It’s been brought to my attention lately that many transplants and Memphians are sometimes not aware of all the good & fun stuff Memphis and West Tennessee has to offer. People these days, whether visitors or residents, don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to go see a concert or walk around a museum. I’m here to tell you there is no need to pay, when you can go, see, hear for free.
The other day someone told me that they wanted to move back to Atlanta area, because they have so many free concerts every week. Thrown back, hello you’re in the Birthplace of Rock n’ Roll & Blues, I immediately shared my knowledge. If you wanted to you could go to a FREE concert almost every day of the week.
FREE MUSIC:
1. LEVITT SHELL! (Memphis)- This is not a buried treasure I promise. Located in Overton Park in Midtown you will find this massive shell amphitheater. Concerts free Thursday – Sunday! Music ranges from classical, rock, jazz, funk, etc. Bring your coolers, chairs, blankets and sit back and relax. Concerts typically start around 7:30PM and end by 9PM. They are currently in their Summer Concert Series, which ends August 2.
2. Lafayette’s Music Room (Memphis)- They have live music every night of the week and on weekends typically 2-3 bands. Again, they have a variety of different genres playing. However…KEY: on weekends Get There Early! They start charging cover around 9PM & plus by 10 it’s packed and you will be lucky to find a table. Bonus points for Lafayette’s = they serve food!!! and it’s good!
3. Beale Street (Memphis) – Another place – Get There Early! Many of the bars and restaurants typically have live music every night of the week. Not a concert setting, but you are on historic Beale Street where Soul & Blue’s originated. Don’t walk 10 feet off Beale, Walk on Beale!
4. Sunset on the Square (Collierville) – Every Thrusday head over to Collierville to check out the Sunset on the Square. Gather with your friends and family to listen and dance the night away. They have wonderful turnouts and great bands! Sadly they end at the end of July, but you still have time to enjoy one!
But, it doesn’t just stop at the music. There are so many activities and ones that are kid friendly too. All the movie series cater specifically towards kids with children’s films ratings of G & PG. These movie events are great to get a family together to enjoy a film on a big screen and not cost $60-70 to go to the movie theaters.
FREE ENTERTAINMENT:
1. Beale Street Landing Movie Series (Memphis)- Tuesdays. Well it’s almost the end of the Summer Series for Free Movie watching the last one will be August 4th – Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade. Who wouldn’t love watching a movie along the Might Mississippi?
2. Movie Night @ Carriage Crossing (Collierville)- Friday. This one doesn’t end until September 25th. They start at dusk in Central Park. and Coming up there is Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Big Hero 6, Wreck-It Ralph, and the Lego Movie! Pretty solid line up! You don’t want to miss this. Grab the popcorn and chairs and head on out! **Ooo, just announced the new Cinderella will play there too!
Many of the attractions feature a Free day for specifically TN resident visitors. This is a wonderful way to get us to know and visit the wonderful attractions that this area has! 
FREE ATTRACTIONS:
1. Memphis Zoo (Memphis) – FREE for TN residents 2-5PM on TUESDAY (except March). Who doesn’t love the zoo? Check out the pandas, lions, gorillas for FREE! Parking lot fills up fast, but if you park west of McLean St. It’s not a bad walk at all!
2. National Civil Rights Museum (Memphis)- FREE for TN residents from 3-5PM on Monday! Warning: to go through the museum properly, allow yourself 2-3 hours. At the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr, this museum is devoted to all civil rights history throughout the county. It’s a powerful exhibit (I just felt my writing mood get serious). Will you join the March? I Am Man!
3. Rock’n’Soul Museum (Memphis) – 2-7PM on Tuesdays for Shelby County residents. The perfect museum to get an overview of music history! I do recommend to start here and then work your way to Sun Studio & Stax Museum.
4. Stax Museum (Memphis) – 1-5PM for Shelby County Residents on Tuesday. This is where the Soul music came alive. I think this has the best video about Memphis Music. But it’s best to see all of them together to get the BIG picture! Don’t forget to check out Isaac Hayes’s one-of-a-kind Cadillac! I’m pretty sure this is where they got inspiration for the Pimp My Ride show.
So this is really just a start for all the Free-ness that Memphis and West TN has to offer. Continually check our events calendar to see other free events! Also another great location for Funness in Memphis, specifically is the I Love Memphis Blog – and they give you weekly the top 5 things to do in Memphis each weekend!
There is ALWAYS something to do in West Tennessee! If it’s free it’s an added bonus.