Ethan Knight – Memphis Flyer

As I’ve said before, there’s nothing like a Memphis Flyer party.

Even when I worked for another newspaper and attended the Flyer’s Best of Memphis parties, I was blown away. So many people. So much fun. Cool bands. Cool people. Cool everything.

And the venues each year were, well, cool. My favorite Best of Memphis or “BOM” party was held on the roof of the parking garage of what is now Crosstown Concourse. I also loved the one in the old Imperial Lanes bowling alley on Summer Avenue. And the one at the FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms next to where Coastal Fish Company is now located was the BOMb.

I gathered new memories at this year’s Best of Memphis party, which was held September 28th at The Ravine.

Best of Memphis 2022 at The Ravine (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Noah Stewart and Carl Bledsoe at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Briana Silvo, Wallis Ashley, Erica Manshack, Anna Fortner, Tyler Holley, Jacqueline and Jake Holley at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Ken Neill and Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Connor Ryan at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Jarvis Greer at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

For those who don’t know about The Ravine, I wrote about it after covering Loving Local, a Project Green Fork event, last June. That was the first event held at The Ravine, which is behind Memphis Made Brewing Company.

Ethan Knight, vice-president of development for Development Services Group, the lead master developer for a number of efforts in The Edge District, including The Ravine, filled me in for that story.

Knight described it as “a community gathering point, a public plaza, a park, and, ultimately, it creates a natural gathering point for The Edge District.”

Henry Turley, Anthony D. Lee, and Pinkney Herbert at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Erika and Terrence Cain at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Eric Bourgeois and Hannah Herring at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Geoff Calkins and Myra and Vincent Housley at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Nick Lumpkin at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Alex Turley at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Anna Campbell and Zach Sloyan at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Dawson Colby, Michael Donahue, and Kaylee Buscher at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

He told me The Ravine was an old railway, which used to be the end of the old Norfolk Southern Railway. “There was a railroad station north of Madison back before Danny Thomas (Boulevard),” Knight said in the interview. “Tracks ran along The Ravine and underneath Monroe and Madison. In the ‘60s and ‘70s the train station went away and they put in Danny Thomas.”

The Best of Memphis’ Ravine party was held 20 feet below Madison Avenue. “You’re down in this bowl,” Knight says. “Down in this ravine. It’s a good bit cooler down there than up on Madison and Monroe.”

Well, the night of the BOM party, it was cool. Very cool. As in hip.

Robert and Kelsie Clayton of Cupcake Cutie, Etc. at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Megan Biggs, Jennifer Biggs, and Geoff Calkins at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Nick Patterson of Smoke and Ice at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Amy LaVere and Will Sexton at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Elliott Ives and Monica Patrick at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Kaylei and Kendall Robertson and Sandy Robertson at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Joe Mauck, Marcus Grandberry, Paula Raiford, Rebecca and David Graham, Lisa Street, and Brandi Rish at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

David and Regina Kam at the Best of Memphis party (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Food trucks, live music, and tons of people, including Memphis celebs, were on hand to party from late afternoon until it got dark. People would have stayed much longer, but the party was over at 8 p.m. on the dot. That’s when food trucks closed down. And, if you were lucky like I was, you got one of the last cupcakes from Cupcake Cutie, Etc.

About 1,000 guests attended. Entertainment was provided by Mighty Souls Brass Band, Blvck Hippie, and DJ Zetta. Alongside Cupcake Cutie Etc., food was provided by El Mero Taco, The Genre, Da Guilty Vegan, and Smoke and Ice.