On Thursday, January 17, the Mississippi Film Office celebrated its 40th anniversary. Officially proclaimed “Mississippi Film Day” by Governor Phil Bryant, the celebration began with displays and a colorful cake in the rotunda of the State Capitol Building.

The one-of-a-kind cake, which highlighted various films shot in the state (such as “My Dog Skip,” “Walk The Line,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, “The Help” and “As I Lay Dying”), was courtesy of Campbell’s Bakery in Jackson.

The day culminated with a reception at the Governor’s Mansion where Governor Bryant, friends of the industry and staff from the Mississippi Film Office mingled and shared their thoughts about the importance and impact of the film industry in the state.

All of the fanfare was the perfect kickoff for film festival season in Mississippi. The Clarksdale Film Festival ran January 24-27.

Other upcoming festivals include:

• Oxford Film Festival, February 21-24, www.oxfordfilmfestival.com
• Crossroads Film Festival (Jackson), April 12-14, www.crossroadsfilmfestival.com
• Tupelo Film Festival, May 15-19, www.tupelofilmfestival.net

(Last year, the Crossroads Film Festival was selected as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society.)

Go to www.filmmississippi.org for more information about the film industry in Mississippi.

Throughout the month of December, the Mississippi Welcome Centers are hosting Holiday Open House events for visitors and locals alike to kick off the holiday season. From live entertainment and colorful displays to tasty refreshments and visits with Santa, the Welcome Centers offer a treat for all ages this time of the year.



Today in Warren County, the Welcome Center staff entertained visitors with face painting, tasty morsels and lots of holiday cheer. Even Santa Claus was on hand to hear gift requests.



Stop by any of Mississippi's 13 Welcome Centers for a friendly smile, a hot cup of coffee, directions to a local destination or assistance with hotel reservations. We are here to serve yearround!

Former world number one golfer and past Master’s Champion Fred Couples, has committed to participate in the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic (MGRC) at Fallen Oak Golf Club in Saucier, Miss., March 19-25. One of the most popular and successful players in golf, Couples will be making his first ever appearance on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to play in the Champions Tour event.Couples began playing golf professionally in 1980 and has recorded 15 victories on the PGA TOUR, including the 1992 Master’s and THE PLAYERS Championship in 1996.

Couples joined the Champions Tour in 2010 and, in limited events (28) over the past two seasons, has already recorded six tour victories. As one of the top players to ever play on the PGA TOUR, Couples’ career earnings top over $22 million.

“Fred Couples committing to this year’s Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic is very exciting news and has once again helped to solidify our event here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” stated Duncan McKenzie, Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Foundation chairman. “Getting the world’s best players to come to our area and play in this event is something the MGRC board and staff have been working hard to attain. This announcement is a major step in our efforts to grow the event, and the 2012 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic is shaping up to be the most exciting tournament to date for the Mississippi Gulf Coast!”

Couples became the first player on the Champions Tour to win three of his first four career starts and also became the first player since Jay Haas in 2006 to win three consecutive Champions Tour starts. Couples has represented the USA as a member of five Ryder Cup teams and five President’s Cup events, including serving as two-time captain of the team. His success and laid-back style has made him a fan favorite throughout the world.

Tickets to the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic are $15 and are on sale now. They can be purchased online or by calling the tournament office at 228.896.6365. Children ages 15 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult.


About the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic:

The third annual Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic will be played March 19-25 at Fallen Oak Golf Club in Saucier. The tournament is uniquely funded by 13 consortium partners that see this event as an ideal way to promote the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The 2012 consortium partners include the following: BP America, IP Resort & Spa, Mississippi Power, C Spire Wireless, Hard Rock Resort & Spa, Grand Biloxi Hotel & Spa, Beau Rivage Resort & Spa, Mississippi Development Authority, F.E.B. Distributing, W.G. Yates & Sons Construction, Roy Anderson Corp, Hancock Bank and Coca-Cola. The tournament will be administered through the MGRC Foundation, Inc. and will benefit Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

As we approach the unveiling of the 150th Mississippi Blues Trail next Tuesday, two new blues trail markers were erected in the Mississippi Delta this week.

On Thursday, February 16, Tommy McClennan was recognized with a marker at W. Broadway and N. Water Streets in Yazoo City. McClennan (c. 1905-1961) was one of America's most successful down-home blues recording artists during the period when he recorded 20 singles for the Bluebird label (1939-1942). Among McClennan's most notable numbers were “Bottle It Up and Go,” “Cross Cut Saw,” “Travelin’ Highway Man,” “Deep Blue Sea Blues,” “Whiskey Head Woman” and “New Highway No. 51 Blues.” McClennan, famed for his raucous, uninhibited singing and guitar playing, frequented the Water Street section of Yazoo City when he lived on the nearby J. F. Sligh plantation.

Pianist, vocalist and songwriter Mose Allison also received a blues trail marker in his hometown of Tippo. Allison performed at the Bologna Performing Arts Center at Delta State University earlier this week and was the recipient of the Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Arts Commission during a ceremony in Jackson. Allison was born on November 11, 1927, in his grandfather’s farmhouse on the island in Tippo Bayou, about three miles from town. In 1956, Allison moved to New York City, where he soon achieved acclaim as a jazz artist. His music always retained a strong blues influence though, and in addition to covering the songs of Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon, Allison authored blues standards, including “Parchman Farm.”

Join us as we celebrate the unveiling of the150th Mississippi Blues marker on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, honoring Furry Lewis. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the intersection of Lamar Street and Carrollton Avenue in Greenwood, Miss. A reception will be held at the Crystal Grill immediately following the unveiling ceremony.

Backed by Mississippi cultural leaders, the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is teaming up with The Infinite Theatre to bring their popular production of “Orpheus Descending” to Tennessee Williams’ home state of Mississippi this month. A total of nine performances are planned in three cities: Columbus, Oxford and Jackson from February 23-March 3.

For the past two years, this powerful rendition of “Orpheus” has been called “thrilling” with “outstanding performances.” It was a runaway success at the annual fall Festival, held in September in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Arts, culture and political leaders from Mississippi were so impressed with the production that a coalition of supporters has been formed and funds were raised for the New York-based Infinite Theatre’s production to come to Mississippi. It is co-produced by the Festival with over 20 people involved.

Here are some scenes from previous performances around the country. Photos courtesy of Josh Andrus and Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival:

The production is conceived as a morality play – to be performed in a house of worship. The imagery in the text comes not only from the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, but from Williams’ own Episcopal upbringing in small-town Mississippi. “Orpheus Descending” takes place in the Mississippi Delta, where Williams spent his boyhood until the age of 7. The play follows the handsome, guitar-playing Val Xavier (Thomas Beaudoin) as he tries valiantly to turn his back on corruption. He appears in a metaphorical purgatory, arriving mysteriously in a small-town dry goods store run by an Italian immigrant named Lady Torrance (Irene Glezos). She’s married to an old, dying man, but Lady takes in the alluring drifter, giving him a bed in the store and thereby unlocking her long-repressed desire. Val’s arrival stirs up the insular, suspicious townspeople, leading to his inevitable expulsion, while the free-wheeling misfit, Carol Cutrere (Beth Bartley), haunts Lady’s store in a tangle of innocence and vice. Broken, brazen and defiant, these three tragic heroes are the ultimate outsiders. Yet their ordinary weaknesses reveal extraordinary zeal.

PERFORMANCES

Columbus – Feb. 23-25
First United Methodist Church, Artz Fellowship Hall, 602 College St.
662.328.ARTS (2787)

Oxford – Feb. 26-28
Paris-Yates Chapel, University of Mississippi
662.236.6429

Jackson – Mar. 1-3
St Luke’s United Methodist Church, 621 Duling Ave.
www.orpheusinfondren.com  

It’s History Month in Mississippi, and the state’s 13 Welcome Centers are offering travelers a glimpse into the True South’s history and heritage with special programs throughout the month of February.  

Today, the DeSoto County Welcome Center hosted Black History Day and treated visitors to a unique combination of fun and history. The program featured down-home cooking, quilt demonstrations, praise dancing, door prizes and live entertainment from local performer, Stephanie Norvell. Representatives from the DeSoto County Tourism office were also on hand to help with the activities. Throughout the month, the site will also present door prize drawings, map displays of nearby historical sites and video footage on the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi. All activities will feature community members to give visitors an authentic slice of Mississippi history.

In Alcorn County, the Welcome Center will host African American art displays and poetry readings during February. The Woodville Hospitality Station is offering “Free for All” History passes to local historical sites.

Each Welcome Center is celebrating History Month with its own special programs and displays. In addition, free coffee, clean restrooms, maps, brochures, hotel reservation assistance and friendly, knowledgeable staff are available every day to help you discover your True South. Stop by and experience genuine southern hospitality!

Want to know about the Welcome Centers? Go to http://www.visitmississippi.org/welcome-centers.aspx.

On Saturday, January 28, 2012, “Appetite for Jackson” kicks off from 2-9 p.m., in The Art Garden at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The inaugural food festival celebrates the City of Jackson and its cultural and culinary excellence.

The event will feature live music and showcase an array of local restaurants and their culinary delights, including Parlor Market, Underground 119, Peaches, Lumpkins Barbeque, the King Edward Grill, The Palette Café by Viking and many more. Live music from local bands will rock out The Art Garden throughout the day. Admission is free; food plates from participating restaurants are available for $5. Craft beer will be available for sale from Capital City Beverages.

The Travel Channel’s show, “Appetite For Life,” will feature the festival on an upcoming episode. The show’s host, Andrew Zimmern, will be appearing at the festival and at various VIP events.

Event sponsors include: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi, Mississippi Museum of Art, Downtown Jackson Partners, WLBT, Underground 119, Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau and Cathead Vodka.

For more information on this event, visit the official website, become a fan on Facebook or follow the event on Twitter.

This week, the Mississippi Blues Trail unveiled its 140th marker. Vicksburg’s own Blue Room was recognized with the historic marker, which was the fifth for the Vicksburg area. The unveiling took place at 601 Clay Street overlooking the Catfish Row Children’s Art Park in Vicksburg. Entertainment was provided by Vicksburg local blues musicians Osgood and Blaque.



One of the most storied night spots in the South, the Blue Room, which stood at 602 Clay Street, was operated for more than thirty years by flamboyant owner Tom Wince Jr. Ray Charles, Fats Domino, B. B. King, Dinah Washington, Louis Armstrong and Little Milton were among the many stars who played here. In the 1940s and ‘50s, Wince was the most important blues promoter in Mississippi, booking bands through a network of nightclubs and halls across the state and in Louisiana. 

Members of the Wince family were on hand to receive the honor. Tom Wince died in 1978.



The Mississippi Blues Trail is a museum without walls taking visitors on a musical history journey through Mississippi and beyond. The trail started with the first official marker in Holly Ridge, the resting place of the blues guitarist Charley Patton, and winds its way to sites honoring B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Son House and others. Out-of-state markers are located in Chicago; Memphis; Los Angeles; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Ferriday, Louisiana; Helena, Arkansas; Rockland, Maine; Grafton, Wisconsin; and Tallahassee, Florida.

For more information about the Mississippi Blues Trail, visit http://www.msbluestrail.org/.

On Monday, August 29, the world lost another great blues legend when David “Honeyboy” Edwards of Shaw, Mississippi, passed away in his Chicago home. The GRAMMY-winning artist was known to be the oldest surviving Delta bluesman.



Honeyboy achieved many accolades during his career, which included induction to the Blues Hall of Fame, several GRAMMY Awards, the Mississippi Arts Commission's Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award and many other notable recognitions. However, one of his fondest memories was being honored on the Mississippi Blues Trail on April 13, 2007.

Opening with two panel discussions featuring family members of blues legends Robert Johnson and Howlin' Wolf, the Mississippi Juke Joint Stage kicked off the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival with a bang. This year's festival, "Sweet Home Chicago: A Centennial Celebration of Robert Johnson," is commemorating the legendary bluesman June 10-12, and Mississippi is here to supply the sweet sounds of authentic Delta Blues and the hospitality of the True South all weekend long.



D'Mar and Gill hit the stage after the panel discussions and rocked an elbow-to-elbow crowd. Despite cloudy skies, spirits were high and the sound of the Mississippi blues were sweet. Nora Jean Bruso and Super Chikan wrapped up the afternoon set before Fernando Jones & My Band closed out the first night at the Mississippi Juke Joint stage.

But the night was far from over... Eddie Cotton jumpstarted a night of Mississippi music on the Petrillo Main Stage. As Eddie and other Mississippi artists warmed up the crowd for the official "Tribute to Robert Johnson" performances, guests enjoyed down-home eats at the Mississippi tent. After all, what's a True South celebration without hearty, homestyle Southern cuisine?!





What a night! Even more great music Saturday and Sunday...