WLOK Black Film Fest
Various Locations
Thursday-Sunday, September 19-22
Celebrate Black artists in the film industry with WLOK. With an array of films that focus on historical history relevant to the Black community, this festival promises to be entertaining and culturally enriching. The schedule is as follows:
- Bob Marley Evening: Featuring the movie industry work of the late Bob Marley, the evening will be complemented with a variety of food samples including Jamaican cuisine native to Marley’s home country. | Museum of Science & History, Thursday, September 19, 6 p.m., $10
- Respect: Starring Jennifer Hudson, the film features the life of Aretha Franklin. Free popcorn and sodas between 6 and 6:45 p.m., plus entertainment. | Crosstown Theater, Friday, September 20, 6 p.m., $5
- The Bucket List: Starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, the star-studded movie follows the story of two men sharing the same hospital room. They want to come to terms with who they are and what they have done in their lives and a desire to complete a list of things they want to see and do before they die. | Malco Studio on the Square, Saturday, September 21, 7 p.m., $5
- The Great Debaters: Starring Denzel Washington, this film features the real-life story of professor Melvin Tolson who coached the HBCU Wiley College debate team to a nearly undefeated season that pioneered interracial college debates between students from white and Black colleges during the Jim Crow era in the segregated South. | Malco Studio on the Square, Sunday, September 22, 7 p.m., $5
Cxffeeblack’s Barista Exchange Fellows’ Bar Takeover
TalkShop at Caption by Hyatt
Friday, September 20, 3-5 p.m.
Fall means Gilmore Girls season, and Gilmore Girls season means thoughts of coffee, coffee, coffee. Bring those thoughts of coffee out of the noggin and into the real-world as you sample coffee brews from across the African diaspora at Cxffeeblacks’ Barista Exchange Fellows’ Bar Takeover. During this event, engage with the baristas from all over Africa at Talk Shop as they share insights into the unique rituals and techniques that define their nation’s coffee scene, from Ethiopia and Rwanda to Kenya and Congo. RSVP here.
Memphis Greek Festival
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
Friday-Saturday, September 20-21, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
The Memphis Greek Festival celebrates its 65th anniversary. Cue the exclamations of “It’s all Greek to me!” and “Opa!” As always, you can expect delicious Greek food and pastries from spanakopitakia to baklava, and there’s a drive-through option. Georgio and the Fabulous Grecian Keys will be playing every day, and the Athenian Dance Troupe will perform on Saturday. On Friday, festival-goers can take a free Greek dancing lesson at 5:30 p.m. Both days, attendees can tour the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and view the University of Mississippi Greek Exhibit. Children can enjoy inflatables and games. Admission is $3 or three cans of food to donate to the Mid-South Food Bank. Gates close at 7 p.m.
Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival
FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park
Friday, September 20, 6-9 p.m.
Bacon, good. Bourbon, good. Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival, good. At our annual Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival, we’ll have creative bacon-inspired dishes of all kinds from some great Memphis restaurants, also a vast array of distilled spirits to tempt your tastebuds, also also music and all sorts of merriment and party activities. Also also also, a portion of all proceeds will go to the Memphis Farmers Market. General admission is $50.
Inaugural Memphis Pizza Festival
Agricenter International
Saturday, September 21, noon-6 p.m.
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby, but don’t you dare take another little piece of my pizza, especially at the Inaugural Memphis Pizza Festival. The first-ever Memphis Pizza Festival invites attendees to indulge in unlimited samples of pizza from more than 20 of Memphis’ pizzerias, like Broadway Pizza, Grisanti’s on Main, Hi Tone, Memphis Chess Club, Rock’N Dough, and Slim & Husky’s, just to name a few. The day will be complete with contests, judged by experts and the people, and panel discussions, including “Mid-South Italians & How Pizza Came to Memphis” and “Knead to Know: The Do’s & Don’ts to Artisan Bread Making.” Festival-goers will enjoy live music, fun games, and activities throughout the day. Proceeds will support the Mid-South Food Bank and Everbloom Farmacy. Tickets are $55 for general admission; tickets for kids (12-17) are $25. More info here.
Latin Fest
Overton Square
Saturday, September 21, noon-6 p.m.
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.
One Pint at a Time
Museum of Science & History
Saturday, September 21, 3-5 p.m.
One Pint at a Time is a documentary about the craft beer industry. Black-owned breweries make up less than one percent of the nearly 9,000 breweries in operation. Eager to shift the historical perception of who makes and drinks beer, Black brewers, brand owners, and influencers across the country are reshaping the craft beer industry and the future of America’s favorite adult beverage. Following the documentary, panelists will take the stage for a conversation featuring local African-American entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry. Panelists include Toney Booker, Vior Water brand ambassador; Kelvin Kolheim, Beale Street Brewing curator; and Ralf Golden, Disbelef Tequila co-CEO. Tickets are $12.75.
Book Signing and Discussion: Estrus Records (Pre-Gonerfest party)
Memphis Listening Lab
Wednesday, September 25, 6-8 p.m.
Estrus Records’ Chris Alpert Coyle and Scott Seguichi are bringing their book Shovelin’ The Sh*t Since ’87 (hehe) to Memphis Listening Lab for a pre-Goner Fest kick-off party. There will be a special guest panel discussion featuring Jack Oblivian, John Stivers, and Fink. Scott Bomar will be spinning records before the event. Free to attend.
There’s always something happening in Memphis. See a full calendar of events here.
Submit events here or by emailing calendar@memphisflyer.com.
