901 Day: a holiday for Memphians

This grassroots celebration was created to increase the self-esteem of residents living in the Bluff City. U of M alumna Jen Clarke, 33, and former blogger for “I Love Memphis,” Kerry Crawford, created the holiday.

“Five years ago, it was not cool to live in Memphis,” Clarke said. “Nowadays, people are proud to be Memphians. This holiday is to help get people thinking about why they like Memphis because they often hear about the bad and not so much the good.”

In order to make their small idea become a holiday, Clarke and Crawford traveled from Germantown to downtown.

“We spread our idea to our friends and various organizations across Memphis about 901 Day,” Clarke said.

The Botanical Garden, Cotton Museum, Overton Park and other smaller venues held events for 901 Day in 2012. In 2013, local Memphians, not just businesses, planned in advance and coordinated different events for locals to enjoy.

Clarke and Crawford created a WordPress website for 901 Day to update people on the various events across Memphis before the holiday begins.

“Sometimes, I search on Twitter and Instagram and link what is going on,” Clarke said. “However, most of the events are not known until 901 Day.”

People can also create events on 901 Day’s website to let locals know about events. Free food, clothing discounts, local music and donations are some of the different festivities on 901 Day.

“There is no wrong way to celebrate this day,” Clarke said. “You can participate at an event, support a local business or wear a Grizzlies shirt.”

More than five events are planned for downtown Memphis, and there are various other events planned across the greater Memphis area. In AutoZone Park, a free event called “Exposure” will be held from 6-9 p.m. There will be over 150 local organizations and businesses on hand, along with fun giveaways and prizes in the park.

Loflin Yard, a new restaurant and bar, will feature 12 local vendors and four local bands. Radio station Kix106 will host “Kix on Beale” and feature Josh Abbott Band in Handy Park.

Emerge Memphis, a business development service located on Tennessee Street, will host a film screening of “Design Disruptors,” a movie about different perspectives in design approach for over 15 companies.

The Artery: Barboro Alley, a project to reclaim an underused pathway in downtown Memphis, will host the Alley Exploration Party to showcase artist proposals from 5-7 p.m. The Green Beetle Bar will host 901 Trivia Night to test participants’ knowledge of 901 Day.

Memphis Food Truckers will host a “Food Truck Rodeo” at Court Square Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 901 Collection, a local online clothing shop, will hold a sale.

James Middleton Jewelers plans to donate $10 for every $100 spent to five different charities: Habitat for Humanity, Mid-South Food Bank, Memphis Union Mission, Les Passees Inc. and the Memphis Mid-South affiliate of Susan G. Komen. “

These events are similar to Christmas,” Clarke said. “Some people open presents on Christmas morning, while others wait until Christmas night.”

Like after Christmas, Memphians will soon have to wait another year for the next 901 Day, Sept. 1, 2017.