January: Science of Beer - sold out!

January 13, 2024
Craft beer and food pairings from regional breweries and restaurants. Supports MOSH education programs.

February: Memphis Restaurant Association Food Festival

February 4, 2024
Support the Memphis restaurant community with this tasting/food festival format. Samplings from food vendors and an open bar all night. At The Kent building.

February: Italian Winterfest

February 4, 2024
If you like Italian food and wine, then don't miss Tony Barrasso’s 12th Annual Italian Winterfest. The event will feature food and wine from local restaurants and more. Fundraising event for multiple schools and organizations. At St. Benedict at Auburndale.

February: Whiskey, Wine, and Chocolates

February 9, 2024
Enjoy perfect pairings of chocolates by Memphis-based Chocolatier Phillip Ashley Rix with select whiskeys, wines, & craft beers.

February: 35th Annual Soup Sunday

February 18, 2024
All-you-can-eat food tasting with dozens of local restaurants that supports Youth Villages. At The Kent building. 

March: Whiskey Warmer Festival

March 1, 2024
Attendees will enjoy 30+ whiskeys to choose from, live music, local food trucks, a photo booth, a cigar lounge, and more. A portion of the proceeds benefits Volunteer Memphis. At The Kent.

March: Black Opulence Festival - SOLD OUT

March 2, 2024
Celebrate Black culture with an evening of tapas style dishes from 7 local chefs paired with signature cocktails. At Avon Acres.

March: Science of Wine

March 8, 2024

A 21+ event that mixes wine tasting, food pairing, and fun activities that explore the science of making wine. Winemakers and chefs will be on hand to help you discover which wines go with which foods, and why. Proceeds benefit museum programming for area students.

March: Eat To Live Veganfest

March 17, 2024
Entry is free for this vegan festival. Presented by Queen Vegan, this event will be held at The Soul Train Lounge formally Paradise Entertainment Center. Vegan vendors and food trucks will be on-site to purchase food from.

March: Memphis Black Restaurant Week

March 17-23, 2024
More than a dozen local Black-owned restaurants offer lunch and dinner specials for a week, culminating in Soulful Food Truck Sunday. 

March: Soulful Food Truck Festival

March 24, 2024
Dozens of food trucks joined by additional food vendors, kids zone, and live music. This soulful event is the finale of Black Restaurant Week. At Tiger Lane.

March: Casapalooza Tequila Festival

March 24, 2024

A festival perfect for tequila lovers. Festival goers will get access to 30+ tequila stations. Sample your way through and enjoy DJs and food trucks (to purchase from).

March: Memphis Tequila & Taco Street Festival

March 30, 2024

Enjoy free giveaways from local organizations, $5 Tequila Bars, $5 Shots, Taco Trucks, Live DJ, Raffle Ticket drawing for free shots, local vendors, and lots more.

April: HOPPED

April 13, 2024

A day full of hoppy beers, music, food, comedy, and more. This Memphis Made Brewing Co. festival offers limited beers and some from upcoming brewery Memphis Filling Station.

April: BRNCHLLA Memphis 

April 14, 2024

BRNCHLLA is a Large Brunch and Day Party that features the best local restaurants, caterers, bartenders, local brands, vendors, local entertainment and DJ’s all while raising money for a very important cause (The Starfish Infertility Foundation). The event is a one of a kind blend of Fancy Picnic, Lit Day Party, Vendor Showcase, and Food Festival all wrapped into one.

April: Roar and Pour

April 19, 2024

A fun-filled night tasting whiskey samples throughout the Memphis Zoo from tons of distilleries across the state, live music and dancing, incredible food, and a silent auction,

April: World Championship Hot Wing Contest & Festival

April 20, 2024
Dozens of teams compete to be the Hot Wing World Champion. Much easier to sample around at tents compared to BBQ Fest. Benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. On Riverside Drive.

April: Vintage 901 Food & Wine Festival

April 20-21, 2024
Two days of food and wine with marquee events: Grand Tasting and a Sparkling Brunch. The Grand Tasting features an array of wine vendors from numerous Old World and New World wine producers. Proceeds support students seeking careers in the culinary arts, oenology and viticulture. At The Medicine Factory.

April: Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival

April 21, 2024
Massive crawfish boil with vendors, gumbo cooking contest, live music, kids' play area, and more. Benefits Porter-Leath. On Riverside Drive. You can even bob for crawfish.

April: Memphis Mimosa Festival

April 21, 2024
Gather your crew for a day of mimosa sippin' on Sunday Funday. There will be food trucks on site to buy from, music, games, and more. At Tom Lee Park.

April: Taste the Rarity Beer Festival

April 27, 2024
Wiseacre hosts high-end craft breweries so attendees can sample regional and extra special limited edition beers. At the OG taproom on Broad Ave.

April: Overton Square Crawfish Festival

April 27, 2024
Annual crawfish festival that takes over the streets of Overton Square with craft beer, live music, local vendor market, and more.

APRIL: Memphis Cocktail Festival

April 27, 2024
The inaugural Memphis Cocktail Festival at The Commonwealth.  Tickets include unlimited cocktail tastings from international brands, regional mixers and the local bar artisans who mix it all together night after night.  Memphis Cocktail Festival will also host a food truck village and the Made in Memphis artisan retail market.  

May: 4th Annual Cigar and Whiskey BBQ Festival

May 4, 2024
Premium cigars from local brick and mortar lounges, signature Tennessee Whiskey, Annual Smokey BBQ Challenge, and much more. 

May: World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest

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.
May 15-18, 2024
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! At Liberty Park.

May: SmokeSlam: The World’s Ultimate BBQ Showdown

Same hesitation as mentioned above.
May 16-18, 2024
A new barbecue festival. Yes, happening at the same time as above. Over 100 teams are expected to participate. This festival plans to offer an immersive and inclusive experience, where attendees can partake in interactive food sampling events. Details to come. At Tom Lee Park.

May: Memphis Vegfest 

May 19, 2024

This is a fun all vegan festival with a family fun zone, music, face painting, lots of vegan food, and more.

May/June: Memphis Italian Festival

May 30-June 1, 2024

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 in Marquette Park, 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

June 1, 2024
Local restaurants compete to make the best margarita; attendees try multiple samples and vote, plus there's a cash bar. At Overton Square.

June: Le Bon Appétit

June 8, 2024
Dozens of talented chefs from Memphis and around the country prepare delicious food to raise money for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. At The Kent.

June: Memphis Vegan Festival

June 16, 2024
A family-friendly day full of vegan food, live music, and a marketplace featuring local businesses, plant-based health & beauty products, clothing and accessories

June: Craft Food and Wine Festival

June 23, 2024
Samples of the best in gourmet food, wine, and spirits from local and regional producers and artisans. Arrive early for best selection. Benefits Church Health. At The Columns. 

July: Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival

July 12, 2024
Enjoy summer-inspired cocktails, fresh local food, an epic dance party and more. Each ticket includes 12 sample-sized cocktails. Proceeds benefit Volunteer Memphis. At The Kent.

August: Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival

August 17, 2024
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

September 7, 2024
Cocktail party at the Zoo at night with food samples from dozens of local restaurants and live music. Benefits the Memphis Zoo. 

September: Memphis Greek Festival

September 20-21, 2024
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.

September: Bourbon & Bacon Festival

September 20, 2024
Bacon-inspired dishes from local restaurants and spirits samples, plus music. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Memphis Farmers Market. At Shelby Farms Park.

September: Elixir Ultimate Cocktail Party

September 28, 2024

Enjoy the Ultimate Cocktail Party featuring 8 DJs, 5 Rooms and Live Music! Elixir is the perfect blend of the Hottest Sounds & Lavish Cuisine in Memphis! Enjoy hors d'oeuvres in VIP and Multiple Bars located throughout the venue all night.

October: Fall Wine Dinner

October 3, 2024

It's time to enjoy yourself for the evening with a top-notch fall experience from our Executive Chef, Karen Roth inside the Teton Trek Lodge.

October: Black Arts & Wine Festival

October 5, 2024
Experience Black-owned wine brands while shopping with Blacks artists and creatives! Will take place at Hilton Memphis.

October: Memphis Food & Wine Festival

October 19, 2024
Memphis' premiere food and wine celebration. Sample wine and some of the finest food Memphis has to offer. At Radians Amphitheater.

Oktoberfests

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