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Cooper Young Fest Is Making a Comeback!

Cooper Young Fest 2021 is right around the corner!

The beloved 33rd Evolve Bank & Trust festivities were put on pause in 2020, for obvious reasons—but thankfully we get to strut down the streets in search of hand-made goods, Pronto Pups, music and more come Saturday, September 18th!

If you’ve been to Cooper Young Fest already, we don’t need to give you the spiel. Keep scrolling to see the vendor list and lineup of performers that’ll be taking the stage throughout the day ⬇️

If this’ll be your first Cooper Young Fest, congratulations and welcome! Keep reading for a rundown of tips and tricks that’ll help you make the most of the day.

Since 1987, CYF has taken place within the Cooper Young Historic District, an already eccentric neighborhood that gets even more extraordinary when hundreds of Memphians flood its streets. With a bevy of bars and eclectic eateries, shops, and more around each corner, you could easily spend a whole day exploring—and that’s exactly what you’re invited to do.

From 9AM to 7PM, the street—specifically Cooper St. between Central and Walker Avenue—will be lined with local vendors. From local art and fine jewelry to freshly-squeezed lemonade, fashion, fall-off-the-bone turkey legs, and more, you’ll surely find something that’ll make walking around in the Memphis heat worth it.

**Yes it will be hot. Make note of some outdoor spaces that provide shade: The gazebo near Buff City Soap, the Life Link Church near Walker street, that one walkway next to First Congo, etc. **

If you’ve been reading thoroughly, you probably noticed that I made mention of performers. There’ll be two stages set up showcasing local talent from 11AM-5PM.

The main stage will be in front of Young Avenue Deli where you should pop in to refuel on cheese fries. The Memphis Grizzlies stage will be placed at the intersection of Young & Meda which is conveniently down the street from Java Cabana Coffee House, DWJ Korean BBQ, Goner Records, and more.

Here’s the schedule:

Main Stage:

Now that you know who’s performing, let’s move on to who’s selling the goods!

Our makers and artisans are the ones who really take this event to the next level. From paintings and posters to apparel and adornments, the opportunities to shop local are plentiful:

COME SHOP WITH US!

We’ll be posted up with Choose901 merch on the corner of Cooper and Nelson from 9AM-7PM!

Who else is coming to Cooper Young Fest? This list features just a few of the 435 artisans that you can expect to see:

Art

Jewelry

Apparel

Food

Artisanal Goods

Music Memorabilia

You’re almost set up to attend! Before you go, here are a couple tips to make the day go smoother:

  • Parking: Personally, I think parking is a nightmare, so I recommend walking, birding, or renting an Explore Bike Share Bike if you’re close enough to Cooper. If not, your best bet is to find a residential side street to leave your car, but make sure not block anybody in, and take a picture of where you leave your car so it’s not lost.
  • It wouldn’t hurt to carry some cash: Most vendors have square card readers, but some vendors might only take bills. Best be ready just in case!
  • Leave the pets at home: CYF has made one request, “No pets, please!”
  • Dress cool and drink plenty of water: Y’all know it’s hot.
  • Mask up: CYF brings out hundreds of Memphians every year. Let’s do what we can to make sure this doesn’t become a super spreader event.

Follow the Cooper Young Association and Cooper Young Memphis to see new announcements. 

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