The Cooper-Young Festival, Zoo Boo opens, and knights in armor at Growlers

Hey Memphis 👋 It's Thursday. Sunny and 99, heat index up to 106, and highs near 100 all weekend. The weather service has a Heat Advisory up through 8 PM Saturday, so save the outdoor plans for evening and bring water.

Zoo Boo opens Friday, and Saturday is the big one: the Cooper-Young Festival all day, the Tigers at 6. Five things tonight, then all three days.

Jackie Venson — Overton Park Shell, 1928 Poplar Ave., 7 PM, free. Rolling Stone called her one of Austin's rising stars. It's the first of three free nights at the Shell — TAZ plays Friday, Larry Springfield Saturday, same time. Details

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration — Crosstown Concourse, Central Atrium, 1350 Concourse Ave., 11 AM–7 PM, free parking. We've pointed you at this one twice; today's the day. Mariachi from 2 to 4, and Tropical Fusion closes it out 5 to 7 for the after-work crowd. Details

WLOK Black Film Festival: Sarah's Oil — Pink Palace, 3050 Central Ave., red carpet and food samples at 6, film at 7, $10, cash only at the door. Night one of four; the rest are $5 — Michael at Crosstown Theater Friday, Sinners at Studio on the Square Saturday, Sound of Hope at Playhouse on the Square Sunday at 3. Details

The Memphis Rhythm Revue — The Grove at GPAC, 1801 Exeter Rd., Germantown, gates 5:30, music 6:30, $13, kids 5 to 18 $8. Three Memphis blues singer-songwriters playing rhythm & blues on the lawn, food trucks alongside. Details

Thirsty Thursdays Adult Skate — Skate Odyssey, 4560 Goodman Rd., Horn Lake, 9 PM–midnight, $10, 21 and up. The rink with no kids on it. Details

FRIDAY

PARK(ing) Day — Peabody Place, between The Majestic Grille and Silly Goose, 11 AM–2 PM, free. Parking spots become pop-up parks for lunch, and Margie's 901 hands out free ice cream sandwiches while they last. Details

Last Summer Night Market — Grind City Brewing, 76 Waterworks Ave., 4–9 PM, free entry. The last one of the summer: all women-owned vendors, live music and a free bedazzling station. Details

Singa B & The Blues Boyz — The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, 1350 Concourse Ave., 7:30 PM, $20 in advance, $30 at the door. The Beale Street Battle of the Bands winner, with songs from his upcoming Brand New Blues. Details

Twelfth Night — Theatre Memphis, Next Stage, 630 Perkins Ext., 7:30 PM, $30, $15 for students. Opening night of Shakespeare's shipwreck-and-disguise comedy. Details

SATURDAY

Cooper-Young Festival — Cooper and Young, 9 AM–7 PM. Year thirty-eight: 435-plus artisans, two stages of Memphis bands and the African Jazz Ensemble headlining at 5:15. No pets. Details

Memphis Tigers vs. UT Martin — Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, 6 PM, from $26. The Memphis Zoo reveals its tiger cubs' names at the game. Details

On My Way book release party — Memphis Listening Lab, Crosstown Concourse, Suite 269, 4–7 PM, free with an RSVP. Larry Heard and Ross Devlin's new book of photos and conversations, 1985 to 2025. Details

Bluff City Brawl — Growlers, 1911 Poplar Ave., 7 PM, $15, 18 and up. Memphis Armored Fight Club's knights in armor, in their last Midtown show until 2027. Door sales are limited, so buy ahead. Details

Music on the Square — The Crossing Amphitheater, 12118 Forrest St., Arlington, 7–9 PM, free. Live music and food trucks in Depot Square. Bring a chair or a quilt. Details

SUNDAY

Dixon's 50th-anniversary collection show opens — Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park Ave., 1–5 PM, free. An Investment in Pleasure fills the main galleries with fifty years of the museum's own collection, through January 10. Details

30 Days of Opera at Biscuits & Jams — 24 N. B.B. King Blvd., 11:30 AM–noon, free (the brunch isn't). Half an hour of opera with your biscuits. Details

Zoo Boo opens — Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Pl., Friday and Saturday, 6–9:30 PM, last entry 8:30, $23, $20 for members. A new seven-foot maze, a hay maze and a ghost train. Tickets are online only. Details

Family Movie Night — Cordova Library, 8457 Trinity Rd., Friday at 6 PM, free. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets outdoors, with popcorn. Bring a chair. Details

Children's Day at the Hernando Farmers Market — Historic Hernando Town Square, Saturday, 10 AM–noon, free. The first 100 kids get a free book and a $5 produce buck. Details

Stargazing on Beale Street Landing — 251 Riverside Dr., Saturday from 6:30 PM, free, all ages. The Memphis Astronomical Society on the grassy roof over the river, weather permitting. Details

Hattiloo Theatre turns 20 on Tuesday, in a remodeled home with a new 100-seat theater, the Culture Box lounge and a coffee shop called Café Loo. The party continues at the Overton Park Shell on Saturday the 26th. (via Tri-State Defender)

Two early closings: Memphis Botanic Garden shuts at 3 PM Friday for Kool & the Gang and Patti LaBelle, the season's last Live at the Garden, and the Children's Museum closes at 4 PM Saturday for Tigers game traffic. (via Memphis Botanic Garden and the Children's Museum)

A young bobcat strolled through a Southaven yard last weekend, which is less of a fluke than it sounds: the Memphis Zoo runs 30-plus trail cameras across the county, and researchers have documented bobcats at several spots in Memphis. (via Action News 5)

The King's Table: Uncorked — TCB Showroom at The Guest House at Graceland, 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd., Friday, 8 PM, $100. Six courses, each one poured with a Wagner Family wine. Details

A note from Hey Memphis

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Mid-South Fair — October 1–11, Landers Center, Southaven. Last call on the early price: $8 adults, $5 kids and seniors, through Sunday. Details

Hot Rods and Bike Night on Beale — Tuesday, September 22, and Wednesday, September 23, 6–10 PM, free. Hot rods Tuesday; Wednesday is the season's last Bike Night. Details

Overton Square Fall Movie Nights — Thursdays at 7 starting September 24, free. Project Hail Mary opens it; Casper and The Grinch are coming. Details

Cooper-Young Festival regulars: what's your one non-negotiable stop? The booth you hit first, the side street you park on and never tell anybody about. Hit reply — we'll run a few.

The tip line never closes — a pop-up, a band, a Saturday we missed. No gatekeeping — send it to hey@heymemphis.co.

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

— Josh