Center for Southern Folklore
"Celebrating the arts, music, and heritage of the South from the cultural crossroads of Memphis" - Center for Southern Folklore
Welcome to the Center for Southern Folklore, the non-profit organization celebrating the people, music, and traditions of the region. This cultural complex holds multimedia archives that document the culture of the Delta and they host a multitude of events, programs, and custom tours regularly.
This complex is located on Main Street in Downtown Memphis, 'where the Mississippi River touches the high bluffs along the riverfront'. The Center for Southern Folklore showcases the cultural history of the city through folk art, films, exhibits, and live shows. During your visit, you can see a show by local bluesman Bobby Rush, watch a 'jookin' contest', or enjoy a Memphis Music Revue show. Live shows range in genres and include blues, jazz, soul, gospel, rockabilly, country, folk, bluegrass, poetry, and dance. You can even rent the space within the Heritage Hall here for your own performance group!
Save plenty of time to visit the Folklore Store, which is part general store, part art gallery, and part music hall. Here you can purchase local art, listen to live music and enjoy authentic southern cuisine and drinks. Grab a slice of Miss Ella's Peach Cobbler before you go!
If you happen to be visiting during Labor Day weekend you are in luck, as this is the time the center puts on the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival!
