photograph courtesy bartlett farmers market
Bartlett Station Farmer’s Market Season Opening
2629 Bartlett Blvd. (A. Keith McDonald Pavillion) / Saturday, May 23
Want the freshest produce for your next lunch or dinner? The Bartlett Station Farmer’s Market is opening for the season this Saturday, and they can’t wait to be the inspiration behind your next home-cooked meal! From produce to desserts and pastries to other homemade goods, there’s plenty to explore and plenty to stock your fridge with. This year, be on the lookout for fresh coffee, empanadas, kettle corn, live music, and kid’s crafts among the fruits and veggies. Can’t make it this weekend? The farmer’s market will be here through September, so you can shop all summer long. Come stop by!
image courtesy orpheum theatre group
MAJOR
Halloran Centre / Friday, May 22, 7 p.m.
There’s a major reason to love Grammy-winning artist MAJOR — he’s coming to a stage near you! His hit song, “Why I Love You,” catapulted MAJOR to fame and has since been a favorite addition to many a date night or wedding playlist (just ask Stevie Wonder, who praised it as the “wedding song of the year”). Now, on the ten-year anniversary of its release, MAJOR is bringing his famous song — and much more — to the Halloran Centre stage this Friday. Don’t miss the chance to dive deeper into MAJOR’s signature sound and buy tickets here!
Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties
TheatreWorks at the Square / Through June 7
We’ve shortened the title for you, but unofficially, this play is known as “Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties, In Essence, A Queer and Occasionally Hazardous Exploration; Do You Remember When You Were In Middle School And You Read About Shackleton And How He Explored The Antarctic? Imagine The Antarctic As A ***** and It's Sort Of Like That.” Aren't you glad we shortened it? Hilarious, bold, and, rowdy, Collective Rage explores the lives of five extremely different women all named Betty, each with plenty of pent-up rage and searching for new purpose in their lives. When the Betties are brought together to rehearse a play, Pyramus and Thisbe, each Betty learns, through her interactions with the other Betties, to see herself and her life in a new light. Through it all, underneath the comedy, Collective Rage shines a raw, honest, and upfront picture of queer and female experiences often gone unacknowledged and unnoticed. Come see Betty (and Betty, and Betty, and ... etc.) on opening night and buy tickets here!
Memphis Hope Fest
Tom Lee Park / Friday, May 22, 2 p.m.
We all need a little more hope in our lives, and that’s exactly what the Memphis Hope Fest is determined to achieve. In celebration of Memphis’ 207th birthday, the festival will feature local vendors, job and health fairs, an expungement clinic, community resources, live entertainment, food trucks, a County vs. City basketball game, a closing fireworks show, and more. It’s certainly a celebration, but it’s also an opportunity to explore and engage with multiple cornerstones of Memphis that, together, make Memphis the vibrant city it is today. Bring your city pride and join the party!
Queer Cinema Club: The Watermelon Woman
OUTMemphis / Saturday, May 23, 6 p.m.
For those looking for both an LGBTQ+ community space and a movie-night hangout, come by this Saturday for the first iteration of Fully Developed, Lisa Berry, and OUTMemphis’ Queer Cinema Club! They’ll be showing The Watermelon Woman, a romcom/drama starring Cheryl, a Black lesbian filmmaker who seeks to document the career of 1930s actress Fae Richards, also known as “the Watermelon Woman.” Along the way, as Cheryl learns more about the Watermelon Woman, Cheryl must learn to navigate her relationships with her girlfriend, her community, and her own sense of self. Romantic, funny, and heartfelt, The Watermelon Woman is a classic queer film and a must-watch. Even better, the event will also feature an outdoor space to mingle with friends, which will include DJ sets and mocktails! Reserve your spot here.