If you have questions about Music Fest, e.g. Can I bring cameras?, Can I bring umbrellas?, etc., most of the answers can be found on the official Memphis in May stuff you need to know page.
I’ll add a few more things to the list:
1. Absolutely, positively DO NOT by tickets from scalpers. DON’T DO IT. It’s easy these days to buy tickets online from Ticketmaster and print them on your home or work printer. However, scalpers do this too and print many copies of the same ticket and sell the copies. Each ticket has a bar code, so it will only work once, no matter how many times it is printed. Only buy tickets from Ticketmaster, or at the gate, or from people you know and trust.
2. Get Downtown as early as possible for the best parking. A few years ago I had a friend meet me on Music Fest Saturday. She didn’t get Downtown until 5 PM and the closest parking she could find was on Poplar. That’s almost a mile from Tom Lee Park.
3. On the other hand, it may benefit you to park on the outskirts of Downtown, because it will help you avoid the traffic jams in the core around the park as you leave. Personally, if I were coming Downtown, I’d park as close to Danny Thomas Blvd. as possible, with my car facing Danny Thomas so I could just turn onto it and use it as my escape route.
4. If someone charges you to park, make sure that they are a real attendant. They should either have on a uniform, or show you photo ID upon request. If you have any doubt, call 545-COPS. There will be lots of bums out this weekend running parking scams.
5. Buy a pocket-sized rain poncho and carry it in. Gift shops on Beale sell these.
6. Expect whatever shoes you wear this weekend to be completely ruined. Stop by Target or Family Dollar and buy a pair of cheap flip-flops to wear to the park. They don’t call the event “Memphis in Mud” for nothing.
As for tonight: The Peabody rooftop party sure looks like it will be moved inside due to rain. Undecided whether I’ll go if it moves inside, or stick to some combination of Saucer, Goose, Rooster, Bardog.