Lights, Camera, Memphis Pride! Ja Morant & Jaren Jackson Jr. Bring the Heat to City’s Celebration

 

Lights, Camera, Memphis Pride! Ja Morant & Jaren Jackson Jr. Bring the Heat to City’s Celebration

 

Memphis celebrates more than just Labor Day on Monday. This year’s federal holiday coincides with a West Tennessee tradition. The date (September 1) that corresponds to Memphis’ area code is observed as “901 Day” to honor the city’s lengthy history.

 

There was an early outpouring of joy from the Memphis Grizzlies.

“901 Day >,” Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr. wrote on X, the platform that was pre-Twitter. Adding, “901,” Ja Morant continued. Both stars have been celebrating 901 Day for the entire time that they have been in the NBA.

 

 

What is Memphis’ 901 Day?

Since 2011, Memphis residents have celebrated their city’s history on Sept. 1.

The unofficial holiday began after Jen Clarke and Kerry Crawford — a pair of Memphis bloggers — noticed that Justin Timberlake’s “Sauza 901” tequila brand was running a sale on Sept. 1 to capitalize on its namesake.

 

Although Timberlake—a native of Memphis—chosen the area code for his tequila, the only real link between the city and the brand was the name on the bottle.

 

That was something that Clarke and Crawford wanted to change, so on September 1st, they hosted a number of parties for their loved ones.

 

An interview with Clarke by the Memphis Commercial Appeal revealed that she felt unworthy of being proud of her hometown during that period.

 

The news got out every year after that. Even as Clarke’s involvement as showrunner diminished, more pop-ups, activations, and city-wide events surfaced.

 

Mayor Paul Young of Memphis is now interested in it as well.

 

 

Listening to Young speak, “901 Day is the perfect opportunity for us to say yes to who we are and yes to everything we can be” was a powerful statement.

 

Memphis is full of life, pride, and potential, and this day is to celebrate our talent, soul, and people.

 

 

From now until the start of NBA preseason, the Grizzlies and the city will collaborate to sponsor 32 fan activities in and around the Mid-South.

 

On Monday, the group will lend a hand in hosting a Beale Street celebration that lasts all day.

 

For the most current information on the Grizz Around Town calendar and a complete list of upcoming and current activities, fans are encouraged to visit Grizzlies.com/events, according to the Grizzlies.

 

Appearances are subject to change, but you can find the full schedule of events below.