Courtesy of Double Decker Arts Festival
Doube Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, MS
Here in the land of elaborate regional celebrations, we know a thing or two about leveraging hometown idiosyncrasies to justify a party. But the sentiment extends along the highways, to towns large and small hacross the American South. What better way to travel, to really immerse yourself in a place, than to visit when it is celebrating its most prized qualities?
What? Bluebonnet Festival
When? April 7–9
Where? Burnet, TX
How Far? 472 miles from Baton Rouge
Each year for more than four decades, the town of Burnet has hosted over 35,000 visitors seduced by the show-stopping beauty of Hill Country bluebonnets. Besides the blooms, expect a killer musical lineup headlined by Diamond Days, Departure ATX, and The Steel Belts. There will also be parades, a biergarten, arts and crafts vendors, shootouts, corn hole and dominoes tournaments, and a carnival to boot. Free except for Saturday night’s concert, which is $20, and participation in certain events. bluebonnetfestival.org.
Courtesy of the Juke Joint Festival
Cadillac John at the Juke Joint Festival
What? Lanterns Festival
When? April 10–13
Where? Little Rock, AR
How Far? 340 miles from Baton Rouge
Each spring, Little Rock’s Wildwood Park for the Arts transforms into an international celebration of the season, centered on the Chinese tradition of lighting lanterns in a celebration of beauty, spirituality, and play. Over the course of four evenings, the event is organized into “vistas” spread over the grounds, each dedicated to a specific culture. There will be treasure hunts, live music, and artist displays throughout the grounds—which will be all aglow with magical paper lanterns. $15. wildwoodlanterns.org.
What? Juke Joint Festival
When? April 10–13
Where? Clarksdale, MS
How Far? 290 miles from Baton Rouge
For the last twenty years Clarksdale has celebrated its history as home to musical icons including Muddy Waters and Ike Turner, with this annual explosion of blues culture. The many historic venues in town will host an unrelenting slate of over 100 blues performances, enhanced by real Southern cuisine everywhere you look, plus eccentricities like pig racing, and all your small-town fair fodder. The main festival is Saturday, with hundreds of adjacent concerts and celebrations taking place Thursday–Sunday; most of them free. jukejointfestival.com.
Luedecke Photography
Live music at the Bluebonnet Festival
What? Galveston Steampunk Festival
When? April 11–13
Where? Galveston, TX
How Far? 290 miles from Baton Rouge
Turns out, this little Texas island was constructed using the same combination of old world aesthetics and innovative industrialism that beats at the heart of the steampunk movement. This annual spring festival brings everyone to the historic Strand District for a celebration of fascinating machines, live music performances, costumery, historic lectures, and more. Immerse yourself via a high tea experience, a pub crawl, a jaunt on a steamboat, or a tour of the city in a Model T. 11 am–9 pm. Day passes are $35; $15 for children. galvestonsteampunk.com.
Galveston Steampunk Festival
What? Double Decker Arts Festival
When? April 25–26
Where? Oxford, MS
How Far? 335 miles from Baton Rouge
Twenty-eight years ago, some folks in Oxford, Mississippi gathered around an old pickup truck, and someone stood up on the back end and played a song. Today, that celebration has grown into a 60,000+ people full-town festival of the arts, with more than 100 artists from across the region showcasing their work in the Oxford Courthouse Square and live music on real stages. Free. doubledeckerfestival.com.
Courtesy of Double Decker Arts Festival
Bass Drum of Death at Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, MS
