The International Crepe Myrtle Festival will flower beautifully during balmy June in Natchez.
An important tenet of Southern hospitality is hosting a resoundingly good party. As a queen of such arts, Natchez, Mississippi is proud to present a slate of festivals to engage and entertain guests visiting from near and far (not to mention its lucky locals). Some upcoming festival opportunities include:
On February 21–23, authors, academics, and curious minds of all sorts will follow the Great River Road to the Natchez Convention Center for a weekend of Southern literary courtesy of the 30th Annual Natchez Literary & Cinema Celebration. Lauded throughout Mississippi and the Southeast for its well-rounded program of lectures, workshops, films, and more, NLCC honors the rich imaginations sprung from and captured by the Mississippi Delta.
The Natchez Powwow will be held March 30–31. This non-competitive, inter-tribal celebration includes traditional gourd dancing, singing, stickball, and a variety of Native American crafts, food, and other fare. Recently named one of the “Top 20 Events of the South”, the Powwow is not only a weekend of family fun, but a unique tableaux of an often-overlooked living history, respectfully inviting descendants of regional tribes to celebrate on the ancient mound site of the Grand Village.
The Natchez Festival of Music plays on throughout the month of May, but keep the home fires burning for the second annual Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil on May 11! After the wild success of last year's full-length debut album Natchez, Southern rock/blues dynamo Bishop Gunn returns to their hometown for a summer shindig featuring a full roster of live music, loads of crawfish, and general Southern merriment along the bluffs of the Mississippi River.
On June 15 Natchez will lay out the table for the city's inaugural Soul Food Fusion Festival. The festival, free to attend, will feature a variety of diverse culinary vendors set up along downtown Commerce Street, serving up a multi-ethnic cornucopia along one long table where the community can gather and eat “just like family,” transcending racial and cultural lines. To represent a fresh start and unified community, organizers encourage White Linen dress—just be sure to grab extra napkins!
This June 21-22, the snowy white blossoms of the Natchez Crepe Myrtle get their day in the sun with the International Crepe Myrtle Festival. Make sure you're well watered Friday night with the Crepe Crawl, a pub crawl through historic downtown Natchez, then lay down some roots on Saturday with the Garden Fair and Crepe Myrtle Sale at the Farmer's Market.Take in speakers and workshops focused on the tree of honor and regional gardening, and round out the weekend with a walking cemetery tour framed by a bevy of crepes in full bloom.
Festivals in Natchez carry on all year long! Discover a full list of festivals, community events, local attractions and more at visitnatchez.org.
