Meridian, MS, May 11, 2022—This weekend, the streets of downtown Meridian will be filled with music, arts, food, and more as the annual Threefoot Festival returns and the Jimmie Rodgers Festival continues with a full slate of events. To accommodate the crowds, multiple music stages, and more than 100 artist tents and food vendors, the blocks between 5th Street and Front Street and 25th Avenue and Constitution (21st) Avenue will be closed Saturday. A map indicating Saturday’s street closures is available at visitmeridian.com/festivalmap.
Additionally, a few blocks surrounding City Hall only will be closed Friday evening starting at 5 pm to accommodate Jimmie Rodgers Festival performances on City Hall Lawn Friday and Saturday evenings.
"We are fortunate to have a highly walkable downtown with so many arts and cultural assets and one-of-a-kind venues within easy access. Most communities would kill for this type of environment and the opportunity to host a range of arts and cultural activities across 12 blocks," says Dede Mogollon, Executive Director, Visit Meridian Tourism.
Presented by the Meridian Council for the Arts, the Threefoot Festival kicks off Friday, May 13, with a free concert by Marcella & Her Lovers at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) from 5:30 pm until 8:00 pm. On Saturday, May 14, the festival starts with the inaugural Threefoot Mile race through downtown at 9:00 am. At 10:00 am, festival-goers will take to the streets to enjoy artists' booths, art demonstrations, a car show, street performers, live music, and lots of food and beverage vendors. Saturday's event will last until 5:00 pm and is free and open to the public. Visit ThreefootFestival.com for more details.
Jimmie Rodgers Festival kicked off this past Saturday, May 7, and runs through Sunday, May 15, with events taking place at multiple venues over nine consecutive days. A full slate of artists will be performing all week, with headliners Frank Foster and Eli Young Band taking the stage at City Hall Lawn on Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14, respectively, and a New Orleans-style gospel brunch at The MAX on Sunday, May 15. Visit JimmieRodgers.com for complete details and to purchase tickets.
The MSU Riley Center will also present Georgia on My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles at 7:30 pm Saturday, May 14.
Local arts organizations, the City of Meridian, and Lauderdale County Tourism are working together to ensure the downtown streets are properly blocked off while accommodating traffic flow to the Threefoot Hotel and parking garage. Except for the blocks surrounding City Hall Lawn, most of the streets will reopen Saturday around 6:30 pm, allowing access to the front of the MSU Riley Center for the Saturday evening performance.
"This is an exciting time in Meridian," added Mogollon. "We anticipate visitors from across the region along with locals enjoying all our beautiful downtown has to offer."
Learn more about Meridian-area attractions and events taking place across the community at VisitMeridian.com.
