Pocket park party this Friday

There’s going to be a celebration Friday, April 21 for the opening of Madison Avenue Park, the “pocket park” on Madison between Second and Third that for many years was the location of a blighted, closed Burger King. A full day of events are planned. Here’s the lineup:

  • 9:00 AM: Good morning, YOGA! Downtown Yoga will have a free-to-the-public class.
  • 10:00 AM: Performance by Visible Music College
  • 11:00 AM: The Tennessee Shakespeare Company will perform. Also, the Sache T-shirt truck will be on site.
  • 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Food trucks and MEMpops
  • 12 noon: CharveyMac
  • 1:00 PM: Memphis Symphony Orchestra Star Wars preview
  • 2:00 PM: Opera Memphis performance
  • 3:00 PM: Hattiloo Theater performance
  • 4:00 PM: Ribbon cutting ceremony
  • 4:30 PM: Performance by STAX Music Academy Alumni Band
  • 5:00-7:00 PM: The food trucks and MEMpops will be back for happy hour
  • 5:30 PM: Kaleidoscope
  • 8:00 PM: Indie Memphis local music video block

Here’s a High Ground News article about the pocket park.

One other note: If you can’t make it to the pocket park during the day Friday to hear Charvey, don’t forget that you can catch him at Cheers with Charvey tonight and every Wednesday night at the Silly Goose at 10 PM.

MATA has announced that effective May 8 (the day after Music Fest), trolley buses will no longer operate on the Main Street Mall. They need to repair the cobblestones and trolley tracks in anticipation of the return of the trolleys. Buses will operate southbound on Second and northbound on Front between Peabody Place and Exchange. They will stop at fixed rout bus stops.

Looks like I had the date wrong for that party in Barboro Alley I wrote about in the last post. “The Artery” alley party will happen Wednesday, April 26 from 6 to 9 PM. Free concert by Southern Avenue in the alley decorated with new murals and lights. There will be craft beer, ping pong, cornhole, and the Amurica photo booth (free). Artists’ work on display will include Christopher Reyes with Birdcap, Joseph Boyd, Lawrence Matthews and Chester Treasure, Emily Miller, and Eszter Szisk & Stephanie Cosby. This will be a free event.

Holly has news about a new business coming to Beale:

The recent NCAA South Regional men’s basketball tournament was an economic success for Downtown Memphis. Good news: We’re getting another South Regional in 2021.

Random thing I learned today that I wanted to pass on to my readers: Anytime you buy a book, Google the title to find out if the book has its own website. If it does, look around to see if you get any bonuses with proof of purchase (for example, emailing a copy of your Amazon receipt). This morning I found that I got a study guide, flash cards, a lost chapter, and access to a private book club with my purchase.

UberEATS has entered the Memphis market. Download the UberEATS app and you can order delivery from about 100 Memphis restaurants.

For those of you craving some Sweet Spicy Love, I saw on Twitter today that Uncle Lou’s is on UberEATS.

Memphis in May tweeted that rapper Coolio will perform at BBQ Fest on Friday, May 19. Daily tickets are $10, but if you really want to live in a gangster’s paradise I have another idea for you… join a BBQ team! The Moody Ques still have a few spots left to fill. Email me at paul@paulryburn.com if interested.

Memphis highways need these barriers!

Rolling barrels reduce damage and guide crashing cars back on to the road without spinning them wildly out of control. They also help prevent you from dropping your iPhone so you can finish the text you were in the process of typing as you drive.

That’s it for now. Silly Goose happy hour as usual for a Wednesday is my plan for after work.