Every week of the year Oxford visitors and residents can take advantage of interesting and enjoyable events. Varying with the season, these events include musical and dramatic performances, festivals, lectures, arts and craft shows, brown-bag lunches, amateur athletic competitions, and Southeastern Conference (SEC) sporting events.
February Events
Blues Today: A Living Blues Symposium
Held on the square in downtown Oxford, the symposium includes film screenings, lectures, tours, evening blues performances, a special broadcast of Thacker Mountain Radio, and more celebrating the birth of the blues in the Mississippi Delta.
Oxford Film Festival
Screenings are held at The Lyric Theater in Oxford.Filmmakers from around the world come to screen their works alongside those of local filmmakers. Participants have included Academy Award winners and nominees, Independent Spirit Award nominees, and filmmakers popular on the film festival circuit.
March Events
Oxford Conference for the Book
Held at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, the conference includes notable authors, editors, publishers, educators, and book lovers giving addresses, panel discussions, and readings to celebrate reading, writing, and books along with the practical concerns of the publishing world upon which the literary arts depend.
April Events
Double Decker Arts Festival
Held in Courthouse Square in downtown Oxford on the last Saturday of April each year, the Double Decker Festival is named for the town’s highly visible and beloved authentic English tour bus, the festival draws more than 50,000 people to celebrate and enjoy music by a dozen groups, food presented by more than 30 vendors, and the work of over 100 artists.
Double Decker Spring Run
Over 1,000 runners from the region come together for a 10K run, 5K run, 5K competitive walk, and a Kids Fun Run through the university campus and downtown to kick off the Double Decker Arts Festival. The Run is held in Courthouse Square in Oxford.
Red and Blue Weekend
A special weekend of Ole Miss sports, including football and baseball games, tennis matches, tailgating, and more.
Thacker Mountain Radio
This live broadcast showcases prominent writers who read from their works between sets by local musicians. The broadcast is done in spring and fall at Square Books in downtown Oxford.
June Events
Oxford Blues Festival
Held on a Friday through Sunday in late July, the Blues Festival offers a variety of blues music and musicians. Friday and Saturday performances are given at a variety of venues in the historic Oxford square. The headliners of the festival close the event with an outdoor show at the Foxfire Ranch on Sunday.
Yoknapatawpha Summer Writer’s Workshop
A three-day creative workshop in fiction and nonfiction writing conducted by the University of Mississippi Division of Outreach and Continuing Education for writers of all backgrounds and experience levels.
Lafayette-Oxford-University Summer Sunset Series
A series of free informal concerts produced by the University of Mississippi Cultural Events Committee at 7:00 pm each Sunday evening in June. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, food, and beverages.
Oxford Rhythm Revival
A fundraiser for Oxford Medical Ministries featuring bands on multiple stages at local bars and pubs in the Oxford Square plus a Saturday full of festival offerings that include art vendors, food, and family activities such as face painting, story time for children, and health screenings.
Shakespeare Festival
The production of Shakespearean masterpieces brought to the stage at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts and Meek Hall Auditorium in Oxford.
July Events
Fourth of July Celebration
Festivities include a parade, street dance, music in The Grove (outdoor venue near the Ole Miss football stadium), and a fireworks show.
Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference
Faulkner scholars and enthusiasts from around the world gather in Oxford at the University of Mississippi in late July each year to celebrate and explore themes in the writings of William Faulkner.
August Events
Oxford Endurance Weekend
Held on Friday through Sunday in early August, featuring running, bike racing, and multisport events.
Yokona International Folk Festival
Brings the world’s cultural heritage to North Mississippi featuring folk music and dance performances and arts and crafts from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America. Highlights are the evening Parade of Nations in historic downtown Oxford and a candlelight finale at the Gertrude C. Ford Theater for the Performing Arts.
September Events
Oxford Artist’s Guild Show
Local artists display and sell their works in a variety of media at the one-day show in the Downtown Square North in Oxford.
October Events
University of Mississippi Homecoming Game and Parade
Ole Miss homecoming game and annual parade. Check with the Ole Miss Alumni Association for a schedule of activities.
Southern Foodways Symposium
The program traces and celebrates the influence of people and places on traditional Southern culinary heritage. Meals are prepared by chefs from across the region, and several awards are presented. Held at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
November Events
December Events
Christmas Parade
The City of Oxford announces its partnership with The North Central Mississippi REALTORS in presenting the annual Christmas Parade on Monday, December 3, 2018. The theme this year is “An Old-Fashioned Hometown Christmas”.
The parade will take a new route and will feature Santa, local marching bands, dancers, music, and more. The parade will begin at 6:30 pm and will make its way from the Gertrude Ford Parking lot, through the Square, and commence at the OPC Activities Center. The event is free and open to the public.
