25+ Cool Things To Do In Memphis This June

 

1. Hit Beale Street’s Most Colorful Parade for Pride

Memphis Pride Fest, the most colorful weekend of the year, includes the Memphis Pride Festival and Parade down Beale Street on June 1 starting at 11 a.m. The procession features 100+ units and 2,500+ participants. For our full Pride Month guide, click here.

 

2. Celebrate Juneteenth with TONE

Juneteenth, June 19, falls on a Wednesday this year but expect the weekend prior to be packed full of events. TONE is hosting a week-long celebration of Juneteenth: A Family Reunion on June 14-16 featuring huge names like Juicy J, Hitkidd, and more. For all events, click here.

 

3. Grab your lawn chair or blanket and head to the Overton Park Shell for live music

The 2024 Orion Free Concert Series is in full swing during the month of June with Memphis legends and notable traveling acts. The free concerts at the historic bandshell is a beloved tradition. June features 13 free concerts you need to hit. Sit back in the grass or in your lawn chair and enjoy nights of funk, soul, hip-hop, house music and more.

 

4. Celebrate 20 Years of Kix on Beale

Kix on Beale is a country music series at Beale Street’s Handy Park and it’s free! There are three shows in June on the last three Thursdays of the month. June features Locash with Runaway June, George Birge with Ryan Larkins, and Frank Ray. Check out the full lineup here.

 

5. Sing Along with Come From Away at Orpheum Theatre

A surprise add-on for Orpheum’s Broadway season brings the return of Come From Away on June 21-23 with five show options. Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Get your tickets here.

 

6. Keep the Pride Celebrations Going at Tri-State Black Pride

The celebrations continue with Tri-State Black Pride weekend on June 13-16. Tri-State Black Pride includes drag brunch, different themed dance parties and balls, a job fair, and more. For our full Pride Month guide, click here.

 

7. Indulge at the 5th Annual Craft Food and WIne Festival

A great event benefiting Church Health while you indulge in an evening of delicious food, exquisite wines, and live music on June 23. Get ready to savor a wide variety of craft foods prepared by talented chefs and local foodpreneurs, paired perfectly with a selection of fine wines. Get your tickets here and support a great cause!

 

8. Hit a Pickleball 901 to Play or Learn How To

Pickleball 901 is a series of pop-up pickleball courts around the city of Memphis. The Summer Series will include two stops in June including Crosstown Brewing on June 8-9 and Grind City Brewing on June 22-23. Check out the full lineup here. Looking for more free pickleball opportunities? Bluff City Pickleball offers free student play every Tuesday from 3-6 p.m.

 

9. Hit Whet Thursday at the Metal Museum

Whet Thursday is a free after-hours event held at the Metal Museum on the last Thursday of each month from May through August. June’s event will be themed Salsa On The Bluff on June 27 which will be one big dance class party, live music, food trucks, and more.

10. Eat fresh and support local at a Memphis farmers market

Be sure to hit a farmers market in June–when even more local markets are opening for the season. Whether you’re looking for fresh fruits, veggies, flowers, meats, baked goods, prepared foods, or other local goodies–our markets have it! There are a number of local farmers markets offered daily and weekly that can be found in our guide here.

 

11. Or Explore the Outdoors through Experience Memphis Gardens

Experience Memphis Garden is a six-week garden event that features 250+ gardens across 30+ neighborhoods. It runs through June 30 for 26 days of garden exploration and inspiration on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

 

12. Horse Lover? Hit the Germantown Charity Horse Show

The Germantown Charity Horse Show (GCHS) is one of the largest all-breed shows in the United States bringing in horse enthusiasts from all over the country. This year, GCHS celebrates its 75th year on June 4-8. Admire the beauty of the horses and the skillful riders during the competitions.

 

13. Eat for a Cause at Le Bon Appetit

Cooking for a cause is the motto behind the annual Le Bon Appetit event but here you’ll be the one enjoying the good eats. Put on by Chef Kelly English on June 8th, this event features the best names in Memphis’ local culinary scene plus brings in guest chefs from around the country for one tasty evening.

 

14. Or hey! Hit all the food and drink festivals

We live in Memphis. Of course, we’re going to have a bunch of food and drink festivals each month. Additional food festivals in June include a Margarita Festival, Loving Local, and a Memphis Vegan Festival. For our whole food and drink festival guide, click here.

15. Cosplay or Shop at Anime Blues Con

Anime Blues Con returns June 7-9. This 3-day convention that prides itself on offering fan events for all-ages celebrating the arts and culture of Japanese Anime (animation), Manga (comics), and Cosplay (costume-play). Notable events: Cosplay Contest, Rave, Neo Tokyo Strip Show, Blues Bazaar, and more!

16. Make a Wish at the Memphis Water Lantern Festival

This unforgettable evening, on June 15, will be filled with tasty food trucks, fun music, activities, and thousands of lanterns lighting up the night with love, hope, and happiness. Make a wish and send it away on a floating lantern at Shelby Farms Park.

17. Have a Family Outing at the Faith Family Festival

The third annual Faith Family Festival, on June 29, is a free event meant to inspire the Memphis faith community. Imagine a fantastic church picnic atmosphere filled with games, kids’ activities, food, fellowship, and live musical performances from local/national/international Christian artists including our headliner, Andy Mineo! 

 

18. Hit a Peabody Rooftop Party

The Peabody Rooftop Parties keep on giving with four rooftop parties each Thursday night in June. The parties are 21+ only and feature a new band or DJ each week. This month includes DJ Jordan Rogers, Seeing Red, DJ AD, and Lucky 7 Brass Band. Read more about the rooftop parties here. 

19. Catch a Memphis Redbirds Game

Take heed! The Memphis Redbirds are on the road a lot in June so make sure to plan your trips to the ballpark or you may be waiting a bit. In June, there are eight games at AutoZone Park to catch including a six-day series against Jacksonville. Check out our guide to the Redbirds season.

 

20. Or Cheer on the Beale Street Boys at a 901 FC game

901 FC is in their 6th season at AutoZone Park. In June, there are four match opportunities to catch. Join the Bluff City Mafia at The Brass Door for the pre-game march. Get tickets in the supports section with them to have a rowdy, good time. Check out our blog on 901 FC.

 

21. Cool off at a splash park or pool

June means summer! And in Memphis that means it's getting hot, hot, hot. It's time to start planning ways to beat the heat. Memphis has a variety of water zones to cool off, including splash pads and pools. Here is our list of favorites and where you can find them.

22. Spend your Thursdays and Fridays at GPAC

Each and every Thursday, GPAC has brought back Concerts in the Grove featuring the area's best musicians. Then, every Friday, they have Happy Hour in the Grove with curated drink specials, deals on local beer, and $5 wine + even more live music.

23. Take views of the sunset to a whole new level at Canoes + Cocktails at Shelby Farms Park

Each Friday, you’ll see the best views of Memphis sunsets from iconic Hyde Lake! Enjoy a guided evening sunset paddle on the lake followed by specialty cocktails provided by Old Dominick, snacks from Cheffie's, yard games and music. 

 

24. Find a Spot to Lounge at the Summer Art Garden

For the second annual Summer Art Garden, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art worked with Memphis-based duo Banana Plastik to present an environment filled with vibrant and whimsical beings entitled Creatures of Paradise. First Wednesday in the Art Garden is a perfect time to visit.

 

25. Visit a Seasonal Art Exhibit

There are so many great art collections to explore and take in–many that won’t be around forever! Here are a few seasonal exhibits to check out: Thomas Jackson: Chaotic Equilibrium, Sowgand Sheikholeslami: Progression, China Blues: The World in Blue and White.

26. See a Play and Support our Local Performing Arts Scene

The cool air conditioning inside our Memphis theaters is calling your name! In June, Playhouse wraps up The Hot Wing King (June 1-2) and then will have Catch Me If You Can beginning June 14-July 14. At Theatre Memphis, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (Broadway version) runs June 7-30.

 

27. Sweat it out during a free riverfront workout class

Join a free workout class along the riverfront at Tom Lee Park this month! Every Monday, hit a Hustle & Flow Pilates class or Hustle & Flow Step classes are each Wednesday night. Check out the park's full list of free events including DJ sets, kids classes, and more.