Entertainment Guide to Memphis

Casinos

Just a few short years ago, the state of Mississippi decided to legalize casino gambling at a few spots along the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The first casino on the Mississippi opened in Tunica, about an hour and a half south of Memphis. Tunica had long occupied the unenviable position of "poorest county in the country." The hope was that casinos would bring in tourist money and jobs. Within five years, this initiative proved remarkably successful. A line of casinos and hotels now stretch down the river along Highway 61, beginning just about 12 miles south of the state border. While the primary activity of casinos—gambling—doesn't vary much from one neon-lit building to the next, there are differences in atmosphere and other facilities that make it worthwhile to plan a few stops on your trip to "the Las Vegas of the Mid-South."

The Hollywood Casino has perhaps the most interesting decor. Actual props from movies, movie posters and photos of major celebrities line the halls. The casino sometimes exhibits memorabilia such as souvenirs of Elvis from the private collection of his long-time physician. Even the key chain to hold the ubiquitous player's card is in the form of the famous "Lights, camera, action!" signboard.

While most of the casinos have a variety of dining options including lavish buffets, steakhouses and cafés, one of the most popular places to eat is the buffet at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel. It features areas devoted to particular cuisines: grilled vegetables and pasta in the Tuscany section, dumplings and stir-fries in the Chinese area, and spicy Creole dishes from New Orleans. Horseshoe also has a Blues and Legends Hall of Fame Museum to tour when you need a break from the slots. There is also a Bluesville Showcase Nightclub featuring some of the best blues musicians in concert every weekend.

Festivals

How many cities can boast a festival that lasts for a full month? The Memphis in May celebration comprises 31 days of music, dance and theater as well as the lesser arts of barbecue and wine carrying! Every year, one country is chosen as the focus for events around the city. Past years have honored France, the Ivory Coast, Portugal and Australia. As part of the celebration, reoccurring events include the Beale Street Music Festival, the World Championship Barbecue Contest, the Great Southern Food Festival and the Sunset Symphony concert performed by the Memphis Symphony on the banks of the river. Other sanctioned events include a canoe and kayak race and the wine carrying race where local waiters compete in the Olympics of table service.

It seems as though there's a festival somewhere in Memphis every weekend of the year. And that is not too far from true. The Italian Festival in June highlights the heritage of an important element of Memphis' population with spaghetti gravy contests and a boules court. The Pink Palace Crafts Fair brings craftsmen and artist from all over the country to ply their wares under big tents on the grounds of Audubon Park. Arts in the Park celebrates every aspect of art and culture with ballet troops from Russia, prizes for painting, sculpture and photography and craft tables for interactive activities for children.

The Choctaw Indian Heritage Festival, the Cooper-Young Festival in the gentrified midtown neighborhood, the Greek Festival, the National Art Festival and the Saddle Creek European Street Painting Festival all contribute to the festivities in Memphis.

Last, but definitely not least, is the Mid-South Fair, held in late September through early October every year. This event is so important that all the students in the city and county schools get a day off to attend. The traditional county fair competitions in jelly making, quilt sewing, cattle breeding and hog calling are supplemented with amusement park games and rides, art and photography competitions, craft sales and the ever popular "fair food." It's a cultural and recreational event not to be missed.

Film

In the past to see a movie, locals had to travel out to one of the many multiplexes in East Memphis and Germantown. Today, however, Malco opened Studio on the Square, a 4-screen cinema in Midtown specializing in foreign and art films with a cappuccino/wine bar and lounge. Muvico Peabody Place has also seen a lot of revitalization. There is a 20-screen cineplex with an IMAX theater so visitors won't even have to leave downtown to see the latest Hollywood releases.

Memphis has become a popular site among movie-makers in the years since John Grisham's book "The Firm" was filmed here. Low costs and a mild climate have lured producers such as Sidney Pollack and stars such as Woody Harrelson and Courtney Love. Visitors may find themselves on the edge of a scene being filmed on Beale Street, on the skyway to Mud Island or sitting in the Peabody Hotel lobby with celebrities relaxing after a day's work.

Museums

Where would Memphis be without a museum dedicated to Elvis? How about one dedicated entirely to his cars? The Elvis Presley Automobile Museum, near Graceland, displays the collection of unusual and classic cars that Elvis prized.

And, of course, there is a museum dedicated to music. At the Memphis Music Hall of Fame you can see the vintage equipment actually used at the legendary Sun Studio to record artist such as Elvis and B.B.King. Exhibits trace the history of rock n' roll, soul and R&B in this area of the country over the past 50 years. Visitors will enjoy the photographs of their favorite artists as well as videos and displays of the actual instruments used to create some of the most memorable music of this era.

The Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, has been turned into the National Civil Rights Museum. Visit the room where he was shot and learn about his civil rights efforts. A life-size bus exhibit allows visitors to feel what it was like when Rosa Parks was told to sit at the back of the bus. Other interactive displays bring to life the history of African-Americans in the South and the struggles of those who fought for civil rights. It is an inspiring place for anyone who has ever pondered the flaws in human nature that allow prejudice and racism to exist.

While wandering down Beale Street, be sure to stop at the Beale Street Police Station, home of the Memphis Police Museum. Learn about the history of the police department in Memphis and sit inside an original jail cell. See the photographs and records of small time crooks and nationally-hunted criminals such as James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr.

On a lighter side, children will enjoy learning and playing at the Children's Museum of Memphis. This museum in midtown includes hands-on exhibits as well as replicas of planes, trains and automobiles where children can learn as they explore.

Art buffs will want to spend some time at the Brooks Museum of Art to see its top-notch collection of medieval paintings or the Dixon Gallery and Gardens for its impressionist works. The Dixon also holds concerts in the gardens every spring and summer.

Those interested more in cultural history can pretend to shop in a life-size replica of the first Piggly-Wiggly Grocery Store at the Pink Palace Museum. Previous exhibits have focused on the prehistoric wildlife of the Mississippi River Valley and the fossils found in the La Brea tar pits. This museum also houses a planetarium and IMAX theater. When the nights are clear and warm, telescopes are provided on the lawn for star-gazers of all ages.

Music

Anyone traveling to Memphis should spend at least one weekend evening club-hopping on Beale Street. This street, where B.B. King got his start, has been revived through a joint initiative of the city council and local merchants. Beale Street bars and clubs feature an outstanding variety of live music every night. Rum Boogie Café attracts 20-somethings who come to dance to the hot rhythms of R&B and rock groups, while Kings Palace Café draws listeners with its line-up of blues artists. Purists insist on Willie Mitchell's, where the music is as funky as it ever was in Beale Street's heyday in the 1920s and 1930s. In the spirit of "something for everyone," The New Daisy theater books alternative groups for the young and hip crowd. On weekends, Beale is closed to traffic and comes alive with bands playing both inside and out, tourists and locals mingling in the streets, and artists entertaining viewers with gymnastic antics. On special weekends, a particular type of music, such as Zydeco, may be featured. A wristband assures unlimited entry into all clubs.

With numerous venues from The Pyramid arena to the Mud Island Amphitheater, there always seems to be a concert of some kind. If nothing in Memphis appeals to you, take a short drive to Tunica, just south of Memphis, and catch one of the many concerts at the strip of casinos that have sprung up along the Mississippi.

Every year in May, thousands of people travel from all over to take part in the rapidly growing Beale Street Music Festival. This three-day event includes six different stages, each dedicated to a different kind of music. Whether you enjoy rock, blues, country or jazz, this festival has it all. In recent years, artists such as Bob Dylan, Percy Sledge, Joan Jett and Bryan Adams, plus groups such as Creed, Dave Matthews Band, the Allman Brothers, Los Lobos and the Foo Fighters have played here.

Parks

In a city lacking mountains and lakes, many nature lovers may feel a bit stifled. However, they can retreat to any of Memphis' many parks for a little peace and greenery. For example, the recently-completed Riverwalk in Tom Lee Park provides an escape along the river just seconds from downtown.

Overton Park, in Midtown, encompasses the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and a golf course. On any sunny morning, the park is filled with Midtowners walking their dogs or jogging the trails. Travelers can make a day of it by visiting the Memphis Zoo and Aquarium, checking out the museum and then relaxing in the park.

Near the University of Memphis, Audubon Park provides the perfect setting for a shady picnic on a hot day. This is where many locals have their Fourth of July picnics, eating barbecue from their favorite restaurant, of course. A creative anachronism group meets here on Sundays, staging medieval battles with realistic looking armor and weapons. Spectators are welcome to watch but need not fear that the "knights" will fall victim to any real injury.

Just outside of Memphis are Meeman-Shelby and Shelby Farms. Meeman-Shelby, to the north of Memphis, offers fishing, horseback riding and camping. Bring a picnic and check out the horses at Shelby Farms, located just northeast of Memphis. If you're lucky, you will see some of the buffalo that graze here.

Sports

Until recently, Memphis had only a few professional sports teams. Now, the city seems to have gone mad for the triple-A Redbirds baseball team. The Autozone Park provides an ideal venue for this team and has locals clamoring for tickets. Riverkings ice hockey team has been around a bit longer. Locals, who rarely see ice and snow on the ground, have embraced this winter sport. Although many of the players are transplanted Canadians, they are local celebrities with fans as rabid as any in Canada.

Although the University of Memphis has a football team, it is far better known for a tradition of nationally-competitive basketball teams. The Mud Island play in The Pyramid arena where fans cheer enthusiastically and loudly! NBA Star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway played here and returns each year to run a basketball camp for children.

Tennis fans will enjoy benefiting St. Jude Children's Hospital by watching the Kroger St. Jude Tennis Tournament which takes place every February with featured stars such as John McEnroe and Michael Becker.

St. Jude also benefits from the FedEx St. Jude Classic Golf Tournament held June at the South Winds course in Germantown. This has become a premier event on the pro-golfers' circuit. If you missed the tournament, there are many public and private golf courses in Memphis where you can practice your swing including the Overton and Audubon Park courses.

Theater

Memphis locals enjoy their theater almost as much as their music, even if the theater scene is not as well-known. The strong theater tradition in Memphis has produced such stars as Cybill Shepherd, Kathy Bates and Michael Jeeter. Just a block from the Peabody Hotel is the restored Orpheum Theater featuring touring productions of Broadway hits such as "Cats" and "Phantom of the Opera" as well as performances such as "Stomp" and "River Dance". For local theater, check out the Circuit Playhouse and Playhouse on the Square in Midtown or Theatre Memphis in the University of Memphis area. All three theaters stage traditional favorites like Noel Coward's "Private Lives," as well as more experimental pieces by modern playwrights. Playbills from these theaters reflect the eagerness with which up-and-coming thespians come to Memphis.

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