July 2021

Of course, when you think of July, you think of the 4th of July (which is a bank holiday that will be observed on the 5th) - the birthday of America aka party in the USA. But what else happens in July? Nathan Bedford Forrest Day (July 13th, observed in Tennessee), Bastille Day (July 14th), Rural Transit Day (July 16th), Pioneer Day (July 25th, observed in Utah), Parents' Day (July 25th), and National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27th), just to name a few.

If you live in the Memphis area, fireworks will certainly be a thing on the river this year. There are also some cool events around town if you are looking for something to do. For example, there are free swing dance lessons in Overton park every Monday in July at 4:30pm. The free concert series at the Levitt Shell doesn't seem to be back on, however there is a food series although unfortunately it is not free. On a positive note, sporting events are back on, so you could catch a Redbirds game at Autozone Park or hit the Memphis Zoo (still free on Tuesdays and now features booze). 

We have no idea if anyone continues to observe Nathan Bedford Forrest Day in Tennessee, but we can tell you that Forrest County, Mississippi and Forrest City, Arkansas are named after him. There is also a bust of Forrest displayed in the Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville, Tennessee. In case you didn't know, Nathan Bedford Forrest was a Confederate General who was born in Chapel Hill, Tennessee and died in Memphis, Tennessee. He and his wife were buried in Nathan Bedford Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee, until June of 2021 and were reburied in Columbia, Tennessee. The exhumation and reburial was the result of a campaign that was spearheaded by Take 'Em Down 901, an organization dedicated to removing Confederate iconography, which was founded by activist Tami Sawyer.

Not to worry, Pioneer Day, celebrated in Utah on July 24th commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley. In case you weren't aware, this is where the Mormons settled after being pushed out of Nauvoo, Illinois. It's celebrated like a mini-4th of July in Utah and surrounding areas with large Mormon populations.