A new three-day music festival will head to Tom Lee Park in May, organized by the producers of the Mempho Music Festival.
Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) announced the news Friday afternoon. It came after Memphis in May announced Thursday it would pause its signature three-day music festival, Beale Street Music Festival, for 2024.
The new festival is a partnership between MRPP, Mempho, and a group called Forward Momentum. It is “a group of prominent Memphians focused on the betterment of our city and our music and tourism industries.” It claims its “mission is to ignite the power of live music, creating extraordinary experiences that resonate with the souls of music lovers.”
Carol Coletta, president and CEO of MRPP, said Forward Momentum was “a great fit for a signature music event in Memphis,” given its “successful track record and deep financial strength.”
“Music is in our blood, deeply connected to our Memphis community, and we aim to continue this rich legacy and history by introducing a feature destination event, with major acts and broad appeal, that will keep visitors coming back year after year,” said Jeff Bransford of Forward Momentum.
MRPP explained in a news release that Tom Lee Park is designed to host big music events as a park. The new, unnamed music festival will “dramatically reduce the number of days the park is closed to the public. The agreement states it will be closed no more than 13 days, which compares to the 36 days the park was closed this year.”
“Having Forward Momentum step up to claim that critical May weekend is more confirmation that our investment in Memphis’ riverfront has created a year-round attraction for tourists and locals alike,” said Memphis mayor-elect and Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Young.
Details of the event are expected to be announced soon.
