MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Just as the RiverBeat Music Festival comes to an end, Tom Lee Park is gearing up for another massive event in the SmokeSlam BBQ Competition.
Cleanup and turnover is currently underway in downtown Memphis after the weekend of Music Mania, where 30,000 people filled the park to jam out. Outside of a little Sunday rain, some people are viewing this as a big win for the City of Memphis as a whole.
“I just like the energy and the atmosphere man, and I think it’s the best festival yet,” one festival goer told ABC24.
While some people noticed the smaller crowds, compared to Beale Street Music Festival’s crowd of 37,000 in 2023, Smith said this was part of the plan to curate a more elevated experience.
“We’re never going to see 100,000 people over three days down here anymore,” Mempho Presents producer Mike Smith said. “The park is smaller. It’s not geared for that any longer. It’s geared for what we’re doing, something that’s a little smaller, a little more boutique and a little more manageable.
That being said, another adjustment some have their eyes on were the new plastic grates under their feet at the music festival. Smith said these were specifically made to help reduce the damage and mud of years past at Tom Lee Park.
“It actually allows the ultraviolet rays to go through,” Smith said. “It lets the grass grow. It’s porous so water goes through it.”
Now the focus is on the SmokeSlam turnover, according to Smith. However, the Memphian told ABC24 the team at Mempho Presents already plans on taking advantage of a full year of RiverBeat preparations, as opposed to the six months the team had this year.
“We’ll be coming back every May for quite some time now,” said Smith. “We’re all hometown Memphis guys, so it’s really important for us to be part of this and make sure that our city thrives and there’s music on the river.”
SmokeSlam will make its debut at Tom Lee Park in little over a week, kicking off Thursday, May 16, and continue through the 18th.
