MEMPHIS, Tenn. —It’s a big weekend in the Bluff City, from a major Tigers game at the Liberty Bowl to the Cooper-Young Festival.
The city is expecting tens of thousands of people to hit the streets Saturday, and many will be at the fairgrounds and just across East Parkway.
We spoke with University of Memphis fans celebrating a big game weekend with national attention for the game versus UCLA. We also talked with some of those visiting fans, and with Midtown business owners gearing up for a big day.
“We come to Beale Street and it’s like, what? Come on, this is incredible,” said visiting UCLA fan Chris Clark. “It’s fun. It’s awesome. It really is. I’m going to tell everyone I know the one place they should visit is Memphis.”
Josh Steiner at Strano at the corner of Cooper and Young said he’s expecting visitors to his restaurant and the festival after the game at the nearby Liberty Bowl ends.
“I’m expecting people from the game as well,” he said. “I heard it ends around two-ish, three-ish, I could be wrong on the time but that’s prime time Cooper-Young Fest. They’re gonna be walking straight down to the festival so we’ll be prepared.”
If you do want to get to either of these events, your best bet is probably to plan to get a ride. Ride-sharing services could have surge pricing in place.
If you do have to drive, be ready to have to park and walk. Roads in the area of the festival will be closed.
The festival starts at 9 a.m. and the game starts at 11.