Welcome back to The To-Do List, where Daily Memphian staffers suggest their favorite events and activities for the coming week. 

One quick thing before we dig into this week’s events: Beginning Friday, The Daily Memphian is launching the new, subscriber-only Arts Beat newsletter. It’s a dive into Memphis' arts and culture scene, including visual art, music, dance, theater, literature, fashion, film and more. Sign up here if you’re a subscriber. If you’re not yet a subscriber, you can become one here first. 

Now, onto the events: This week, Alton Brown brings his “Last Bite” to the Orpheum, and Chris Isaak brings his “Wicked Games” to Graceland. Plus, Riverbeat takes over Tom Lee, and Memphis Fashion Week is here.

AAPI Heritage Month Kickoff: Island Vibes & Happy Hour at Caption by Hyatt’s Beer Garden and Talk Shop, Thursday:

The Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month kickoff event is at the Caption by Hyatt’s Talk Shop on Thursday, May 1. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian file)

Memphis’ third annual Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month launches with a happy-hour event. Hyatt Executive Chef Pavy Keomaniboth will prepare a special meal featuring Pacific Island cuisine. There will also be Pacific Island-inspired cocktails. Click here to learn about more 2025 AAPI Month Memphis events. 5-7:30 p.m. $40 (tickets here). 245 S. Front St. — Elle Perry

Experience Memphis Gardens, begins Thursday:

This citywide garden walk, organized by the Cooper-Young Garden Club, will show off the city’s best yards, business gardens, urban farms and other curated landscapes from May 1 through June 15. The 10th annual Cooper-Young Garden Walk is part of the deal from May 17-18, but there will be garden tours in neighborhoods from Frayser and Hickory Hill to Bartlett and Lakeland — and everything in between. There’s even a tour of Ounce of Hope’s aquaponic farm. Tours are on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are free. See the full schedule and get tickets here. — Bianca Phillips

Chris Isaak at Graceland, Thursday:

Chris Isaak will play at Graceland on Thursday, May 1. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP file)

American singer, songwriter and occasional actor Chris Isaak is paying homage to his Elvis Presley influence with a performance at the Graceland Soundstage. Known for hits “San Francisco Days,” “Somebody’s Crying” and “Baby did a Bad Bad Thing,” Isaak blends blues, country and surf-rock with twang strings and heavy use of reverb. His hit “Wicked Game,” which was featured in the late David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart,” has gained a new, younger audience with its recent TikTok fame. If any of these songs aren’t ringing a rockabilly bell for you, perhaps you’d recognize him from his roles in “The Silence of the Lambs” and “That Thing You Do!” Doors at 6:30, show at 7:30 p.m. $39.50-$125.50. 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd. Click here for more information and to buy tickets.— Kelsey Bowen 

‘I Know Catherine, The Log Lady’ film screening at Crosstown Arts, Thursday:

This new documentary by Richard Green chronicles the extraordinary death (and big life) of “Twin Peaks” log lady Catherine Coulson. Coulson played one of David Lynch’s most beloved characters, Margaret Lanterman (aka the Log Lady), on the original “Twin Peaks” series, which debuted in 1990. And when it came time to film Lynch’s 2017 “Twin Peaks: The Return,” Coulson insisted on being part of the project even though she was dying of cancer. She appeared in five episodes filmed before her death. Screening as part of the Crosstown Arts film series. 7 p.m. $5. 1350 Concourse Ave. Click here for more information. — Phillips

Riverbeat Music Festival at Tom Lee Park, Friday-Sunday:

Riverbeat Music Festival, shown here in 2024, returns to Tom Lee Park this Friday-Sunday, May 2-4. (Ziggy Mack/Special to The Daily Memphian file)

Mempho’s Riverbeat Music Festival is back for round two. The music festival at Tom Lee Park debuted last year on the same weekend that the now-paused-for-two-years Beale Street Music Festival was held for years. This year’s fest opens Friday with headliner Missy Elliott, plus a Memphis Rap OGz showcase, Busta Rhymes and Ludacris. On Saturday, The Killers will headline, and you can also catch shows by The Sensational Barnes Brothers, Future Joy, The Wailers, Public Enemy and Cage the Elephant. On Sunday, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals headlines, and other acts include Galantis, Benson Boone and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Use our staff-produced Riverbeat guides to plan your experience. Tickets are available here. — Phillips

Memphis Art and Fashion Week at the Brooks, begins Friday:

Memphis Art and Fashion Week is at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art on Friday, May 2. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

The first Monday in May is just around the corner, and all my local divas who can tell blue from cerulean know exactly what that means: Memphis Fashion Week. Here’s the breakdown:

May 2: An after-hours shopping event at local vintage boutique Blue Suede Vintage (5-7 p.m. Free to attend. 486 S. Hollywood St.)

May 5: A watch party at the museum for my favorite May holiday, the Met Gala (6-8 p.m. $37.81 for nonmembers, $20 for members. 1934 Poplar Ave.)

May 7: A culinary runway curated by Memphis chef Karen Carrier, who has set up a menu that emulates the vibrancy and expressiveness of fashion (6-8 p.m. $195 for nonmembers, $175 for members. 1934 Poplar Ave.)

May 8: Known for her bold colors and striking intricate patterns, Korto Momolu, featured on “Project Runway,” is the headline designer for MFW, and she will host a chat to break down how she merges art with culture. (5-7 p.m. $18 for general admission, $10 for members. 1934 Poplar Ave.)

May 9: The moment we’ve all been waiting for. More than 50 designers from across the U.S., including featured artist Momolu, take to the runway as they showcase their magnificent creations. Afterward, catch your breath and hit the afterparty to mingle with the designers and fellow fashionistas. (6:30-7:30 p.m., 8-10 p.m. afterparty. $37.81 for general admission, $116.59 for VIP. 1934 Poplar Ave.)

Pro tip: Be sure to check out student prices for ticket events! Click here for more information and to buy tickets. — Bowen

Troll Fest at Memphis Botanic Garden, Saturday:

Troll Fest will be at the Memphis Botanic Garden on Saturday, May 3. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Artist Thomas Dambo’s larger-than-life trolls at the Memphis Botanic Garden tried to have a party on April 5, but bad weather got in the way. So the party was rescheduled for this Saturday. There will be crafts for all ages, music by Andrew Best, arboretum tours, and lunch from multiple food vendors, including Good Groceries Mobile Diner and Hot-n-Heavy Dogs. Since the troll exhibit, which is up through May 21, is intended as a lesson in sustainability, local environmental groups, like Protect our Aquifer and Clean Memphis, will have booths at Troll Fest. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Included with garden admission. 750 Cherry Road. Click here for more information. — Phillips

Chalkfest at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Saturday:

The Brooks Museum of Art will host Chalkfest on Saturday, May 3. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

I love drawing on public property. I love it even more when I can do it legally. At Chalkfest, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art encourages you to draw all over the plaza ground. Plus, artists Kaylyn Webster, Carl E. Moore, Craig Thompson and Mikaela Colina will be recreating their favorite artwork alongside you. Groove to tunes from Soul Shockers and DJ Siphne, and go get your face painted by Nicole Dorsey. Grab a grilled cheese from SayCheese!, an ice pop from Mempops or something sweet from Parker’s Concessions. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. 1934 Poplar Ave. Click here for more info. — Bowen 

Puppy Palooza at Crosstown Concourse, Saturday:

Crosstown Concourse’s Puppy Palooza is Saturday, May 3. (Courtesy Crosstown Arts)

Before you head Downtown for Riverbeat Music Fest, take your real festie bestie (your dog, duh!) to this fest for our four-legged friends. There’s a costume contest with prizes from Hollywood Feed, a pet caricature artist, pup-sicles from Mempops, bacon bubbles, a magic show and DJ, agility courses, yard games and blessing of the animals by Church Health. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 1350 Concourse Ave. Click here for more info. — Phillips

Bookstock at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, Saturday:

This year, the library’s annual Memphis author fest features talks by Roxanne Gay (author of “Hunger & Difficult Women”) and Shamichael Hallman (author of “Meet Me at the Library”). By the way, this is a great opportunity for Hallman to play up the fact that people will be, in fact, meeting him at the library. Anywho, there will also be booths featuring local authors, a teen-author panel, poetry and publishing workshops (among many other topics) and live music by African drummers, a Chinese choir and Latino band Ritmo Son. Flipside Asia, B&B’s Kitchen and Stickem will be there with food. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 3030 Poplar Ave. Click here for more information. — Phillips

‘Murder, She Wrote: Ballads of Love and Death’ at Amro Music, Saturday:

Before true-crime documentaries — like way before — there were true-crime ballads. Those go back to medieval times, before there were even printed newspapers. Back then, those ballads were part of the oral tradition of spreading news. And now pianist Jim Cornfoot and singer Patrick Jones will perform some of their favorite, classic murder songs in this Steinway Saturday performance at Amro. 2 p.m. 2918 Poplar Ave. Click here for more info. — Phillips

‘Alton Brown Live: Last Bite’ at the Orpheum Theatre, Saturday:

“Alton Brown Live: The Last Bite” is at the Orpheum Theatre on Friday, May 2. (Courtesy Orpheum Theatre)

Food Network host Alton Brown will stop in Memphis on what he says is his last, large national tour. Brown’s “culinary variety show” integrates storytelling, comedy, live music and audience interaction. But if you’ve seen one of his past shows, he says you can expect “20% more science, with less music” in this one. Read more about the show (and which Memphis restaurant Brown says he’s definitely stopping by while he’s here). 4 p.m. Tickets start at $52. 203 S. Main St. Click here for tickets. — Phillips

Cinco de Mayo Beer Mile at Global Café, Sunday:

What’s a beer mile, you ask? Chug a 12-ounce beer, run 1/4th of a mile, chug another beer, run another 1/4th of a mile, and do that two more times. Four beers, one mile. And you’re theoretically trying to do it super fast (unless you’re me, and you’re just here to have fun). Crosstown Brewing will provide the beers, and when you’re done, you’ll get a coupon for one of Global Café's famous margaritas. Because that’s just what you need after four beers in the morning, right? Proceeds benefit All 4s Rescue League & Spay Memphis. 10 a.m. $40. 135o Concourse Ave. Sign up here. — Phillips

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