The 2013 Southern Heritage Classic Parade in Orange Mound

Each year, Southern Heritage Classic day begins with a parade down Park Avenue in Orange Mound, featuring a number of bands, drumlines, majorettes, drill teams, custom cars, floats, Cowboys and Steelers fan clubs, and, of course, politicians, both those already in office, and those running for office. The DJs at Club Memphis always set up their equipment on the parking lot out front and start the day off with good southern soul, and by 10 AM, both sides of the street are usually lined with spectators. The parade starts at Melrose High School and proceeds west to the intersection of Park and Airways, where it disbands.

Bellevue Middle Majorettes and Drummer @ BJ Danz Starz Jamboree

Bellevue Middle School Majorettes take it back to the old school with a drumline, while all the other majorettes at the jamboree used CD’s.

BJ Danz Majorette Jamboree @ Elliston Baptist Academy, Memphis

There was supposed to be a cook-out and basketball tournament at Westside Park in Frayser, but when I got there, I found that there was no cook-out, and nothing but a few little kids on the ball court. So I drove down to the BJ Danz Majorette Jamboree at Elliston Academy in Southeast Memphis. Unfortunately, majorette jamborees aren’t what they used to be in Memphis. There’s no longer any competition for drummers, because almost none of the drill teams or majorettes have drummers at all. Most of the girls dance to CD’s that they give to the DJ, so there’s really no longer difference between majorettes, drill teams or dancers in Memphis. On a good day, one group might work out with a drumline, and today, Bellevue Middle School brought their drumline to provide the motivation for their majorettes. Otherwise, it was a rather boring jamboree.

Memphis Black Expo 2013 at the Cook Convention Center

The Memphis Black Expo is held each year in February at the Cook Convention Center downtown. It features fun activities for kids, exhibits from local businesses, a car show, a dance and majorette competition, and live performances from gospel groups, rappers and singers.

M-Town Live Dance Crew @ Purple Hearts Majorette Jamboree

The M-Town Live dance crew jooks at the Purple Hearts Majorette jamboree at New Life Missionary Baptist Church in South Memphis, 2/16/13

The Sparkling Diamondettes and the Ice Storm Drumline, Southern Heritage Classic Parade, 2012

The Sparkling Diamondettes and the Ice Storm Drumline march in the Southern Heritage Classic Parade in Orange Mound, Memphis TN, 9/8/12

Midtown Divas and Drummers at the Memphis Black Expo 2012

#24 Midtown Divas and Drummers.MOV (by jdoggtn7)

The Midtown Divas and Drumline perform at the Battle of the Bluff jamboree as part of the Memphis Black Expo 2012 at the Cook Convention Center, February 18, 2012

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)