Cooper Young Festival Celebration in Midtown, Memphis
Join us at the festival for our FUN ZONE with Mega Jenga, Cornhole, Music, Fun & Giveaways!
Join us for the annual Evolve Bank & Trust Cooper Young Festival on Saturday, September 19 from 9 am to 7 pm. The Cooper Young Festival is a free, family-friendly, music, arts and crafts street festival which draws over 135,000 people to the historic Cooper Young District for a day of music, art, shopping, people watching and dining. The Festival, in its 28rd year, is the largest, single day event held annually in a celebration of life, music, arts and history. It’s the biggest party of the summer!
Make your way to the corner of Cooper and Young in Midtown Memphis and you’ll have arrived at a place both traditional and trendy, cosmopolitan and casual. It’s where art, culture, cuisine and commerce intersect in a fabric that weaves its way throughout this historic neighborhood to create a lifestyle district all its own. The highlight of the year is the Cooper Young Festival! Festival day is when the local merchants as well as over 435 guest artists from all over the country and local Memphis musicians offer up the best fun in the South.
Cooper Young Business Association hosts this one and only fundraiser for the area to make the District known both locally, nationally and to draw homeowners and merchants into the neighborhood. The proceeds from the Festival are redistributed back into the infrastructure of the neighborhood, business websites, and community non-profit organizations. Home to over 187 independently owned businesses in Memphis; Cooper Young is home grown, local led and community raised.
Shuttle services are being offered by our partners Ride the Roo and Christian Brothers University. Park your car in the parking lot entering off Central Avenue and catch the Roo over to the entrance of the Festival. Handicap parking is available. Shuttle services will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. So pack up the strollers and head over for some Memphis College of Art fun in the Children’s Area. Hosted annually by the Civitians, the area will offer an assortment of hands on art projects, bouncing activities and slides as well as games of chance and prizes. All proceeds from the Children’s Area go toward helping people in our community with developmental disabilities.
The Cooper Young Festival is all about the unique art finds and the sounds of local music. The Main Stage kicks off at 11:15 a.m. with folk duo, Deering and Down with 45 minute sets that consist of local favorites Maitre D’s, Alexis Grace, Will Graves and the Soul, Fast Mothers and Chinese connection Dub Embassy. Three time Grammy nominee and Blues Hall of Famer, Otis Clay with Stax Alumni, Charles Hodges and Hi Rhythm Section will headline the day on stage at 5:15 p.m.
The Memphis Grizzlies and Goner Records have teamed up to bring together a nice selection of Goner bands. Treat yourself by stopping by this stage located at Meda and Young. Starting at 12:30 p.m. enjoy the sounds of Hosoi Bros, Robby Grant, Aquarian Blood, Mark Edgar Stuart & the Hot Mess and the wildly famous all girls band, Nots. The School of Rock will be hosting the music stage in the First Congo parking lot and bringing with them the best of their students who have been playing all over the Memphis area. These talented young people will be singing some of the best of Tom Petty and Nirvana also featured on this stage the School of Rock Memphis House Band, The 901.
Each year the Festival is preceded by two pre-festival events. The Art Invitational will be Thursday, September 17 at the Jay Etkin Gallery located at 942 South Cooper Street. The Art Invitational is a Festival tradition and highlights the talent of local CY artists. This event is free to the public; please join us for wine/cheese, Miller Lite beer bar and music by local musicians, Chuck and Nora are Retroactive from 6 – 9 pm. On Friday, September 18, the Festival 4-Miler is scheduled to begin at Midtown Autowerks at 795 South Cooper at 7:00 pm.
Thank you to our sponsors for making this year’s Cooper Young Festival possible. The 2015 Evolve Bank & Trust Cooper Young Festival is sponsored by the Commercial Appeal, Miller Lite, Christian Brothers University, Memphis Grizzlies, Jim Keras Subaru, Summer Winds Resorts, Wizard’s, Camp Bow Wow, Southland Park Gaming and Racing, School of Rock, Direct General Insurance, Go Ape, Local ABC 24, Local Cares, CW 30, Rock 103, 101.9 Kiss FM, News Radio 600 WREC, Emergency Mobile Health Care, Lens Rentals, Delta Ice Services, CVS Health, Verizon Wireless, Memorial Park and Toof American Digital Printing.
Again, this is the biggest party of the year in one of the great historic neighborhoods of Memphis. So mark your calendars – you don’t want to miss it! While the neighborhood is pet friendly, we ask your help for the safety of the animals and festival patrons that you do not bring your pet into the Festival site.
