Yet another season has come and gone, and it’s once again time for the Flyer’s Fall Fairs & Festivals guide. You won’t want to miss any of the events written about here, so get your calendars and sparkly gel pens out and start planning.
SEPTEMBER
Orion Free Concert Series
You’re free to do what you want any old time, and one of the best ways to spend your free time is doing something that’s free. So why not attend one or many of Overton Park Shell’s concerts this fall — all a part of the Orion Free Concert Series?
Overton Park Shell, various dates in September and October
30 Days of Opera
This operation brings opera to you for a second month this year, with free, outdoor performances all over Memphis.
Various locations, through September 30
Delta Fair & Music Festival
Carnival rides, live music, attractions, livestock shows, oh boy, there’s so much going on every day at the Delta Fair.
Agricenter International, through September 10
Southern Heritage Classic Cultural Celebration
Kick off the season with the Southern Heritage Classic Cultural Celebration. Sure, there’s the rivalry football game between Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Tennessee State, but there’s also a ton of non-football events to check out, from the parade to a concert starring the “empress of soul” Gladys Knight.
Various locations, September 7-9
Germantown Festival
The weens are coming! The weens are coming! They’re here to compete in the best Running of the Weenies dachshund race around. And that, of course, would be at the Germantown Festival, which happens to be celebrating its 50th anniversary. This year’s festival will be complete with arts and crafts, children’s activities, rides and games, entertainment, and more.
Germantown Civic Club Complex, September 9-10
International Goat Days Festival
If loving goats is baaaaad, I don’t want to be good. And I’d bet that the Goat Days Festival would agree — the day is all for the love of the goat, with goat yoga, a goat beauty pageant, and a goat show, plus some non-goat activities.
Millington Sports Complex, September 9
Collierville Balloon Festival
Take the scenic route at the Collierville Balloon Festival, where you can get a view of (and take a ride on) more than 20 stunning hot air balloons, enjoy live entertainment, peruse arts and crafts vendors, and more.
Maynard Way, Collierville, September 16-17
Cooper-Young Festival
At last year’s Cooper-Young Festival, I saw a pink parrot in an orange diaper and I haven’t seen one since. Who knows if I’ll see him again this year, but of course, there’s the usual art, music, and crafts that make the Cooper-Young Festival a hallmark tradition to look forward to.
Cooper-Young Historic District, September 16
Medical District Wellness Festival
Are you a health nut or a wannabe health nut? Well, you’re gonna go nuts when you hear about the inaugural Medical Wellness Festival, a free event with services and resources from healthcare professionals, live music, and a full schedule of wellness activities and fun for all ages.
Morris Park, September 16
Memphis Brewfest
Fun is brewing over at the Memphis Brewfest, which will entice attendees with unlimited samples of 100+ beers, seltzers, and spiked ciders. The day will also have a Jameson Irish Whiskey activation experience, vendor shopping, music, and games.
Memphis Sports & Events Center, September 16
Memphis Dance Festival
Even if you can’t dance and you can’t jive, you’ll have the time of your life at the Memphis Dance Festival. The free event will have performances by hometown favorite dance companies and national acts.
Collage Dance Center, September 16
Shop Black Fest
Shop from 150+ local Black-owned businesses, and enjoy music and a Greek step show.
Downtown Memphis, September 16
Mid-South Fair
Life isn’t fair, but life is better when there’s a fair around. Just take the Mid-South Fair as a prime example. It’s got rides, entertainment, and the best fair fare — funnel cakes, candied apples, turkey legs, and more.
Landers Center, September 21-October 1
Mighty Roots Music Festival
Might I interest you in a mighty good time? Moon Taxi, The Vegabonds, The Stews, Hans Williams, and more are all a part of Mighty Roots Musical Festival’s lineup, and that, my friend, is the definition of a mighty good time.
Stovall, MS, September 22-24
51st Annual Pink Palace Crafts Fair
Thanks to the Barbie movie, pink is in this season, which means the Pink Palace Crafts Fair is looking even more stylish this year as it celebrates its 51st anniversary with 150 artists from around the country selling their works.
Audubon Park, September 22-23
Aquatseli Bluegrass Festival
“Aquatseli” is Cherokee for “our,” so make this bluegrass extravaganza yours and check out the instrument workshops, open jams, square dancing, clogging, vendors, and more.
Meeman-Shelby Forest Millington State Park, September 23
High Point Arts Fair
Make this fair the high point of your weekend. Artists and artisans will gather to sell their handmade goods, breads, jewelry, pottery, desserts, and more.
The Point, September 23
Latin Fest
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group’s Latin Fest, where friends and families can listen to and dance to live Latin music, taste Latin food and drinks, enjoy activities for kids, and shop from vendors.
Overton Square, September 23
Memphis Comic Expo
BOOM! BAM! POP! What’s all that ruckus? It’s the Memphis Comic Expo coming back to town, this year with Kevin Eastman, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as a special guest. As always, the expo shines a spotlight on artists and writers in the world of comics, bringing the best local and regional talent.
Agricenter International, September 23-24
Wiseacre Oktoberfest
Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi hoi hoi! Oktoberfest is back, boy oh boy. So dust off your steins and snap on your lederhosen for a day with food trucks, Mighty Souls Brass Band, a stein-holding competition, and more.
Wiseacre Brewing Company, September 23
Gonerfest 20
Going, going, gone off to Gonerfest 20 for four days of rocking music, courtesy of Goner Records. The lineup is exquisite, and tickets are selling out already.
Railgarten, September 28-October 1
Bartlett Festival
With the Judge Freeman Marr Panther Pride 5k to kick things off, this festival boasts local music, arts and crafts, a car show, children’s activities, a barbecue cooking contest, concessions, and so much more.
W.J. Freeman Park, September 29-30
Mempho Music Festival
I know I’m preaching to the choir when I say that the Mempho Music Festival always hits the right note when it comes to composing a finely tuned experience. This year’s headliners are The Black Crowes, My Morning Jacket, and Turnpike Troubadours.
Radians Amphitheater, Memphis Botanic Garden, September 29-October 1
OCTOBER
Wine on the River Memphis
Put a cork in it, they say. Stop whining about your love of wine. Well, this event wants you to pour out your passion as they serve wine from all around the world.
Tom Lee Park, October 7
King Biscuit Blues Festival
Hear ye, hear ye, King Biscuit Blues Festival is back for its annual three-day event, complete with the Flour Power 5K, the Tour da Delta bicycle race, and a Kansas City-sanctioned BBQ Contest, all in historic Downtown Helena. Oh, and of course, there’ll be blues music — lots of blues music — on six stages.
Helena, AR, October 4-7
Crown Me Royal Film Fest
This noncompetitive film festival boasts panels, workshops, and independent film screenings from BIPOC behind-the-scenes filmmakers and creatives from all media platforms.
Visible Music College, October 6-8
Soul of the City
Spies, outlaws, political bosses, religious figures, ne’er-do-wells, gallants — no, we’re not talking about a period drama; we’re talking about Elmwood Cemetery’s 20th annual Soul of the City, the reenactment tour that keeps the dead coming back year after year. (And the living enjoy it, too.)
Elmwood Cemetery, October 13-14
Barktober Fest
Lie down with the dogs, and you wake up with the best sleep ever. So support the cute pups at Streetdog Foundation’s Barktober Fest, where you can sample brews created just for this event by local homebrewers, as well as your faves from local breweries.
The Shops of Saddle Creek, October 7
Oktoberfest
Oh what a brewtiful day it will be for Grind City’s Oktoberfest, where there will be beer and live music and games all day long, including a bratwurst toss, keg carry competition, beer sliding competition, and a stein-holding contest.
Grind City Brewing Company, October 7
Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival
Bacon + bourbon = good times for all. It’s simple math, really.
FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park, October 7
Memphis miniFEST
Everything’s cuter when it has a mini version, and this miniFEST is no exception. An evening of music, arts, and community in a festival-style atmosphere — what could be more charming than that?
Hi Tone, October 7
Paint Memphis
Paint the town red … and green … and pink … and blue … and, like, all the colors at Paint Memphis, the festival that features around 100 artists from all over the world who will create murals in the Edge District. The day will be complete with music, a vendor market, kids area, food trucks, and more.
The Edge District, October 7
Deep Blues Festival
Navy, indigo, cobalt, azure, sapphire — those are just some of my favorite shades of deep blue. But, let’s be frank here, the Deep Blues Festival has the best deep blues out there with a lineup that hits the right shade of outsider and alternative blues.
Clarksdale, MS, October 12-15
Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
Are you a streetcar? ’Cause you look like your name should be Desire. I promise I’m not a player, just a play lover, and if you are too, meet me at the Tennessee Williams Festival, where we can enjoy screenings, lectures, and performances.
Clarksdale, MS, October 12-14
Tambourine Bash
The tambourine has been around since antiquity, and while the Tambourine Bash hasn’t been around nearly as long, it’s become a mainstay here in the 901, known for its Memphis music collaborations.
Overton Park Shell, October 12
If you like tequila, you’ll want to give this festival a shot, with 50+ types of tequila and mezcal available for tasting and a full-on party.
Shelby Farms Event Center, October 13
Edge Motorfest
Call me car-azy, but the Edge Motor Museum has an engine-ous event, complete with over 150 cool cars, food trucks, vendor booths, and more.
Edge Motor Museum, October 14
Memphis Food & Wine Festival
It’s wine o’clock somewhere. Sorry. I know what you’re thinking — that’s so cheesy, borderline offensive. But this festival will never offend your culinary senses as it showcases local chefs alongside acclaimed national chefs and top global vineyards.
Memphis Botanic Garden, October 14
Outlaw Music Festival
Wanted: You at the Outlaw Music Festival. Reward: An incredible lineup featuring Willie Nelson & Family, The Avett Brothers, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Elizabeth Cook, and Particle Kid.
BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove, October 14
Ska-Tober Fest 2023
Meddlesome is making ska cool with its Ska-Tober Fest, featuring The Big News, Boss Battle, The Hotrails, Runaway Ricochet, The Taj Motel Trio, The Skalors, and The Lung Darts.
Meddlesome Brewing Company, October 14
Fall Fest at the Nest
No need to fly the nest just yet — not when the Fall Fest at the Nest has rides, attractions, vendors, live music, a barbecue contest, a car show, raffle, food trucks, and more.
St. Benedict at Auburndale High School, October 19-21
Art on Fire
This fest is fire (as in it’s super fun and awesome, not as in Fyre Fest). With live music, tastings from local restaurants, drinks, an art sale, and a roaring bonfire, this night will set your heart aflame.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, October 21
BAM! Wiseacre Beer and Music Festival
Just like Emeril, this inaugural festival of beer and music will bring out the spice in life, with a side of BAM!
Wiseacre Brewing Company, October 21
Cooper-Young Beerfest
Hoppy times are in store at this festival bringing all your favorite regional breweries to town.
Midtown Autowerks, October 21
RiverArtsFest
And we’re rolling, rolling, rolling down the river. Big wheel keep on turning, the arts keep on burning — every year at the RiverArtsFest, where more than 150 artists from around the country gather in Memphis to exhibit and sell their latest works of art.
Downtown Memphis, October 21-22
Honey Music Festival
Honey, I shrunk my taste in music — if only there was a way to magnify my exposure to great music. Oh wait, there is! The second-ever Honey Music Festival, where attendees will enjoy a wide range of musical genres and styles. From classical compositions to contemporary jazz, there’s something for everyone, no matter how small their taste in music.
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center at the University of Memphis, October 22
Indie Memphis Film Festival
Let’s go to the movies. Let’s go see the stars at the Indie Memphis Film Festival, a six-day celebration of film — independent features, documentaries, and short films from all of the world.
Various locations, October 24-29
Dia de Los Muertos Parade and Festival
Dia de Los Muertos is — dare I say — deadicated to celebrating and honoring ancestors who lived before us. On this day, enjoy a parade beginning in Overton Square with floats and performers making their way to the plaza at the Brooks Museum, where you can enjoy art-making activities, face painting, music, costumed performers, dance performances, and more.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, October 28
Hambone Festival
Presented by artist and musician Stan Street, this music festival features a stellar lineup, a jam night, street parties, and Cruisin’ the Crossroads Car & Truck Show.
Hambone Art Gallery & the Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, MS, October 27-30
NOVEMBER
Mushroom Festival
There might not be mushroom in this paper to talk about this festival, but our hearts have mushroom for this three-day fungi extravaganza with music, food, art, forays, workshops, demonstrations, and more.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, November 3-5
Memphis Japan Festival
Enjoy a family-friendly, interactive, and hands-on experience of Japanese culture featuring food, entertainment, games, crafts, and more.
Memphis Botanic Garden, November 5
Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest
This festival will have you cheesing ear to ear as you sample grilled cheese after grilled cheese, made by local chefs, restaurants, natural-born cheese lovers, and maybe even you if you sign up to compete in the cook-off.
Hi Tone, November 5
Memphis Crafts & Drafts Festival: Holiday Market
Holiday … celebrate … if you can’t tell I have a certain Madonna song in my head, but it puts me in a good mood, almost as much as Memphis Crafts & Drafts, the best crafts market around. The day will be … it will be so nice.
Crosstown Concourse, November 11-12
M-Town Funk & Blues Fest
Won’t you take me to Funkytown? And by that I, of course, mean the M-Town Funk & Blues Fest, where Midnight Star, Original Lakeside, Larry Dodson and Band, and Bobby Rush will keep you moving, keep you grooving with some energy.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, November 25
DECEMBER
Holiday Spirits: A Christmas Cocktail Festival
Put the rum in pa-rum pa pum pum and the spirits back in Christmas because it’s the most wonderful time to say cheers with this festival of cocktails, music, and the big man in red.
The Kent, December 1
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Liberty, liberty, liberty — no, this isn’t an insurance commercial with an emu. This is THE Liberty Bowl, where football, parties, and more happen.
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, December 29
