The annual Miss Mississippi Scholarship Pageant will kick off on Wednesday, June 27^th at the Vicksburg Convention Center.  The pageant starts each night at 7 p.m. and the final Crowning will take place on Saturday, June 30^th.  Watch as 42 contestants fight for the crown as they compete in several categories such as interview, talent, evening wear/on stage question, and swimwear.

The Miss Mississippi Pageant Parade is scheduled for Monday, June 25, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and will take place along Washington Street in downtown Vicksburg.  An autograph party will take place after the parade and will be located at The Outlets of Vicksburg from about 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.  There will also be an autograph party on Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at George Carr, and on Thursday from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at various downtown Vicksburg stores.

Tickets are $30 for Wednesday and Thursday, $40 for Friday, and $50 for Saturday or $125 for the entire pageant.  Purchase tickets and pageant merchandise here. 

South Coast Summer Fest is a ten day celebration of summer that showcases Costal Mississippi’s Waterways, local culture, natural heritage, local musicians, art, and world renowned cuisine.  This summer celebration will take place June 15- 24 and you will find activities taking place in Ocean Springs, Gulfport, Moss Point, Kiln, and Pascagoula.

Activities include a family kayak relay, Bicentennial Duathlon, overnight campouts, beach parties, meet-up events, guided kayak tours, classes, and more.  Gather your friends and family for a fun time on the coast!  See a full schedule of events here!

There is an optional $15 registration fee that includes a t-shirt, souvenir printed program, and festival sport bracelet for acquiring discounts with participating businesses.  Proceeds from the festival benefit local clean water and habitat programs of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation.

This year Mississippi has dubbed the month of June, family-friendly tourism month.  All over the state, you will find activities that are fit for the whole family and showcase the wonderful state of Mississippi.  This is the perfect opportunity to take your kids out and enjoy a new activity!

Named one of the top 50 Children’s Museums, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport in Gulfport is sure to be a hit.  This hands-on museum displays exhibits that are sure to get your kids thinking outside of the box and learning! 

Hours

Monday- Saturday: 10am- 5pm

Sunday: Noon- 5pm

Admission

Adults & Children over the age of 1 year- $8

Military & Senior (65+) - $6

After 3pm on Weekdays- $3

Everyone on Sunday- $5

The Infinity Science Center is located in Stennis Space Center, MS showcases interactive exhibits, tours of America’s largest rocket engine test complex, motion simulator ride, programs and presentations, and more!  It is located “next door” to the Mississippi Welcome Center near the MS/LA border.  The purchase of your admission ticket includes a free bus tour of the NASA Stennis Space Center also!

Hours

Daily: 10am- 4pm

Admission

Adults (18-54) - $8

Senior (55+), Military, Children (6-17) - $6

Children 5 and under- free

The newly opened Children’s Museum in Jackson is sure to bring a smile to any child’s face.  This museum is full of hands-on and engaging exhibits and programs that explore cultural arts, science and technology, literacy, health and nutrition, and Mississippi Heritage.

Hours

Monday- Closed

Tuesday- Saturday: 9am- 5pm

Sunday: 1pm- 6pm

Admission

Everyone: $8

Children Under 12 Months- free

Members- Unlimited Admission

Located in Tupelo, HealthWorks is human biology health-education center.  If you’ve ever wanted to get inside the brain of a teenage, or explore the coarser side of human biology, then this is the place for you!  All of the exhibits are designed for school children in kindergarten through eighth grade and are aimed to inspire a life-time of healthy habits.

Hours

Monday- Friday: 8:30am- 4pm

Saturday: 10am- 2pm

Closed on Holidays

Admission

Everyone: $5

The 26^th Annual Coast Coliseum Summer Fair will take place June 7-17, 2012.  The fair is held in Biloxi, Mississippi and is known for being a family-friendly event that averages 45,000 attendees each year. 

Events that welcome all ages include the Exotic Animal Petting Zoo, swine races, Safari Acrobats, Splash Dogs agility competition, pony rides, and much more!

With fun for everyone, this fair features a host of diversions, rides, games, free shows, live music, contests, unique vendors, and delicious food.  There will be a Ferris wheel, water flume ride, and dozens of other rides. 

$20 armbands are available for purchase and will include unlimited rides at various times each day. Hours for the armband rides are as follows:

Mondays-Fridays: 5pm-10pm 
Saturdays: 1pm-6pm
1st Sunday: 1pm-6pm
2nd Sunday: 1pm-8:30pm -- extended hours!

See the full line up and schedule of events here.  Admission is free Sunday- Thursday and just $5 for adults on Friday and Saturdays.  Kids 12 and under are free every day.

Hours of operation are as follows:

Mondays-Thursdays: 5pm-10pm
Fridays: 5pm-11pm
Saturdays: 1pm-11pm
First Sunday: 1pm-10pm 
Second Sunday: 1pm-8:30pm 

Hope to see everyone out in Biloxi for this wonderful festival!

Clarksdale will host the 29^th Annual Delta Jubilee this Friday and Saturday.  A community tradition, this festival welcomes the entire family for a weekend full of fun and entertainment with activities such as a carnival, live music, arts and crafts, sporting competitions, pet show, children’s fishing rodeo, 5k walk/run, fireworks and much more!

Musical entertainment includes performances by Ricky Burton & Da Basic Soul Band and Under the Gun on Friday night, and The Studebakers and Funk De Ville on Saturday.  Come out and support this local talent!

The festival is located at the Coahoma County Expo Center and grounds are open on Friday from 5pm- 12 midnight, and Saturday from 8:30am- 12 midnight.  Admission is $3 for adults and children under 12 are free.  Please note that coolers are not allowed.  RV parking is available.  

FestivalSouth returns to Hattiesburg for the third season on June 9-23, 2012 and is Mississippi’s only multi-week, multi-genre arts festival.  The festival is presented by the Hattiesburg Concert Association and will host several musicians from various genres.

Visitors will travel from all over to Hattiesburg for the musical offerings of classical, blues, jazz, and Broadway events.  The festival will bring morning musicals to local coffee shops, afternoon recitals to worship facilities, and evening concerts. Other attractions include art, dance, food, fun and more!  The opening night will feature Classical Mystery Tour, a Beatles tribute; the middle weekend will have performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni; and the finale will host Sandi Patty, a 5-time Grammy award winner.

The festival offers both free and ticked events to local residents and visitors, and with live musical events every day for two weeks, there is something for everyone!  Season passes or Festival Circle Passes are $180 and include all events, and a savings of $50.  Tickets are available online for purchase here.  Individual event tickets can also be purchased here.

Tupelo is calling all Elvis Fans!  The 14^th annual Elvis Festival will take place on May 31- June 3 and will pay tribute to the King of Rock ‘n Roll. 

Headlining artists scheduled to perform include David Nail, Randy Houser, Little Big Town and many more.  Elvis Tribute Artists Brandon Bennett, Cody Slaughter, and Kevin Mills will also perform.  For the 5^th year, there will be a preliminary round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition, which last year brought 38 competitors.   Elvis fans from all over will see who will be chosen to represent Tupelo in Memphis in August.

Other events include a parade, Elvis look-a-like pet parade, Running with the King 5k, Miss Tupelo Elvis Festival Pageant, Fling with the King Disc Golf Tournament, Elvis Movie Poster Exhibit, Sunday Gospel Concert, visits to Elvis’ birthplace, and many activities for children.

These four days will be fun for the whole family and something you won’t want to miss!  Get your tickets here and get ready to pay tribute to the King!  Get a list of all Tupelo hotels and accommodations here.

With Memorial Day Weekend quickly approaching, you may find yourself still looking for plans.  Look no further!   You can find events going on all around Mississippi this weekend that will be great for the whole family!

Gulfport, Mississippi will host the 11th Annual St. Ann’s Catfish Festival and Softball Tournament May 24- 27.  Enjoy great food, live entertainment, carnival rides, children’s games, Bingo, silent auction, $1k and $15k drawdown, fishing rodeo and much more.  Opening ceremonies kick off on Thursday at 6pm and the softball tournament will also begin at that time.  Hours are 5pm- 11pm on Thursday- Friday, Saturday 9am- 11pm, and Sunday 9am- 6pm.  The festival will be held at St. Ann Church grounds and admission is free.



The 30th Annual Gulfport Memorial Day Blowout will be taking place May 25-28.  This 4 day event offers a wide range of events such as five racing class with a prize purse worth over $17,000, a swap meet and flea market, nine bike show classes, live music, and eight other unique events to enjoy.  Most events are free and family friendly, however some events are recommended for adults only. Check out the hour-by-hour schedule here.

Southaven, Mississippi will be the host of the Memorial Day USSSA NIT May 25-27.  Fun for the whole family, you can watch young athletes, age 7-14, from around the country and 2,000 baseball teams compete at Snowden Grove Park for tournament play.  The complex is composed of 17 fields and has become a Mecca for budding athletes of the diamond.  Check out the detailed schedule here.

Party at the Point in Biloxi, Mississippi at the MS Gulf Coast Music, Arts, Crafts and Seafood Festival this weekend, May 25-27.  Headline entertainment features the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Buddy Guy, Sawyer Brown, and Lonestar!  There will be two stages, 19 top national acts performing live and over 100 vendors.  Enjoy some of finest Gulf Coast seafood that Mississippi has to offer as well as arts & crafts vendors, and much more.  Tickets day of show are $20, 2 day passes are $36, and 3 day passes available for $54.  Admission for children under 12 is free with paid adult.  Purchase tickets in advance here for a 10% discount.

The Dennis Day Music Festival will take place on Memorial day in Dennis, Mississippi.  A family friendly event, this festival will have food and live entertainment that everyone will enjoy.  The festival begins at 8am and will be held at Dennis Community Park.

There will be a Memorial Day Parade of Veterans and Memorial Service on Monday in Downtown Vicksburg at the Vicksburg City Auditorium.  The parade will begin at 10am following a route north along Washington Street to Jackson Street. The Memorial Service begins at 11:00 a.m. at the Vicksburg Auditorium. The Wreath Laying Ceremony begins at 12:30pm in the National Cemetery with a motorcade to the cemetery by way of Fort Hill Drive.  The Vicksburg Warren County Memorial Day Committee is the proud sponsor of this memorial.  The event is free and welcomes everyone.

Have a great and safe Memorial Day Weekend in Mississippi with whatever you choose to do!

Head on over to New Albany this Saturday, May 19^th, for the State of Mississippi Bluegrass Championship and an opportunity to hear some great music.  The Down From the Hills Music Festival competition will offer cash and trophies in the following competition categories:  Band, fiddling, banjo, guitar, mandolin, and dobro. 

On-site registration begins at 8:30AM and the Bluegrass Music Championship begins at 10:00AM.  There will be a $750 prize for 1^st Place Senior Fiddling.  Following the fiddling competition will be the band competition.  Registration will take place for that until 1:00PM and the competition will begin at 2:00PM.  There is a prize of $1,500 for 1^st place. 

The event will be held at the Union County Fairgrounds and is supported by the Mississippi Arts Commission.  There will also be quilting demonstrations going on all day. Admission is $5 and fun for the whole family.

The 9^th Annual Tupelo Film Festival will take place May 16- 19, 2012.  A tradition since 2004, this film festival brings together a collection of dozens of films and hundreds of film fans from all over the world.  A combination of film screenings and workshops, this film festival aims to be a centerpiece in the Tupelo Film Commission’s goal of fostering a vibrant film community in the Northeastern part of Mississippi.

There will be awards given to films for the categories of student, short film, documentary, animation, music video and feature.  Judges are film industry leaders and fellow filmmakers from all over the nation.  See the 2011 winners here and get ready for another great year of films!

Ticket admission is $5.00 on the 16^th, $15.00/$7.50 for seniors and students on the 17^th-19^th, $5.00 for after parties on 18^th and 19^th (if you have not purchased a day pass), $40.00 for an all access pass, and $10.00 for the Saturday workshops.  The festival will take place at The Lyric Theater located at 201 N. Broadway.   Happy viewing!