Good morning, Memphis! ☀️
Today is the first *official* day of Fall, which means the calendar says "sweater weather" and the Memphis thermometer says "absolutely not."
Somewhere up north, leaves are gently drifting into little piles. Here, we're just hoping the AC holds out a few more weeks.
So while the rest of the country debates flannel versus fleece, we've got real news to deliver:
a food-and-wine night for a good cause
a museum fair coming home
and enough hot wings to make you forget the weather entirely.
Let's get into it.
Good News
🍷 Taste of Hope Pours It On for Hope House This Thursday
Hope House's Taste of Hope returns Thursday, September 24, from 6-8 p.m. at Hope House's own campus on Idlewild Street — a food-and-wine evening for a Memphis cause that's been serving kids for over 30 years.
🍽️ Bite-sized bragging rights. Local favorites like Beauty Shop, Kitchen Laurel, Perch 74, Old Dominick Distillery, and Nothing Bundt Cakes are pouring and plating, with pours from Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits.
💛 More than a meal. Tickets run $25-$40, and every one helps fund Hope House's early childhood center and food pantry for Memphis families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Get tickets here.
Events
🏺 Pink Palace Crafts Fair Comes Home for Its 54th Year
Pink Palace Crafts Fair
The Pink Palace Crafts Fair returns to the Pink Palace Museum's own lawn September 25-27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; back to its original birthplace, after years at Audubon Park.
🎨 Home is where the art is. More than 150 juried artisans set up shop on the museum grounds, with craft demos, food trucks, and family activities all weekend.
🎟️ Two tickets in one. Fair admission ($10 advance / $12 at the gate for adults, $3/$5 for kids 5-12) also gets you same-day entry into MoSH's regular museum galleries.
Get tickets here.
Sports
Navy Mid-South Half Marathon
The Navy Mid-South Half Marathon weekend takes over Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington September 26-27, with races for every distance.
🥇 Miles that matter. Saturday brings a 5K and Family Fun Mile; Sunday's the half marathon and 10K — all benefiting MWR programs that serve 50,000+ local Navy families.
⏰ Almost there. The half marathon is down to its last few spots as of this week, so register fast — the 5K and 10K still have room.
Register here.
Family Fun
🚜 Little Diggers Playspace Digs Into Memphis
Little Diggers Playspace
Little Diggers, a construction-themed indoor sandbox playspace for kids 7 and under, is now open at 1209 Ridgeway Road.
🏗️ Dig it. Picture 1,200 square feet of sensory sand, hundreds of construction-themed toys and trucks, and a custom Sand Stacker — built for hands-on, slow-down play.
👪 Family rates. Two adults get in free with every family visit, and the space offers hourly pricing for kids plus birthday party packages.
See hours and details here.
Food & Drink
🍗 Wing Wars Bets Memphis Is More Than Barbecue
Wing Wars
Wing Wars, a new wing competition from HGTV Design Star: Next Gen winner Carmeon Hamilton, lands at the Stax Museum on Saturday, October 3.
🏀 Wings meet hoops. Local restaurants compete for a $10,000 People's Choice prize, with basketball games mixed into the day's block-party energy.
🌟 More than 'cue. Hamilton's mission: prove Memphis's food story goes beyond barbecue — one wing (and one vote) at a time.
Get tickets here.
Tuesday Poll
🍗 What's Your Favorite Type of Wing?
What's your ideal wing?
Reader Survey
📝 Tell Us About You, Win Dinner on Us
Everyone who fills out our 901 Today reader survey will be entered to win a $50 gift card to the Memphis-area restaurant of your choice. It takes less than five minutes. One entry per person, and we'll pick the winner at the end of September.
Daily Picks
🗞️ Other News Around the 901
🧹 Spit and polish. Downtown Memphis Commission's cleanup push has scrubbed nearly 10,000 trash cans and fixtures, erased 108 graffiti tags, and added 9,500+ new plantings this year. Read more here.
🎨 Green with envy. Sherwin-Williams named Celery, a soft green, as its 2027 Color of the Year; part of a bigger "Rewild" trend forecast. See the palette here.
🌾 Save the date. Germantown's Harvest Moon Fall Festival returns Saturday, October 17, from noon to 6 p.m. at Bobby Lanier Farm Park, with a corn maze, hayrides, and a petting farm. Admission is $10 (kids 2 and under free). Get the details here.
🎤 Rap redemption. Memphis rap legend Project Pat brings his Redemption Tour home for a stop at Satellite Music Hall on Saturday, September 26. Get tickets here.
📖 Trailblazer, in her own words. Bertha Rogers Looney, the last surviving member of the Memphis State Eight, released a new memoir 67 years after she helped integrate Memphis State University in 1959. She will host a book signing at the University of Memphis on Friday at 10:30am. Read more here.
🌀 Twist of fate. Costco confirmed its twisted churro is coming back to food courts for $1.49, though exact restock dates vary by location. Read more here.
🐷 Whole hog energy. Bartlett's Fall Festival returns October 2-3 to W.J. Freeman Park with a BBQ contest, a car show, and the 10th annual Panther Pride 5K. And it's free to attend. See the schedule here.
🐯 Curry and a doll. After a few weeks of community voting, the Memphis Zoo's newest Sumatran Tiger cubs finally have names: Boneka ("doll" in Indonesian, a nod to Dolly Parton) and Kari ("curry," honoring Tim Curry). Read more here.
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That's it for today!
Thanks for spending part of your morning with us.
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Have a great Tuesday, Memphis. We'll see you tomorrow.
— 901 Today
