Five Things To Do This Weekend in Memphis: June 3rd-5th

Memphis Shakes it up this weekend with pasta and food trucks, Mo-Town at the motel, and galactic art.

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 Memphis Italian Festival

Marquette Park, Park Ave. and Mt. Moriah

Thu., June 2, 5 p.m., Fri., June 3, 11 a.m. and Sat., June 4, 11 a.m.

Everyone can be Italian at the Italian Festival benefiting the children of Holy Rosary Parish School. This year the festival features the music of Soul Asylum along with the usual pasta eating, grape stomping, and so much more.

I Hate Hamlet

Germantown Community Theatre, 3037 Forest Hill-Irene

Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. and Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Continues through June 5

Bard is another word for poet. William Shakespeare is called The Bard because he is considered to be the greatest poet ever lived. With the 400th anniversary of The Bard's death this very year, Tennessee Shakespeare Company is having all sorts of celebrations. In fact, Henry VI will be performed June 9-19. I'll tell you more about that in the coming weeks. For now, all you need to know is that the celebrations for The Bard are overflowing to other works and venues that also honor the great poet. This is the last weekend for this particular celebratory production. "To thine own self be true" and get thee forthwith to see I Hate Hamlet.

GPAC Food Truck and Music Festival

Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter

Sat., June 4, 3-8 p.m.  Rescheduled for Sun., June 5, 3-8 p.m. due to inclement weather

It has been said that the best things in life are free. This free family event just might prove it. There will be entertainment including The School of Rock and Jason D. Williams. There will be activities for kids, such as a bounce house, sidewalk chalk, and bubbles. There will be food trucks and—for those who do not consider eating a sport—parkour. Best of all, the whole event benefits the Germantown Education Foundation and the GPAC Education Fund. Should you find yourself in Midtown on Saturday, perhaps consider A Day Of Merrymaking in Overton Park.

A Night at the Lorraine

National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry

Sat., June 4, 7 p.m.

The National Civil Rights Museum is one of Memphis' best amenities. Saturday night, according to the Museum, will "Celebrate the vibrant history of the Lorraine Motel for the benefit of the National Civil Rights Museum. Step back in time with an evening of food, music and fun reminiscent of the Lorraine Motel – which counted B.B. King, Nat King Cole, “Count” Basie, Isaac Hayes and Booker T. & the MG’s, Satchel Page and Jackie Robinson among its many famous guests." Indeed.

Jourdin Reinhart Art Show

Canvas, 1737 Madison

Sun., June 5, 7-11 p.m.

I make it my business to make sure that you have something fun to do on all three weekend days. I also make it my business to let you know about new venues and some lesser known events. This photography exhibition with an other-worldly theme fits the bill. For those who weren't around when the iconic movie Star Wars first hit the theaters in 1977, the force of the impact is perhaps elusive. To put it into perspective, it was about this time that Steve Jobs introduced the Apple Disk II with an external drive storing 110K on 5.25-inch floppy disks. It was half as expensive as competitive floppy drives, and much more reliable than cassette tape storage systems. Yeah, that's right. George Lucas and his fancy schmancy special effects ushered in the first generation of nerds. Suffice it to say, work from the newest generation of nerds is quite respectable. And may the force be with you.

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.