May | June 2013

Brandon Day Festival
May 2-4 | Brandon
Visit the quaint town of Brandon as it celebrates its heritage at this annual festival. Vendors, food, and more can be enjoyed. Call 601.825.5021 or visit cityofbrandon.net

Market Street Festival
May 3-4 | Columbus
Encompassing 12 city blocks and the Riverwalk in historic downtown Columbus, this has been a Top 20 Event in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society for 14 consecutive years. A crowd of nearly 40,000 gathers each year to enjoy more than 250 arts, crafts, and food vendors and dozens of special events, musical acts and activities. Call 662.328.6305 or visit marketstreetfestival.com

Okatoma Festival
May 4 | Collins
The 24th annual Okatoma Festival will bring together Covington County’s greatest assets—its people, its land, and its water, in just the right balance to make this special day in May a perfect symbol of “Southpitality,” Southern hospitality at its finest. More than 15,000 festivalgoers are expected to crowd Main Street in Collins to enjoy the celebration. Call 601.765.6012 or visit covingtonchamber.com

Day in the Park
May 4 | Laurel
Day in the Park is the Laurel Arts League’s largest annual event, which takes place the first Saturday each May in Mason Park. The day begins with a 5K race followed by a fun run. Throughout the day patrons can enjoy live music, student and juried art competitions, delicious festival cuisine, children’s activities and the works of more than100 skilled craftsmen from across the region. Call 601.649.6374 or visit laurelartsleague.com.

Dudie Burger Fest
May 4 | Tupelo
Come and enjoy the original recipe and walk through Dudie's Diner. This day promises a lot of family-fun and celebrates a blast from the past. Call 662.841.6438 or visit orendunnmuseum.org

Natchez Festival of Music
May 4-25 | Natchez
A month-long series of musical events including a Musical Wine Tasting, performances of “Kiss Me Kate,” “The Black Swan Returns,” and “Rioletto.” Pay per event or purchase a package. Visit natchezpilgrimage.com or call 800.647.6742.

Commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Raymond
May 11 | Raymond
Come hear Supreme Court Justice William L. Waller as the city of Raymond dedicates a cannon line on the Raymond battlefield. Call 601.924.7080 for more information.

GumTree Festival
May 11-12 | Tupelo
This outdoor celebration of the visual arts, music and writing includes a juried arts competition, songwriting competition and lots of children's activities around the courthouse square. Call 662.844.2787 or visit gumtreefestival.com

Art for the Park
May 16 | Jackson
Come enjoy an evening filled with live music, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and more to benefit Belhaven’s Laurel Street Park. Held at the Fairview Inn in Belhaven, tickets are $40 per person. Cal 601.592.9945.

5th annual Food & Wine Festival
May 16 | Ocean Springs
Experience the best local dining that showcases the culinary tastes from the restaurants of Ocean Springs. Tickets are $40 per person. Call 228.875.4424 or visit oceanspringschamber.com

3rd annual FIGMENT Jackson Weekend
May 18-19 | Jackson
Head to the Midtown Arts District for a weekend full of creative energy. Jackson’s downtown will be transformed into a large-scale collaborative artwork. Visit Jackson.figmentproject.org for more information.

Sounds by the Sea
May 25-26 | Pascagoula
Enjoy music and fireworks by the waterside as the Gulf Coast Symphony plays. Admission is free. The symphony will play at Jones Park in Gulfport on the 25th and Beach Park in Pascagoula on the 26th. Call 228.938.6604 or visit gulfcoastsymphony.net

Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival
May 16-18 | Meridian
Meridian celebrates its native son and the proclaimed father of country music, Jimmie Rodgers. The weekend is full of music, food, fun and family activities. Call 601.693.1361 or visit Jimmierodgers.com.

The Square Affair
May 18 | Carthage
This day-long event hosts a variety of activities such as a 5-K run, 5-K walk, a one-mile fun run, a fishing rodeo for the kids, a Leake Idol competition, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Call 601.267.9231 or visitleakems.com

37th annual Seafood Fest
May 30-June 2 | Pass Christian
The Seafood Fest (formally St. Paul's Seafood Festival) is a MS Gulf Coast tradition. The event is family friendly, offering exceptional food (Friday & Saturday only) and music. In addition, enjoy arts & crafts, games, children's rides, silent auction, raffle for a chance to win a restored 1979 MGB

Fais Do-Do & Blessing of the Fleet
June 1 | Biloxi
Decorated boats receive blessings for a safe and bountiful season. The Fais Do-Do features live entertainment, hundreds of craft vendors, local artisans, and the best seafood in the entire world. It’s one of the best Biloxi events. Call 800.245.6943 or visit biloxiblessing.com.

Red, White, and Blueberry Festival
June 1 | Ocean Springs
Come out and enjoy fresh blueberries, strawberries, vanilla ice cream and more at the Red, White & Blueberry Festival. The Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and admission is free. Call 228.875.9590 or visit oceanspringschamber.com

27th annual Coast Coliseum Fair
June 6-16 | Biloxi
A very family-friendly event, this fair, one of the Coast Coliseum events, features a host of diversions, rides and shows, in addition to live music, food and drink. There is a water flume ride, Ferris wheel and dozens more rides, plus a pay-one-price ride at various time each day. Visit mscoastcoliseum.com

Tupelo Elvis Festival
June 6-9 | Tupelo
The Tupelo Elvis Festival is a celebration of Tupelo's most famous native son Elvis Presley. The festival centers around the music that influenced Elvis as a child in Tupelo and features top national performers as well as some of the most celebrated tribute artists in the world. Whether you are looking for All Elvis All The Time or just to listen to some good music, you are in luck at this birthplace celebration. Visit tupeloelvisfestival.com

FestivalSouth
June 6-22 | Hattiesburg
FestivalSouth is Mississippi's only multi-week, multi-genre arts festival, offering both free and ticketed events to local residents and cultural visitors to Hattiesburg. With a live musical event every day for two weeks, there is certainly something for everyone! Call 601.296.7475.

Lauren Rogers Museum of Art’s 20th annual Blues Bash
June 7 | Laurel
Enjoy an evening of blues music and a hot dog barbecue on the lawn of Lauren Rogers museum. Call 601.649.6374 or visit LRMA.org.

Delta Jubilee
June 7-8 | Clarksdale
Delta Jubilee is a community festival featuring carnival, live music, arts and crafts, 5k walk/run, sporting competitions, pet show, children's fishing rodeo, a food contest, and more. Visit Clarksdale.com.

Tate County Trade Days
June 8-9 | Coldwater
Largest flea market in north Mississippi. Over 300 booths offer a wide a variety of merchandise. Attendance is estimated at 30,000 from Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas. Visit tatecountyrescue.net.

Thunder on the Water
June 12-16 | Grenada
Come join the festivities as Grenada celebrates boating safety on the water while enjoying a day filled with fun, food, and entertainment. Call 662.226.2571 or visit thunderonwater.net

Actor’s Playhouse presents “Steel Magnolias”
June 21-23 and June 28-30 | Pearl
Actor’s Playhouse presents the stage version of this Southern favorite. Join Truvy and all her friends at the beauty shop, and you’ll be tickled pink that you did. Shows are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, students, and seniors. Call 601.664.0930 for more information or to purchase tickets.