keep inspiring other people.”

With his Memphis Urban Fashion Week, he hopes Memphis can one day compete with LA Fashion, New York Fashion Week, and the like. “[Memphis] is definitely starting to come into its own, and there are more people that are learning how to make clothing and wanting to have fashion events,” he says. “Memphis, we got swag; we got style.”

On Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Fitness & Wellness Bootcamp & Pop-Up will start the week with movement sessions, wellness vendors, and athleisure drops at Wayne Fitness. Wednesday will see the Fashion Entrepreneurs’ Panel at the New Daisy Theatre, where Memphis-based designers, stylists, and brand builders will speak on the business of fashion from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Fashion Jookin’ Battle will pair local designers with Memphis jookers in a dance battle that blends style and street dance on Thursday, 7 p.m., at the New Daisy, and the Adult Prom on Friday at 7 p.m. will have guests celebrating on the dance floor of Grindhouse Dance Studio. “They can dress up; they can dress down — however they want to come in whatever way that shows off their fashion sense,” Curry says. “We’re gonna just be there having a good time.”

Wrapping up with the MUFW X FUBU Fashion Show on Saturday at 7 p.m. at LeMoyne-Owen College, these events, Curry says, “each show a different side of me. … I wanted it to be something that literally everybody can come to.”

A percentage of the proceeds from MUFW will go towards St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the National Civil Rights Museum, and LeMoyne-Owen College.

For more information and to purchase tickets to Memphis Urban Fashion Week’s events, visit here.

Tags fashion, Memphis, Memphis Urban Fashion Week, Prep Curry