Laura Alexander and Gloria Dodds Harlan

Symphony in the Gardens was once again a sell-out at Dixon Gallery & Gardens. The outdoor event, which was held May 12th, featured the Memphis Symphony Big Band conducted by Scott Moore. Singer Kortland Whalum performed.

Jude Tumminello, Mack Meyers, and Eva Meyers

A crowd of 1,300 people attended, says Jessie Wiley, Dixon’s director of development and communications.

“This is an annual tradition every year on Mother’s Day for over 20 years,” Wiley says. “It’s a special partnership between two valuable cultural organizations — the Dixon and Memphis Symphony Orchestra.”

The event, which “brings diverse Memphians together,” is “so much fun,” Wiley says. A “joyous day. Time to spend with family and friends. A very relaxed atmosphere. Bring your own picnic or enjoy food trucks. You can kind of make it your own.”

Michael Donahue began his career in 1975 at the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar and moved to The Commercial Appeal in 1984, where he wrote about food and dining, music, and covered social events until...