Christmas in July; it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? With the weather warming up, oh well, let’s face it; it’s just plain hot. Many of us are wishing for the cooler months of the Christmas season to make it’s appearance. Until then, we’ll just have to settle for Christmas in July, and Lexus of Memphis along with the Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and the Mid-South, is bringing you it’s 3rd Annual Christmas in July extravaganza.

The event is taking place on Thursday, July 29 from 5-9 pm. There will be wine, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and performances by Company d. There will also be door prizes and gift bags to the first 50 attendees.  A $5 donation at the door gets you all of these things and more, plus access to a good number of different vendors. It’s a shopping paradise!

Proceeds will go to the Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and the Mid-South. Come out, empower, and have fun! This is all taking place at the Lexus of Memphis on Ridgeway Road. Support a good cause!

photo credit: SarahMcD

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I know that it may seem tourist-y, but air boating along the Mississippi River just sounds so exciting! It’s kind of like riding in a race car without the actual car! One good thing about the air boating tours is that you don’t have to go completely out of your way to ride one; all your have to do is head into Memphis and the river boats are located on Monroe Dr.

Air boating is a great group activity! The Demona (Memphis’s Airboat) can fit from 4 – 6 people. This ride gets you closer to the Mississippi than you’ve ever been before without diving right in. You’re jumping waves, doing donuts off of the sandbar, and going much faster than you ever would on a regular cruise! It’s like white water rafting, but WAY less risky…and less scary.

So, if you want to go for a ride in the air boat, you can buy a ticket from the Memphis Riverboats website. They are $30 per person, for ages 6 and up.

Oh and one more thing, prepare to get WET!

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Hey everyone! Do we have any new residents out there? If so, welcome to Madison at Schilling Farms! What about anyone who is new to the Memphis/Collierville area? Well, I think the best introduction to the Memphis/Collierville area would be to hear the music and taste the food. The City Tasting Tour does just that.

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Have you ever heard the expression that “the heart of BBQ beats in Memphis?” Well, it’s entirely true and the City Tasting Tour will give you a sampling of why Memphis got it’s name. The tour takes you to neighborhood spots in the heart of the city so you can try southern style dry rubbed ribs, wet ribs, pulled pork, brisket, shrimp, cornbread, baked beans, and coleslaw first hand. Or you can choose the other option.  You’ll head to more southern restaurants to sample crispy fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, beignets, and fried apple turnovers! I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

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For all of this food, you would think that the price of a ticket would be outrageously expensive right? Not all at. The tours are split in two sections: the  Southern Traditions Tour and the BBQ Cue Hopping Tour. The Southern Traditions tour is $42 plus tax on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 1:30 pm, and the Cue Hopping Tour is $62 on Thursdays at 3 pm. You can get your tickets online.

The prices aren’t bad, right? Besides, being able to taste what makes Memphis, Memphis is priceless. You’ll be so glad you took the tour! And the tour isn’t just for novices of Bluff City; if you need a refresher course on some great restaurants to go to, by all means take the tour yourself!

So, who’s hungry yet?

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Hey everyone! Are you a big fan of flea markets? Well, you have a big one coming your way this weekend. It’s The Big One! Also known as the Memphis Flea Market, and it’s taking place this weekend, July 17 and 18 at the Expo Center at Agricenter International (7777 Walnut Grove Road).

‘The Big One‘ is almost elusive if you think about it. It only occurs on the third weekend of every month and is open from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays.

You can find everything at the Big One! It has vendors set up for trading cards, collectibles, antiques, jewelry, electronics, clothing, furniture, gardening supplies, food, and more!

The Big One/Memphis Flea Market is only about 20 minutes from Madison at Schilling Farms, so you can definitely round  up a group of friends and head out to do some prime bargain hunting!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Alright Madison @ Schilling Farms friends, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week or so, you know of all the drama and controversy surrounding LeBron James and his decision to move to the Miami Heat. Well, while the Heat recieved James, Bosh, and Wade very well, our very own Memphis Grizzlies had a celebration of their own: Rudy Gay finalized his $83 million contract.

Amidst Stax Music Academy band fanfare and appearances by the Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton and Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford, Gay stepped out in his tailored 3-piece suit to sign his contract. Pretty big for a 23 year old. Gay even stated that he felt like he won an Oscar or something of the sort. In a way he has.

Gay, who averaged nearly 20 points in three of his first four seasons, received strong interest from Minnesota, New Jersey and the Los Angeles Clippers. Heisley offered Gay the most money he could receive over five years less than 12 hours into the NBA’s free agent period.

Now, with this multi-million dollar deal, Rudy definitely has to prove his worth on the court. In a bold statement made by Gay he said “We’re not building anymore…we’re done rebuilding. We’re ready to compete in the playoffs.”

Here’s hoping…

Yes folks, you heard right. It’s a sleepover on the Mississippi River! Doesn’t that sound like fun? You can have your own ‘camping’ adventure with no insect and grizzly bear infested foliage. This all takes place at the Mud Island River Park, this Friday, July 9th.

The best thing about this sleepover is that it kind of reminds you of the sleepovers you went to when you were younger: just bring a sleeping bag! Mud Island River Park is providing a 12’x12’ tent, dinner, live entertainment, recreational activities, campfire with marshmallows, and breakfast. You can’t beat that!

The only catch is that you have to reserve your spot in advance due to limited space. For more information, call (901) 458 – 2678. If you miss this opportunity and really want to participate, don’t worry! They have one of these every month. The next available dates are: 8/13, 9/10, and 10/08. I don’t believe November and December dates are available due to the cold weather. So plan ahead, and get ready to Sleep Out on the Mississippi!

photo credit: Dano

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Hey MSF! Have you attended an of the Sunset on the Square concerts here in town? If not, tomorrow would be the perfect time to go! On Thursday, July 8, the featured act at Collierville’s Sunset on the Square Concert Series is: Jeffrey and the Pacemakers.

Why should you attend? Only for an evening full of live music, food, and fun! While the concert is free, food is not. Vendors will be on site selling their goods, but they’re never too expensive.

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So, just who are Jeffrey and the Pacemakers anyway? Well, they are a local Memphis band with a sound reminiscent to the the Beatles, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers and various other British Invasion groups as well as the Byrds and other 60’s groups. They will definitely be bringing some old school pop and rock and roll to the square, so if you’re a fan of this kind of music, it’ll definitely be a treat for you.

All of the concerts start at 7 pm and are located on Collierville’s Historic Town Square. Check the website for the remaining dates.

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Hello everyone! It’s that time of year again: time to celebrate the date of America’s independence. The biggest question for  you will be where to celebrate! There are a bunch of celebrations happening around the Memphis area, but the one that is the closest to you, Madison at Schilling Farms, is the Collierville Independence Day Celebration.

The Collierville Independence Day Celebration will take place on July 3rd from 6 to 10 pm at  H.W. Cox Jr. Park. There will be live entertainment, good food, and plenty of things to do for the kiddies. Don’t forget about the fireworks spectacular beginning at 9:30 pm, like so many other displays around town. Don’t forget your blankets and lawn chairs! Personally, I would opt to bring lawn chairs. The ground begins to get uncomfortable after a while.

To honor our Veterans and their families, the Veterans Hospitality Pavilion will be having light refreshments and beverages. This is sponsored once again by the Town of Collierville.

Have fun this weekend, and be safe, no matter what you do!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Get ready everyone at Madison Schilling Farms! Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds is coming to the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts!

This is sure to be a treat, especially for those who are Babyface fans. I don’t know about you, but I really believe that (during my time, now) that the 80’s and 90’s brought us the best music. And Babyface definitely falls into that category.

With hit’s like ‘When Can I See You’, ‘Every Time I Close My Eyes’, ‘For the Cool in You’, and ‘Whip Appeal’, you can’t help but love the man! I’m sure he’ll be performing some of these hits at the concert, which is on Saturday, July 17 at 8 pm.

Tickets range between $50 and $70 and is open to all ages. If you’re a Babyface fan, this may be something for you to look into.

Directions to Cannon Center (About 30 minutes)

Head east on Federal Ridge Rd toward Federal Row. Turn right at Schilling Farm Rd. Turn left at E Winchester Blvd. Turn right at S Byhalia Rd. Slight right to merge onto TN-385 W. Take the exit onto I-240 W toward Jackson Miss. Take exit 31 to merge onto I-40 W toward Little Rock. Take exit 1A to merge onto N 2nd St toward 3rd St. Turn right at Winchester Ave. Take the 1st left onto N Main St. Destination will be on the right.

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Get fit for the summer! Hey everyone! Have you tried Zumba yet? If not, you have another opportunity tomorrow, June 26th from 4 to 6 pm at the YMCA at Schilling Farms.

For those of you that don’t know, Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. It’s a very fun way to exercise and men and women can get into the groove.

The program tomorrow at the YMCA is open to all ages and completely free, so if you’re interested in what Zumba is all about, come out tomorrow and dance your way to better health!

Directions to YMCA from Madison at Schilling Farms:

Head north on Madison Farms Ln toward Madison Row. Take the 1st left onto Madison Row. Take the 1st right onto Schilling Blvd. Turn left at Schilling Blvd W. Turn left at W Poplar Ave. Turn right at S Houston Levee Rd. Turn right at TN-15 E/US-64 E. Turn left at Chambers Chapel Rd.