📣 Spillit Grand Slam: The Moment
Black Lodge
Friday, November 17, 7 p.m.
The beans will be spilled. The tea will be spilled. The guts will be spilled. The … wait … are there any other idioms for spilling secrets? Well, the bit’s run its course, and the real storytellers are ready to take over. All the Spillit winners from this year are coming back for Spillit’s Grand Slam. They get seven minutes to tell their story, and in the end one will be crowned the Grand Slam Champion. Learn more about Spillit here and get your tix ($20) here.
🩰 New Ballet’s NutRemix
Cannon Center For The Performing Arts
Friday, November 17, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, November 18, 5:30 p.m. | Sunday, November 19, 2:30 p.m.
Did you read Alex Greene’s cover story this week? Well, you should ’cause it’s a delight and it’s all about dance in Memphis. One such performance is happening this weekend, thanks to New Ballet Ensemble’s NutRemix. NBE’s take on The Nutcracker is an electrifying and innovative production that takes the entire family on a captivating journey with a story set on Memphis’ iconic Beale Street. Tickets ($29-$52) can be purchased here.
🎶 Paul Taylor with Three Springs
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, November 17, 7:30 p.m.
He’s back, baby! Paul Taylor, that is, and he’s coming to the Green Room this Friday for his first performance in Memphis in over three and a half years. This time around he’s bringing his brand new band, Three Springs, along with him all the way down from his new home of Door County, Wisconsin. Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 in advance. Oh, and, hey, Alex Greene just happened to write a really great music column this week all about Taylor. Just saying you might want to read it here.
🏋️ Memphis Fitness Fest
Renasant Convention Center
Saturday, November 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Let’s get physical! Not like you and, uh, me in, like, a physical way. But, you know, get physical with Memphis Fitness Fest! Immerse yourself in a day filled with energy, excitement, and empowerment. Participate in live demonstrations by the area’s top fitness trainers. Learn from expert nutritionists about the power of proper nutrition. Discover delicious and healthy recipes, sample nutritious snacks, and find out how to fuel your body for peak performance. Gain wisdom from featured speakers, and explore a marketplace filled with fitness brands, health and personal wellness products, and more. Tickets are $15.
🏳️⚧️ Trans-Fest
Black Lodge
Saturday, November 18, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
In preparation for Transgender Day of Remembrance on Monday, JennaOnFire Productions will host the first annual Trans-Fest, the biggest trans resource and vendor market in the Mid-South. There will be drawings for giveaways, and most of the tables will have goodie bags as well. The event is free and family-friendly. Each hour will have a family-friendly performance. Read more about the event in this article by our writer Kailynn Johnson. Also, check out OUTMemphis’ Transgender Awareness Week for more events elevating and supporting the trans community.
🍽 Eat This Book Festival
Cossitt Library
Saturday, November 18, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
We don’t endorse eating books, but we do endorse Eat This Book Festival where you can celebrate Memphis food culture with vendors, free samples, crafts, and more! This year’s festival will be headlined by Chef Eli, who along with other local chefs will host live cooking demos.
✏️ The Mid-South Cartoonists Association Festival of Cartoon Art
Germantown Community Theatre
Saturday, November 18, noon-4 p.m.
Celebrating cartoon art in Memphis, this family-friendly mini convention will have free entry with lots of original art and prints for sale. Since 1987, the Mid-South Cartoonists Association has been the premier group promoting cartoon as art with its membership consisting of all kinds of artists with a focus on cartooning. This event will also be a closing reception for MSCA art show “Drawing Blood.” Art show artists who will be in attendance are Greg Cravens, Courtney Dunn, Charlie Forrester, Katie Jones, Dale Martin, Katherine Modlin, Lin Workman, and Kevin Williams. MSCA member Antonio Johnson and GCT friend Connie Lampen will also be in attendance.
🎄 Hallmark’s Christmas at Graceland Double Feature
Guest House at Graceland
Saturday, November 18, 7 p.m.
I’ve never been to Graceland, but I have seen Hallmark’s Christmas at Graceland … well part of it … I think. You know how those movies are: They all blend together, boy and girl meet, conflict happens at 1:35 mark, they make up, and, boom, Christmas and love are saved! And you bet your poinsettias I’m gonna keep on watching these type of movies and enjoying them. This Sunday, you can catch a double feature of Christmas at Graceland and its sequel, and you can catch it for free. Oh, and it’s Holiday Lighting Weekend, so there are a bunch of other events happening at Graceland that you can check out here.
🌳 “Shelby Canopy: Our Shared Connection”
Wolf River Greenline
Sunday, November 19, sunrise-sunset
Skies of blue, clouds of white, trees of … blue? Yes, blue — at least along the Wolf River Greenway, where a new free, immersive public art experience is about to open this Sunday, complete with blue trees and wind chimes. The experience, titled “Shelby Canopy: Our Shared Connection,” features two temporary installations: “The Blue Trees Environmental Art Installation” by international artist Konstantin Dimopoulos and “Tree Tones” by local artist duo, Belleau + Churchill. It’s pretty cool, I wrote about it myself, and it’ll be on display until April.
👑 SIX
The Orpheum
Tuesday-Sunday, November 21-26
(Sing to the tune of ABBA’s “Money, Money, Money”) Henry, Henry, Henry had so many, six wives in all. Ohhhhh, all the things they could do, if they hadn’t married Henry. That was their downfall. Those, my friends, are the lyrics to the video my world history teacher made us watch in 10th grade, and, boy, do I remember them and always will. I bring this up because if one song about Henry VIII can linger in this ol’ noggin for years to come, imagine what a whole musical can do. That’s where SIX comes in. “The global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!” The six wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix 500 years of historical heartbreak into a euphoric celebration of 21st century girl power. Hell yea! Tickets for the show that’ll be taking over the Orpheum next week can be purchased here.
👟 2023 BuffaGLO Run
Shelby Farms Park
Tuesday, November 21, 7 p.m.
Get ready, get set, glow at the BuffaGLO Run! And while you’re at it get the very first look at the lights of Starry Nights and grab a cool t-shirt. This family-friendly 2.25-mile fun run is the kick-off to Starry Nights. The race will be untimed, strollers are welcome, and dogs are allowed on-leash. Race registration fees ($25) benefit Shelby Farms Park + Greenline. Register here.
There’s always something happening in Memphis. See a full calendar of events here.
Submit events here or by emailing calendar@memphisflyer.com.