Memphis in May facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memphis in May International Festival |
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| Genre | All |
| Dates | September 2020–April 2021 16–18 October 2020: Beale Street Music Festival 16–18 October 2020: International Week 30 September–03 October 2020: World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest 29 April 2021: 901Fest 24 October 2020: Great American River Run |
| Location(s) | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Years active | 1977-Present |
| Founded by | Memphis in May Events Committee |
| Website | http://memphisinmay.org |
The Memphis in May International Festival is a big celebration held every May in Memphis, Tennessee. It's not just one event, but a whole month of fun activities! Each year, the festival honors a different country, like Ghana in 2021, and shares its culture.
The festival includes several exciting events:
- The Beale Street Music Festival kicks off the month with amazing music.
- International Week teaches everyone about the honored country through exhibits and performances.
- The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a huge competition for barbecue lovers.
- The Great American River Run is a race for runners of all levels.
- 901Fest celebrates everything special about Memphis itself.
Contents
Beale Street Music Festival: What's It All About?
Enjoying Music at Beale Street
The Beale Street Music Festival is a three-day music party. It brings together famous stars and local musicians. This festival happens during the first weekend of May in Tom Lee Park, right by Beale Street. It's like the official start of the whole Memphis in May celebration! Over 100,000 people come to enjoy the music each year. The Beale Street Music Festival has been held every year since Memphis in May began in 1977. Its roots go back to the 1800s, when African-American musicians played on Beale Street.
Who Has Played at the Festival?
The Beale Street Music Festival is famous for its wide variety of music. You can hear everything from blues and rock to rap and pop. Many amazing artists have performed here over the years. Some famous names include B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Foo Fighters, The Killers, Snoop Dogg, Journey, Santana, Aretha Franklin, and Weezer.
International Week: Exploring Other Cultures
Every year, the Memphis in May festival chooses a different country to celebrate. For example, in 2018, it honored the Czech Republic. International Week usually starts right after the music festival. During this week, the festival shows off the food, art, and traditions of the honored country.
International Week is a great way for everyone to learn. It also has special programs for students in Memphis schools. The goal is for students to learn about 12 different countries by the time they finish high school. Some countries, like Japan and Canada, have been honored more than once!
Countries Honored Over the Years
The Memphis in May International Festival has welcomed visitors and performers from many countries. In 1996, the festival celebrated all the countries it had honored before. In 2019, it celebrated the city of Memphis and Shelby County. The country of Ghana was supposed to be honored in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was moved to 2021.
- 1977:
Japan - 1978:
Canada - 1979:
Germany - 1980:
Venezuela - 1981:
Egypt - 1982:
Netherlands - 1983:
Israel - 1984:
Mexico - 1985:
Australia - 1986: Japan
- 1987:
China - 1988:
United Kingdom - 1989:
Kenya - 1990:
France - 1991:
New Zealand - 1992:
Italy - 1993:
Russia - 1994:
Côte d’Ivoire - 1995:
Thailand - 1996: All previous countries
- 1997:
Brazil - 1998:
Portugal - 1999:
Morocco - 2000:
India - 2001: Netherlands
- 2002:
Argentina - 2003:
South Korea - 2004:
South Africa - 2005:
Ireland - 2006:
Costa Rica - 2007:
Spain - 2008:
Turkey - 2009:
Chile - 2010:
Tunisia - 2011:
Belgium - 2012:
Philippines - 2013:
Sweden - 2014:
Panama - 2015:
Poland - 2016: Canada
- 2017:
Colombia - 2018:
Czech Republic - 2019: City of Memphis & Shelby County
- 2020: Festivities cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021:
Ghana
World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC): The Biggest BBQ Party!
How the BBQ Contest Started
The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC) began in 1978 with only 26 teams. It quickly grew, and now it's the largest pork barbecue competition in the world! More than 250 teams from many states and countries come to compete. Around 100,000 people attend this huge event. News channels like BBC and The Food Network even come to cover it.
The idea for the contest came from Rodney Baber and Jack Powell in 1977. The first winner was Bessie Louise Cathey, who won $500. Today, prizes can be as high as $15,000 for the main cooking events. Teams often spend over $15,000 just to compete and set up their booths!
In 1989, the WCBCC set a Guinness World Record for the "largest barbecue." They cooked 55,297 pounds of pork! In 2016, over 16 tons of pork were smoked at the contest. The 2017 contest lasted four days for the first time. Also, the Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q team became the first to win five times!
What Kinds of Food Are Judged?
Teams compete in three main meat categories: ribs, shoulder, and whole hog. There's also a "Patio Porkers" division for new, amateur teams. All cooking must be done using only wood and charcoal. No gas or other heat systems are allowed.
Besides the main meats, teams also compete in other fun contests. These include Best Sauce, Hot Wings, and "Anything But" (for exotic meats, beef, seafood, or poultry).
Fun Events at the BBQ Contest
The WCBCC also has many special events that make it even more exciting:
- Ms. Piggie - Teams dress up people as pigs and perform songs or skits.
- Best Booth - Booths are judged on how creative they are and how well they connect to the honored country.
- T-Shirt Design - T-shirts are judged on their design and connection to the honored country.
- Sauce Wrestling - This is a messy but fun event where people wrestle in a ring filled with barbecue sauce!
- Big Hog Run - A short, exciting 656-foot race down Beale Street. Only team members and judges can compete.
- Cooker Caravan - This offers guided tours for the public to see how the teams compete behind the scenes.
Great American River Run: A Race Through Memphis
The Great American River Run started in 2016 as part of Memphis in May. It's a race for runners of all skill levels. You can choose to run a half marathon (about 13 miles) or a 5K (about 3 miles). The race course goes through downtown Memphis and along the beautiful Mississippi River.
The first race had over 2,000 runners from more than 30 states. Everyone who signs up gets a race t-shirt, and all finishers receive a medal!
901Fest: Celebrating Memphis!
901Fest also started in 2016 during the Memphis in May International Festival. This event is all about celebrating Memphis! It features local musicians, artists, and vendors. There's also an exciting air show and a fireworks display to end the day.
Images for kids
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Memphis in May Logo
