The Beale Street Music Festival is a three-day music festival featuring both big name stars and local acts. It takes place the first weekend of May in the city's Tom Lee Park at the foot of Beale Street and is considered the opening event of the entire Memphis May International Festival. It usually hosts over 100,000 people on weekends. The Beale Street Music Festival is the only program held annually since Memphis was founded in May 1977. Its history can be traced back to the 1800s, when African-American musicians from across the South came to perform on Beale Street.

The Memphis in May International Festival is a month-long festival held in Memphis, Tennessee. Welcoming Ghana in 2022, the festival honors a specific foreign country each year and includes many events. The Beale Street Music Festival takes place the first weekend in May and showcases a range of national and local musical talent. International Week is a series of exhibitions, displays, art and performances dedicated each year to an honored country. The World Championship has become one of the most popular barbecue competitions in the country and has been followed for 46 years. The Great American River Run Half Marathon and 5K welcomes runners of all abilities to the streets of Memphis and along the banks of the Mississippi River, while 901Fest welcomes all things Memphis..