January

Elvis Presley's Birthday Tribute, Graceland. International gathering of Presley fans to celebrate the birthday of "The King" (tel. 800/238-2000; www.elvis.com). Around January 8.

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, Birthday, citywide. Events to memorialize Dr. King take place on the nationally observed holiday (tel. 901/521-9699; www.civilrightsmuseum.org). Mid-January.

International Blues Challenge, Beale Street. More than 200 blues bands, solo acts and duos come together to compete and perform.( tel. 901/527-2583. blues.org). Mid-January.

Southern Women’s Show, Agricenter. Catch fashion shows and shop hundreds of boutiques filled with trendy jewelry, gourmet treats, and health and beauty items. (tel. 901/376-6594. southernshows.com.) Late January.

February

Mardi Gras Celebrations, citywide. Bar crawls and crawfish boils are held from Cooper-Young to Beale Street, and at Second Line restaurant. Search “Mardi Gras” on ilovememphisblog.com. Mid- to late February.

International Jewish Film Festival, Belz Theater. A month of films highlighting the Jewish experience past and present. (tel. 901/761-0810. jccmemphis.org). All month.


March

Silky O’Sullivan St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Beale Street.
Since 1973, the annual parade includes marching bands, steppers, twirlers, floats, and more. (tel. 901/526-0115. bealestreet.com). Mid-March.

April

30 Days of Opera, citywide. Opera Memphis delivers a solid month of free public events throughout the city. (tel. 901/202-4533. operamemphis.org.) April.

Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival, downtown. A several-day festival centering on African music, dance, theater, exhibits, arts, and crafts (tel. 901/947-2133; www.africainapril.org). Third week in April.

Crawfish Boils, various locations. Memphis goes big on mudbugs with events including the Overton Square Crawfish Festival (overtonsquare.com) and the Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival (porterleath.org) to name two. Mid-April.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Commemoration,  National Civil Rights Museum. This online and in-person event remembers the assasination of the civil rights leader through performances, speeches and the changing of the balcony wreath at 6:01 p.m. (tel. 901/525-2458. civilrightsmuseum.org  April 4.

Memphis Comedy Festival, citywide. Four days highlighting local and national talent with improv and comedy shows, open mics, and seminars. Search "Memphis Comedy Festival” on ticketmaster.com. Early April.

Vintage 901 Spring Festival, Shelby Farms Park. Taste fine wines and bites as you listen to local music. vintage901.org. Mid-April.

May

Blues Music Awards, downtown.
The nation’s premier blues music awards program is held where (tel. 901/527-2583. blues.org). Early May.

Memphis Fashion Week, downtown.
The biggest fashion event in Memphis, fashion week showcases spring/summer collections each year with local designers, models, photographers, and stylists. arrowcreative.org. Mid-May.

Memphis in May International Festival, citywide. A month-long celebration of a different country each year with musical, cultural, and artistic festivities; business, sports, and educational programs; and food unique to the country. More than a million people come to nearly 100 sanctioned events scheduled throughout the city. The most important happenings are the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival (first weekend in May), the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (mid-May), and the Sunset Symphony (last weekend of May). Call tel. 901/525-4611; or visit www.memphisinmay.org. Entire month of May.

June

Germantown Charity Horse Show, Germantown Horse Show Arena. Four-day competition for prizes (tel. 901/754-0009; www.gchs.org). Second week in June.

Juneteenth, citywide. Celebrate the end of slavery all across the city, from musical events at LeMoyne Owen College to African-American history tours at Elmwood Cemetery. Search “Juneteenth” on ilovememphisblog.com. June 19.

Live at the Garden, Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Garden. Outdoor summer concert series that features acts ranging from REO Speedwagon to Train to Gladys Knight. (tel. 901/636-4100. liveatthegarden.com). June–July.

Memphis Pride Fest. Memphis Pride Fest Weekend spans 4 days and includes a dance party, festival, parade, parties, and a Drag Brunch on Sunday. midsouthpride.org. First weekend of June.

Memphis Italian Fest, Marquette Park. For nearly 3 decades, the place to enjoy Italian cuisine, live music, and activities, including the Luigi Land carnival game section. (tel. 901/848-4546. memphisitalianfestival.com). Early June.

July

Star-Spangled Celebration, various locations. Fireworks shows from Germantown to Bartlett to Mud Island and a parade in Cooper-Young give people in any part of town options. memphistravel.com. July 4.

Blues on the Bluff, downtown. Volunteer- and member-supported radio station WEVL-FM presents two concerts on the grounds of the National Ornamental Metal Museum, overlooking the Mississippi River. (tel. 901/528-0560. wevl.org). Late July, early August.

August

Elvis Tribute Week, Graceland and citywide. Festival commemorating the influences of Elvis (tel. 800/238-2000; www.elvis.com). Second week in August.

September

Central Gardens Home & Garden Tour, Midtown. Tour century-old private homes. (tel. 901/343-6242. centralgardens.org. Mid-September.

Cooper-Young Festival, midtown. Neighborhood festival featuring food, arts, crafts, and family activities (tel. 901/276-7222; www.cooperyoungfestival.com). Mid-September.

Delta Fair, Agricenter. This East Memphis festival serves up bands, Mixed Martial Arts, rides, a rodeo, craft fair, roller derby, shopping, and food. deltafest.com. Early September.

Germantown Festival, Midtown.
Some 400 local vendors show off their jewelry, pottery, metal, woodwork, and more at this family-friendly event. (tel. 901/757-9212. germantownfest.com). Early September.


Gonerfest 20, Railgarten.
Multi-day music festival with 30-plus bands including punk groups, R&B bands, and indie artists. goner-records.com. Late September.

Pink Palace Crafts Fair, Audubon Park.
Crafts fair spanning 3 days where vendors from all over the country sell handmade works, demonstrate traditional crafts—furniture making, metalwork—and local arts groups perform. moshmemphis.com. Late September.

Southern Heritage Classic, Midtown.
Classic college football rivalry at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. (tel. 901/398-6655. southernheritageclassic.com). Mid-September.

October

Mempho Music Festival, Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Garden. Concerts with artists like Beck, Post Malone, and Janelle Monáe set in this urban oasis. memphofest.com. Late October.

River Arts Festival,
South Main Historic District. Painters, jewelers, sculptors, woodworkers and other artists and musicians converge on the South Main Historic District in downtown Memphis for this high-quality, juried festival (tel. 901/826-3629; riverartsfestmemphis.org). Late October.

November

The Freedom Awards, downtown. Human rights activists are honored by the National Civil Rights Museum (tel. 901/521-9699; www.civilrightsmuseum.org) with public lectures and other ceremonies. Past recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Bono, Colin Powell, and Bill Clinton. Late October or early November.

Grilled Cheese Fest, Hi Tone. Taste grilled cheese sandwiches in categories ranging from “Most Cheesiest” to “Most Ridiculous,” and vote for your favoritee, all to support ALIVE animal rescue. memphisgrilledcheese.com. Early November.

Indie Memphis Film Fest
, five theaters. Ranked as one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals by “MovieMaker” magazine, the weekend-long festival attracts filmmakers and musicians from across the nation. (tel. 901/214-5171. indiememphis.com). Late October-Early November.

Zoo Lights, Memphis Zoo.
Get in the holiday spirit with ice skating, snow in the courtyard, Santa in his shop, live reindeer, thousands of holiday lights, and more. (tel. 901/3330-6500. memphiszoo.org. Mid-November to New Year’s Day.to early January


Starry Nights, Shelby Farms Park.
Drive through thousands of lights before visiting Mistletoe Village where you can meet Santa, buy gifts, and more. Traffic can be intense, so go to the bathroom early and pack snacks. shelbyfarmspark.org. Thanksgiving through ChristmasNew Year’s Eve.

December

St. Jude Memphis Marathon, downtown.
Marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. (tel. 901/578-1555. stjude.org. Date changes annually. Early December.

Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees, Museum of Science & History - Pink PalacePink Palace Museum.
Winter wonderland with cast of animated characters in a snowy forest setting. (tel. 901/287-5437. lebonheur.org. Mid-November through end of December.



AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic, Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
Nationally televised college game. libertybowl.org. December 31.

New Year’s Eve on Beale Street, Beale Street.
New Year’s Eve celebration inside the clubs and outside on Beale Street. (tel. 901/526-0115. bealestreet.com). December 31.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.