Downtown Memphis Download: It's Festival Season!!

Well, it’s that time of year. The temperature rises, the sun stays out longer, and all the events move outside. That’s right – it’s festival season Memphis! Beginning in April, there is something going on almost every weekend, starting with Hot Wing Festival and lasting all the way through Memphis in May. I have compiled a list of the ones I know about below, along with a description and pictures from last year. So mark your calendars and enjoy the spring!

Beginning Thursday, April 15, 2010

Peabody Rooftop Parties

http://www.peabodymemphis.com/specials_and_packages/calendar_of_events.cfm

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42989053387&ref=search&sid=525875026.373942905..1

@peabodymemphis

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Southern Hot Wing Festival

http://www.southernhotwingfestival.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Hot-Wing-Festival/266623806174?ref=ts

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival

http://www.porter-leath.org/content.php?id=133

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=454052315424&ref=ts

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Memphis Brewfest

http://www.memphisbrewfest.com/index.htm

http://www.facebook.com/MemphisBrewfest

@memphisbrewfest

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Great Wine Race

http://www.bealestreetmerchants.com/EventsDetail.php?id=1315

Peabody rooftop parties take place every Thursday night, from April 15^th through August 5^th. Doors open at 6, and music starts about 7. Entry is $10 and includes your first drink. A food buffet is also set up, and they serve something new each week – from nachos to sushi to bbq and everything in between.

Last year, my friends and I attended almost every Thursday. A wide variety of music was played – from 80s cover bands to local funk to rising national recording artists to acoustic sets and much more. It is a party we look forward to each week. In the spring and summer, Thursday is definitely the new Friday. I may even need to take a few Fridays off this year again to recover! The first party is next week and features local favorites Lord T & Eloise, with special guests Kevin Rudolf of “Let it Rock” fame and newcomer to Memphis, Ryan Peel.

Saturday, April 17^th brings the annual Southern Hot Wing Festival, benefitting the Ronald McDonald House, to South Main. Teams compete in a variety of categories and usually have lots of wings on hand to sample. Many will let you try, but be ready to donate a few bucks here and there for charity. Great bands will also play throughout the day, so check the website for the schedule. We had a great time there last year, even as late afternoon showers caused some people to head for cover. It does help to know people at a booth, but you can still have a great time, walking around, tasting, listening, enjoying the spring weather.

But… save some energy for Sunday, April 18^th. It is crawfish time! Benefitting Porter Leath, thousands of pounds of crawfish are boiled and served up on Wagner St, from noon until 6. If I remember correctly, $20 will get you a 5 pound bucket of steaming deliciousness, or there are many vendors serving everything from red beans and rice to pronto pups. Teams compete in a gumbo cook off, and it’s often fun to walk down the line of booths to see what’s cooking. There is also live music, crawfish races, and crawfish bobbing. This is one of my favorite days all year. I plan on continuing my annual pre-fest bloody mary and getting in the crawfish line early and often!

Rest up during the week because there is a lot more fun coming up. Saturday April 24^th brings the second beer fest of the spring – the Memphis Brewfest. Held at Autozone Park from 4-8, proceeds will benefit Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and the Memphis Redbirds. This is the first year for the event, so I don’t have any stories from the past. However, it looks to be a great, well-planned event with lots of unique beers, so buy your tickets and get your taxi lined up!

However… don’t get home too late, because Sunday April 25^th brings another yearly fave to downtown, this time on Beale Street – Wine Races! A competition for servers and bartenders from local establishments, the daylong event starts at 1pm and consists of a parade, a Queen of the Vine pageant, grape stomping, and the races themselves. One team member opens a bottle of wine, pours a glass, balances a tray, runs down the street, and hands it off to the next team members. The team that completes the relay race the fastest (with the least amount of breakage and spillage!) wins the competition. Now, don’t expect to drink a lot of wine, but get ready to cool down with a BA Beer or frozen drink from Wet Willies. Beware the Call a Cab! Get there early to get a good spot and get ready for a great Sunday Funday!