CAN'T-MISS WINTER EVENTS IN MEMPHIS

Memphis Grizzlies Basketball

Now through April 2026; FedExForum
Cheer on Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies as they take on the NBA’s best at FedExForum just off Beale Street. After a down year due to injury, the Grizzlies' young core is ready to push Memphis back to the top of the Western Conference and help bring the franchise its first championship. Get tickets to Grizzlies home games here. Be sure to stop by the Grizz Den to pick up your Memphis gear before the game! 

Memphis Holiday Traditions

Now through Dec. 31, 2025
Celebrate the season in Memphis with dazzling lights, festive performances, and family-friendly fun! Experience 2 million twinkling lights at Starry Nights, visit Santa on Beale Street during the annual Holiday Parade, stroll through the first-ever Memphis Zoo Lantern Festival and meet the animals in their winter wonderland, or explore holiday exhibits at the Pink Palace Museum & Mansion at Enchanted Forest. Don’t miss the Memphis Botanic Garden’s Holiday Wonders, where spectacular displays transform the gardens into a sparkling winter escape.

See our full guide to Memphis’ holiday traditions for all the seasonal magic happening around town.

WYXR'S RAISED BY SOUND

Dec. 6, 2025; Crosstown Concourse
Don’t miss WYXR's Raised By Sound music festival at Crosstown Concourse. This one-day festival kicks off at 1 p.m. with free performances from the likes of Jay Som, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Melinda, Deonna Sirod and Blue Tom Revue. The fest continues with a sold-out ticketed concert from Kurt Vile and Malkmus. Then, the after party gets started with a collaboration from Mr. Fingers, Kid Millions and Cloudland Canyon. Get your after party tickets today.

ST. JUDE MEMPHIS MARATHON

Dec. 6, 2025; Downtown Memphis 
Ready to run for a great cause? Thousands of runners will race the streets of downtown Memphis as part of the annual St. Jude Memphis Marathon. Sign up for the 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon or kids' fun run, or join a sea of spectators cheering on the racers — all in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  

NEW YEAR'S EVE ON BEALE

Dec. 31, 2025; Beale Street
Celebrate 2026 on Beale Street with live music, dancing, fireworks, and confetti! Experience Memphis’ legendary blues, rockabilly, and soul as tens of thousands of revelers fill the street and spill into bars and restaurants. Dance under the stars and ring in the New Year with an unforgettable party. 21+ only. Ring in 2026 in Memphis! 

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL 

Jan. 2, 2026; Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
If you love college football like we do, you'll want to snag your tickets early for the annual Liberty Bowl showdown, usually pitting the SEC against the Big 12. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2026. Stay tuned for matchup details, which will be announced in early December, and make plans to hit the annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl Parade & Pep Rally on Jan. 1.

ELVIS’ 91ST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 

Jan. 7-11, 2026; Elvis Presley's Graceland
Celebrate the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Memphis! Die-hard fans will head to Graceland Jan. 7-11, 2026, for Elvis’ 91st Birthday Celebration. The week-long Elvis Birthday Celebration features live concerts, intimate conversations with Elvis’ friends and bandmates, exclusive tours, and special photo opportunities. Kick off the festivities with the DJ Elvis Dance Party and a first look at the newly updated Elvis: The Entertainer museum. Join the Birthday Proclamation Ceremony on Graceland’s lawn with a giant cake, catch exclusive shows like Elvis 1956, Girls! Girls! Girls!, and Made in Memphis with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and wrap up with a soulful Sunday Morning Gospel Sing. Plus, we have 9 other reasons to visit Graceland this winter.

King Day 2025

Jan. 19, 2026; National Civil Rights Museum
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday by visiting the National Civil Rights Museum to learn about 400 years of civil rights history. The celebration includes live music, special announcements and speakers and more. 

2026 INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE

Jan. 13–17, 2026; Beale Street
For five days, blues acts from around the world will gather in Memphis. They play and compete in Beale Street venues, culminating in a final round hosted inside Memphis’ historic Orpheum Theatre. The best part? You can experience any or all of it — find more details and ticket info here. Can’t make it during the festival? No worries. As the home of the blues, Memphis hosts live blues every night of the week, from Beale Street to local-secret spots.

WINTER MUSIC & THEATER EVENTS IN MEMPHIS

Get ready because there are a lot of big names coming to Memphis this winter. You’ll find all kinds of performances, from orchestras and ballets to Broadway productions and nationally touring acts, on stage at venues across the city, including Orpheum Theatre, Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC), Playhouse on the Square, Hattiloo Theatre and the Soundstage at Graceland. Check our round-up of events below, then browse our guide to Memphis' performing arts scene. 

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY IN MEMPHIS

Start with King Day, Jan. 19, 2026. Commemorating the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Memphis’ National Civil Rights Museum hosts this event, featuring live music, speakers and more. With King Day and Black History Month so close on the calendar, winter is an especially good time to experience African American history in Memphis. But with the stories this city has to tell, any time of year can be a powerful time to visit. Check out this guide for an overview.

MEMPHIS Brews

There’s nothing cozier than warming up with a winter ale. Memphis has a solid selection of local craft breweries — and related events — that will take the chill right off. A few of our favorites:
 

• Spend Sunday Funday at Flyway High Cotton for local brews, live music and artisanal vendors. 
• Enjoy live music and house-smoked meats around the firepits during brunch at Loflin Yard. 
• Get to Memphis Made Brewing and warm up your winter with a glass of “Fireside” — a malty amber ale. The local brewer just opened a new taproom at the Ravine in Downtown Memphis.
• Be sure to stop by Soul & Spirits in Downtown Memphis before a game or show.
• Check out Ghost River Brewery's taproom on world-famous Beale Street. Grab a round and enjoy live music on the patio.
• Go for pints and unique pies from Little Bettie Pizza at Wiseacre Downtown.
• If you're more into spirits, book a tour and tasting at Old Dominick Distillery.

For more Memphis brews, check out our local brewery guide.