Lantern Light Festival Memphis
Lantern Light Festival
Festival sculptures and performances light up the Eastern Memphis sky.
Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove
Starts March 31. Fridays-Sundays, 6 p.m.-12 a.m. Continues through May 7
I hope y’all took advantage of the fun times at Southern Women’s Show held earlier this month. It was loads of fun inside, but it was outside where my adventure began. As I was parking the car, my friend and fellow adventurer said, “What’s THAT?” I averted my eyes from the parking task at hand and was greeted with a burst of color from a most ferocious face looming in the distance. The face was followed by rolling hills of color. As we approached the fence barrier—quite literally the only obstacle between us and this fierce monster—it became clear this was the 400-foot dragon for the Lantern Light Festival. Also there was a sign on the fence predicting such an event in our near future. Nonetheless, even in the light of day, unlit and without the mounds of lanterns in place, this dragon was a spectacle to behold. Behold the dragon this weekend and over 400 lanterns,, a 30-foot tall panda, and entertainment including acrobats from China and live music. While you're out at the Agricenter, don't forget to pick it and kick it at the Pick Your Own Strawberry patch and the Bill Pickett Rodeo.
Catalyst for Change Distinguished Speaker Series
Valarie Kaur speaks at National Civil Rights Museum
National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry
Sat., April 1, 6-8 p.m.
The Gandhi-King Conference is this weekend. Modern visionaries of nonviolence and social change will converge in Memphis and Christen Brother’s University creating a stimulating environment to explore interconnections and build community. One speaker will offer the opportunity in an open to the public forum at the National Civil Rights Museum to hear more about “Revolutionary Love.” Valarie Kaur, activist, civil rights lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, media commentator, educator, entrepreneur, and Sikh interfaith leader, champions the ethic of love in an era of rage. Be inspired. Be the Catalyst for Change.
April Fools: Famous People Not Buried At Elmwood
Andrew Jackson in Elmwood Cemetery
Fooled you—learn who's not buried at Elmwood Cemetery.
Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley
Sat., April 1, 10:30 a.m.
Andrew Jackson is buried in Elmwood. Andrew Jackson Donelson that is, nephew of the seventh President of the United States. Don’t be fooled this April Fool’s Day. Learn about famous names resting in Elmwood often confused with their better known namesakes. If you are a fool for history, you are in luck this weekend. The 8th Annual Shelby County History Festival will be held at Hillwood at Davies Manor in Bartlett and James McCafferty will be signing his book The Bear Hunter: The Life and Times of Robert Eager Bobo in the Canebrakes of the Old South at the Cotton Museum in Downtown Memphis. McCafferty not only explores the famous sportsman, he also paints a picture of pioneer life in the nineteenth century Delta wilderness. Fools for a more recent past can Whip It—whip it good and just Beat It at 80 Fool's Party in Midtown at The Gallery at Madison Square. If you prefer, Boogie Oogie Oogie to the tune of a 25th anniversary of the wine series, Brooks Uncorked, with a Disco Ball at the Boogie Wonderland, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
Midtown Opera Festival
Opera-tional performances at Playhouse on the Square.
Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper
Starts March 31. March 31-April 9
Enjoy 10 days (and nights) of Opera including a dinner and prelude talk. This weekend, in fact, is a philharmonic feast. For your audio pleasure, delivered in a colorful array of forms and circumstances, I also recommend Memphis Cares: A Bowling Green Massacre Victims Tribute Concert for Freedom, 5th Memphis International Guitar Festival, Crowns the Gospel Musical (closing weekend), MOMIX, Rhodes Jazz Band Performance at #FiveFridaysofFreeJazz featuring Joyce Cobb and the Stax Music Academy Jazz Band, and Super Soul Brunch. Sounds like fun!
Photo by Flickr User S Pakhrin
Inaugural Persian Festival in Overton Park
Overton Park, off Poplar
Sun., April 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
This is a first for the local Persian community. Enjoy authentic Persian food, artwork and handicrafts exhibitions, along with music and dancing. To ensure that your multi-cultural weekend experience is complete, also enjoy Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical and the Caribbean Food Festival. If you don't suppose you'd enjoy any of these festivities, then you can just go fly a kite. Might I recommend the 50th Annual Kite Flying Sunday? And don't forget, any these events might be just the right place to take the cutest picture ever of that special child in your life for entry into Memphis Parent magazine 2017 Cover Kids Contest.
For a full list of what’s happening this weekend in and around Memphis, check out our calendar of events. Also, be sure to tag your favorite Instagram photos of Memphis while you are out and about with the #memphismagazine hashtag. I hope you have a great weekend.
