Five Things To Do In Memphis This Weekend: April 15-17

Hop to it on this weekend of bops and hopefully no flops.

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Family Egg Hunt

Memphis Botanic Garden

Saturday, April 16th, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Eggstra, eggstra, read all about it! The Easter Bunny is back to make his annual appearance at Memphis Botanic Garden after a two-year break. To celebrate, the garden is offering families various activities throughout the campus, including collecting treat-filled eggs, planting flowers, learning about butterflies, and grooving to live entertainment by Visible Music College. But that’s not all: The garden is hosting an epic 96-acre hunt for 50 “golden” eggs with prizes from the garden, Arrow Creative, Malco Theaters, the Children’s Museum of Memphis, Orpheum theater, and more.

Tickets can be purchased online for $12 or day of for $15. Memphis Mojo Cafe, New Wing Order, Smokin’ Hot BBQ, 9 Dough 1, and Mempops will be on-site for a picnic lunch.

And if you’re not about the scrambling-for-eggs life and would rather have your eggs scrambled for you, I’ll let you in on a little not-so-secret secret: CIMAS is hosting a special Easter brunch on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a menu featuring sous vide lamb, Yukon potatoes, a balsamic lamb demi with fine herbs, and more. Reservations for the $35 meal can be made here.

The Band’s Visit

Orpheum Theatre, 203 S. Main

Performances through Sunday, April 17th

Hop hop hop, hop to the top! Slip and slide and ride that rhythm all the way to this musical where jokes will be abundant — along with a healthy dose of heartfelt moments, of course. One of the most Tony-winning musicals in history, The Band’s Visit is set in a town where not much happens until a band of musicians randomly shows up and stays just one night, but this visit stays within the town’s memory long after. This show is worth a viewing, and if you don’t believe me, check out our sister publication Memphis Flyer’s review by their new theater editor.

Tickets ($29-$125) can be purchased online. A full schedule of performances can be found here. After Saturday’s performance, audience members can enjoy a behind-the-scenes Q&A session with the cast and crew at no additional cost.

Farm to Tap Festival

Wiseacre Brewery, 2783 Broad

Saturday, April 16th, noon-4 p.m.

Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o, and on that farm he had a bunny, e-i-e-i-o, with a hop, hop, here and a hop, hop, there and a — Wait, hold on, I’ve messed up. I’m supposed to be talking about something else with hops, but I can’t really throw a beer in the mix of “Old MacDonald’s Farm.” Or can I? You see, the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture have partnered up for a Farm to Tap initiative, which aims to have more brewers use more local farm products. And if updating Old MacDonald to include a few brews piques your interest, you can learn all about the initiative at the Farm to Tap Festival this weekend.

At the fest, 20+ guild member breweries will showcase their beers brewed with agricultural products. Plus, food trucks, vendors, and entertainment will be at the ready for you to enjoy. Tickets ($40-$50) include unlimited samples and can be purchased here.

“Sweet 16”

The Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park

Opens Sunday, April 17th

In case you empty your Easter basket a bit too fast and need a bit more sweetness to spruce up your Easter Sunday without consuming more sugar, hop on over to the Dixon this weekend for its “Sweet 16” exhibition, where you will be treated to individual 16 exhibitions within the museum’s 16 gallery spaces. From mid-nineteenth-century portraits from a Memphis family collection to Hattiloo Theatre’s collection of commissioned portraits, the Dixon offers a sampling of different art forms across centuries and geographical boundaries. One of the highlights is “James Little: Homecoming.” Little was born and raised in Memphis, having attended Hamilton High School and the Memphis College of Art before relocating for his MFA program in 1976 to New York, where he has since lived.

“Sweet 16” will be on display through July 10th. Admission to the Dixon is free.

After Hours Tour of Elmwood Cemetery

Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley

Friday, April 15th, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

While I can’t direct you to the Bunny Trail where Peter Cottontail goes hopping with his hippity-hoppity ways, the folks at Elmwood can guide you through a different kind of trail, where you might find some Easter eggs about Memphis’ history — and if you ask me, those Easter eggs might just be a bit cooler to carry around in your noggin than any plastic egg you’d carry around in your basket. On this walking tour as the sun sets, you will learn about Victorian cemetery symbolism, the cemetery’s majestic trees, and the fascinating people who reside there.

Tickets ($20) can be purchased online.