Five Things To Do This Weekend and Next Week and Next Weekend

For that time between Christmas and New Year’s, there are no rules — only good times.

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A Christmas Carol

Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Ext.

Performances through December 23

For this edition of “Five Things to Do In Memphis This Weekend,” we decided to break the rules and give you five things to do this weekend and next week and even next weekend. Because we make the rules and we don’t have to enforce them. And let’s face it, the week between Christmas and New Year’s is always an odd time — some people working, some people not — so why not embrace that energy and go out with a bang and break all the rules?

You know who broke the rules. You might answer, that “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner,” named Ebenezer Scrooge, but that’s not the rule-breaker I’m talking about. I’m talking about Charles Dickens. That man broke the rules of time and space to get his story to work with all those ghosts from the past, present, and future, and, by George, did he prove that sometimes breaking the rules can work. Don’t believe me? Check out A Christmas Carol for yourself on stage at Theatre Memphis. But hurry fast; the last performance of this holiday classic is this Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

Orpheum Theatre, 203 S. Main

Thursday, December 29, 7:30 p.m.

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, Steamboat Willie is a classic rule-breaking romp with Mickey Mouse pretending to be the captain of Pete's steamboat. And what does this have to do with Mannheim Steamroller Christmas — the event we’re promoting right now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, but that doesn’t matter because we’re breaking the rules this week. 

At any rate, Mannheim Steamroller is celebrating 35 years since the release of its first Christmas album with this banger of a show in the signature Mannheim sound, plus dazzling multimedia effects. Ooh la la. Get your tickets ($45-$95) here. 

BuffaGLO Run

Shelby Farms Park

Friday, December 30, 7 p.m.

Ready, set, take your time. This untimed 2.25-mile fun run might have “Run” in its name but that doesn’t mean you have to run, so stroll like the rebel you are as you take in all the twinkling Starry Night lights for one last time this season. No need to break a sweat and get that fresh glow of laborious exercise. You’ll be glowing, regardless — glowing with rule-breaking adrenaline or, I guess, holiday spirit. 

Register for the race here ($25/participant). All proceeds will benefit Shelby Farms Park. Leashed dogs and strollers (for dogs or kids) are welcome. 

New Year’s at Noon: Superhero Edition

The Children’s Museum of Memphis, 2525 Central Avenue

Saturday, December 31, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

If it’s wrong to ring in the new year before midnight, I don’t want to be right. With sleep at stake, it’s definitely worth a rule break, especially when you’ve got kids in the picture. So bring them on over to the Children’s Museum to celebrate 2023 in superhero style, with a noon balloon drop, face painting, candy toss, costume photo op, themed art project, DJ, free carousel rides, and other fun activities in the “Winter Wonderland” exhibition. Tickets, which you can purchase here, cost $3 for members and $20 for nonmembers. 

And for all you rule-following nerds looking to break in 2023 at midnight, Beck & Call has a special NYE celebration on their rooftop cocktail bar with champagne, food, cocktails, and DJ CodeRed. And the Memphis Music Room is also celebrating in style with live entertainment from Brad Webb, Jackie Flora, The Marcus Malone Band, and more, plus, a special champagne toast at midnight and a special Southern New Year’s dish. Oh, and there’s The Peabody that’s celebrating with live entertainment by SouthBound, Seeing Red, DJ Epic, and Rene Koopman Trio. Also, Meddlesome Brewing Company will have a Gatsby-themed celebration, and the Black Lodge is hosting a wild and evil rave with hoop performers and fire dancers. And if you’re thinking, by golly, that’s not enough options of how to spend a conventional New Year’s Eve, you can also head over to Lafayette’s Music Room, the Hilton, Hi Tone, Railgarten, or James Lee House. 

Because I Could Not Stop For Death: A Poetry Tour

Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley

Sunday, January 1, 10:30 a.m.

I wrote a new poem, and I thought I’d share it with you because it’s genius. “Because I could not stop for Death — He kindly stopped for me — The Carriage held but just Ourselves — And Immortality.” I mean, wow, the words just floweth from me. Sure, I might’ve plagiarized Emily Dickinson but I typed it out — not Miss Dickinson. You don’t see her over here writing a Five Things To Do, do you? So, if occasionally I have to bend the rules of what is considered my own writing versus Emily Dickinson’s, deal with it. (And please don’t sue me. I’m not as care-free and anti-establishment as I may have made it seem in this here article.) 

But, hey, the point of my poem — er, Emily’s — is that … hold on … let me gather my thoughts … Death drives a carriage like the horses in Harry Potter that you can only see when you’ve seen someone die. Right? Well, if I’m wrong, I don’t want to be right. And you know, if you’re looking for answers that delve deeper into poetry about death, I’m not the person you should be looking to. Bob Barnett, that’s the guy you want. 

As Elmwood Cemetery’s assistant director, Barnett is hosting a tour around the cemetery through the lens of poetry, both classic and contemporary. Isn’t that something? Plus, after the tour, attendees can enjoy a traditional New Year’s lunch of pork, greens, and black-eyed peas in the chapel. 

And if it wasn’t obvious, the tour will explore themes of death and dying, so it might not be suitable for everyone, but for those who it is suitable for, tickets ($40) can be purchased here.