Memphis in May (Festival)

Memphis in May Festival is an annual festival held in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival celebrates some foreign countries each year, and it is packed with plentiful events. Internationally recognized are about 38 countries, in the previous years, whereby Memphis in May International, has hosted their exhibits and performances. The Beale Street Music Festival, for instance, occurs in the first week of May and showcases a combination of national and local music talents (Harmon, 6). The international week entails a thread of exhibitions, screenings, works of art and renditions especially dedicated to the year's saluted country.

It has significantly expanded as a world competition holding more than 250 players from over 20 states. Interestingly, an estimate of 110, 000 people attend the competition and media across the globe equally attend to cover the proceedings of the Memphis events. In the International Week, each year the Memphis festival give recognition to a different country, and for that matter, the Czech Republic is honored in 2018. The mentioned is the week that characteristically commences a day after the Beale Street Music Festival and the week is dedicated to a particular country whereby the country showcases many things including its foods and culture (Harmon, 4). The drawn not only provides an opportunity for the community to gunner experience but also brings to the fore the educative programs and benefits for the young generation both in public and private learning institutions throughout Memphis.

The major aim of the festival is to give a chance to the students in the region to experience diverse customs and culture of about 12 countries, and by the time they graduate, at least they become conversant with these cultures and customs. Japan, Canada, and Germany are among the countries that have featured more than once, and perhaps the most essential are the trade representatives that paid a visit to Memphis and made sophisticated introductions and familiarity with trade partners. While the standing mission of Memphis in May Festival is to bring the world to Memphis and Memphis to the face of the world, the festival has been able to achieve its mission statement through the international recognition which features unique performances, exhibits, lessons, shows, and experiences that are distinct to the saluted country. The international salute allows attendants to get the quality chance to indulge in the culture of another country on matters foods and unique renditions (Hudson, 11). Besides, people get the chance to get in touch with the country's history as the performances proceeds.

Memphis in May International Festival has come with it a lot of benefits than losses. In line with its objective to promote and celebrate Memphis culture, foster growth of the economy and create international awareness through education, there are a lot more benefits it also brings. Even though Memphis Festival is not solely meant to generate profits it realizes over $112 million annually. Considering the mammoths of the crowd that attend the fest, a lot of income generated is all for economic growth of the country. The revenue collected here gets utilized in other sectors of the economy, and ultimately, general improvements on the economy are observed.

Another benefit is on the quality of lives in the region is improved whenever the occasion comes. Life is all about mingling with others and acquiring new experiences from people in the surrounding. Memphis International Festival allows many people to converge at the varsity to share whatever they have with others; their experiences, culture and many more things that a community presence. In the forthcoming occasion, a lot much is expected from the honored country which people will learn. By the end of learning in Memphis, students shall have gained a lot on matters cultural diversity which will help them in their future life beyond the outside world. The drawn comes in conjunction with the development of diversity and pluralism concerning culture. When people come together, they get to share, compare and even adopt different cultures. Every culture is special in its ways, and with the knowledge that cultures are numerous around the globe, attendants and even those who participate in the events at the comfort of their homes get to learn something that is absent in their own culture (Larionoff et al., 13). Learning in such a case promotes diversity and awareness of multiple cultures. In other terms, the event fosters civic pride. The events have also been used in building international relationships among different countries. Trade is a joint activity that many countries venture in through partnering. The occasion seeks to congregate trade partners whenever they come to the events which proved a perfect chance for trade partners to interact with each other. These interactions sum up to build up of international relationships that are important counties conducting cross-country business.

Off the benefits that MIM presents, it could be appropriate to look at the educative value of Memphis in May Fest in broader lenses. Different educational competitions are judged on various merits. The festival encourages portrayal of creativity and innovation for the saluted country. These competitions are inclined towards categorical age groups and levels of grade though opportunities are available for all the grades. The PowerPoint Presentation Competition, for example, is meant for grades six and twelve. It is a competition that promotes creativity to design and gives the students an opportunity to blend in what they have learned concerning the honored country. The issue is done through general presentations, graphic designs and writings. Students have the chance to generate special presentations that describe the history, geography, foods, and cultures of the honored country (Larionoff, 9). As such, the PowerPoint presentation competition is a good tool to make students aware of PowerPoint which is an essential concept in the sphere of business. As an extra activity, educators can also adopt different methodologies of teaching such as students making presentations in front of the class the presence of colleagues. Such teaching methodology improves on verbal communication skills of the learners as they give presentations on intonational histories and cultures. The competition welcomes all students within Shelby region, those in both public and private high schools and even home schools.

Another issue of interest to note is creative writing competition held in the festival. The competition is meant for the fourth and twelfth grades. It is one contest that aims at enhancing literary skills of creativity and giving learners an opportunity to invigorate whatever they have learned about the saluted country in the form of writing. The writing contests often encompass literary works, both fiction and factual and are not restrained to poetry, literary essays, plays and many other genres of literature. This competition aims to build an imaginative argument based on what the student has observed. Imaginative creativity is essential for any person since it is the ability to think and create something to exit from nothingness. Similar to the previously mentioned competition, the creative writing competition also is open to all students who attend both public and private institutions. The teachers also have a chance to participate alongside their students. SEDGWICK CMS competition for teachers is a program that Memphis in May Festival presents. It's a competition that seeks to determine those teachers who blend MIMs into their classrooms (Stokes & Singers, 2017). Teachers are advised to utilize international programming into the curriculum by introducing the concepts of new cultures to their students. The advice results in the creation of a global classroom that is desired in the modern system of education. A global classroom is considered to be one in which the educational impacts are sound to the students, characterized by using the curriculum in creative ways and improved quality of learning and classroom educational activities.

Memphis in May is a festival that has brought a lot of joy to many people, and most of all are the inhabitants of Memphis Tennessee. Visiting the festival is exclusively full of legendary and the fun there is unmatched. It is a place where everyone has their place. The Mississippi riverbank has dozens of restaurant tents where people party and the many food vending machines there make it much easier to get food. The drawn is the best thing besides the music entertainment in the place. No need to worry if you forget to carry cash, as long as you have the cards with you the automatic teller machines will serve you right (Stokes & Singers, 2017). The scenery is gorgeous starting from the wonderful names and signage of the restaurants, and I would recommend anybody to attend the fest and experience the same joy that others get each time they attend the occasion.

However, several concerns have surfaced regarding the big Memphis fest. Tickets have been an issue before and in these fests to come there will be no such problems, early purchase of the tickets are encouraged for advance preparations as well. Historically the rains have been coinciding with the events at Memphis; this has been a lesson for people not to fancy nice footwear during the season. Instead, attendants should think of putting on real whether boots that mare mud resistant (Stout, 10). Lastly, Memphis has given an opportunity to many people who intend to carry out business activities. A huge number of people attends the fest making demand for human consumables rest at its peak. Food vendors are now in the business to supply a variety of foodstuff to the festival. The vending has become a lucrative business for men and women who meet the conditions for the supply such the online registration for vendors. Moreover, the fest is a perfect place for people to learn about healthy eating and healthy life. The plethora of foods found here is a good way of determining which is good for consumption and which one is not.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Memphis in May annual fest has become an effective way of bringing the world to Memphis and bringing Memphis to the world. People come together to share the pleasantries that the festival brings along. Cultural diversity is a number one factor that makes the festival unique. International salute also serves as an effective way of fostering nationhood and togetherness among countries. Memphis remains a place of choice to visit this coming May; a place where learning, entertainment and fun have no limits.

Works Cited

Harmon, Erin. "Preparatory Study for 2018 Memphis in May poster by Erin Harmon." (2017).

Hudson, Adele H. Hope. "Memphis Pigs." (2016).

Larionoff, Maria, et al. "Barry Lieberman & Friends present a guest artist recital by The American String Project Chamber Players May 10, 2015." (2015).

Stokes, D., & Singers, D. C. J. (2017). Guest Artist Recital: Darren Stokes, bass-baritone.

Stout, Cathryn. "John Elkington and the remaking of Beale Street." Southern Cultures 21.3 (2015): 103-110.