Juneteenth is only days away, and TONE Memphis has put together a weekend full of festivities for Memphis natives (and visitors!) to partake in. TONE Memphis is a culture and arts non-profit organization that works to elevate the city’s culture. With their many efforts to highlight Memphis art, they are a powerful player within the city’s Black arts scene. “People always say you have to choose one artistry and that’s what I struggled with a lot as an artist. Choosing my artistry. For me, TONE makes me feel like I can do it all.” says creative The Goddessie. This time they are elevating the culture through their third annual Juneteenth Family Reunion Celebration! The celebration is set to begin on June 15th and close out on the 18th. Yes, that is four full days of activities, fun, and connecting with people that harbor just as much talent, beauty, and Memphis sauce as you mane!
Here is a quick guide about what to expect for the week’s festivities:
July 15th
The series of events will begin on Thursday at 7 PM with a movie screening of the popular 1997 film, B.A.P.S. Attendees are to wear B.A.P.S-themed and 90’s attire and come with the same energy as the cast members of the movie. At the midtown Malco Studios Theatre, TONE expects to see long nails, expressive clothing, and updos similar to BAPS’ stars, Nisi and Mickey. You can get your tickets here!
July 16th
Everyone knows that a family reunion is not a family reunion without a round or two of spades! As you may know, playing a game of spades is a favorite activity in the Black community, and it’s only right to celebrate the occasion by showing off your skills! Not only will Tone be hosting a broad selection of games, light food, drinks, and deejays at the party at their Orange Mound gallery, but there is a $200 prize involved as well! So be sure to show up and compete for the money AND the bragging rights! To play, sign up here!
July 17th
Saturday will be the city’s chance to be themselves and show up B.A.P.S and Bridgerton, Gala style! TONE Memphis released amazing visual marketing videos stating that they wanted to see Memphians in grillz and their best gala attire for a night of fashion, music, and plenty of drinks. The June 17 gala begins at 6:30 p.m., and the after-party starts at 9 p.m. and lasts until midnight. The gala and after-party tickets range from $50-$150.
July 18th
Last, but not least, what everybody is waiting for is the Juneteenth Music Festival! Music is our city’s most prized possession, and everyone knows that a city celebration isn’t a celebration for us unless it involves music. With that being said, the festival’s lineup will include some of the city’s best acts such as Memphis Legend, Project Pat, Duke Deuce, and Grammy-nominated producer Hitkidd. Other Memphis creatives on the lineup include Mafia 9, Idi X Teco, Talibah Safiya, The Goddessie, Ashley Ave, and more. This festival will also be a step toward new Memphis history as it will be held in the Orange Mound Tower. While many know that Orange Mound was the first black neighborhood built by black people, a few of Memphis’ greatest creatives came together to make one of its most important landmarks much more than what it once was. TONE’s Co-Founder, Victoria Jones, partnered with Unapologetic’s owner, IMAKEMADBEATS, to get The Orange Mound tower back up and running. The two have plans of making the grand area a space for Black entrepreneurs and creatives to do what they do best. This year’s Tone Juneteenth festival will be the city’s first introduction to the new space and has already drawn a number of natives’ attention.
With that being said, lots of history is being made in the midst of all the fun and you don’t want to miss out on the city’s biggest Juneteenth weekend.
We hope you got your tickets and we hope to see you there!
