7 things to do this spring in Memphis, from music to museums to plant sales
John Beifuss- Spring has arrived in Memphis, offering a variety of activities for residents and visitors.
- The National Civil Rights Museum presents a timely exhibit on Bayard Rustin, a key figure in the civil rights movement.
- The Time Warp Drive-In returns for what could be its final season of cult classic films at the Malco Summer Quartet Drive-In.
- Plant enthusiasts can find a variety of species at sales hosted by the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Memphis Botanic Garden, and Lichterman Nature Center.
The pollen is here, the Redbirds are at bat, the azaleas are on their way, and spring has sprung in Memphis.
Pretty weather makes for restless feet. So here are a some suggestions for spring activities — a lucky seven ideas for things to do and see in Memphis.
Some of these events are imminent, some ongoing, but all are sure to put some spring in your step — and maybe (as in the case of the Bayard Rustin exhibit) add some bounce to your brain, too.
'Bayard Rustin' exhibit at National Civil Rights Museum
Last year, Colman Domingo was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award for his starring role in the Netflix biopic "Rustin," about the activist Bayard Rustin, bringing overdue mainstream recognition to a key figure in the struggle for social justice and gay rights. March 28, the National Civil Rights Museum opened "Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin," which the museum describes as "a groundbreaking exhibition" of more than 200 items culled from the Bayard Rustin Collection, recently acquired by the museum.
An intellectual "visionary architect of change" and champion of nonviolence, the Pennsylvania-born Rustin (who died in 1987 at 75) was an organizer of Freedom Rides and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and a top associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but his identity as a gay man made him a sometimes controversial figure among other leaders of the civil rights movement.
The exhibit, according to the museum, is loaded with "artifacts of activism" relating to such pivotal events as the March on Washington; valuable sculptures, folk art and photography from Rustin's extensive collection; and personal items provided by Rustin’s life partner, Walter Naegle.
The exhibit runs through the end of the year. For more information, visit civilrightsmuseum.org.
Time Warp Drive-In
Fans of movies, cool pop-culture traditions and uniquely American experiences wailed when they heard the recent news that Malco Theatres Inc. has put the almost 60-year-old Summer Quartet Drive-In — the Mid-South's last remaining "outdoor theater" — on the market. But until some developer purchases the property to turn it into a strip mall or warehouse or sports stadium or whatever, the drive-in will keep projecting movies on its four screens.
The drive-in is set to reopen April 18, while the next day will mark the start of what could be the final season of "Time Warp Drive-In," a monthly program of dusk-to-not-quite-dawn cult and classic "throwback" cinema curated by local movie mavens Mike McCarthy and Matt Martin. Here is the lineup:
- The schedule begins April 19 with a triple feature of mind-expanding science fiction adapted from the novels of Philip K. Dick: "Blade Runner" (1982), "Total Recall" (1990) and "A Scanner Darkly" (2006).
- May 17, the Time Warp program will be devoted to the three "Bill & Ted" movies with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter.
- The June 14 lineup will be a showcase for supernatural 1990s action-comedy, including "The Mummy," "Mortal Kombat" and "Army of Darkness."
- July 12, the drive-in will spotlight crazed creatures, via "Tremors" (1990), "Snakes on a Plane" (2006) and "Cocaine Bear" (2023).
- Time Warp concludes Aug. 16 on a bloodthirsty note, with the vampire happenings of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992), "The Lost Boys" (1987) and "Blade" (1998).
In other words, whether you do the Time Warp or just want to experience a new studio feature film from the comfort of your car, this spring and summer may give you your last chance to enjoy the Summer Drive-In. For more information, visit malco.com.
'The Golden Age of Paper Dolls'
Kids of all ages may want to make a visit to one of the region's less publicized attractions, the Davies Manor Historic Site at 9336 Davies Plantation Road in Bartlett, for a show titled "The Golden Age of Paper Dolls," which runs through May 28.
The historic paper dolls will be exhibited throughout the early 19th century mansion, and one room will be devoted to a make-your-own-paper-dolls craft space.
For more information, visit daviesmanor.org.
Big River Crossing
A treat for the eyes and a boon for the heart (and other assorted muscles) that is especially enjoyable in the spring, the "Big River Crossing" is an almost mile-long bridge for pedestrians and cyclists that connects Memphis to Arkansas.
Running alongside the historic Harahan Bridge, the crossing opened in 2016 to provide "dramatic views" of the mighty Mississippi River and the "ever-changing landscape" of the Tennessee and Arkansas riverfronts that flank the famous waterway.
The bridge is open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
Crosstown Arts' Jazz Month
Concluding at the end of April, Crosstown Arts' annual "Jazz Month" brings artists from across the nation and even around the world — vocalist Mar Vilaseca was born in Barcelona — to the Crosstown Theater and the Green Room at Crosstown Concourse for a series of innovative and often intimate concerts.
At least 10 more shows are on tap through April 30, showcasing trios, big bands (the Memphis Jazz Orchestra with Bobby Watson), traditionalists and experimenters.
For a full concert calendar, visit crosstownarts.org.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
With its Isaac Hayes Cadillac, Rufus Thomas go-go boots and "Soul Train" dance floor, the Stax Museum at 926 E. McLemore should be on every Memphian's — heck, every American's — bucket list. In mid-April, the museum makes checking that list easy indeed: April 11, from 1-5 p.m., is "Free Family Day," with free admission, free live music provided by SOUL CNXN, plus food trucks, games, arts-and-crafts, and so on.
For more information, visit staxmuseum.org.
Plant sales at the Dixon, Memphis Botanic Garden and Lichterman Nature Center
Whether you're a dedicated gardener with a green thumb or a beginner whose opposable digit has yet to be viridescentized, you may want to mark the weekend of April 11-12 on your calendar, as some of the city's preeminent plant places host their annual sales of ferns, flowers and more.
Noted for its tulips and other fabulous flora, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens at 4339 Park will be home to the "Dixon Garden Fair" from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 11 and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 12; according to the Dixon, the sale promises a "diverse selection of plants, from hard-to-find natives to choice shrubs and herbaceous perennials," plus "an excellent variety of native azaleas, ferns, and other shade perennials... along with herbaceous and Itoh peonies." For more information, visit dixon.org.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Botanic Garden at 750 Cherry Road hosts its own plant sale from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 11-12. According to the garden, the selection includes "a curated selection of plants well suited for the Mid-South including natives, trees and shrubs, vegetables, herbs, annual flowers, pollinator plants, woodland ephemerals, and more. Plus a variety of houseplants & tropicals." For more information, visit membg.org.
And then there's the Lichterman Nature Center at 5992 Quince, which invites everyone to its "Native Plant Sale," from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 11-12. The emphasis here is on "important butterfly larval host plants such as milkweeds, pipevines, asters, spicebush, and bluestem grasses," according to Lichterman. Also among the "50 native species" available will be "pollinator favorites for sun and shade, ferns, and many native shrubs." In addition, "the first 1,500 plant lovers will receive a native seedling," courtesy of sponsor Sylvamo, the Memphis-based paper company. For more information, visit moshmemphis.com.