Tag: We Saw You

We Saw You: WinterArts

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date December 11, 2024

Steve and Lisa Mergen, Tony Thomas, and Susie Jabbour (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Even before all the turkey is gone, WinterArts is back in action, getting people in the arts-centric holiday-buying mood.

**Alex Russell, Diana, Donna, and Bill Hopper**

Greg Belz, executive director of the ArtWorks Foundation and founder of WinterArts, kicks off the annual event with an opening reception the Friday after Thanksgiving. “We do it at 5,” Belz says. “After everybody looking for plastic bargains from China has gone back home and vacated the streets, we open up.”

**Adam Cole, John Stanford, Debi Stanford, and**
**Hannah Cole**

This year’s WinterArts is at 7509 Poplar Avenue, in the old Brooks Brothers location in The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown, Tennessee.

About 400 attended the reception for WinterArts, which is celebrating its 16th year, Belz says.

**Sarah, Cecil, London, Brandon, Sophia, and**
**Brandon Little**

It includes “everything one can think of in glass, metal, wood, clay, and fiber as well as a few other surprises,” he says. “We focus on 3D work in those disciplines.”

In short, WinterArts brings together “material and imagination” to create incredible gifts that “you won’t see anywhere else.”

WinterArts is open seven days a week through Christmas Eve.

Tags Artworks Foundation, Greg Belz, We Saw You, WinterArts

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WE SAW YOU: Orpheum Soirée

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date November 27, 2024

Tonya Dyson and Chef Eli (Photos: Michael Donahue)

“Soirée” is French for “evening party,” so the “Orpheum Soirée” was a perfect name for the event held on November 15th at the Orpheum Theatre.

And to make it more perfect, the theme of the event was the Moulin Rouge, in a nod to the musical of the same name that recently played the Orpheum.

**Brandon Arrindell, Ebony Arrindell,**
**Dr. Robin Hobbs-Carter, Patrick “Trey” Carter, and Jonathan White**

“This sold-out event, inspired by the legendary Moulin Rouge dance hall in Paris, transformed the entire theater and transported our guests to Paris for the evening,” says Tracy Trotter, Orpheum Theatre Group’s vice president of development.

More than 800 people attended the event, which included 12 live auction items and hundreds of items in the online auction.

The event, originally known as “The Orpheum Auction,” began in 1980. The name changed to “Soirée in the Spotlight” in 2017. In 2018, it was rebranded to “The Orpheum Soirée.”

“Tickets, sponsorships, and donations help power the Orpheum’s education and community engagement programs to provide unmatched arts access and top-tier education opportunities for Memphis and communities across the Mid-South,” Trotter says.

Tags Orpheum Soirée, Orpheum Theatre, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Crafts & Drafts

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date November 20, 2024

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.

**Sage, Sheila, and**
**Rogers Sanders**

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.”

**Max McClusky, Rain Wright, and Olive Stevens**

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.”

Tags Crafts & Drafts, Crosstown Arts, Crosstown Concourse, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: 901 Hot Wing Festival

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date November 13, 2024

Stewart Guenther recently had people in tears. And it wasn’t because of a funny joke he told.

**Ashton Catlett and**
**Harper Timmerman**

Guenther, who participated in the 901 Hot Wing Festival, let people try the wings he cooked using a wing sauce made from the Carolina Reaper pepper. That pepper, one of the hottest in the world, is only surpassed, according to a Google search, by one known as Pepper X.

Guenther’s team, Whiskey & Swine, was among the 15 teams participating in the event, which was held November 2nd at Grind City Brewing Company. “We mostly compete in barbecue contests, in which chicken is one of the categories,” he says. “We do chicken, but it’s always chicken thighs. We’ve never turned in wings for competition except at this event.”

Grind City owner Hopper Seely created a new brew — Cranberry Beret —for the occasion. “It’s a cranberry seltzer, but it uses real cranberry juice,” Seely says.

Cranberry Beret is available in the tap room, he adds.

Tags 901 Hot Wing Festival, Grind City Brewing Company, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Mempho Music Festival

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date October 16, 2024

Chris McCoy and Laura Jean Hocking (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Will Crislip, 24, was impressed with this year’s Mempho Music Festival, which was held October 4th, 5th, and 6th at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

**Will Nichols, Kassidy Jane, and Austin Miller**

“I would say it was the best organized festival I’ve been to in Memphis in terms of space and food and everything,” he says. “A lot of space for everybody.”

He liked the variety of music, too. And he got to hear Jack White for the first time. “Jack White was my favorite. I never listened to his music before and it was awesome.”

Ticket sales to the seventh Mempho Music Festival exceeded 20,000 according to a news release, which states, “Set against the backdrop of Radians Amphitheater within the picturesque Memphis Botanic Garden, festival-goers immersed themselves in three unforgettable days of music and celebration, further cementing Mempho’s status as a cornerstone of the live music community.”

The event showcased “an unrivaled lineup of musical entertainment, rich culinary endeavors, and a celebration of the vibrant community.”

Tags Memphis Botanic Garden, Mempho Music Festival, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Zoo Rendezvous

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date October 2, 2024
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Patrick Morris, Kimberly Morris, Brenda Morris, and Herman Morris (Photos: Michael Donahue)

People still wore animal print outfits to the Zoo Rendezvous, but pink definitely was the color of choice at the Memphis Zoo fundraiser.

“Barbie” was the theme of this year’s event, which was held September 7th and drew more than 3,000 people.

**Maddie Caldwell and**
**Andrew Geraci**

People were invited “to dress as their own Barbie,” says Erica Kelsey, Memphis Zoo special events and corporate sponsorship manager. They were encouraged to express themselves “in Barbie form.”

The event featured 50 restaurants, 15 food trucks, 17 specialty bars, and five full bars.

Paula & Raiford’s Disco was a new addition. The downtown hotspot replaced Blind Bear, which had been a staple at the event until it recently closed. When thinking of what would be a good replacement for Blind Bear, Kelsey thought, “The party is at Raiford’s.”

“It was a great addition to the Zoo Rendezvous this year,” Kelsey says. She says owner Paula Raiford told her, “I’m locked in for years to come.”

What makes the Zoo Rendezvous so special? “I think Memphians have a special love in their heart for the zoo. Everyone wants to support the zoo in some capacity.”

Tags Memphis Zoo, We Saw You, Zoo Rendezvous

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WE SAW YOU: The End of the World Party at Black Lodge

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date September 4, 2024
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Ellington Thomas, Ariel Thomas, Ilya Green, and Thelonious Thomas (Photos: Michael Donahue)

It was called “The End of the World Party,” but the closing night soirée for Black Lodge at its 405 North Cleveland Street address, which was held August 24th, wasn’t the end of the line, says Matt Martin, Black Lodge creator and co-owner.

He’s “working to open another location,” Martin says. He’s already looking at a couple of places.

The movie collection and the screenings will definitely move, but he’s not sure of the “club nights,” Martin says. And 901 Wrestling will move to another location.

About 1,000 people attended the party, which began at 7 p.m. and ended at 6 a.m. “Black Lodge has always been Memphis’ underground cultural crossroads for artists, musicians, movie makers, taste makers, lovers of night life,” he says. “It’s always been that. Even before we had a new place. Twenty-five years we’ve been that.”

People realized Black Lodge was going to “leave that home,” he says. “A lot of them had already fallen in love with that place and wanted to have one last giant party and have fun in it.”

Tags Black Lodge, Matt Martin, We Saw You