With the temperature rising, the academic year drawing to a close and professionals’ hard-earned vacation days burning a hole in their pockets, there’s a whole summer of events about to kick off in Memphis. With such an array of sporting events, live music and both indoor and outdoor activities to check out, it’s unusual to hear residents of Memphis complain about being bored—but there’s always room for more fun in the sun, are we right? If you’re looking to take in everything great about the Bluff City, make sure these 20 picks are on your list:
- Celebrate local urban artists at the second annual Artsy Awards, taking place Friday, June 22, through Sunday, June 24.
- Fuse your appreciation for Japanese art and Memphis culture by dropping by the Cook Convention Center for Anime Blues Con during the last weekend of June.
- Reconnect with nature while enjoying the fare from your favorite food trucks at one of the Memphis Botanic Garden’s Food Truck Garden Parties.
- Revel in your shared love of one of our city’s most famous residents by attending Elvis Week 2018. This August’s event will be packed with impersonators, musicians and, of course, many of The King’s biggest fans.
- Crack up with Jerry Seinfeld when the legendary comedian swings into town on Friday, June 29.
- Whet your appetite at Whet Thursdays, a free, after-hours, open-to-the-public event that takes place at the Metal Museum on the first Thursday of the month from April through October.
- Switch up your workout routine and get ready for swimsuit season at iLoveKickboxing.
- Support the Memphis Redbirds at AutoZone Park all summer long. Be sure to take advantage of $2 beers on Thirsty Thursdays, and don’t forget to check out the list of similar promotions!
- Attend the inaugural Butcher Board Festival in July, which is set to feature the best meats, pickled foods, fruits, sweets and cheeses from around these parts.
- Experience arts, crafts and music from around the country at the Cooper-Young Festival on Saturday, Sept. 15. Billed as “Memphis’ most anticipated outdoor celebration,” the festival is in its 31st year and going strong.
- Take in new and old classics at the Orpheum’s summer film festival.
- Get your golf on at one of eight disc golf courses located in Memphis.
- Head out to the Christian Brothers High School soccer field to watch the Memphis City Football Club in action.
- Jam to some live music with the Memphis skyline as your backdrop via the Peabody Rooftop Party concert series.
- Break out your lederhosen for Germantown Oktoberfest at the Germantown Civic Center.
- Winter is coming… in July? Get down to Westeros (a.k.a. the Rec Room) to watch the return of “Game of Thrones.”
- Beat the heat with some paleta at La Michoacana.
- Learn about the Lower Mississippi River—or just cool off at the scale model of Big Muddy—when you visit Mud Island River Park.
- BYOB and tour downtown or midtown with 16 of your closest friends aboard a River City Pedalers party bike.
- Cool off with a Memphis original at Jerry’s Sno Cones
- If you’re a music aficionado, you must tour Sun Studio, which has been referred to as the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll due to its connections with many of the genre’s most legendary musicians.
- The Delta Fair & Music Festival is happening from August 31 to September 9, and it’s not to be missed! Enjoy carnival rides, culinary exhibits, livestock judging and a range of other exciting, educational and interactive things to see and do.
- The 29th Annual International Goat Days Festival has been a Millington, Tennessee, tradition for the last 29 years and this year’s event takes place Sept. 7 to Sept. 8. Enjoy live music, incredible food, fun games and rides, an antique tractor show, and goats galore.
- The Zoo Rendezvous on Sept.8 is the Memphis zoo’s largest fundraiser of the year. Drop by to enjoy entertainment on four stages while you contribute to a good cause.
- Take a self-guided tour of the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum which is packed with over 300 minutes of information and features more than 100 songs.
- Drop by the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid to experience one of the craziest places you will visit while in Memphis. The shop is inside a giant pyramid that also houses what feels like an adult playground, complete with an aquarium, bowling alley and the five star Big Cypress Lodge resort.
- The Crystal Shrine Grotto located at Memorial Park Cemetery, is a manmade cave filled with quartz crystals and unique religious sculptures. Created by a Mexican artist over the course of 50 years, this magnificent attraction boasts free admission.
- Take a walk down Beale Street. While it might look like any other tourist destination, there is more to it. Eat a juicy burger cooked in 100 year old grease at Dyer’s and enjoy a world-class concert at the New Daisy Theater among other fun things.
- If you have kids, be sure to drop by the Peabody Hotel in Downtown Memphis to watch the famous Peabody Ducks go to and from the hotel fountain in a grand procession complete with a red carpet and paparazzi.
- Do you love nature? If the answer is yes, take a trip to Lichterman Nature Center and enjoy 65 acres of forest, lake and meadow.
With numerous Memphis events happening all year round, the list above highlighted just a few things to do in Memphis during your visit.
No matter what you’re into, there’s plenty to see and do in Memphis. Take your pick from the options listed above or chart your own course of adventure through the Bluff City.
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