If you’re going to come to Memphis, May is the month to do it,” says nonprofit Memphis in May Director of Marketing Holly Ford. And she’s right. Our fellow deep-south Tennessean city, only a couple of inches to our left on a map, explodes with activity every year during the month of May. Jam-packed into a mere 31 days are a world-renowned barbecue cooking contest, the king of all eclectic music festivals, plus a symphonic experience along the shore of the mighty Mississippi that’s like no other.
The Beale Street Music Festival ‘ May 2 – 4
Always set for the first weekend in May, the Beale Street Musical Festival is a Memphis tradition dating back to the late 1970s and famed for its eclectic lineup. “It has five stages and this year we have approximately 67 artists performing, ranging over three days,” says Ford of the festival, which takes place at Tom Lee Park right by the Mississippi River. The festival has attracted more than 1 million music enthusiasts in the past decade alone.
In light of its diverse musical offerings, it was named as one of Fuse Television’s top 20 music festivals in 2014. The lineup includes acts like Kid Rock, Alabama Shakes, Foster the People, Snoop Dogg, Juicy J, Third Eye Blind, Jason Isbell and more. Ford says it’s been called the “United Nations” of music festivals, even giving opportunities to up-and-coming local artists. “Because this is the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, a third of our lineup is local or from the region,” says Ford.
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest ‘ May 15 – 17
This isn’t just any barbecue contest. With its roots in 1978, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is considered the most prestigious pork barbecue contest in the nation. In fact, it was named by USA Today as America’s No. 1 barbecue competition. Memphis has long been known for its delicious and savory barbecue, says Ford.
“It only makes sense we would have the most prestigious barbecue cooking contest,” she laughs. “It’s international; we have more than 240 teams competing this year. We have had teams go on to do television shows based on their following or open their own restaurants.”