Good morning, Memphis! ☀️
Fun fact to start your morning:
Last Saturday, a Rhode Islander weighed a pumpkin at 3,156 pounds. If Guinness World Records makes it official, it's the heaviest pumpkin ever grown.
We have so many questions. How do you get it home? Where do you park it? Does it get its own room?
While you think about that, here’s what’s going on around the 901:
☕ Your weekend latte comes with a side of art.
🎄 Holiday shopping starts before the candy runs out.
📸 We're giving away a free photo shoot.
🌽 Germantown goes full farm on Saturday.
🦇 The zoo gets spooky (and a little toxic).
Let's get into it.
Arts
🎨 Belltower Hosts a Fall Art Market on Highland Saturday
Belltower Fall Art Market
Belltower Coffeehouse and Studio hosts a Fall Art Market on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's at the Highland shop, 525 S. Highland St.
☕ Brew-tiful. Sip a pumpkin spice latte, a whipped butterscotch espresso or a baked apple matcha while you shop.
🧶 Made with love. Local artists and small shops bring handmade goods and fall art.
See the details here.
Events
🎄 Holiday Market of Memphis Comes to the Agricenter Oct. 23–25
Holiday Market of Memphis
The Holiday Market of Memphis fills Agricenter International from Friday, Oct. 23, to Sunday, Oct. 25.
🛍️ Sleigh your list. About 160 vendors will sell unique holiday gifts. Santa visits on Saturday and Sunday.
🎟️ Pick your ticket. One day is $10 for ages 12 and up. All three days cost $20. Want a party? Margaritas & Mistletoe (Friday night) and Muffins & Mimosas (Saturday morning) are $20 each. Fees are extra.
Get tickets and hours here.
901 Partner
📸 Say Cheese! Win a Free Fall Family Photo Session
Photo: Connor Ryan
Our October small business partner, Memphis photographer Connor Ryan, is giving one 901 Today reader a free fall family photo session at Shelby Farms.
🍂 Picture this. The winner gets a 30-minute mini-session at Shelby Farms and 15 to 25 edited, high-quality digital photos.
⏰ Don't leaf it late. Enter by Saturday, Oct. 31. The winner will be notified by email.
Enter the giveaway here.
Events
🌽 Harvest Moon Fall Festival Fills Germantown's Farm Park Saturday
Harvest Moon Fall Festival
Germantown's Harvest Moon Fall Festival is Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 6 p.m. It's at Bobby Lanier Farm Park, 2660 Cross Country Dr.
🎃 Hay there. Try the corn maze, hayrides and pumpkin patch. There's also a petting farm, games, bounce houses, live music and food trucks.
🎟️ Ten-dollar fun. It's $10 a person. Kids 2 and under get in free. If it rains, it moves to Sunday.
Get tickets here.
Events
🦇 Zoo Boo Haunts the Memphis Zoo Friday Night
Zoo Boo
Le Bonheur Zoo Boo is on at the Memphis Zoo this Friday, Oct. 16, starting at 6 p.m. More nights run through Nov. 1.
👻 Boo-tiful and new. This year has a 7-foot maze, new photo spots and a Toxic Waste Zone. The zoo says that zone may be too much for small kids. Train rides and parking are included.
🎟️ Buy before you boo. Tickets are $20 for members and $23 for everyone else. Everyone 2 and up needs one. You can only buy online. A sensory-friendly night is Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Get tickets here.
Trivia
🌳 Thursday Trivia
Overton Park is home to the zoo, the Shell and a whole lot of Memphis history. But it didn't always go by that name. Vote to see if you're right.
Before it was called Overton Park, the land had a different name. What was it?
Daily Picks
🗞️ Other News Around the 901
💨 Hookah, line and sinker. Memphis Hookah Fest '26 is Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 5 p.m. It's at Butteriffic Bakery & Cafe, 488 S. Second St. Look for vendors, a DJ, hookah and drink specials.
💘 It’s cuffing season. The Memphis Halloween Singles Mixer is Saturday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Old Dominick Distillery. Costumes are welcome but not required. You must be 21+.
🎙️ Mayor on the mic. Memphis Mayor Paul Young is the first guest on the new Geoff Calkins Podcast. He talks about data centers, keeping the Grizzlies and his favorite place in the city. He says he wants people to know he isn't dodging any questions.
🏗️ New home base. OUTMemphis broke ground on a new 11,000-square-foot headquarters at Peach and Cleveland in Midtown. Right now, the group is spread across several small buildings. The new space should open in 2027.
🏀 Grizz warm-up. The Grizzlies host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at FedExForum. It's their last preseason game before the regular season kicks off. Bags must be clear and no bigger than 6 x 8 x 2 inches. Details here.
🏷️ Yard sale-ebration. Lots of homes in Lea's Woods, near Overton Park, hold yard sales on Saturday, Oct. 17, starting at 8 a.m.
🎭 Little show, big heart. Little Women: The Broadway Musical plays at Germantown Community Theatre through Oct. 25. The theater has just 98 seats, so book soon.
🧘 Shell yeah, Pilates. Free SWEAT Pilates is today, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Overton Park Shell. It mixes Pilates, strength and stretching.
🧠 Think fast. Trivia starts at 7 p.m. tonight at Hampline Brewing in Memphis and Tony's Trophy Room in Collierville.
🐶 Room for one more? The Germantown Animal Shelter is full of dogs. The city is asking people to foster or adopt. Stop by the shelter to meet the pups.
🎸 This week in Memphis history. On Oct. 16, 1954, a 19-year-old Elvis Presley played the Louisiana Hayride radio show in Shreveport for the first time. Read the story here.
🚧 Bridge work ahead. TDOT will close lanes on I-55 and State Route 14 at night through Nov. 4 for bridge work where the two roads meet. Tonight, the ramp from northbound SR 14 to southbound I-55 closes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Southbound I-55 fully closes Sunday, Oct. 18, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. See the full schedule here.
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That's it for today!
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Have a great Thursday, Memphis. We'll see you tomorrow for the Weekend Guide.
— 901 Today
