Welcome back to The To-Do List, where Daily Memphian staffers highlight can’t-miss events and fun activities heading into the weekend. 

Broadway returns to Memphis this week, as does a big music festival. It’s also the first local event for the Ironman organization, after last year’s planned race was canceled. 

Mempho Music Festival at Radians Amphitheater, Friday-Sunday:

After taking last year off due to the COVID pandemic, the Mempho Music Festival returns this weekend, moving to the Radians Amphitheater at the Memphis Botanic Garden, after hosting its first few festivals at Shelby Farms Park. This Mempho return will feature 18 bands across three days and two stages, with Southern jam-band standard-bearers Widespread Panic headlining both Friday and Saturday nights and North Carolina folk-rockers the Avett Brothers closing the festival on Sunday. I took a look at the entire lineup here. Three-day passes are $185. Day passes are still available for Sunday for $80. For tickets and other info see memphofest.com. – Chris Herrington

This June 4, 1967 file photo shows, from left, Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees posing with their Emmy award for best comedy series at the 19th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo, File)

Monkees Farewell Tour at Graceland Live, Friday:

America’s made-for-television response to the Beatles in the mid-Sixties had a second go-round in cable reruns in the Eighties during my youth, so perhaps there’s multi-generational (old and older) appeal here. If we’re being honest, who knew they were still even around enough to say goodbye? But original members Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmeth remain, and here’s betting hits such as “Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m a Believer” still sound fine. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50. See here for more info. – Herrington

“Marie and Rosetta” at Hattiloo Theatre, starting Friday:

The “Rosetta” in this case is gospel great and rock-and-roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The “Marie” is Marie Knight, the gospel singer who became Tharpe’s protege. This theatrical treatment reimagines their first rehearsal together. After Friday’s opening, “Marie and Rosetta” will run Thursday-Sunday for the next four weeks. See here for more info. – Herrington

St. Jude Ironman 70.3 Memphis, Saturday: 

Serious weekend warriors will amass on Memphis this week, with a goal of hitting a new personal record or maybe winning the whole triathlon. The race, which begins and ends in Shelby Farms (but goes all the way out to Rossville, Tennessee), is the first official Ironman event to come to Memphis. I’m not suggesting anyone consider competing at this late date — it is a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike and a 13.1-mile run, all in the space of a few hours, after all — but cheering along the route is another story. And seeing this kind of race in action is also incredibly cool. Shelby Farms Park. Go here for more info. — Mary Cashiola 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau poses for photos with some of the Canadian citizens who were the inspiration for "Come From Away," in New York City in 2017. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP file)

“Come From Away” at the Orpheum, starting Tuesday:

After a year-and-a-half and multiple postponements, Broadway theater returns to the Orpheum. “Come From Away” is a Canadian musical that made its Broadway debut in 2017 and is set in the week after Sept. 11, telling a true story about dozens of planes that were all forced to land in one small Canadian town. Tickets from the originally scheduled July 2020 booking are being honored, at the corresponding dates. New tickets start at $25. See here for showtimes and other information. – Herrington

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