19 Memphis events that promise fun for all in 2019
Is there anything as full of hope and as empty of worry as a new calendar? Maybe you have one for 2019 already, and maybe the squares on its pages are still as blissfully pristine as a blanket of new-fallen snow. Soon enough, however, that pretty whiteness will be marred by scrawls of ink and hectoring reminders of responsibilities: doctor’s appointments, school meetings, business dinners and so on. Before that happens, why not mark your calendars for fun instead of for chores? To that end, here is a list of upcoming Memphis events — 19 happenings for 2019 that promise good times for (as the saying goes) kids of all ages. Here’s the list:
1. Jan. 18 — “The Science of Beer.” The New Year’s Eve champagne has gone flat, so forget the bubbles and suck up the suds from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Memphis Pink Palace Museum, where professional and home brewers will host “guided taste sessions” and explain their craft in language that even Homer Simpson could understand.
2. Feb. 2 — Polar Bear Plunge. A fundraiser for Special Olympics Greater Memphis, the annual Polar Bear Plunge & Chili Cook-off on Mud Island represents a union of fire and ice — you know, like “Game of Thrones,” but instead of being immolated by a fire-breathing dragon, folks will be shivering from the chill of a dip into the chilly Mississippi River and chowing down on homemade stew.
3. Feb. 19 — “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play Tour.” A one-man entertainment industry, actor-writer-director-et cetera Tyler Perry last year announced he plans to “kill off” his wisecracking drag alter ego in 2019 — but not before he makes a live appearance at 7 p.m. at Fedexforum with what’s billed as the final Madea play. Fans won’t want to miss this chance to see Perry in person, but those who miss it
shouldn’t despair: “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral” — the 11th and reportedly last installment in the Madea movie series — opens March 1.
4. March 15-17 — Midsouthcon 37. Hugo Award-winning author Timothy Zahn, whose trilogy of “Star Wars” novels has sold 10 million copies, is the prime guest of honor at the latest iteration of the region’s oldest gathering devoted to devotees of fantasy, science fiction, comic books and cosplay.
5. April 4-7 — Memphis Comedy Festival. Expect to hear chortles, guffaws, titters, belly laughs and other evidences of hee-haw hilarity echoing from multiple Midtown locations.
6. April 13 and April 28 — Overton Square Crawfish Festival and Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival: Get read to suck the head and pinch the tail during the city’s two mudbug munch-a-thons (the second on Wagner Place, near Riverside Drive and Beale).
7. May 9 — Blues Music Awards. Organized by the Blues Foundation, the Oscars of the blues honor the genre’s greatest artists, from revered veterans to fiery-fingered newcomers, with a music-filled ceremony at the Cook Convention Center. This year’s event marks the awards’ 40th anniversary.
8. May 10-11 — Memphis Greek Festival. One of the city’s most venerable events, this celebration of Hellenic cuisine and culture returns for its 61st year to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 573 N. Highland, to remind visitors: Even if you can’t spell spanakopita, you sure can eat it.
9. May 25 — Memphis in May International Festival: Celebrate Memphis. In lieu of honoring a foreign country, the “international festival” this year marks the 200th birthday of Memphis with a daylong explosion of Bluff City music, food and culture. Also, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the festival’s earlier-in-the-month signature events: Beale Street Music Festival (May 3-5) and World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May 15-18).
10. June 6-8 — Memphis Film Festival. Originally devoted to Westerns and movie cowboys, this nostalgia-fest for fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood and classic-era television returns to Sam’s Town hotel and casino to celebrate its 47th year. This year’s “star” lineup is still developing, but past guests have included such legends as Janet Leigh, Spanky Mcfarland, Buddy Ebsen, Huntz Hall and Lash Larue.
11. July 9 — “Hamilton” opens. A genuine entertainment phenomenon that won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Drama as well as 11 Tony awards, Lin-manuel Miranda’s history-based, hip-hopinfluenced musical — inspired by the life of the Founding Father recognized by most Americans only as the face on the $10 bill — makes its Memphis debut with a 24-performance run at the Orpheum, from July 9-28. (Single tickets are not yet on sale and will be available only through Ticketmaster and the Orpheum. Beware the fake offers already online.)
12. Aug. 9 — Elvis Week begins. Memphis’ signature event concludes Aug. 17, ending a nine-day “week” of concerts, panels and “Tribute Artist” contests, highlighted by the candlelight vigil that commemorates Elvis Presley’s death at the age of 42 on Aug. 16, 1977.
13. Sept. 14 — Cooper-young Festival. With its three stages of music and multiple booths of arts and crafts, this Midtown happening is now so popular it might as well be called the “Cooper Festival,”
YALONDA M. JAMES/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL
because fest-goers seem to fill up most of Cooper between Walker Avenue to the south and York to the north.
14. Sept. 26-29 — Gonerfest 16. Organized by Goner label founders and record store honchos Eric Friedl and Zac Ives, the now internationally notorious bacchanal of punk and indie rock this year reaches the significant rock ‘n’ roll milestone of 16 (as in “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “16 Candles,” “Only Sixteen,” and probably 1,600 others).
15. Oct. 17 — National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Awards. Part celebration of achievement, part call to action, the Civil Rights Museum’s annual ceremony — now held at the Orpheum — has in the past honored such recipients as Oprah, Bono, the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela for their “significant contributions to civil and human rights.” This year’s winners will be announced in the spring.
16. Oct. 26-27 — Riverartsfest. Spanning much of Riverside Drive, the rejuvenated “street celebration of fine arts and fine local music” hopes to build on a successful 2018 that was highlighted by the “Mighty Lights” illumination of the Hernando Desoto Bridge.
17. Oct. 30 — Indie Memphis Film Festival opening night. Starting on Wednesday rather than Thursday (because Thursday is Halloween), the 19th annual edition of the city’s preeminent cinema salute will run through Nov. 4. Expect must-see premieres, excavated gems, previews of the next year’s Oscar contenders, appearances by some of the most talented artists in movies (independent and otherwise) and more.
18. Nov. 29-Dec. 1 — New Ballet’s Nut Remix. A unique Memphis tradition at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, New Ballet Ensemble’s reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s fairy tale-inspired holiday favorite mixes elements of jazz, soul and hip-hop into the classical “Nutcracker” score, and is highlighted by the performance of the ballet school’s most famous alumnus, Charles “Lil Buck“Riley, the internationally recognized master of the Memphis street dance form known as “jookin.”
19. Dec. 19 — Memphis Holiday Parade. The usual slog of tourists, revelers and inebriates will be augmented by Santa Claus, carolers and other Christmas celebrants, starting at 4 p.m. We can only hope the parade’s St. Nick is as “real gone” as the one introduced in the late Cordell Jackson’s made-in-memphis rock ‘n’ roll novelty single from 1956, “Beboppers’ Christmas,” which contains this immortal lyric: “He had white fuzz all over his chin/ He came boppin’ up and said, ‘Gimme some skin.’”