Things are heating up in Hattiesburg this summer as FestivalSouth enters its ninth year, bringing the Hub City a slew of arts and entertainment events that spans two weeks and a multitude of genres. Whether your style runs to the crooning of down-home country or the enchantment of 1001 Arabian Nights, FestivalSouth has a beat for everyone to groove to. Local and world-renowned talent will be setting up shop in venues around the city, offering plenty of opportunity to enjoy music, dance, visual, and many other kinds of art.
This year's festival runs June 9–23. The first week's main focus is on all kinds of musical entertainment, and it kicks off with a twang and a bang with a performance from Mac McAnally at the historic Saenger on opening night. Country darling McAnally will join the FestivalOrchestra to perform from his hit CD, “Southbound”. Once that gets your toes tapping, you won't have to look much further than around the next corner to find your next tune. The next weekend, be prepared to have the FestivalSouth Orchestral Academy carry you off to faraway lands with a rousing performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” on June 16th—and the magic of the evening continues with a carnival you and the family won't want to miss! Closing weekend celebrates memorable moments in movie music with “The Reel Big Movie Concert,” blending the musical side of the festival with its film side, represented by the Film Expo that drives the second week.
“One of the biggest draws is just how much is going on, and the diversity of the events being offered,” says FestivalSouth arts director Mike Lopinto. In addition to the headliner events on the weekends, the first week of the festival is chock full of music and arts at every turn, from the Harlem string quartet to afternoon coffee concerts to interactive world music demonstrations for kids. And part of the fun of FestivalSouth is being to enjoy all the quality entertainment without breaking the bank! Most of the ticketed events are only $5-$10, and many others, including the children's events, are free to enter.
Stay tuned to the official website, festivalsouth.org, for a complete schedule of events—or just roll on down to Hattiesburg this June and see where the music takes you!
