A Guide to Memphis Festivals and Fairs in September

By Phoebe Lusk-Hussong

Now that the weather has cooled down a bit, it is officially festival time in Memphis. You’ll find everything from fair rides to music festivals and many of the events are free or cost $10 or less. These upcoming festivals are celebrations of Memphis life, fun social events, and an opportunity to support local artists and musicians. Read more to get the full rundown of where to spend your September in Memphis! ​

Delta Fair
The Delta Fair is a 10-day festival and fair that runs from Sept. 1-10 at the Agricenter International. The fair includes food, over 50 rides, petting zoos, street performers and more funnel cakes than healthy. Admission is $10 for people 13 and older, $5 for youth, but $15.00 for adults on Saturdays and Sundays after 6 p.m. Headlining the festival will be Blackberry Smoke on Sept. 1, High Valley on Sept. 3 and Austin Mahone on Sept. 9. The fair hopes to bring family fun while also celebrating the immense history and culture of the Delta.
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Memphis Music and Heritage Festival
Music, arts, dance, and food — what more could a Memphian need? At the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, people from all different backgrounds come together to celebrate the music and culture of Memphis. There are four outdoor stages and two stages inside the Center for Southern Folklore. The festival takes place on Main Street between Peabody Place and Union Ave from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Sept. 2-3.
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Indie Memphis Youth Film Festival
Indie Film Festival is hosting the second annual Memphis Youth Film Festival on Saturday, Sept. 9. The festival hosts workshops, presentations, and a youth film competition. Vivi Gray (12) has entered her film “Steps” into the competition. Vivi’s film will be showcased at 6:30 p.m. Passes to the festival are free for all seventh through 12th graders, with parental permission - plus it’s a free opportunity to support a fellow Turkey!
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Goat Days
The annual Goat Days Festival takes place in Millington, Tennessee’s USA Stadium and is full of anything and everything goat related. The festival starts off with a goat parade on Friday, Sept. 8, and only gets more fun from there. At the festival, you can buy goat themed items, pet baby goats, buy a pet goat, watch tractor pulls and car shows, and witness food competitions. The entrance fee for the festival is $5 per carload, but all events in the festival are free.

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Germantown Festival
​For another family fun weekend, the Germantown Festival is a great, free way to spend Sept. 9 and 10. The festival includes arts and crafts, food, activities for kids and an art show. There is also a Best Dressed Contest and a beloved Weenie Dog Race. The festival is located in the Germantown Charity Horse Show arena.
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Cooper Young Festival
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Cooper Young Festival, a day long festival that takes place in Midtown, is full of art vendors, food, and local musicians. It takes over the neighborhood of Cooper Young on September 16 and is free to the public. The local band, Star & Micey, will even be performing. (link to Kate’s article)
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Repair Days
Repair Days is a four-day event hosted by the Metal Museum where people can bring their broken metal pieces to be repaired. The event, Sept. 21-24, is a fundraiser for the museum and attracts volunteers from all over the country who repair almost anything that is made of metal. Additionally, Saturday, Sept. 23 is the Family Fun Day where people can make rings, bracelets, and other small metal pieces.
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Gonerfest 14
Gonerfest 14 is a three-day music festival hosted by Goner Records, a historic Memphis record store and record label. The headliners this year include Derv Gordon, A Giant Dog and NOTS. The festival lasts from Sept. 28 until Oct. 1, and has three stages sponsored by Memphis Made Brewery, Murphy’s, and Hi Tone. The tickets for the Friday afternoon shows at the Memphis Made stage are $5, while the shows at Murphy’s stage on Saturday are $15, and the shows at the Hi Tone stage are $25 per night.

Southern Junkers Vintage Market
Do you want cool vintage junk? The Southern Junkers Vintage Market is a two day market where cool junk, vintage clothing, farmhouse goods, and antiques are the only things sold. There are over 65  vendors and food trucks featured at the market. The market will be held at the Agricenter International Friday, Sept. 29,  9 a.m-7 p.m, and Saturday, Sept. 30, 9 a.m-5 p.m. Admission is $12 for a weekend pass or $8 for a day pass.