photography courtesy memphis brand
Season of Delight
Crosstown Concourse
Friday, December 1, 5 p.m.
December is upon us. Can you believe it? DECEMBER. Where did the time go? A question I find myself asking more and more to the point where I’ve come to ask another question: Is this what life is? Wondering where time goes? They say it flies when you’re having fun, but it passes by all the same when you’re not. Ack! Who’s in charge of this system? ’Cause I’d like a word.
In the meantime, I guess I’ll make an effort to pass the time with fun, rather than the alternative (I don’t want to know what that is), and what better way to lighten the mood than with Crosstown Concourse’s Season of Delight?
This Friday, at 6 p.m., the holiday lights in the Central Atrium will turn on, and it’ll be quite the festive spectacle. At 6:30 p.m., Crosstown Arts will screen, for free, the short film Mickey’s Christmas Carol and the feature-length Christmas Vacation. There will also be free hot cocoa, caricature portraits, ornament-making, card-making, and more. Expect more free, festive fun on Friday, December 8th, and December 15th.
photography courtesy willmott events
Memphis Holiday Spirits Cocktail Festival
The Kent
Friday, December 1, 6 – 9 p.m.
If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me where time goes, I’d be as rich as Scrooge McDuck, but not a single nickel has been granted my way for being interrogated on an unanswerable question. Who do people think I am? The Ghost of Christmas Future here to give them a lesson on how to spend their lives? Nuh-uh. I will however suggest, or strongly encourage, you to attend the Memphis Holiday Spirits Cocktail Festival, but unlike Scrooge — Ebenezer or McDuck — your soul’s redemption does not hinge on my advice, let’s be clear here. I’m not going to be held responsible for your soul — not when I’m having my own personal existential crisis about time.
So, let me tell you about this cocktail festival. Guests can sip festive cocktails, shop curated local artisans, listen to music, and visit the big man in red himself. Each ticket ($44) includes 12 sample-sized yuletide cocktails. Proceeds benefit Volunteer Memphis, so each sip gets you closer to the nice list … and closer to redemption … oh gosh, what if I am the Ghost of Christmas Future? Oh gosh, what if my readers are a bunch of Scrooges? Bah-humbug!
“Welcome In”
Sheet Cake
Friday, December 1, 6 – 8 p.m.
If I could turn back time, I’d immediately get too anxious to do anything. That’s too much power. Cher might say otherwise, but I’m no Cher. I just don’t have the confidence for that, but I do have the confidence to tell you about Lauren Kennedy’s gallery opening and first exhibition, “Welcome In.” "Welcome In" features 14 artists based in and connected to the South, all of whom are participating in shows over the next year. Artists include Joel Parsons, Clare Torina, Roger Allan Cleaves, Althea Murphy-Price, Alexis Pye, Ariel Dannielle, Brittney Boyd Bullock, Anthony Sonnenberg, Renata Cassiano Alvarez, Melissa Dunn, Stephanie Howard, Khara Woods, Kong Wee Pang, and Erin Harmon. The exhibition will be on display through January 6th.
Sheet Cake, which you can read more about in December’s issue, supports artists based in and connected to the regional South, and intentionally celebrates women, queer artists, and artists of color. It is located at 405 Monroe Avenue. The gallery is open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment.
photography courtesy stumbling santas
19th Annual Flying Saucer Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl Presented by Vaco
Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Saturday, December 2, 7 – 11 p.m.
In the fifth grade, my social studies teacher once remarked how she feared she was essentially wishing more than half her life away whenever she would count down the days until the weekend (presumably because of my peers, not me of course). I’ve thought about that comment a lot since then — it’s a lot to put on a fifth-grader. I hope she’s doing well because, at this moment, I’m not, especially considering the fact that a good chunk of my work revolves around getting readers ready for the weekend, which begs the question whether I’m forcing you kind folks to wish away half your lives to get to the weekend upon which all these events occur. Yikes. Anywayyyyyyssss, here’s an exciting event to look forward to! The 19th Annual Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl!
Starting at the Flying Saucer, this holiday-forward crawl will take you to Rum Boogie Café, King’s Palace Café Tap Room, Silky O’Sullivan’s, The Absinthe Room, Blues Hall Juke Joint, Alfred’s, and Tin Roof. Oh, and everyone there will be dressed like Santa or another Christmas character. There’s no cost to participate, but Santas should arrive with either a new, unwrapped toy or a cash donation for Porter-Leath. Toy donations — such as puzzles, dolls, trucks, and building blocks — should promote early learning for children under age 5. Find toy ideas here. (PS: If you want to give to Porter-Leath without attending the crawl, check out their website for drop-off locations or the link to the donate page.)
photography by victoria smith
SHEMEKIA COPELAND
Shemekia Copeland
Acoustic Sunday Live
First Congo Church
Sunday, December 3, 7 p.m.
Not to be bleak, or bleaker (more bleak?), but we’re living on borrowed time. Climate change is upon us; our aquifer has been compared to Swiss cheese. What a world, what a world. Not everyone, though, is as bleak as I. Protect Our Aquifer (POA) is working to get that aquifer less Swiss-cheese like, and Acoustic Sunday Live is helping the effort by raising money for POA with an incredible night of music featuring Shemekia Copeland, Loudon Wainwright III, Tracy Nelson, and Tim O'Brien, with special guests and Memphis favorites, John Nemeth, Reba Russell, Susan Marshall, and Joe Restivo. Tickets ($55.20) are available here.
