The Cooper-Young Festival draws 130,000 people to Midtown each September. 2026 ran Sept. 19, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the 2027 date is not out yet.

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts come from the Cooper-Young Festival site and the Cooper-Young Business Association, which runs it. This page is updated each year at the same address.

The Cooper-Young Festival is Midtown’s one-day street festival of art, crafts and Memphis music, held each September around the corner of Cooper Street and Young Avenue. The 2026 festival, the 38th, ran Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The 2027 date has not been announced; recent festivals have fallen on a Saturday in mid-September (Sept. 14 in 2024, Sept. 19 in 2026). The Cooper-Young Business Association answers questions at 901-276-7222.

Know before you go

  • 2027 date: not announced yet; expect a Saturday in mid-September
  • 2026 hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Where: the Cooper-Young Historic District, around Cooper Street and Young Avenue in Midtown
  • Pets: not allowed, the organizer says
  • Organizer: Cooper-Young Business Association, 901-276-7222

What it is

The festival is hosted by the Cooper-Young Business Association in what it calls Memphis’ largest historic district. It draws more than 130,000 people and more than 435 artists and craftspeople from around the country, according to the festival site, which bills it as one of Memphis’ most attended festivals. The American Planning Association named Cooper-Young one of its “Top 10 Great Neighborhoods in America” in 2012.

Each year a local artist paints the festival poster. The 2026 poster artist was Megan Hurdle, a Cooper-Young business owner at MHurdle Fine Art.

Music: the 2026 stages

The 2026 lineup, from the festival site, played on two stages:

Stage Where 2026 lineup
Guaranty Bank Stage In front of Young Avenue Deli Raneem Imam (11 a.m.), Twin Fiction, Massey Lane, Degenerate Breakfast, Joe Restivo 4, Eillo, then headliner African Jazz Ensemble, 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
Mempho Presents Stage Young Avenue at Meda Street San Salida (12:30 p.m.), The Narrows, Mama Honey, Yesse Yavis, Impala

The First Congo Stage, in the First Congregational Church parking lot, was canceled for 2026. Bands that want to play must be from Memphis and play original music; submissions go to the business association by email, the site says.

The Friday 4-Miler

The night before the festival, the Cooper-Young Festival Friday 4-Miler raises money for the Cooper-Young Community Association. Registration is at cooperyoung4miler.racesonline.com.

Vendors and booths

Artist booths are sold only through the festival website. For 2026 they went on sale at midnight on June 15, at $300 each by credit card, with only 10-by-10-foot tents allowed and no refunds, according to the vendor information. Section D, the International Bazaar in the First Congregational Church lot, takes imported and mass-produced goods such as T-shirts and hats. Food vendors are added only when a space opens, and past vendors in good standing are invited back first. The 2026 vendor application listed Sunday, Sept. 20, as the rain date.

Getting there and what to know

  • Parking: the festival does not publish a parking plan on its site. One section of booths fills the parking lot at the corner of Young Avenue and Cooper Street, so expect that lot to be closed to cars.
  • Pets: please leave them at home, the organizer asks.
  • Rain: in 2026 the rain date for vendors was the next day, Sunday.
  • Volunteers: the business association takes volunteers at 901-276-7222.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Cooper-Young Festival 2027? The 2027 date had not been announced when we checked on Oct. 18, 2026. The festival is held on a Saturday in mid-September; it was Sept. 19 in 2026 and Sept. 14 in 2024.

What time does the Cooper-Young Festival start? The 2026 festival ran from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, according to the Cooper-Young Business Association.

Can I bring my dog to the Cooper-Young Festival? No. The organizer asks festivalgoers not to bring pets.

How many people go to the Cooper-Young Festival? More than 130,000 people, with more than 435 artists and craftspeople from around the country, the organizer says.

How do I get a booth at the Cooper-Young Festival? Artist booths are sold online through the festival website. For 2026 they went on sale June 15 at $300, paid by credit card, with only 10-by-10-foot tents allowed.

What this means for you

  • Put mid-September on the calendar now; we will add the 2027 date as soon as the business association posts it.
  • Artists: booth sales opened June 15 in 2026; watch the vendor page in late spring.
  • Live nearby? Expect crowds and closed lots around Cooper and Young all day.

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