Justyn Ward, Larry King, Daverix Cleaves, Zykel Pirtle (Photos: Michael Donahue)
About 4,000 to 5,000 people attended this year’s Crafts & Drafts, which was held November 9th at Crosstown Concourse and hosted by the Memphis Flyer and Crosstown Arts.
Bob Fournier and Jack FournierMontie Doss and Erika MontesiConnor Trahan and Abigail MoriciAllison McCommonDylan HaskinsSage, Sheila, and Rogers SandersAlex Mariencheck, Kayleigh Mitchell, Katie and Judson BlackRobby Grant and Steve Selvidge
And, this year, the event was held completely inside, instead of half outside and half in.
“First time we’ve ever done it completely indoors because of the weather,” says event manager Molly Willmott. “It was a roaring success.”
Sara Moseley and Frank McLallenShayla Purifoy and Fish MogesMax McClusky, Rain Wright, and Olive StevensAnna Marie Cooper and Chad EvansAubre Patterson, Adelyn Barton, and Sophie LindleyDiana and Jody Stephens
About 85 curated artists, makers, and crafters took part in the event.
As for the drafts, Willmott says, “We partner with Eagle Distributing. They give us a list of the most interesting and creative beers on tap at this moment. They do this for each of these events.”
The brews include some local and some regional, Willmott says.
“The whole point of the event is to showcase the best local and Mid-South artists and makers and give them a venue to promote themselves and showcase their wares. And still stay true to the Memphis Flyer’s mission, which is to make Memphis a better place to live. Elevating and sharing people doing great things.”
I ran into Mathew Shutt and Andrew Shutt at Crafts & Drafts. Great look! (Credit: Kaycee Cabreros)
I would have liked some drafts — as in the “wind” kind — along with the art and beer at Crafts & Drafts. The weather was pretty sweltering at the event, which supports the Memphis Flyer and Crosstown Arts.
The temperature didn’t seem to bother the crowd at the event, which was held June 25th in and outside Crosstown Concourse. People toted shopping bags and brews, and chatted as they made their way through 95 booths.
Which was more booths than last year, says event producer Molly Willmott. “It’s back to pre-pandemic levels,” she says.
As for how many attended, Willmott says, “We did better than we did — beer sales wise — than we did July of last year. So, I’m going to say we were probably at 1,500 to 2,000 folks over the course of the day.”
She describes Crafts & Drafts as “an event that showcases local makers, crafters, and artists. We curate it and host it.”
I called the National Weather Service to see how hot it was in the Crosstown area around 3:30 p.m., which is about the time I noticed that the crowd seemed to be larger than when I arrived a couple of hours earlier. Meteorologist Samantha Brown told me it was 100 degrees at 3 p.m.
I had my truck air conditioner on full blast for about an hour on the way to Crafts & Drafts, so the chill stuck with me for a while after I arrived. I thought, “Well, this isn’t so bad.” I lost my cool after a while, but the weather was still tolerable, despite being so hot hot. I guess a lot of people felt the same way I did because they were all over the place — outside, inside, standing in line in front of food trucks.
Cold beer was available. And people took advantage of the water sprays in the fountain. Others bought hot food from TacoNGanas, but, hopefully, they ate it in the shade.
Jay Barksdale and Luna take a shade break at Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)Finn Acker and Kit Acker beat the heat at Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)Connor Kennedy and Jake Kennedy also beat the heat at Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)Jaidon Morrell, Dee Raby, and Qwaili Brown take advantage of the air conditioning inside Crosstown Concourse during Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)Hollie Owens, Storm Owens, and Lauren Carlson at Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
For those thinking about cooler December temps, Crafts & Drafts is a good place to stock up on holiday gifts.
I was intrigued by Jeffrey Farmer’s Rock Ya Sox booth. It looked like he had a zillion different designs of socks.
“Some of these are my designs,” Farmer told me later. “Some of these are already pre-made. I came up with the logo and idea.”
And, he says, “Overall, I think I have maybe 300 to 400 designs. I haven’t counted in a while.”
As for how many socks he personally designed, Farmer told me, “100, I want to say.”
During Crafts & Drafts, the nattily-dressed Farmer was wearing a style of socks called “Burgundy Illusion.” Thinking how hot it was during Crafts & Drafts, I asked Brown if he ever wears shoes without socks. “I never wear shoes without socks.”
Jeffrey Farmer of Rock Ya Socks at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Jeffrey Farmer at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Sock purchaser Trent Giddings and Lala Jones at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Dominick Barconia and Frank Lilly at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)
I cooled off with a stracciatella gelato from Hugh Balthrop at his Sweet Magnolia Gelato Co., which is a permanent fixture at Crosstown Concourse. Balthrop, who opened that location May 7th, says they did three times the business during the festival than normal. But his business, in general, is “going great.” “We’re almost selling out every day at Crosstown,” he says.
Hugh Balthrop serves up a stracciatella at Sweet Magnolia Gelato Co. during Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
And here’s a gelato scoop: Balthrop closed his location on the square May 1st in Oxford, Mississippi. But students at University of Mississippi at Oxford and the general public don’t have to worry about their sweet teeth suffering. “We’re going to be on the campus proper starting the first, second week in August.
They’ll have a “physical location’ at Weir Hall, Balthrop says. “And it’s right on the business row. So, back of that is where they put all the food trucks. We’ll actually be inside the building.”
His gelato also will be available at other campus spots. “They have these little convenience stores on campus. They have 10 locations. We’ll be inside those as well. They’re called ‘pods.’”
Balthrop’s gelato is also available at other locations in Memphis.
If you stayed away from Crafts & Drafts because it was too hot, there will be another Crafts & Drafts November 12th and 13th at Crosstown Concourse. Applications are now open for that one through August 1st at memphiscraftsanddrafts.com
DJ Zetta provided the tunes at Crafts & Drafts. (Credit: Michael Donahue)Madison Sago, Ronald Billingsley carrying Kairo Billingsley, and Daija Coffey at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Jonathan Smith — an obvious super Grizz fan — at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Angelica Rodgers and Chan Kim at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Madison Dayton and Connor McGowan at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Josh Cosby of Star & Micey at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Josh Cosby took a spin on his bike to Crosstown Concourse to check out Crafts & Drafts, the Memphis Flyer’s Fall gathering that features brews, arts and crafts, and food trucks.
The Star & Micey singer, who released a music video today (November 15th), was impressed with the event held Saturday, November 13th.
“First off, I just happened upon it,” Cosby says. “I didn’t know what was planned. And I was blown away by the artists, all the people with their crafts. They had so much amazing stuff. I wanted to spend a lot of money there, but I don’t have any. I’m an artist. I’m broke, too.
“And I loved the beer. It was amazing. You get a little buzz. You loosen up. It was good to run into a lot of people from the community that I knew there. A lot of folks from the scene were around there, which is nice.”
Cosby released his music video for his solo project.
“It’s called ‘Black Bettie.’ It was filmed in a 100-year-old church building. On the fourth floor. With asbestos and lead peeling off the wall. In Memphis.
“‘Black Bettie’ is named after my 17-year-old dog that passed away. It’s just an outlet for me to release songs that are kind of from my heart that you can’t fit into the band. Star & Micey is a little more upbeat. Friends and family. These are songs straight from my heart that might be kind of sad. It’s an outlet for me to let go of personal stuff.”
Star & Micey is still around, but, Cosby says, “We don’t do much because we’re all so old and it’s hard for us to get together.”
He released his EP solo project, Black Bettie, last year. “Lately, I’ve just been doing singles. And I’ll put a video to the single. This is the second single in a series.”
Kristen Fisher, Shea Kissell, Amie Eoff, Ryan Azada ,and Maria Applegate at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Ali and Aliyana Muhammad with Delilah at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)The Keith and Meredith Clinton family at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Samuel X. Cicci and Bruce VanWyngarden at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Matt Badalucco and DaMon Smith at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue) Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Justin Tilley and October Summerfield at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Derek Hardaway, Tyrell Bradley, and Ivy Hardaway at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Mary Moss VanWyngarden at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)We Saw You
Kquiana Daniel serves fried green tomatoes and burrata at a pre-opening party for Paramount. (Credit: MIchael Donahue)
People who made Paramount possible — as in everything from doing the woodwork to installing heating and air — got a sneak peek at the restaurant/bar on July 23rd. The next night was a get-together for friends and family.
Paramount, which was used in the Bluff City Law TV series, is slated to open August 3rd at 265 South Front.
Tony Gooch and Melvin and TIna James at Parmount’s pre-opening party (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Guests dined on some of the restaurant’s fare and drank specialty cocktails, including the “Tom Donahue,” which, I’m proud to say, was named for my dad, who was branch manager for Paramount Pictures. One of his offices was in the building that now houses Paramount. Samantha Pilcher created the drink, which is composed of bourbon, allspice dram, lime, sugar, and Angostura. She and Tony Smith created all the drinks, which include the Memphis Manhattan, Blood Orange Cosmo, and Meadow Mule.
The “Tom Donahue” at Paramount (Credit: Michael Donahue)Tony Smith and Samantha Pilcher at Paramount (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Food served at the parties included fried green tomato with burrata; a caramelized onion bisque, and sea-salt-honey, Parker house rolls.
Asked what type place he wants Paramount to be, chef/owner Dirk Meitzler says, “I want it to have a Memphis feel to it. Especially with a lot of hotel guests coming into town staying next door.”
In two words: “Southern hospitality.”
Paramount’s chef/owner Dirk Meitzler (Credit: MIchael Donahue)Mac Coulter, Logan Lutrell, Austin Russell, and Houston Carson at the July 23rd Paramount opening party. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
LAS VEGAS POOL PARTY
The Phoenix Club hosted the Las Vegas Pool Party (Credit: MIchael Donahue)
Someone recently asked on Facebook if adults go to pool parties. Or something like that.
Well, they do, based on the Phoenix Club’s Las Vegas Pool Party, held July 23rd at the University Club of Memphis. Not everybody, but some guests suited up and got in the club’s swimming pool.
For $60, guests could drink beer, wine and a specialty cocktail: The Phoenix Sunrise. It was equal parts orange juice, pineapple juice, with a splash of grapefruit juice, with shots of vodka and rum.
For $150, they could partake of the ice luge, drink champagne and, as the invitation states, “top shelf liquor,” and mingle in the VIP section in the gazebo.
All proceeds went to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Memphis.
“It was our first pool party in four years,” says Elliott Stovall, head of membership for The Phoenix Club. “I think it went well. We ended up raising about $3,000 for the Boys and Girls Club.”
Their next event will be held on New Year’s Eve. “We’re combining our Fight Night, which usually was the end of August or middle of August, with New Year’s Eve.”
They’re planning to have a “deejay in the first part while the fights are going on and have a big band in the second part of it. Almost like two parties in one.”
As of now, they’re planning it to be “a black tie affair,” Stovall says. Location is still to be determined, but people can get more information at phoenixclub.org.
Alejandro Becker, Carson Smith, Preston Roberts, and Hannah Miller at the Las Vegas Pool Party (Credit: MIchael Donahue)Pratt Rogers, Will Wills, and Hurston Reed at the Las Vegas Pool Party (Credit: MIchael Donahue)Las Vegas Pool Party (Credit: Michael Donahue)Las Vegas Pool Party (Credit: Michael Donahue)
3 p.m. ACHI HOUSE
Kennedee Cross, Caleb McAdams, Louie Gettings, and Shalom Gettings at the June 10th Achi House show. (Credit: MIchael Donahue)
Well, I made it to one Achi (pronounced ‘AH-chee’ House) concert. Louie Gettings, 20, who hosted the outdoor concerts at his home, is moving to Chattanooga in August.
I’m glad I was there. It was a packed yard at Gettings’s house. People gathered around the stage to watch Avon Park while I was there taking photos.
Achi House (Credit: MIchael Donahue)Achi House (Credit: MIchael Donahue)
I didn’t know much of the history, though.
Gettings told me he held between six and eight shows, which concluded with the one July 10th.
“Achi” is “a Hebrew term, which means ‘bro’ or ‘brother,’” Gettings says. “When you say it along with ‘shalom,’ which means ‘peace,’ it’s ‘Peace, brother.’ I think it just sounds cool. It’s something people probably haven’t heard before and it makes us stand out.”
Achi House, which is in the University of Memphis area, is “sort of my house, but it’s more the environment and the music scene I’ve built. I’m going to Chattanooga and do shows up there, but I’ll still call it ‘Achi.’ It’s become more than the house itself.”
Gettings featured about 17 local and out-of-town bands during his series of Memphis shows. “I really like all kinds of music and hosting all kinds of bands. The biggest thing I look for are genuineness, artists who truly love their art and love to perform. Love performing and creating music and creating art that holds more value than just plain old entertainment. Bringing real connections to people with their music and the interactions we have between sets and after shows when people stay and talk. Those are the moments I live for.
“And then the sort of scene and culture and environment I tried to create with Achi is one where the majority of people coming are also there for the art and the experience of live music. And not there simply just to party or use substances, which, again, I think substances are fine if that’s what people want to do and more power to them. But I really want people to enjoy the music and experience what good music and good art is like, and meet genuine and good people.”
Achi House (Credit: MIchael Donahue)Achi House (Credit: MIchael Donahue)Achi House (Credit: Michael Donahue)
I asked Gettings, who, obviously, has loads of friends, why he was moving to Chattanooga. “I’m ready for a fresh start and new experience in life. I love Memphis and I love the people here, but I’m at a good spot in life where I have the freedom and ability to move. See where life takes me. I’m sure I’ll be back in Memphis, but I want to grow Achi even more. Touch more people through Achi as kind of a movement.”
But never fear; Achi shows in Memphis will continue. “I plan at some point to host shows in Memphis again remotely. Like plan them and organize them remotely from Chattanooga and come in town for the show.”
CRAFTS & DRAFTS
Will Sexton and Amy Lavere were among the guests at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Memphis Flyer’s Crafts & Drafts, held July 10th on the Plaza at Crosstown Concourse, was a hit.
About 3,000 guests attended the event, which included local and regional craft beers curated by Cash Saver.
Also, a total of 38 artists, makers, and crafters took part.
Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue)Crafts & Drafts (Credit: MIchael Donahue)
And if you missed it, or you just want to re-live the experience, the Crafts & Drafts Holiday Market will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 13th and 14th.
Major and Dacron Currie at Crafts & Drafts (Credit: Michael Donahue) We Saw You
• A few years back, my niece had some time after whipping up a batch of Spam Musubi for a family gathering, so she crocheted everybody a hat. I about fell over because I have always wanted to be CRAFTSY. Always.
It’s not meant to be, alas, but I find some comfort in the Funlolas and babycreeps of the world and the upcoming Crafts & Drafts.
Y’all know the drill: tons of local crafts (think soaps and jewelry and ceramics and food stuffs and stuff you never knew you needed) paired with local beer. A perfect match to be sure.
* The Best Memphis Burger Fest is set to return October 7th, and this year will include a burger-bobbing contest. We have no idea what that is, but it sounds like good, messy fun. Star & Micey are set to perform.
UPDATE ON BURGER BOBBING: From a Burger Fest rep: “It’s sort of like bobbing for apples – but in place of apples are inflatable burgers and instead of water, the burgers are submerged in ketchup.”
• A new location of French Truck opened in the Crosstown Concourse a few weeks back, and now it’s got its breakfast and toast menu up and running, served until 2 p.m. seven days a week.
Featured on the menu is a waffle sandwich with egg, prosciutto, and goat cheese; a sweet quinoa bowl with strawberries, ricotta, and candied hazelnuts; avocado toast; and the B.N.B. toast with bacon, Nutella, and basil.
French Truck in Crosstown is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• I’m pretty much an iced coffee freak, and one of the best I’ve ever had is the Thai Iced Coffee at the newly open Edge Alley.
The Thai iced coffee has both condensed milk and coconut milk, so this may have to be a special treat for me. Also indulgent is the biscuit-centered menu.
The biscuit was dense hearty thing, but oh-so-flaky and stuffed to perfection with egg, avocado, and cheese.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
* You know what is opened? Margaritas on Second across from the Peabody in the old Kooky Canuck space.
One word to sum it all up: colorful.
•Some new folks are in charge of the Dixon’s Park + Cherry. Kristi and Kevin Bush of CFY Catering have taken over the spot from Acre’s Wally Joe and Andrew Adams.
Justin Fox Burks
The Prosciutto and peach sandwich served on a croissant sounds dang good, as does the veggie sandwich with lemon hummus. Park + Cherry also a good selection of coffee drinks and I heard tale of a cookie-dough stuffed cookie sandwich.
• The first Crafts & Drafts is this Saturday, November 14th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., in the parking lot behind Crosstown Arts.
It is what it sounds like: lots of crafts (some 40 participating artists) and tons of beer, including Goldcrest 51, Memphis Made Fireside Amber and Hundo IPA, High Cotton ESB and Chocolate Rye Porter, and more.
Be there.
• Something for those with an opinion about everything: Memphis in May is holding a barbecue judging seminar on Saturday, November 14th. Topics include the judging process and rules, official meat categories, the scoring process, and blind, on-site, and final judging.
Participants will be qualified to judge at Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest after the seminar. Cost is $85.
Today (November 9th) is the last day to register. Go here.
• Napa Cafe is once again hosting its annual Heart Full of Soul dinners benefiting the Stax Music Academy, Sunday, November 15th and Monday, November 16th, 5:30 p.m.
Each of the six courses is paired with a song from the Stax catalogue and a special wine from Sleight of Hand Cellars. There will be silent auction, and many notable Stax figures will be on hand.
On the menu is open face pulled pork ravioli, grilled lamb loin, and braised short rib. Guests receive a souvenir menu/album with a vinyl 45 RPM recorded by Stax Music Academy.
The dinner is $200. For reservations or more information, call Napa Cafe: 901 683-0441 or Tim Sampson; 901 485-8735, tim.sampson@soulsvillefoundation.org.
Justin Fox Burks 