Jackson Free Press

Mississippi Book Festival

The fifth-annual Mississippi Book Festival will take place at the Mississippi State Capitol complex (400 High St.) and Galloway United Methodist Church (305 N. Congress St.) on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and will include authors, panel discussions, book signings, book vendors, children's events, food trucks and more.

Guest authors include Jackson native and Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford, National Book Award winner Joyce Carol Oates, "The Hate U Give" author Angie Thomas and Vietnam veteran Karl Marlantes, author of "Deep River."

For more information, call 601-906-8698 or visit msbookfestival.com.

Bright Lights Belhaven Nights

The Greater Belhaven Foundation (954 E. Fortification St.) will host its 15th-annual Bright Lights, Belhaven Nights street festival on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will include live music on three stages, children's activities, local crafts for sale, and food from Small Time Hot Dogs, Hog Heaven BBQ, Sno Biz, Deep South Pops and more.

This year, the festival will also feature a storyteller's tent next to the Greater Belhaven Foundation's tent. Representatives from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the Eudora Welty Foundation will be present to speak about the history and architecture of Belhaven.

In addition to general admission, the GBF will also offer VIP tickets to this year's event. Those ticket holders will have access to an air-conditioned VIP tent with food and drinks from The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen.

General admission is $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the event. VIP tickets are $100 per person. Children ages 12 and under get in free. For more information, call 601-352-8850 or visit greaterbelhaven.com.

We Are One Jackson Music Fest

Jackson native comedienne Rita Brent will host the We Are One Jackson Music Fest at the Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St.) on Sunday, May 26, at 7 p.m.

Performers will include Jackson native R&B singer Stephanie Luckett, R&B group Dru Hill with Sisqo, Grammy Award-winning artist Monica and Grammy-nominated artist Joe.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are available on ticketmaster.com. For more information, find the event on Facebook.

2019 Mississippi Comic Con

The 2019 Mississippi Comic Con will be at the Mississippi Trade Mart Center (1200 Mississippi St.) on Saturday, June 29, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will include vendors who will sell comics, horror-related items, candies and more, as well as panels, guest artists and fan groups.

Special guests will include John Rhys-Davies, Kel Mitchell, Kathy Najima, Gregg Berger, Jason David Frank, Jimmie Walker, Catherine 
Sutherland and more.

Tickets are $25 per day or $40 for both days until June 28. After June 28, tickets will be $30 per day and $50 for both days. Military service members can purchase weekend passes for $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event. Children under age 10 get in free, with a limit of 2 children 
per paid adult.

For more information, visit mississippicomiccon.com or find the event on Facebook.

Spring Market Festival

The Jackson Medical Mall Foundation will hold its Spring Market Festival on Monday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the JMM Thad Cochran Center (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The market will include locally made products from Jackson boutiques, artists and other businesses. Medical mall staff will also provide free health screenings during the event. For more information, call 601-982-8467, visit jacksonmedicalmall.org or follow the event on Facebook.

Mississippi Pickle Fest

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive) will hold the Mississippi Pickle Fest on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature live music, games, contests, and vendors selling pickles and other fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut and more.

Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 3-18. For more information, call 601-432-4500 or visit msagmuseum.org.

Mississippi Craft Beer Festival

The Fondren Renaissance Foundation is partnering with Capital City Beverages and Southern Beverage Company to host the fourth-annual Mississippi Craft Beer Festival on Friday, June 14, on Duling Avenue in Fondren from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Visitors will be able to sample more than 100 beers from more than three dozen breweries, with a special emphasis on breweries within Mississippi and nearby states. Brewery representatives will be on-site during the festival to discuss their products and brewing methods.

The event is open to adults age 21 and up only. Children, babies, pets, coolers and chairs are prohibited.

General admission is $30 in advance and $35 the day of event. Admission includes unlimited tastings of all products represented. Designated-driver tickets will be available at the door for $10. VIP tickets are also available to 250 people for $60 in advance and $65 the day of the event. VIP-ticket-holders will gain early admission at 5 p.m., bar snacks for the first hour of the festival and a $15 gift certificate to participating Fondren restaurants.

For more information, find the event on Facebook or visit fondren.org.

Midfest 2019

The Business Association of Midtown will host its annual street festival, Midfest, on Saturday, May 18, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will include live music, food and drinks, and local vendors selling art, craft pieces and more throughout the evening.

Participating businesses include Offbeat, Reclaimed Miles, Pearl River Glass Studio, Jax-Zen Float, Adrienne Domnick Art, The Ladybug Club, Significant Developments, AND Gallery, Red Squared Productions, Coffee Prose, Heavenly Sweetz Bakery and Feast Specialty Foods.

For the 2019 event, the Business Association of Midtown is collaborating with Beacon Makers Market in Fondren to sell handcrafted items from local artists. For more information, visit madeinmidtownjxn.com or find the event on Facebook.

Juneteenth On Farish 2019

Legacy Builders, Inc., is partnering with the City of Jackson and the Jackson Black Pages to host the Juneteenth on Farish festival on Saturday, June 22, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Juneteenth is a nationally celebrated event commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

The event will include tailgating, a parade, live music, activities for children, and more than 50 local vendors selling food, clothing, jewelry, art and more.

Parking for tailgating begins at 2 p.m., and all visitors must be parked by 4 p.m. before the parade begins. That begins at 5 p.m. and will feature floats from the Jackson fire department, Jackson dance troupes, colleges, sororities, fraternities, youth organizations and more. The festival begins at 6 p.m. Juneteenth on Farish is free and open to the public. For more information, call 601-927-8867 or 601-421-9061, or find the event on Facebook.

Backyard Mud Fest

Mississippi Off Road (1200 Elton Road E.) will host its Backyard Mud Fest from May 31 to June 2. The event will include camping, mudding, trail rides and live music from Chandler Tyson, Katie Noel and Charlie Farley.

Tickets are $50 per person for all three days, or $40 per person for Saturday and Sunday only. Children age 10 and under get in free. Camping is free with admission, and visitors may leave and re-enter the park with an event armband. For more information, call 706-498-1363 or find the event on Facebook.

Add more at jacksonfreepress.com/summer2019.