Details for the 2023 "Guaranty Bank Cooper Young Festival" have been announced by the executive director of the Cooper Young Business Association, Tamara Cook.
The free family-friendly festival is set to be celebrated on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to get to the "Trestle Art" bridge early if they'd like to see Bellevue Middle School's 32-piece drum line march to the intersection of Cooper and Young.
Unique art from over 400 artists will be on display and for sale at the festival as well as live music kicking off at 11 a.m. at the Guaranty Bank Main stage.
Brian Blake, Mike Hewlett & The Racket, Short in the Sleeve, Raneem Imam, Rowdy & the Strays, Max Kaplan & The Magics are all set to perform. Additionally, Blues Music Award-winner Doug MacLeod is said to start his set at 5:15 p.m.
Carnival games and prizes (including bicycles) are planned for the "Mid-South Lions Kid Fun Zone" as well as a coloring table. Hosted by members from four states of the non-profit Mid-South Lions, vision screening for both children and adults is said to be offered at this zone. All proceeds from this area are said to go toward helping those who need vision, hearing care, surgeries and medical assistance in the community.
Hand washing stations are also said to be available at the fun zone. "The Twisted Mr. Rogers" is said to giving away balloons here as well.
At the corner of Young and Meda — starting half an hour after noon — the Memphis Grizzlies stage is said to highlight specific local artists. These include Steve Lockwood and Old Dogs, Robots Attack, Switchblade Kid, Avon Park and SKIFF on stage at 4:30 p.m.
Attendees can also reportedly "catch up with the GriZ" as well as receive some "Grizzlies swag" here as well.
Organizers said weapons, pets, bikes, scooters, drones or backpacks are not welcome to the festival site.
The event as a whole is described as a fundraiser for the area with proceeds said to be redistributed back into the infrastructure of the neighborhood. This is said to be done by adding or maintaining community crosswalks, Sky Cop cameras, street banners, the gazebo area, business websites and more.