Beale Street Music Festival
April 29-May 1, 2011
Memphis, Tennessee
Each spring for the past 34 years musicians from a wide swath of genres, many with a blues-inspired Southern flair, have come to Memphis’ 25 acre Tom Lee Park where Beale Street meets the mighty Mississippi River. The event features over 60 acts on four stages and draws some of the biggest names in contemporary music and the touring business.
From a fan website: “The Beale Street Music Festival has grown into one of the largest parties in the United States, drawing people from all over the country to come experience a celebration of the birth of an expressive art form that materialized as the music known as the Blues. Gritty, raw, and full of emotion; Beale Street symbolizes everything that the Blues was born from. Like a mother rearing its young, the Blues took shape from its surroundings and became one of the most expressive musical outlets today. You cannot appreciate music without understanding the roots of the Blues, and you cannot appreciate the Blues without visiting the place where it was born: Beale Street, Memphis.”
In addition to the music, central to the festival is the food and beverages for which the South is known – BBQ and tall, cold drinks provide the sustenance for hours of fantastic music. No camping, but many hotels within walking distance to Beale Street.
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