The biggest festival of the year for the South Main Arts District, RiverArtsFest, happens Friday-Sunday this weekend. Friday is a sneak preview and is free to the public. Saturday and Sunday there is a $5 cover each day, with South Main blocked off from Huling to Georgia.
The biggest draw to the festival is the hundreds of artist vendors who set up booths on Main to sell their wares. Bring money, because this is a chance to buy some very nice stuff to hang on your walls and decorate your home. Good chance to find Christmas presents too. The food vendors tend to be a higher quality than the average festival. I can speak from experience that the Mediterranean Cuisine and Hibachi 4 Hire vendors put out some great food. There will be food trucks as well including Fuel, MEMPopS, and Reverb Coffee. Live music on one stage Friday night and three Saturday and Sunday. This festival is one I recommend for sure, at least for one day of the three. Come take in that South Main vibe.
Bring the kids to Halloween on the Island on the 31st, 6:30-8:30, for a night of trick-or-treating and walking the Haunted River Walk. $5 admission includes a ride over on the monorail, Sparkman the Magician, and costume contests. Concessions will be available.
The annual Kooky Canuck Halloween party will be Sunday, October 29 beginning at 10 PM.
High Ground News reports that spoken word lives on at The Den, a venue out in The Edge at 656 Marshall. Weekly events include The Word, an open mic event with Tonya Dyson, The Early Show, a comedy open mic; and a local market called Bohemian Wednesdays and Soul Market. In some ways the venue is the successor to Precious Cargo, a popular Pinch Venue of the 1990s-2000s.
From the MBJ: The Downtown Memphis Commission has been crossing many buildings off its Top 10 Redevelopment Sites list that past 12 years. (with “Then and Now” slideshow)
The final 2017 installment of Hot Rods on Beale Street happens tonight 6-10.
An American in Paris will be at the Orpheum tonight through Sunday.
Meme on Facebook yesterday: “The Vols are so fucked that their games will now be broadcast on PornHub.”
That’s it for now, off to work. Back at lunchtime or tomorrow with more news.