Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Memphis

Happy Hour Kick-Off with Good Fortune

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

Join us at the Caption By Hyatt Beer Garden in partnership with Good Fortune Co to celebrate the dynamic culture and heritage of our local AAPI community! We look forward to welcoming you.

Your ticket includes:

• Enjoy cocktails crafted with unique Asian spirits and ingredients. Sake, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks will also be available.
• Food—Indulge in scratch-made dishes inspired by authentic Asian flavors, featuring a limited-edition menu just for our guests.

21 and up ticketed event. Purchase tickets via Eventbrite.

Caption by Hyatt, Beer Garden
245 S Front Street
Memphis, TN 38103

This event kicks off AAPI Heritage Month Memphis & The Hungry Tiger Food Tour with Edible Memphis.

This month the Hungry Tiger will take you on a tasty trek around town to restaurants showcasing some of our Memphis Asian ethnic communities. We’ll visit long-standing staples and more recent additions, and hopefully introduce you to a new-to-you favorite. If you’ve been looking for a reason to check out local eats or a way to connect with other folks in our community, this is for you!

Check out the full tour schedule at thehungrytigermemphis.com Learn more about how this delicious initiative began in Edible Memphis’s story “Calling All Hungry Tigers.”

Super Saturday - ‘China Blues: The World of Blue & White Ceramics’

Saturday, May 4th | 10:00am-12:00pm CST | Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

Join the Memphis Brooks Museum for Super Saturday - China Blues: The World of Blue and White Ceramics as we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month! Learn about different kinds of patterns, designs, and motifs that have been used to create blue and white porcelain all over Asia. Design your own blue and white ceramics on paper with markers and oil pastels, inspired by the beautiful pieces found in China Blues: The World of Blue and White Ceramics.

Free with registration.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
1934 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, Tennessee 38104

Let’s Grab Coffee on WYXR Radio Show Interview

Monday, May 6th | 11:00am-12:00pm CST | WYXR.org or 91.7FM Memphis

Tune in for an engaging conversation about Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the local celebrations, and the histories of our local Asian American communities.

Let’s Grab Coffee is a weekly interview-style radio show hosted by Dr. SunAh M Laybourn. On this special AAPI Heritage Month episode, Dr. Laybourn sits on the other side of the microphone as she’s interviewed by multimedia journalist and WYXR Program Director, Jared “Jay B” Boyd. This show kicks off special AAPI Heritage Month programming on Let’s Grab Coffee. Subscribe to the show on Apple and Spotify.

AAPI Student Art Competition Art Show Opening

Monday, May 6th | 6:00pm CST | Cossitt Library

This year is the inaugural AAPI Heritage Month Memphis Student Art Competition. Join us as we celebrate the power of creativity to bridge cultures and forge connections. On display are the winning artwork from Memphis and Shelby County K-12 students. Let these works of art be not just a reflection, but a celebration, of the rich mosaic of voices and experiences that make up the AAPI community and the impact of AAPI culture.

Artwork will be on display from May 6th-May 25th.

Library event page.

Cossitt Library
33 Front Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

Japanese Culture Club

Saturday, May 11th | 10:30am-12:00pm CST | Benjamin L. Hooks Library

Join us for Memphis Public Library's Japanese Culture Club! This monthly meeting will be dedicated to the appreciation of Japanese culture. The club will focus on immersing attendees in Japanese customs and traditions as well as popular culture in a fun and engaging environment. 

Library event page.

Benjamin L. Hooks Library
3030 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, Tennessee 38111

AAPI Heritage Month Celebration

Saturday, May 18th | 9:30am-1:30pm | Bert Ferguson Community Center

Explore the rich and diverse cultures of our local Asian ethnic communities. 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, Nepalese, and Pakistani communities.

Bert Ferguson Community Center
8505 Trinity Road
Cordova, TN 38018

天地之间，我们安家: Between Heaven and Earth, We Build Our Home Art Exhibition

Saturday, May 25th | 4:00pm-8:00pm | UrbanArt Commission

Opening reception for 天地之间，我们安家: Between Heaven and Earth, We Build Our Home Art Exhibition featuring work by Susan Mah, Sai Clayton, Sharon Havelka, Vivian Havelka, John Lee, Christine Lee, and MengCheng 梦城团 Collective (Lili Nacht, Neena Wang, Thandi Cai, Yidan Zeng).

Performance by MengCheng at 7:00pm

Outdoor Asian night market with food and merch vendors.

Artwork will be on display from May 25th through June 21st.

UrbanArt Commission
422 N. Cleveland
Memphis, TN 38104

Memphis Dragon Boat Festival

Saturday, June 1st | All Day | Hyde Lake, Shelby Farms

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The drummer at the helm of the boat beats the drum to set the pace, as 20 team members heave in time with each beat, slicing their paddles into the water, propelling the 46-foot-long dragon boat towards the finish line. The atmosphere is electric. The competition is heated. The boom of the drum, the glistening lake, the yell of the steerer’s commands to the team, the fireworks, the food trucks, the children’s activities, the cheering of the crowd, and multiple brightly colored dragon-scaled boats neck and neck in fierce pursuit of the finish line.

For more information and to register your team, visit MemphisDragonBoatFestival.com

Hyde Lake at Shelby Farms
6931 Great View Drive North
Memphis, TN 38134