A $50 million dare at the Zoo, $4 pints on Broad, and free yoga at the Shell

Hey Memphis 👋 It's Monday. Mostly sunny and 87 with only a stray shower threatened after lunch — by August standards, that's the weather apologizing. The big stages are quiet tonight, but the city isn't: Monday belongs to the free stuff and the finds.

☀️ Today in Memphis

Mudpie Mondays — Memphis Botanic Garden, 10 AM–noon, free with garden admission ($12 adults, $7 kids 2–12). The Garden hands your kids natural materials and official permission to make a mess — the summer Monday tradition runs through the end of the month. It's called off if it rains, and today's stray shower isn't due till after everyone's washed up. Details

Electronics and Electricity Seminar — Whitehaven Library, 10 AM–noon, free. A weekly hands-on tinkering lab where beginners get their own table — walk in, no registration, teens through seniors all welcome. Details

Teen Welcome Week at CLOUD901 — Hooks Central Library, 3–6 PM, free. Same idea downtown, for teens: the tech lab kicks off the school year with a plug-back-in week, and Monday adds a free intro-to-photography class at 3 with cameras provided. Register for the camera class; the rest is drop-in. Details

Medal Mondays — Wiseacre Brewing, Broad Ave, 4–10 PM, $4 pints. The medal shelf goes on sale: Tiny Bomb, Sky Dog, and the Oktoberfest at four bucks a pour, all evening at the Broad Avenue taproom. Details

Pokemon Club — Burch Library, Collierville, 5–6 PM, free. All ages, no registration — bring your cards and pull up a chair. Details

Twilight Yoga and Pilates — Overton Park Shell, 5:30–6:30 PM, free. The Shell swaps amps for yoga mats on Mondays — a free flow on the lawn of the 90-year-old amphitheater. Bring a mat. Details

Music Bingo Monday — Buffalo Wild Wings, Millington, 7–9 PM, free. Name-that-tune bingo up in Millington — free to play, the wings are on you. Details

Sweat Cardio on the riverfront — Sunset Canopy, Tom Lee Park, 7:15–8:15 PM, free. A free full-body workout under the canopy with Ricky from Ambishun Fitness, and it only lands four Mondays a year — after tonight, the next one is September 28. All levels welcome, and free Pilates runs the same spot at 6 if you want to make an evening of it. Bring a towel and water. Details · Pilates at 6

Want the whole verified list, updated daily? It lives at heymemphis.co/events.

📰 The Rundown

The Memphis Zoo just landed the biggest gift in its 120-year history — $50 million from the Smith family, relatives of the late FedEx founder Fred Smith, structured as a dare: they'll match what the rest of Memphis raises, toward a potential $100 million campaign. First on the wish list is a reimagined Africa exhibit, and a stingray exhibit already in the works is slated for 2027. (via Action News 5) · Chip in on the match

Dave's Hot Chicken is taking over the building at Poplar and Highland that Spin Street left empty back in 2017 — tower sign and all. Construction is already underway, with an opening targeted by the end of the year. (via Action News 5)

Schools of Perea, the Level 5-rated charter school in the old Klondike Elementary building on Vollintine, is adding a seventh grade and growing from 305 students to 507 — a roughly 40 percent jump, with an eighth grade eyed for 2028. More seats for North Memphis families, right as the school year starts. (via Memphis Flyer)

🍽️ Food & Drink

Cocozza East — The Majestic Grille team's red-sauce spot is done soft-opening: the second location at 919 S. Yates is now open seven days a week, 4–9 PM, with a full bar and a first-come patio. Details

Byway Coffee’s August menu — The coffee trailers went all in on coconut: the Caramelized Coconut Latte is back, plus a Coconut Cream Cold Brew and Coconut Cloud Matcha, all three under blue coconut cold foam. Rounding out the board: Turtle Latte, Mango Matcha, Passion Fruit Mocha, and a sparkling Tropical Blue Lotus. The menu runs all month, and today both trailers are posted at Novel and Cordelia’s Market, 7 AM–1 PM. Details · Our coffee guide

🎟️ Looking Ahead

Jodeci at the Orpheum — November 24, tickets went on sale Friday. The 35th-anniversary tour comes to Main Street, and if Forever My Lady means anything to you, you already know. Details

The Band CAMINO opens Satellite Music Hall — September 4 and 5. The Memphis-born band christens Crosstown's new 1,300-cap room with two nights, and tickets are on sale now. Details

Free tram tours at Elmwood — this Thursday, August 6, 11 AM to noon, free. Worth repeating from Friday's issue, because it's still the gentlest free plan of the week: the daylight ride through the cemetery's history, no walking required. Details

🏡 Community Corner

Friday we asked for the one thing you want to get done in Memphis before summer's actually over. That question stays open all week — hit reply with yours, and we'll go find the ones we can help with.

And the tip line never closes — a pop-up, a band, a Monday night we missed — no gatekeeping — send it to hey@heymemphis.co.

That's it for today — see you tomorrow at 6.

— Josh