Spring has officially sprung here at Splinter Creek!
In addition to blooming foliage, bird watching, and hikes around the property, there are so many activities to enjoy close by. No one does a spring music festival like the South, and we've highlighted three of our favorites that provide a fun weekend destination for the whole family, without having to venture too far from home.
1. Juke Joint Festival, Clarksdale, Mississippi, April 12-15
The 15th annual Juke Joint Festival takes place in the home of the blues. Known as one of the friendliest festivals in the world, there’s a little something for everyone, including 13 daytime music stages; 20 nighttime venue; 100 blues acts; street vendors with food and crafts; a petting zoo; bungee jumping; racing pigs; a 5K race and more.
Aiming to showcase Mississippi’s surviving Southern blues tradition, the festival’s artists range from young husband and wife duo Blue Mother Tupelo, to 90-something-year-old festival veteran, Henry ‘Gip’ Gipson.
Official daytime events on Saturday, April 14 are free and open to the public. Saturday’s nighttime juke joint crawl requires a $20 pre-sale ($25 day-of) festival wristband, which can be purchased at jukejointfestival.com.
2. Double Decker Arts Festival, Oxford, Mississippi, April 27-28
Named
for the antique double decker bus the city of Oxford imported from England in 1994, the Double
Decker Arts Festival started as a small gathering with a bed of a pickup truck serving
as the music stage. It has grown over the last 23 years into a two-day celebration of food, music and the arts that attracts more than 60,000 people.
This year, the music lineup is stacked with a mix of established and rising acts, including Liz Brasher, a 27 year-old Memphis-based singer-songwriter, Thacker Mountain Radio, and headliners The Delta Saints, a prominent Nashville indie-rock band. View the full schedule here.
In addition to the music, the festival features nearly 200 art and food vendors, along with a 5K race and 10K family fun run. Sign up for the races here.
3. Tupelo Elvis Festival, Tupelo, Mississippi, June 6-10
Get ready to rock 'n' roll at a festival fit for The King. This celebration that honors Elvis Presley, Tupelo’s native son, provides
an avenue for music lovers of all ages to gain a deeper appreciation for the
influence that Presley had and will have on music past, present and future.
The festival’s main attraction, a two-day tribute artist competition, also doubles as the preliminary round for The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, held annually at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. It draws performers from across the globe for a weekend of Elvis impersonations. Make sure to grab your tickets in advance as it sells out every year.
In addition, the festival offers fun for the whole family with a "Running With The King 5K race," an Elvis look-a-like pet parade and pageant, a carnival midway, local food vendors, a movie poster exhibit and more.
