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.

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.

In a few weeks, Jackson, MS will be hosting the 13^th annual Crossroads Film Festival.  From April 13^th through 15^th, the festival will feature over 130 films.  Over 60 of the films have Mississippi ties and 21 of them were actually filmed in Mississippi. Over 70 foreign films were submitted from 23 countries, and the Festival will feature 20 of the best. The festival will also screen over 30 music videos in three days, in addition to hosting workshops, filmmaker Q&A sessions, receptions, music, parties, and more. 

 

In addition to the movies, there will be multiple opportunities to learn about the inner workings of film making through workshops and panels on various facets of production within the industry.

 

The festival is partnered with the Mississippi Museum of Art and their upcoming Curious George exhibit to offer a full day of activities for even the youngest of aspiring storytellers and filmmakers.

 

Also, as with any festival, live music will be abundant.  Crossroads has also partnered with www.ardenland.net to provide an exciting mix of musical talent.

 

Tickets are sold in “blocks” (for example, Mississippi-made movies or kids’ movies).  The cost for one block is $6 for members of the festival and $8 for non-members.

 

Day passes are available for $15 to members and $25 to non-members, but only include films and workshops (not afterparties and meet and greet receptions).

 

Crossroads' All-Access Passes are the best way to enjoy the full three-day festival and reserve your seat at every film. All-Access Passes offers entry to all events at one low price and offer exclusive access to meet & greet filmmaker receptions, as well as all films, workshops, panel discussions and afterparties. The cost is $45 for Crossroads members and $55 for non-members.

For more information, visit the Crossroads Film Festival website by clicking here.

Have you ever wanted to grill the perfect steak or sear the perfect salmon?  Here’s your chance to learn! 

The Alluvian Hotel in Greenwood, MS, in association with The Viking Cooking School, is offering Culinary Weekends, now through October 14.  This is your chance to spend a weekend learning the tricks of the trade from Master Chefs who specialize in cooking different foods from all over the world.  One and two night packages are available for each culinary weekend. Prices start at $375 - $855 plus taxes. 

Use it as a chance for a romantic getaway or even as a way to simply broaden your culinary horizons. 

June 22 - 24, 2012 - Chef Ashley Christensen

The combination of food and community has always played an integral role in Ashley Christensen's personal and professional life. Ashley began cooking for friends and family in college. Bringing people together at intimate dinner parties helped her recognize her passion for the craft of cooking and sharing food. 

July 27 - 29, 2012 - Chef Stephen Stryjewski

Winner of the 2011 James Beard Foundations "Best Chef South" Stephen Stryjewski is the Chef and co-owner of the award winning Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans' Warehouse District. Prior to opening Cochon, he worked with his now partner Donald Link at Herbsaint Restaurant where he was recognized for his delicious, simple, straightforward cuisine and his commitment to using local, seasonal ingredients. 

October 12 - 14, 2012 - Chef Andrew Ticer and Chef Michael Hudman

The chefs and owners of Andrew Michael Italian kitchen were both raised by large Italian families. It was in their childhood, that the love of Italian cooking took seed. They trained from the ground up, starting in liquor stores to learn about wine, quick turn restaurants to gain experience, then to the finer restaurants and formal training. 

Please contact the Viking Cooking School at 662.451.6750 or vcs@vikingcookingschool.com to book your weekend package.

For more information on The Alluvian Hotel, visit their website at http://www.thealluvian.com/

With April rapidly approaching, Easter is right around the corner. Cedar Hill Farm in Hernando, MS will be hosting Easter Egg Hunts for all ages from March 31^st through April 7^th.  Admission includes a hayride out to the egg field, a petting zoo, a hay fort, visiting with the Easter Bunny as well as multiple other activities.  Egg hunts will be running continuously throughout the day.  There will also be Homemade Fudge and Farm Fresh Donuts made straight from their Country Kitchen and their snack bar will be open every day for lunch during the Easter season. 

Dates and Times

Saturday, March 31^st, 10:00am – 5:00pm

Sunday, April 1^st, 12:00 Noon – 5:00pm

Monday – Thursday, April 2^nd – April 5^th, 9:00am – 2:00pm

Good Friday, April 6^th, 10:00am – 5:00pm

Saturday, April 7^th, 10:00am – 5:00pm

For more information, call (662) 429-2540 or email cedarhfarm@yahoo.com

You can also visit the Easter page on their website at: http://gocedarhillfarm.com/?page_id=17

Spring is in the air and with it comes one of the greatest of American traditions…baseball.  April 5^th is the opening day for the Mississippi Braves, who are going to be taking on the Mobile Baybears at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi. 

The Braves are going to be looking for slugger, Ernesto Mejia to lead the way this season after hitting .297 with 99 RBI and breaking the team’s single season home run record with 26 homeruns, more than triple any other Braves hitter.  They will also be relying on the pitching of left-hander, Chris Masters, who only pitched one game with the Braves last year, but previously was a 9 game winner for the Lynchberg Hillcats with an ERA of 3.34.  In Masters’ only outing with the Braves last year, he gave up 5 hits and zero runs while striking out 4 in 7 innings.

For more information on the Braves 2012 season or for season tickets, go to: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t430

Gulfport, Mississippi and the Bayou Bernard Boating Club, Inc. celebrates the 10^th annual Christmas on the Bayou on December 10, 2011.  This lighted boat parade is free for spectators and will kick off at 6pm starting at the Bayou Bernard. 

The parade will begin at Gulfport Lake, down Bayou Bernard, and finish at the mouth of the Bayou at Big Lake.  Bleacher seating is free and available to the public at Gulfport Lake, and at the foot of the Cowan Lorrain Bridge.  This parade of lights was awarded as a Top 20 Fall Event in 2008 and 2010 by the Southeast Tourism Society. 

Local artist, Richard Alan Haugh designed this year’s commemorative t-shirt, so get yours here before it’s too late.  Orders must be submitted by December 1, 2011.

Make your hotel reservations in advance and don’t miss this chance to put a little extra sparkle in your holiday season!

There is a lot of tribal culture coming to Choctaw, MS on July 13th…four fun-filled days of it! Experience Choctaw culture first hand at the 62nd Annual Choctaw Indian Fair with activities the whole family can enjoy including Tribal arts, crafts, storytelling, pottery making, dances and the thrilling action of World Championship stickball. Gates open at 11am on July 13th as the Choctaw Museum of the Southern Indian opens its doors to kick off the event. The Choctaw Indian Fair offers fun for both young and old alike, from exhilarating rides and contests to chart-topping country and rock entertainers such as Crystal Shawanda and LeAnn Rimes! Adults can enjoy all four days of excitement for $15.00 or purchase a $10.00 day pass. Kids five and under are Free and can enjoy activities at the coloring station or bead making, Buttons the Clown and Face Painting!

Activities and entertainment abound, this is the place to be July 13-16! Stay in a local hotel near the event or bring the RV! There are plenty of RV Parking and Campgrounds near the event.   

Print a map of the fairgrounds and come on down (or up) to see us!