On July 30, 1954, a nineteen year old truck driver opened for Slim Whitman on a stage in Overton Park, shook his leg, and the crowd lost it. That same stage is still standing, still free most nights, still packed with Memphians on blankets and lawn chairs seventy some years later.
This weekend the Overton Park Shell turns 90, and the celebration runs four days.
The 90th Shellebration runs September 10 through 13 at 1928 Poplar Avenue, presented by Orion Financial.
The Weekend at a Glance
| Day | Event | Time | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sept 10 | Shell Yeah! Benefit Series: Booker T. Jones | 7pm | Paid admission |
| Fri, Sept 11 | Birthday Picnic ft. Memphis Youth Symphony | Noon to 3pm | Free |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Sounds of the Shell: 9 Decades of Delight | 7pm to 9pm | Free |
| Sun, Sept 13 | The Gathering ft. Evvie McKinney | Noon to 3pm | Free |
| Sun, Sept 13 | Memphis Studio Super Set | 7pm to 9pm | Free |
Booker T. Jones opened the weekend Thursday night on the Shell Yeah! benefit stage. Everything that follows is free.
Sounds of the Shell, Saturday Night
90th Shellebration: Sounds of the Shell (9 Decades of Delight)
Saturday, September 12 ● 7pm to 9pm ● Overton Park Shell ● Midtown
This is the one that pulls the whole ninety years into a single set. The night opens with selections from The Pirates of Penzance, a nod to the Memphis Open Air Theatre days when the Shell was built for light opera, then swings into big band. From there the finest musicians in town pay homage to Johnny Cash, the big E, Rufus Thomas, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, the blues festivals that made the lawn famous, and the concerts happening right now.
Sounds of the Shell is presented by David Less, producer and author of Memphis Mayhem.
Artists include Will Sexton, Amy LaVere, Jimmy Crosthwait, Michael Graber, Jacob Church, Chris Barnes, Al Gamble, Kelley Hurt, Joe Restivo, and more.
The Rest of the Weekend
Birthday Picnic ft. Memphis Youth Symphony: September 11
Friday, September 11 ● Noon to 3pm ● Overton Park Shell ● Midtown
Cake, food trucks, and the Memphis Youth Symphony playing the same stage a lot of Memphis legends came up on. A lunch break that doubles as a birthday party.
The Gathering ft. Evvie McKinney: September 13
Sunday, September 13 ● Noon to 3pm ● Overton Park Shell ● Midtown
Lifted By Love, Guided By Sound. Evvie McKinney and the Tennessee Mass Choir take the lawn on Sunday afternoon, which is about as Memphis a way to spend a Sunday as it gets.
Memphis Studio Super Set: September 13
Sunday, September 13 ● 7pm to 9pm ● Overton Park Shell ● Midtown
The weekend closes with the rooms that built the sound: Sam Phillips Recording, Stax, Sun Studio, American, Royal Studios, and Unapologetic, all on one stage. Six studios, one city, ninety years of proof.
On the Lawn Saturday
The musicians are not the only ones working. Saturday night comes with a full spread of local activations.
- Pocket change weighing anybody down? Put those quarters to work. Scottie's Little Press is running exclusive Overton Park Shell prints out of a mobile vending machine.
- Good time to clean out the pantry. Table Spread Memphis is on site collecting cans for the community.
- River Arts Festival sets up at the top of the hill with work from local artists.
- Everybody deserves their flowers, and Midtown Bramble and Bloom brings a build your own bouquet station.
- Cochlear is on site with hearing support.
- Shangri-La takes over the Shell Shop with merch, vinyl, and more.
Know Before Going
Food trucks on the grounds: Soi No. 9, BBQX, Odds Smash and Grab Burger Lab, Hot and Heavy Dogs, and Mempops.
Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. Food and beverage are also for sale in the AutoZone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. The Shell is a nonsmoking facility.
More on the visitor experience covers parking, accessibility, and what to expect on the lawn.
Shellebration FAQ
Is the 90th Shellebration free?
Every event September 11 through 13 is free and open to the public. Thursday night with Booker T. Jones was a paid Shell Yeah! benefit show supporting future programming and preservation.
Where is the Overton Park Shell?
1928 Poplar Avenue in Midtown Memphis, inside Overton Park. Parking fills fast on big nights, so the Poplar and East Parkway lots are worth checking early.
Can coolers and lawn chairs come in?
Yes. Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are all welcome, and concessions are available in the AutoZone Food and Beverage Concourse.
Are dogs allowed at the Shell?
Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas of the lawn.
What happens if it rains?
Shell shows generally go on in light weather. Check the Overton Park Shell social accounts the day of for any call on severe weather.
Ninety years on the same patch of grass, and the lawn is still free most nights of the year. The full schedule lives at overtonparkshell.org.
