Five Things To Do In Memphis This Weekend

Your to-do list includes the always-popular Juneteenth Festival, along with guitar displays, dragon boats, and even plant music. Yes, plant music.

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Grind City Picks

Museum of Science & History

On display through October 22 

I won’t string you along this week. I’m just gonna get straight to the point with these Five Things To Do In Memphis This Weekend. I’ve got work to get to. 

First thing: Go to MoSH’s new exhibits. They’re all about guitars — guitars in America, guitars in Memphis. What more do you want me to say? If anything, I’ve already said it here in this other article, so go read it if you’ve got the time ’cause I sure as heck don’t have the time to re-write it. 

“America at the Crossroads: The Guitar and a Changing Nation” and “Grind City Picks: The Music That Made Memphis” are on display through October 22. You can also check out MoSH’s other events this weekend like Friday’s Guitar Heroes Summer Laser Shows: The Beatles or Saturday’s Picks & Flicks: Blues Brothers, where you can catch a movie, enjoy some drinks, play some games, and take a look through the exhibits. 

“Songs from the Vine” Opening Reception

First Presbyterian Church

Friday, June 16, 5 – 6:30 p.m.

Number two thing to do: Go see Matt Petty’s “Songs from the Vine” show/art opening reception. The show will feature a series of graphic scores made from cyanotypes, a photography technique used to capture the images of plants in the form of light. Those same plants will be featured in a live performance using a device that transfers the energetic responses of plants into sound and music. Yes, plants can make music apparently, so you won’t want to miss seeing that.  

The art will be on display through July 31st. (And if you’re super-curious about plant-music you should check out the Vibes from the Vine on Monday, June 26, at the Broom Closet, where you can experience it up close in a healing and interactive sound journey experience of sound.)

Groovy Garden Party

Memphis Botanic Garden

Friday, June 16, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Third thing on this list: Head out to Memphis Botanic Garden’s ’70s-themed Groovy Garden Party to celebrate MBG’s 70th anniversary. Guests will get to boogie to sounds of the ’70s from Beale Street All Star Band and create a hip-hanging planter and pet rock. Guests are encouraged to dress in their best ’70s threads. 

Tickets cost $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers and include small bites and three drink tickets. The event is for adults 21 and up. 

Dragon Boat Festival

Shelby Farms Park

Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m. — 4 p.m.

Fourth up: Row your boat at the Dragon Boat Festival, or rather watch the boats be rowed. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, the Dragon Boat Festival has it all: excitement, friendly competition, and community spirit. The 2023 Dragon Boat Festival will be held at Shelby Farms Park’s Hyde Lake behind the lawn and stage. In addition to the racing, there will be food, music, and cultural performance for the family.

Juneteenth in Memphis

Fifth up (and like sixth, seventh, and eighth): It’s Juneteenth weekend, which means that Memphis has events galore, and here are just a few: