Southern Heritage Classic 2023: What's planned on and off the football field in Memphis

One of the Mid-South’s longest-running and most vibrant cultural celebrations, the Southern Heritage Classic has grown from a spirited gridiron battle to a multifaceted community event since launching in 1990.

“That was the goal from the very beginning,” Classic founder Fred Jones said. “What we wanted was to create an event that the community — the whole community — would embrace every year.”

Built around an annual football game between Historically Black Colleges and Universities, this year longtime Southern Heritage Classic participant Tennessee State will begin a new rivalry with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in the 34th annual edition of the game, set for Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

As in past years, the 2023 Classic will feature three days of events that include a mental health awareness seminar, a college and career fair, a fashion show, a parade, a musical concert and various gameday festivities leading up to the main event.

The most recent study by the University of Memphis' Bureau of Sport and Leisure Commerce estimated the direct local economic impact of the Classic in the $10 million range, with its total impact twice that at more than $20 million.

“It was always a goal to create something that was bigger than the game itself, and that’s really been the foundational idea of the Classic," Jones said.

Over the past 33 years, the event has expanded and become more popular, even as it’s had to navigate regional, national and international events. “Whatever has come up, whether 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina or COVID, we’ve persevered,” Jones said. “And it’s that community foundation that’s allowed us to weather the storms.”

This year’s Southern Heritage Classic programming starts Thursday and runs through Saturday, culminating with the Tennessee State-Arkansas-Pine Bluff game.

Here is the schedule of events.

Classic Concert: Gladys Knight

7:30 p.m. Sept. 7, Orpheum

Grammy-winning R&B singer, Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer and soul music legend Gladys Knight will headline the annual Southern Heritage Classic Concert on Sept. 7 at the Orpheum. Knight's six-decade career began in earnest in the 1960s as she scored a variety of hits along with her backing group the Pips (“Every Beat of My Heart,” “Letter Full of Tears,” “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” and “If I Were Your Woman”), before an even more successful 1970s run with “Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye),” “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination,” “Best Thing to Ever Happen to Me” and the chart-topping “Midnight Train to Georgia." In addition to her four Grammy awards, Knight & The Pips were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2004, Knight received a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2022, her contributions as an artist and philanthropist were recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Tickets: $81-$114; go to Ticketmaster.com.

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Classic College & Career Fair

8:30 a.m. Sept. 8, Pipkin Building at Tiger Lane/Liberty Park

Presented by the City of Memphis Office of Youth Services, this event will feature regional college and university representatives as well as businesses on hand to provide information about attending school and employment opportunities.

Admission is free. For more information, call (901) 636-6264 or visit cityofmemphisyouth.org.

Classic Tailgate

8 a.m. Sept. 9, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium parking lots and Tiger Lane

It's all about friends, food and football at this ticketed tailgate event. Tickets and packages are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Penny Hardaway Memphis District Golf Classic

8 a.m. Sept. 9, Tunica National Golf and Tennis

Bluff City hoops legend and University of Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway hosts a $500-per-team, 4-man scramble golf event at Tunica National Golf and Tennis.

For information, call (901) 633-3933 or visit memphisdistrictgolfclassic.org.

Classic Parade

9 a.m. Sept. 9, Park Avenue and Haynes

The Orange Mound Community Parade Committee presents its salute to the Southern Heritage Classic. The parade route runs along Park Avenue from Haynes to Airways. The parade will feature area high school marching bands.

For information, contact Claudette Boyd at (901) 413-7109 or visit Omcpc.com.

Classic Battle of the Bands

11 a.m. Sept. 9, Whitehaven High School Stadium

The competition will feature the best high school show bands in the region with show-stopping dance routines. Tickets: $12 advance; $15 day of. For tickets and information, contact Walter Banks Jr. at (901) 497-2015 or email [email protected].

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Classic Fashions & Brunch

11 a.m. Sept. 9, The Guest House at Graceland 

The theme for the annual Classic Fashions & Brunch is “Our Culture, Our Fashion.” The event is presented by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. — Memphis Chapter.

Tickets: $75. To purchase tickets or for information, call (901) 568-4021 or visit memphisncbw.org.

Southern Heritage Classic Football Game

6 p.m. Sept. 9, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium

A new rivalry is born as part of this iconic game, with Tennessee State taking on Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The proceedings will also include the AutoZone Halftime Show. After the game, stay for the Classic 5th Quarter, the grand finale for the Southern Heritage Classic featuring a battle of the bands.

All seats are reserved. Tickets: $53, $38 and $23 plus service charges; go to Ticketmaster.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Southern Heritage Classic 2023: Here are the events planned in Memphis