James Holt
If you’ve grooved at the Beale Street Music Festival or sampled the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, then thank Holt, president and CEO of Memphis in May International Festival, one of the nation’s largest and most successful annual civic events. During his two-decade tenure, he’s expanded the festival and grown assets from $10,000 to more than $4.3 million. MIM has received international awards including more than 220 Pinnacle Awards from the International Festival and Event Association (IFEA) where Holt is a certified festival and event executive. The 2019 MIM Festival grossed more than $12 million and had attendees from all 50 states and 26 foreign countries. In 2018, it generated $137.7 million in economic impact, supported 1,300 jobs locally, and delivered $3.5 million in incremental tax revenue to the City of Memphis.
