Insight from an insider

For this week's Street Spirit, I'd like to stray from Southeast Missouri and take you to Beale Street. Eight days from now kicks off the Memphis in May International Festival. In Memphis, Tenn., the first glorious weekend in May brings three days of music, mingling and general, good-natured debauchery.

I've heard mention of going to the MusicFest weekend and wanted to offer a little insight from an insider to enhance your experience. You know, just a few lessons I've learned over the years of going.

If you haven't bought a ticket and know you want to get into the festival all three days, buy it now. Buying a three-day pass will save you about $20, but act now! Because in May, the deal goes away! (Sorry, radio ads end in that the entire month of April).

If you're unsure about attendance one day, you can always sell the ticket. If you only want to go one day, you can buy individual tickets from the ticket booth or the scalpers a few feet away. Sunday's your best bet for a $5 ticket from someone who just wants to go home.

Hotels downtown are booked solid and probably filling up for next year. Stay away from the airport and Airways Boulevard in general. You'll probably have to stay far from Tom Lee Park, where the festival is, so leave early because you also have to find a place to park and most likely walk a few blocks.

On your little trip through town, stay off of Poplar. Yes, it is a straight shot downtown, but it is also a cluster of out-of-towners who don't know where to turn. Use Union or Madison avenues to get down to the river and Fourth Street to move parallel to it. Second and Third are one-way streets, and remember, you can't turn on to Main Street. You can ride the trolley for like a dollar, though, to get you dropped closer to the gates.

Tennessee has strict open container laws: In the car, you can't have any. Open containers on the street, perfectly fine — and preferable because it's going to be hot. Hot and humid.

Invest in a good pair of rain boots and/or bring disposable clothes because it's going to rain at least one day. It always does, and the following days are an inevitable mud pit. Relax and have fun anyway.

If you want to get away from the mud for a minute, head up to Beale Street. You can leave the festival only once a day, so coordinate a time wisely. Beale Street has an amphitheater in W.C. Handy park that will have entertainment and several of the restaurants and bars will also have people who someday may be on the big stages in the park.

While you're up on Beale, Wet Willy's has a wall of grown-up slushies. A Call A Cab will kick your butt. Silky O'Sullivan's has buckets of alcohol with giant straws for all your friends. And the street taps have "Big Ass Beers" and "Bigger Ass Beers" depending on which one you visit.

Drinks are expensive, parking is at least $10, if you're not wet from the rain, you're soaked with sweat and it's worth every bit of it. Have fun.