April: Memphis Vegan Block Party At Fourth Bluff Park 

April 1, 2023
Vegan food, live entertainment, and plant-based vendors for shopping.

April: Taste the Rarity at Wiseacre Brewing

April 15, 2023
Local brewery hosts high-end craft breweries so attendees can sample regional and extra special limited edition beers.

April: Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival On Riverside Drive

April 16, 2023
Massive crawfish boil with vendors, gumbo cooking contest, live music, kids' play area, and more. Benefits Porter-Leath.

April: Vintage 901 Food & Wine Festival

April 22-23, 2023
Two days of food and wine: a Grand Tasting on Saturday night April 22 at ARROW Creative and a Sparkling Brunch on Sunday at FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms. Vintage 901 supports the Women's Foundation. Vintage901 hosts other events throughout the year; this is their signature event.

April: Black Arts & Wine Festival at MoSH

April 23, 2023
20 Black-owned wine brands and over 30 Black artists and creatives at MoSH. Of course, there will be music from 3 DJs throughout the day. 

April: Memphis Mimosa Festival in Court Square

April 23, 2023
Gather your crew for a day of mimosa sippin' on Sunday Funday. There will be food trucks, music, games, and lots more fun. 

May: 3rd Annual Cigar and Whiskey BBQ Festival at Civic Center Plaza (125 n. Main St.)

May 6, 2023
Premium cigars from local brick and mortar lounges, signature Tennessee Whiskey, Annual Smokey BBQ Challenge, and much more. General Admission tix are $25, but for VIP treatment (unlimited cocktails, tent sestina, food, and gift bag) it's $125.

May: Memphis Greek Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

May 12-13, 2023
Local church hosts celebration of Greek food and culture, hang out and eat or drive-through and get Greek food to-go. Benefits the Mid-South Food Bank and the church.

May: Fried Chicken Fest in The Grove at GPAC

2023 date: TBA
In 2022, GPAC hosted three chicken restaurants (Gus’s, Uncle Lou’s, and Mike’s Hot Wings) with food for purchase, plus live music at their outdoor venue. Hoping they bring it back for 2023!

May: Hopped Beer Fest at Memphis Made

2023 date: TBA
Local brewery offers limited edition hoppy and spring-appropriate beers; there's music and food trucks and fun.

May: World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest at Tom Lee Park

I also hesitate to include this one, but Memphis In May's WCBCC deserves a nod if only so Memphians can remember to be proud that we host this major competition.

Don't show up trying to get barbecue, it's only for teams and their guests. There are some food vendors and a few exclusive tours where you can sample some items—these tours often sell out ahead of time, so keep your eyes on Memphis In May's social media and stay ready!

June: Memphis Italian Festival at Marquette Park

June 1-3, 2023

I hesitate to include this on the list of "food festivals"; however, it is a major Memphis event for the people involved so here we go:

At Italian Fest, dozens of cooking teams compete to create the best Italian dishes. Tents are private parties with competition food not available to the public. The public does have access to food vendors and plus entertainment. Benefits Holy Rosary Catholic School.

June: Margarita Festival at Overton Square

June 3, 2023
Local restaurants compete to make the best margarita; attendees try multiple samples and vote, plus there's a cash bar.

June: 901 Vegan Festival at Fourth Bluff Park

June 18, 2023
A family-friendly day full of vegan food, live music, and local vendors.

June: Craft Food and Wine Festival

June 25, 3023
Samples of the best in gourmet food, wine, and spirits from local and regional producers and artisans. Arrive early for best selection.

June: Le Bon Appétit

2023 date: TBA
Dozens of talented chefs from Memphis and around the country prepare delicious food to raise money for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

July: Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival at Shelby Farms

July 14, 2023
Enjoy summer-inspired cocktails, fresh local food, an epic dance party and more. Each ticket includes 12 sample-sized cocktails.

August: Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival at The Liberty Bowl

August 12, 2023
Drink away the summer heat with samples of boozy seltzers and beer, enjoy chicken-centric local food vendors with grub for sale. 

September: Zoo Rendezvous at the Memphis Zoo

September 9, 2023
Cocktail party at the Zoo at night with food samples from dozens of local restaurants and live music. Benefits the Memphis Zoo. 

September: Cooper Young Festival 

September 16, 2023
Plentiful beer samples from local and regional craft breweries; limited ticket sales for a more intimate experience, plus food and music. Benefits the Cooper Young Community Association.

october: Bourbon & Bacon Festival at the Metal Museum

October 6, 2023
Bacon-inspired dishes from local restaurants and spirits samples, plus music. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Memphis Farmers Market. 

October: Memphis Food & Wine Festival at Memphis Botanic Garden

October 14, 2023
Plentiful food and wine samples from chef-driven restaurants (both local and national) and renowned wineries from around the world, plus live entertainment in a glamorous, upscale garden.

More late summer/fall food festivals: 

Science of Wine at the Pink Palace

2023 date TBA
The Museum of Science & History (MoSH) is back with the 7th annual Science of Wine event. Enjoy plentiful wine tastings and food pairings, plus fun quick demos all about the science and chemistry of wine.

Oktoberfests

Check back in the fall for our local breweries’ annual Oktoberfests and fall beer fest!

Memphis Brewfest at the Simmons Bank Liberty Bowl

2023 date TBA
A great day of drinks, food, and fun at the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (aka the Liberty Bowl). Enjoy unlimited samples from more than 50 breweries and cideries, Memphis food vendors, craft vendors, and music. VIP gets you fast entry, private restrooms, and special beer samples. 

Festivals That Have Already Happened In 2023 So You Can Plan For Next Year:

To be updated once some of these happen!

January: Science of Beer at the Museum of Science & History - sold out!

January 13, 2023
Craft beer and food pairings from regional breweries and restaurants. Supports MOSH education programs.

February: Whiskey, Wine, and Chocolates

February 10, 2023
Enjoy perfect pairings of chocolates by Memphis-based Chocolatier Phillip Ashley Rix with select whiskeys, wines, & craft beers.

February: Soup Sunday

February 19, 2023
All-you-can-eat food tasting with dozens of local restaurants. Supports Youth Villages. At The Kent building. 

March: Whiskey Warmer Festival at Shelby Farms Park

March 3, 2023
Enjoy 15 whiskey tastings, plus food available for purchase, plus a cash bar with beer and full-sized cocktails. A portion of the proceeds benefits Volunteer Memphis.

March: Black Opulence Festival at Avon Acres (4361 Summer Ave.)

March 4, 2023
Celebrate Black culture with an evening of tapas style dishes from 7 local chefs paired with signature cocktails.

March: Memphis Black Restaurant Week

March 5-11, 2023
More than a dozen local black-owned restaurants offer lunch and dinner specials for a week, culminating in Soulful Food Truck Sunday. Support local business.

March: Soulful Food Truck Festival at Tiger Lane

March 12, 2023
39 Food trucks, 15 food vendors, kids zone, and live music. This soulful event is the finale of Black Restaurant Week.