One of my very dear friends has been working on organizing this year’s free Threefoot Festival this weekend in downtown Meridian: everything she does is beyond fab so we’re really looking forward to it.
There will be internationally- and nationally- recognized artists, those more locally known, and those who have never shown before. Art cars are coming in (think Orange Show-style art cars, but smaller since this is the first year, especially). There’s also a parade, and two stages with bands — and Thacker Mountain Radio Hour will happen at the Temple Theater. Also, races and a walk on Friday.
Randomness:
~150 vendors made up of the artists, merchants, and food.
The Budweiser Clydesdales will be there (I saw them once when I lived in Texas as a child, and kids *love* this — the way the horses are pampered is so sweet).
Oh! And among the artists, Stephanie Dwyer, who is so well-known for her bottle trees, will be showing again for the first time in several years and is making new items just for this show.
Meridian architecture is great — just running through some faves: the Art Deco Threefoot Building (built by the Threefoot family, whose surname Dreyfuss was changed to the English translation of Threefoot) and USPS building // the Meridian Museum of Art is in a former Carnegie Library // 1931 E.F. Young Hotel building // the Union Station has been rebuilt to original Mission Revival // City Hall is Beaux-Arts // St Patrick’s Catholic and First Presbyterian are both Gothic Revival // the Riley Center which I think will be open for guests is…I’m going with Romanesque // Merrehope is Greek Revival // Beth Israel is late 1960’s mod // the Temple Theater which is hosting silent films accompanied by live organ music is 1927 Moorish Revival // …and there are those great murals downtown.
The hotels in Meridian are the usual mix for that size city and I just checked: rooms still available (the HGI looks sold out but reservations open at the Hampton and others); there will be food vendors at the festival which will be fun, but if you’re away, Meridian has some nice choices (traditional Weidmann’s, *great* poboys at Seafood Express, a couple of Thai places, bbq places, tons of Mexican restaurants, a couple of fish camps, more — plus the usual chains if you’re in drive-thru mode.
Whilst ‘selling’ Meridian (seriously, I really do enjoy Meridian), also recommend:
MSU Riley Center
Simmons-Wright Store
The Dentzel Carousel
Rose Hill Cemetery, esp Queen Kelly and King Emil Mitchell monuments
Side trip to Philadelphia, including the Williams Brothers General Store
indie shopping: antique shops and clothes: Loeb’s, Harry Mayer
and on my to-do list:
Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience
Meridian Museum of Art
Jimmie Rodgers Museum
Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum
…and the Mississippi Antique Alley event is this weekend
Bands playing at the festival include:
Hope to see you! xoxo!