9 Ways to Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Memphis

Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month all of May with a series of events, food outings, and activities. 

A nationwide celebration, Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebrates the rich history, contributions, and diverse experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

graphic for AAPI Heritage Month
AAPI Heritage Month Memphis

AAPI Heritage Month is celebrated in May to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843. It also marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869 where the majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants. You can learn more at asianpacificheritage.gov.

In 2023, author and professor SunAh M Laybourn, Ph.D., started the city's first AAPI Heritage Month Memphis. Now in its third year, the celebration keeps getting bigger and better—featuring a collective effort of island-inspired happy hours, a citywide Asian food tour, student art exhibits, cultural performances, and the high-energy Memphis Dragon Boat Festival.

It’s a month-long showcase of heritage, flavor, and community you won’t want to miss.

9 AAPI 2025 HERITAGE MONTH EVENTS TO HIT:

 

1. Kick off AAPI Heritage Month Kickoff with an Island Vibes Happy Hour

Wednesday, May 1 | 5:00pm - 7:30pm | Caption by Hyatt

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in Memphis with a vibrant Happy Hour featuring Pacific Island-inspired cuisine by Chef Pavy, tropical cocktails, and festive island vibes. Enjoy an evening of great company, bold flavors, and community spirit as we honor the rich traditions and contributions of AAPI communities. Tickets are $40.


2. Eat Your Way Through the Hungry Tiger Food Tour

All Month long | Times and locations vary

The Hungry Tiger Food Tour is a flavorful journey through Memphis’ Asian culinary communities. Highlights include group lunches and dinners trying dosas and biryani at Amrutha Vilas, Filipino lumpia at New Manila, sushi and hibachi at Takashi Bistro, Vietnamese bowls at Tuyen’s, and a lively Korean karaoke pop-up at Good Fortune Co—plus many more delicious stops, no registration required! Scroll down for the full lineup of restaurants!

 

3. Attend the AAPI Student Art Exhibition and Support Young Creators

Wednesday, May 7 | 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Cossitt Library

Celebrate the creativity of Memphis and Shelby County students at the AAPI Heritage Month Student Art Exhibition Opening Reception. This inspiring showcase features K–12 artwork honoring AAPI stories, traditions, and identity, with winning pieces on display before the exhibit moves to The Shops at Saddle Creek. Free and open to the public.

4. Watch a Screening of the Documentary Film “Bluff City Chinese” A Documentary Film.

Thursday, May 8 | 6:00pm - 8:15pm | National Civil Rights Museum
A special screening of Bluff City Chinese will be held at the National Civil Rights Museum, a powerful documentary exploring 150 years of Chinese immigrant history in Memphis. The evening includes a pre-reception, followed by a screening and Q&A with filmmaker Thandi Cai—free with RSVP. 

5. Celebrate Global Stories of Strength at Suchitra Mattai’s "with abundance we meet"

Thursday, May 22 | Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

with abundance we meet is a sculptural installation by Suchitra Mattai featuring fruit-like forms crafted from braided vintage saris, suspended in the rotunda as symbols of fertility, migration, and feminine strength. Drawing from South Asian ancestry and global diasporas, the work honors women’s domestic labor and craft traditions, transforming everyday textiles into powerful monuments to shared histories and resilience.

6. Make Your Own Japanese Folding Fan at Super Saturday

Saturday, May 24 | 10:00am-12:00pm CST | Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

Learn about the art of sensu or Japanese folding fans by making your own! Experience the joy of creativity and the beauty of cultural heritage as you engage with this interactive workshop. Free with registration.

7. Kick Off the AAPI Student Art Exhibit with Food, Music, and Community

Saturday, May 24 | 4:00pm-6:00pm CST | Shops at Saddle Creek

Celebrate the creativity of Memphis and Shelby County K-12 students at the AAPI Heritage Month Student Art Exhibition at Saddle Creek, showcasing artwork that reflects AAPI stories, traditions, and identity. Enjoy food from Feast & Graze, drinks by Mane Celebrations, and music by Michelle Shrader during the opening on May 17; the exhibit runs through June 15 and is free and open to the public.

8. Taste, See, and Celebrate at the City of Memphis AAPI Heritage Month Celebration

Saturday, May 24 | 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Bert Ferguson Community Center 

Enjoy live performances, cultural activities, and food. This event highlights the diversity of Memphis with representation from Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Pakistani communities. 

 

9. Race and Cheer at the Memphis Dragon Boat Festival

Saturday, May 31 | All Day | Hyde Lake, Shelby Farms

This annual fundraising event features boat racing, dance performances, live music, and lots of food–hosted by the Memphis Chinese Community Center. Spectate or participate in the boat race with a team! Free admission.

cut up fruit piled together: watermelon, oranges, pineapples
Jalyn Souchek

Eat up during AAPI Heritage Month

If you're looking to dive more into the great Asian American cuisine in the city–and there's a lot–this is a great opportunity! Edible Memphis is again teaming up with AAPI Heritage Month for a Hungry Tiger Food Tour. At each stop you can eat some great food and maybe broaden your horizons with a new experience or friends.

UPCOMING HUNGRY TIGER FOOD TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, May 6 | 6:30 p.m. at Amrutha Vilas 
9959 Winchester Rd, Collierville, TN 38017

Friday, May 9 | 12:00 p.m. at Takashi Bistro 
1680 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38104

Tuesday, May 13 | 6:00 p.m. at New Manila Restaurant 
7849 Rockford Rd, Millington, TN 38053

Friday, May 16 | 12:00 p.m. at Tuyen’s Asian Bistro 
288 N Cleveland St, Memphis, TN 38104

Tuesday, May 20 | 6:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. Good Fortune x Gorae Soju: Karaoke Pop-Up
361 South Main St. Memphis, TN 38103

Friday, May 23 | 12:00 p.m. at Nagoya House Hibachi & Ramen 
2156 Young Ave, Memphis, TN 38104

Tuesday, May 27 | 6:30 p.m. at Swagath Indian Cuisine & Bar 
5030 Poplar Ave Ste 3 & 4, Memphis, TN 38117

Friday, May 30 | 12:00 p.m. at Kura House 
1324 Peabody Ave, Memphis, TN 38104

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About the Author

Hello! I'm Jalyn Souchek, the Director of Content for I Love Memphis Blog! I love calling the 901 home. When I'm not running the blog you can find me cheering on the Grizzlies, at a concert, exploring a new restaurant or kicking back at one of our breweries. I hope you'll love experiencing Memphis with me.

Build your perfect Memphis meal:

I love to eat so if I were to have only one meal left.. I’m going all out. I’d start with an app of Gumbo Fries from Blue City Cafe or Bayou Fries from Chef Tam, wings from Good Fortune or Central’s (honey gold and Jamaican Jerk), potato salad from Fat Larry’s, side of bbq spaghetti from Bar-B-Q Shop, and fried okra from Soul Fish. All paired with a Beale Street Brewing Space Age Sippin’.

Your most memorable Memphis moment:

College GameDay on Beale Street. That was an electric and perfect morning. I was still working in news then and was able to take it in up close and on the stage at some points. The fun and joy of everyone down there that morning is unbeatable.

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