Arkansas and Mississippi Delta Heritage: Festivals

The late B.B. King laid a barrage of blue notes on the world. He helped the blues blossom from its roots in the Mississippi Delta. King’s amazing legacy is apparent with a walk through the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi. The museum is also the site of the B.B. King Homecoming Festival, which celebrates the life and accomplishments of the King of the Blues. The event attracts thousands of people, some coming from across the globe, and boasts some of the best blues music out there.

Though brief, the Beatles visit left a lasting impact on the Walnut Ridge community and has recently been the subject of a documentary movie. In 1964 the band landed in Walnut ridge at midnight to change planes before heading to a vacation spot in Missouri. The runway was built as a training facility during WWII and could handle a large aircraft. Also it was secluded hoping to evade screaming fans. Three teenagers investigated the plane landing at midnight and recognized the Beatles. Word spread and by the time the Beatles returned to change planes again around 200-300 people descended on the airport. The event has become the subject of a documentary featuring some of the people at the airport. The city renamed a downtown street to Abbey Road. This festival started in 2011

Over 50 years ago, a group of creative and passionate had a wild idea to establish a festival celebrating the arts and culture of the Mississippi Delta. Without marketing teams to evaluate audience reactions or agonizing over fancy promotional materials to draw crowds, folks got to work to make real that idea. Every year, the buzz to be even better than the previous, Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival volunteers get busy behind the scenes, taking up the roles established so many years ago.

Along Highway 61, just about half-way between Cleveland & Vicksburg, lies Rolling Fork, birthplace of the father of the Blues, Muddy Waters. Celebrating its 21st year, Rolling Fork's Deep Delta Blues Heritage Festival celebrates the rich history of the South Delta, from its roots in the Blues to the event that led to the invention of the Teddy bear. Downtown Rolling Fork will be alive with the sounds of music, cooking, shopping, and laughter.

This festival showcases acts that shine the light of Arkansas’ contribution to America’s homegrown musical heritage.

Features local artists and musicians - always the last weekend in October. Costumes optional!

Sponsored by the Leland Blues Project. This profit organization runs the Highway 61 Blues Museum, honoring the Mid Mississippi Delta bluesmen and striving to educate the public on the their contributions to music all over the world.

Held in Dyess where Johnny Cash lived until he was 18. It began in 2017 and features music, arts, crafts, lectures and appearances by Cash family members and nationally known performers. The festival focuses on the New Deal, the impact that growing up in Dyess had on Johnny Cash and his music, and the lasting impact of Johnny Cash on american culture.

Juke Joint Festival is "half blues festival, half small-town fair and all about the Delta." It celebrates our past and living history by presenting over 100 blues acts — including many Mississippi and Southern greats in their 60s, 70s, 80s or even 90s! This is the real-deal Mississippi blues festival that has been written about in the New York Times and seen on PBS NewsHour.

The King Biscuit blues Festival, founded in 1986, is one of the nation’s foremost showcases of blues music. Located in Helena. As the home of “King Biscuit Time” the longest running radio show ever, Helena became legendary in the Delta. First broadcast in 1941 people like Muddy Waters and BB King would come home from working in the fields everyday just to listen. When the community beame in danger of dying and decaying, experienced Main Street directors recommended a community festival to get local people back to town and promote tourism. Helena’s musical heritage was largely unknown even to blues fans, and the festival was an effort to establish Helena’s rightful place in the Delta’s musical history.

This new festival delivers a diverse array of roots-music performers and a unique experience on the site of the old Stovall Gin Company cotton gin complex and farm where Muddy Waters grew up.

The Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival is the oldest continuously operating blues festival in the world. In recent years, MACE has expanded the festival’s scope to promote other aspects of African American heritage in the Delta, such as gospel music. MACE has also linked on-going educational and cultural programs to the festival.

Celebrated for 84 years and begun by legendary Greenwood High School Band Director, Roy Martin, the Delta Band Festival/Christmas Parade in Greenwood boasts numerous high school and university bands from four states, an array of themed floats, decorative vehicles, mascots, beauties, and walking and performing groups. The parade route stretches for more than two miles beginning in historic downtown Greenwood and makes its way across the Yazoo River and passes down Grand Blvd. The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks show over the Yazoo River.

This free 2-day music festival celebrates classic blues. Feel the music, run in the 5K, and taste some winning ribs from the BBQ competition.

It began in 1988 and was funded primarily by the Clarksdale downtown merchants. It featured dozens of musicians with roots in Mississippi. The Sunflower has been cited as one of America’s Top 10 Places to hear authentic music. It was honored on its 25th anniversary in 2012 with its own Blues Trail Marker.

In 1976 began a festival celebrating rice farming in Weiner. Rice has a great impact on this community - most members either farm, work the rice mill, or work at some type of grain or fertilizer industry. With Arkansas producing more rice than anyone else in the United States, Poinsett County is the top producing county in the state. This festival includes demonstrations of how rice was threshed in the earlier days without the big tractors and combines that we have now.

Stories are told that the tamales made their way to the Mississippi Delta in the early twentieth century when migrant laborers were brought in from Mexico to work on the cotton harvest. The Delta Hot Tamale Festival is a fun-filled three-day event that celebrates local and regional artists, musicians, and tamale makers as well as some of the South’s most influential chefs and writers.

The Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Fest is the premier bbq event for the state of Arkansas.

Since 1975, country, pop blues and gospel bands, bake-off, youth BBQ contest, arts and crafts, classic car and antique tractor show, games and contests, big name entertainment, food and Memphis in May sanctioned barbecue contest and more. Takes place citywide.

Five Star City Fest held is packed full of entertainment from local talent and other headlining performers. Events included the Not Yo Mama’s 5k, the Carnivores Corner BBQ contest and Steak Cookoff, Downtown Chrome and Classic Car Show, Arts and Crafts Vendors, Children’s Activities, Games and Contests including the local favorite, Tobie Town Throwdown Cornhole Tournament and so much more!

Since 1993, featuring a Memphis in May sanctioned barbecue cooking contest with over 35 teams competing, you'll discover some of the most delicious barbeque ever tasted. Plus a petting zoo, carnival rides, running of the hogs, fun games and more.

Since 1976, the World Catfish Festival has drawn fish fans to the Mississippi Delta. Nearly 60 percent of U.S. farm-raised catfish are grown within a 65-mile radius of Belzoni, making it the Catfish Capital of the World. In fact, people are greeted with a large orange sign welcoming visitors to the Catfish Capital of the World and dozens of fiberglass catfish sculptures around the city.

Bald Knob Strawberry HomeFest may have a peculiar name, but it makes for a berry good time. Grab your lawn chair and head out to the 3-day fest for some good old fashioned family fun. It opens with a carnival, continues live music, fabulous food, a grand parade, car show, live auction, games, rides and more. No matter your age, Bald Knob’s got something up its sleeve for you to enjoy at this fest.

In partnering with the City of Pine Bluff, Go Forward Pine Bluff created Forward Fest: Blues, Batter and Brew as part of the Delta Celebration Series of Festivals and Events in 2017.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt came to the Mississippi Delta to hunt black bears. He was the guest of Mr. Mangrum, owner of Smedes Plantation in southern Sharkey County. Story goes that the President refused to kill an injured black bear and from that time on stuffed toy bears have been called Teddy Bears. This children’s icon was named because of a hunt President Theodore Roosevelt attended in the Mississippi Delta in 1902 where he refused to kill a black bear. The Teddy Bear is the state toy of Mississippi, and each year a different commemorative teddy bear is sold at the Great Delta Bear Affair.

The Great Ruleville Roast & Run is a 2 day event filled with live music, fireworks, art/crafts, BBQ, children's activities, health screenings, and 5K run/walk.

This family-oriented festival will feature a variety of vendors, best dog show, BBQ competition, kids' games, live entertainment, bike show, food, and much more.

Annual Event celebrating Jim Henson and the Muppets located at The Rainbow Connection Bridge in honor of Jim Henson, who spent his boyhood in Leland – where he was inspired to create the Muppets

Lights of the Delta isthe largest holiday light display in the Mid-South. The magnificent 40-acre display includes more than 6 million lights and 48 illuminated motion displays to brighten your winter evenings. Visitors drive through the landscape of lights on a 1.5-mile paved road through Arkansas Aeroplex, formerly Ecker Air Force Base. While on the grounds, you can also take a hayride, visit with Santa, browse the souvenir stand, or take in a live nativity scene on select nights.

Tennessee Williams would imbed Mississippi Delta landmarks, stories, and people in some of his most famous plays. During the festival, performers from around the country share parts of Williams’ work from the porches of the homes in the historic district where he often walked and played as a child.

Annual weekend to celebrate high school football, Homecoming and past graduating classes. The weekend includes street dances, food, children's activities, owl hoot contest, talent show, magic show, hot dog eating contest, horseshoe competition, beauty pageant, golf tournament, sidewalk chalk drawing contest and much more.

RiverFest is a fun holiday for people who love to enjoy themselves to a simple hobby like arts and crafts. One can easily enjoy a lot more lounging and bring the best on the table.

Like many events across rural Arkansas the Wild Duck Festival is a weekend of Fellowship, Food and Fun. Trumann has been have this Festival for over 30 years.

The World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Arkansas is the longest running calling contest in history. Since 1936 the greatest duck callers from across the United States and Canada have gathered on Main Street during the weekend after Thanksgiving in order to determine who the World Champion. For many years people have traveled from near and far in order to compete, yet only a relative few have been able to claim the title.