Photography courtesy museum of science & history
51st Annual Pink Palace Crafts Fair
Audubon Park
Friday – Saturday, September 22 – 23, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, September 24, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
My calendar tells me that fall starts on Saturday, but my gut tells me that summer is still in full force. Is it denial? Maybe. But there’s no denying that this weekend, the first weekend of fall, wouldn’t be complete without the annual Pink Palace Crafts Fair (turning 51 this year!).
The three-day affair will have nearly 150 artists from around the country showing off and selling a variety of eclectic pottery, jewelry, paintings, woodwork, leatherwork, sculpture, woven goods, and so much more. Attendees can marvel at demonstrations by master craftsmen, enjoy a cool beverage and a bite to eat from food/drink vendors, kick back and enjoy live music, and entertain the kiddos at the petting zoo and with a ride on the popular choo-choo train, plus wall climbing and pony rides. Early bird tickets are $8/adult, $6/seniors and military, $3/children 5-12, and under 5 free. Best get your tickets here soon.
photography courtesy quark theatre
The Wasp stars Mary Hollis Inboden and Meghan Lisi Lewis.
The Wasp
First Congo Theater in Cooper-Young
Performances September 22 – October 8
Though I long not for the cold that comes with fall and winter, I do long for the days when the weather makes those pesky mosquitoes go bye-bye. Where do they go? I don’t care, as long as they’re away from me. And, while we’re wishing for certain bugs to disappear, I’d also like to throw in wasps. Any complaints? Good. But to clarify, I don’t mean The Wasp. I very much would like The Wasp to stick around. And it’ll be around for the next few weeks for its American debut thanks to Quark Theatre.
The critically acclaimed play written by London native Morgan Lloyd Malcolm in 2015 unravels the relationship between once-childhood friends Heather and Carla, who have lost touch since school where a bully incident tore the two apart. At the start of the play, the women reunite 20 years later over tea at a cafe, where one offers the other a significant amount of cash and an unexpected proposition. A psychological thriller at its core, The Wasp is going to get dark and will have you on the edge of your seat.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at quarktheatre.com. Performances will run September 22nd through October 8th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. (Oh, and if you wanna be in the know before you go, check out this Flyer article by yours truly.)
Bisa Butler in Conversation
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Friday, September 22, 5 – 7 p.m.
You know what’s nice about museums? It’s that, no matter the weather outside, inside is always temperature-controlled ’cause it has to be — for the art and stuff. And the art and stuff at the Brooks is always gorgeous, and the latest exhibition “Black American Portraits,” on display through January 7, is no exception. With more than 100 works, this exhibition chronicles the many ways in which Black Americans have used portraiture to envision themselves in their own eyes.
This Friday, the Brooks welcomes Bisa Butler, one of the artists featured in the exhibition. Known for her vibrant, monumental quilted portraits, Butler will discuss her practice and work in conversation with curator Patricia Lee Daigle. Tickets are $10 for members and $20 for nonmembers, and can be purchased here.
photography courtesy chloe sexton
Meet the Author: Chloe Joy Sexton
Restaurant Iris
Friday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.
Even with the seasons allegedly changing, it still feels like we’re being thrown out of the oven and into the frying pan each and every day as the temperatures keep on burning. But being fresh out of the oven isn’t always bad — cookies, anyone? Baker and TikToker Chloe Joy Sexton of BluffCakes knows what we’re talking about. After all, she just released her debut cookbook of 52 giant cookie recipes: Big Yum: Supersized Cookies for the Over-the-Top Cravings.
To celebrate her book launch, Novel is inviting all to a special dinner at Restaurant Iris. The chefs at Iris will offer an intimate two-course dinner, and Sexton will do a live cooking demonstration, preparing a vanilla cheesecake with a berry compote. Tickets ($75) are required for this event and include a copy of Big Yum and the opportunity to meet the author and have your book signed. A virtual option is available for $23.99 and includes a signed copy of Big Yum and a link to watch the live cooking demonstration. Find more information about the event and purchase tickets here.
photography by Brandon Kinder
Memphis Country Blues Festival
Overton Park Shell
Saturday, September 23, 7 p.m.
Sooner than later, Daylight Savings Time is going to end, and that, my friends, makes me blue. I know, it’s all the way in November, yet I can’t help but feel sad about losing time in the sun. But you probably don’t want to hear about my blues today, so I’ll tell you about the Memphis Country Blues Festival, returning to the Overton Park Shell this year.
The evening starts with the sounds of Alvin Youngblood Hart followed by the official presentation of the Shell’s blues marker. After that, the night will only grow in energy as the North Mississippi Allstars make their way to the stage to honor the history of this Shell event.
Admission is free. Picnic baskets, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are welcome. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas.
Read this article by our writer Alex Greene for an inside scoop on the festival.