Strap on your fanny packs, lace up your sneakers, smear on that sunscreen, and brace yourself for another banger festival season with our guide to Memphis’ favorite festivities.
APRIL
The Mid-South Poets and Writers Festival
Spoken Memphis hosts its first Mid-South Poets and Writers Festival, celebrating local literary artists and their written arts. The day will include a Headshots and Books Brunch, a youth talent show, an erotic poetry and burlesque show, and a battle between rappers and poets.
Timeless Event Center, April 8
Italian Film Festival
Luci, camera, azione! Whether or not you speak Italian, you’ll delight in the critically acclaimed Italian films this film festival has to offer (all for free). Attendees will enjoy the local premieres of The Champion, The Invisible Witness, and Never Too Late For Love. English subtitles will accompany each film.
University Center Theatre, University of Memphis, April 11, 14, & 20
Art in the Loop
Are you in the loop about this art festival in East Memphis? I’ll give you the 411: Talented artists working in metal, glass, wood, clay, fiber, jewelry, painting, photography, basically anything you can think of, are coming together for an artists’ market.
Ridgeway Loop Road, April 14-16
Storyfest
Once upon a time in the not-so-far-away Halloran Centre, real Memphians shared their real stories in an effort to build community. That time has come once again with this Storyfest that features live performances, engagement activities, and community reflections.
Halloran Centre, April 14-15
Cooper-Young Porchfest
Rascal Flatts once sang of sitting on the front porch, drinking ice-cold cherry Coke, and now the front porches in Cooper-Young are for more than a refreshing refreshment. At this unique music festival, they’re stages for free intimate concerts with local bands playing throughout the day.
Cooper-Young Historic District, April 15
Juke Joint Festival
This festival has 100+ blues performances plus real-deal juke joints, monkeys riding dogs, racing pigs, arts and crafts, music workshops, children’s events, Southern food, and much more.
Clarksdale, MS, April 15
Shelby Forest Spring Fest
Go wild with live music, food, arts and crafts vendors, wildlife and cultural exhibits, and a cornhole tourney at this fest.
Meeman Shelby Forest, April 15
Taste the Rarity
A hundred bottles of beer on the wall, a hundred bottles of beer, take one down, pass it around, and you’ve still got four hours of unlimited drinking at this festival, bringing the best and weirdest brews from all over the country.
Wiseacre Brewing Company, April 15
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival
Bob it, eat it, race it — the “it,” here, is of course the crawfish at this festival raising money for Porter-Leath. The day will also include live music, arts and crafts vendors, and a kids zone.
Riverside Drive, April 16
Africa in April
Africa in April will salute the Republic of Rwanda for its 36th annual festival, filled with live performances, food and merchandise vendors, and the International Diversity Parade.
Robert R. Church Park, April 19-23
Shell Daze
You’ll be dazed but not confused by this lineup of musical acts, with Southern Avenue, Neal Francis, Paul Thorn, Trampled by Turtles, Leftover Salmon, and Bailey Bigger.
Overton Park Shell, April 21-22
Brewfest
Enjoy all the beer you could ever want from local and regional breweries, plus a concert by the Amber McCain Band.
Mississippi Ale House, Olive Branch, MS, April 22
Delta Roots Music Festival
This festival boasts live music by a variety of artists, plus arts and crafts, food; a kids area; raffles; a harmonica workshop; a Greens, Beans & Cornbread Contest; and a Backyard Grillin’ Contest.
Downtown Helena, AR, April 22
Hopped Beer Festival
Hoppy times are ahead as this fest returns, with limited-run hoppy ales, live music, food trucks, and games from Board to Beers.
Memphis Made Brewing, April 22
Overton Square Crawfish Festival
It ain’t gonna suck, so you best go cray at the Overton Square Crawfish Festival where there will be crawfish galore.
Overton Square, April 22
Shop Black Fest
Shop from Black-owned small businesses and enjoy empowering workshops, training, and networking opportunities.
Riverside Dr., April 22
Vintage 901 Wine, Food, and Music Festival
Food, wine, and music — what more could you ask for?
Arrow Creative, April 22
Black Arts & Wine Festival
The inaugural Black Arts & Wine Festival will feature visual art by 20 local Black creatives. Attendees will sample wine and liquors from 20 Black-owned brands, and shop from Black-owned businesses.
Museum of Science & History, April 23
Memphis Mimosa Festival
The Mimosa Festival is back, with creatively crafted mimosas, food, music, and games.
Court Square Park, April 23
Double Decker Arts Festival
The Double Decker Arts Festival boasts 100+ art and 20+ local food vendors, an impressive slew of musical performances, art demonstrations, and more.
Oxford Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS, April 28-29
Blues for the Blue Crawfish & Blues Festival
Support the Southaven Police Department and feast on all-you-can-eat crawfish while enjoying live music, drinks, and more, including a Touch-A-Truck event, where kids can touch, climb, and explore emergency vehicles.
Silo Square, Southaven, MS, April 29
Bookstock: Memphis Area Authors’ Festival
If you’re overdue for a treat-your-shelf kind of day, you have to check out Bookstock, where you can meet 60+ local authors and enjoy cultural performances, live music, a virtual reality empathy lab, and more.
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, April 29
Spring Faire/Memphis Children’s Theatre Festival
Let me set the scene for you: a free event, 30 artists’ and artisans’ booths, food trucks, performances, and a simultaneous children’s festival with youth-focused performances and activities.
Theatre Memphis, April 29
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes/FIT Fest
Families in Transition, which supports those impacted by violence and abuse, will host its third annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes to raise awareness for and speak out against violence against women. Following the walk, families can enjoy inflatables and games for children, food trucks, vendors, a cornhole tournament, and live entertainment.
Tilden Rodgers Park, West Memphis, AR, April 29
MAY
Memphis in May International Festival
For the month of May, this festival salutes Malaysia with cultural events and performances, educational experiences, museum and gallery exhibits, films, and more.
Various locations, May 1-31
Beale Street Musical Festival
Let’s groove tonight, share the spice of life, baby, slice it right — oh, pardon me, I’m getting carried away with Earth, Wind & Fire lyrics. But I can’t help it! I’m just too excited that they’re coming to Memphis! Also, some other people, like The Lumineers, Hardy, GloRilla, Yola, Cedric Burnside, and more.
Tom Lee Park, May 5-7
Collierville Fair on the Square
This family-friendly festival has something for everyone — from vendor booths to great food to puppet shows.
Collierville Historic Town Square, May 6-7
Made in Memphis Summer Series at Saddle Creek
Shop local businesses, makers, and artists, and enjoy live music, drinks, and food.
Saddle Creek South, May 6, June 3, July 1, & August 5
Memphis Public Libraries Comic Con
The inaugural and free Memphis Libraries Comic Con will feature legendary comic creators, plus artists and vendors selling their wares, cosplay contests, a trivia contest, crafts, and comics.
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, May 6
Memphis Fashion Week
The devil wears Prada, but no Prada-wearing devils will be walking the Memphis Fashion Week runway (so chill your satanic panic) — it’ll just be some gorgeous mortals wearing awesome and cool local emerging designers. Regardless, the event promises to be a devilishly good time.
Arrow Creative, May 12-13
Memphis Greek Festival
Call me the dad from My Big Fat Greek Wedding because if you give me a word, any word, I’ll show you that the root of that word is Greek. Take the word Memphis. You see, Memphis comes from the ancient Greek word for the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis — cue your amazement at this wild connection between Memphis and Greece. Of course, there’s also the Memphis Greek Festival, with scrumptious Greek food, tours of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, live music, artisan booths, and activities for kids.
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, May 12-13
World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
I don’t eat meat, so don’t take my word for it when I say that this contest is the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest.” USA Today made this bold statement and apparently they hold more clout than I ever will. For four days, the best of the best barbecue buffs will compete in such categories as Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.”
Tom Lee Park, May 17-20
Bluff City Fair
You know what doesn’t sound like a great time? Majestic thrill shows, rides galore, fair food, and an all-day petting zoo. Okay, fine, call my bluff — that sounds like a heck of a great time.
Liberty Bowl Stadium, May 19-29
Cooper-Young Garden Walk
With over 80 green businesses and urban gardens to tour, mini talks and demos to attend, vendors and artists to meet, and educational booths to visit, you’ll have the best day ever.
Cooper-Young Historic District, May 20-21
JUNE
Memphis Italian Festival
On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed. It rolled off the table and onto the floor, and then my poor meatball rolled all the way to Marquette Park for the Memphis Italian Festival. The event boasts Memphis’ favorite Spaghetti Gravy Contest and other food-related competitions, live music, games, vendors, activities, and tons and tons of great food.
Marquette Park, June 1-3
Memphis Pride Fest Weekend
Spanning four days, the celebration includes a Drag N Drive, complete with a movie screening and drag show, a dance party, a brunch crawl, and the signature parade and festival with two stages, over 150 vendors, food trucks, and much more.
Various locations, June 1-4
Memphis Margarita Festival
Will you find yourself wasted away again in Margaritaville, searching for your lost shaker of salt? Or will you find yourself at the Memphis Margarita Festival? The choice is yours, but you’ll get 12 margarita samples from your favorite restaurants at this fest and you can’t say the same for Margaritaville.
Overton Square, June 3
Tupelo Elvis Festival
Save the date for the celebration honoring the King and the impact his music has carried for decades.
Tupelo, MS, June 7-11
Memphis Crafts & Drafts
Shopping is exercise. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill the summertime fun. So if you don’t want summertime fun to be smothered by rising temperatures, you’ll want to head over to this summer market of local makers and artists.
Crosstown Concourse, June 10
Tri-State Black Pride
With this year’s theme of “The Time Is Now,” Tri-State Black Pride presents four days of fun, education, and community, with workshops, lectures, a drag show, and a music festival to cap off the weekend with performances by national and local artists.
Various locations, June 15-18
Memphis Juneteenth Festival
For the 30th Annual Memphis Juneteenth Festival, celebrating African-American culture, the two-day event will include food, music, and entertainment.
Health Sciences Park, June 17-18
Juneteenth Shop Black Festival
Shop Black businesses, food trucks, and food vendors.
The Fourth Bluff, June 17
Memphis Vegan Festival
Redefine what it means to veg out with all the vegging out you’ll do at the Memphis Vegan Festival, a full day of vegan food, live entertainment, and a marketplace.
The Fourth Bluff, June 18
Craft Food & Wine Festival
My favorite word in the English dictionary is borborygmus, a fancy word for when your tummy rumbles, which happens to be my least favorite bodily sensation. Ironic, isn’t it? Also ironic: I’m dealing with some borborygmus as I write this blurb about the Craft Food & Wine Festival, benefiting Church Health. I mean, the artisan breads, the cheeses, the fruit preserves, the popcorn — just oh my.
Columns at One Commerce Square, June 25
JULY
Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival
Heads or tails? No thanks, I’m not in the mood for games to decide my fate. I’ll tell you what I want: a cocktail. What kind? Well, at the Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival, the choice is easy: Sample them all (and enjoy the party with music, food, and dancing).
Shelby Farms Park Event Center, July 14
Fully Loaded Comedy Festival
Are you a “haha” texter or do you prefer an “lol”? Whatever your style, it doesn’t matter when it comes to this festival that will have you LOLing IRL with stand-up by Bert Kreischer, Big Jay Oakerson, Chad Daniels, Mark Normand, Ralph Barbosa, Rosebud Baker, and Tiffany Haddish.
AutoZone Park, July 8
AUGUST
Crown Me Royal Film Fest
This film festival boasts panels, workshops, and independent film screenings from BIPOC behind-the-scenes filmmakers and creatives from all media platforms.
Various locations, August 4-6
Elvis Week
Lord almighty, I feel my temperature rising, higher, higher — it’s burning through to my soul. And it’s not a hunk of burning love; it’s just the thought of the Memphis heat in August, burning, burning, burning. But August in Memphis means more than just heat; it means that Elvis Week is here, with highlights including a special screening of Elvis’ ’68 Comeback Special, the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, and the annual Candlelight Vigil.
Graceland, August 9-17
Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival
I’ve never really understood why we are always asking why the chicken crossed the road. The answer is obvious: It was headed to the Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival to mingle with fellow beer-drinkers and enjoy live entertainment, games, inflatables, and more.
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Field, August 12
SEPTEMBER
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 — way too much even to fit in this space as my word count runs out like sand in an hourglass and the days of our lives.
Agricenter International, September 1-10
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 at least I can count on the usual art, music, and crafts that make the fest a hallmark tradition to look forward to.
Cooper-Young Historic District, September 16
Mighty Roots Music Festival
Last year I opened this blurb with the lines: “Whatta fest, whatta fest, whatta mighty good fest.” And gosh, that tune has stayed in my head all the way till now as I introduce the festival’s third year. The lineup for the music fest will be announced June 12th.
Stovall Gin Company, Clarksdale, MS, September 22-24
Pink Palace Crafts Fair
The Pink Palace Crafts Fair celebrates 51 years. Explore the variety of artwork, and let the kiddos enjoy the attractions.
Audubon Park, September 22-24
Latin Fest
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at this festival, complete with Latin music, Latin food and drinks, crafts, vendors, and fun for all ages.
Overton Square, September 23
Mempho Music Festival
You know it, you love it, do you really need me to tell you more about it? Keep up with all things Mempho, including the lineup announcement, at their website and on their socials.
Radians Amphitheater, Memphis Botanic Garden, September 29-October 1