Blues Tent to move to Beale Street, will be free during Memphis in May

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The iconic Blues Tent, a longtime mainstay at the Beale Street Music Festival, is on the move for 2023.

In its stead will be the Blues Stage on Beale. It will be placed in Handy Park on Beale Street and will be open to the public for free.

The move comes months after it was announced the festival will be forced to downsize to a “modified event site” due to ongoing construction at Tom Lee Park, where the festival will return in 2023.

Memphis In May CEO Jim Holt announced in May that the festival reported record losses in 2022, something he mainly attributed to the events being held at Liberty Park, the former fairgrounds, in Midtown.

Tom Lee Park will still house three main stages with the Blues Tent moving.

“Blues music is a beloved part of our city’s heritage and just like the blues, the Beale Street Music Festival was born on Beale Street,” Holt said. “We are excited for the opportunity to present our powerhouse blues lineup where it all began on historic Beale Street and make it accessible to the local community as part of the festival program.”

Festival ticket holders will have a reserved section seating at the Blues Stage on Beale. Tickets for Beale Street Music Festival are on sale now.

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