Behind the Smoke: Why Memphis in May Still Matters
"... This isn’t just a job to me. This is home."
In a city as storied as Memphis, tradition runs deep. And for Tiffani Perry, newly appointed Director of Marketing for Memphis in May, that tradition is personal.
"My family grew up attending Memphis in May," she says. "My mother, who has since passed, loved this event. This isn’t just a job to me. This is home."
That sense of legacy is exactly what fuels Perry’s marketing vision for the city’s largest and most iconic cultural event. This isn’t about hype or hashtags it’s about heart. Perry’s strategy goes beyond ticket sales. It aims to ignite emotion, cultivate memory, and build lasting community.
"We want this to feel like something you have to attend," she explains. "Not because of FOMO, but because it fills your cup with joy, food, music, and connection."
And it matters. Memphis in May isn’t just a party. It’s a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive cultural celebration and civic pride. Over the years, the festival has generated more than $145 million in local economic impact. It has helped elevate Memphis from a regional event hub to a national and international culinary destination.
This year introduces a wave of innovations aimed at deepening that impact: a barbecue marketplace for local vendors to sell directly to fans, an expanded Barbecue Alley tasting experience, a youth cook-off crowning the city’s next Prince or Princess of barbecue, and enhanced media partnerships designed to show the world what Memphis can do.
And there’s more. Perry envisions a future where each year’s festival is memorialized in a time capsule—a literal box filled with photos, videos, and mementos. "If someone opened a Memphis in May 2025 box in 20 years, I want them to see joy, music, and smoke in the air," she says. "I want them to feel that we captured the spirit of Memphis."
That vision is what’s guiding Perry and her team to rethink the festival without abandoning its soul. It’s why they brought on real pitmasters to lead storytelling. It’s why they designed experiences where attendees can talk to legends like Chris Lilly or Tuffy Stone, or even taste the rubs of Heath Riles and bring them home.
"We’re not resting on tradition," Perry says. "We’re elevating the experience."
And that elevation is exactly why Memphis in May still matters. It’s not just a gathering it’s a celebration of city, culture, cuisine, and community. And for everyone lucky enough to attend, it might just become their favorite week of the year.