Yoknapatawpha Arts Council
413 South 14th St, Oxford MS 38655
P.O. Box 544, Oxford MS 38655
United States
Call us: (662) 236-6429
Email: help@oxfordarts.com
August 1st
Community Paint Day at Plein Air
9 am-4 pm
Plein Air, Taylor, MS
The Plein Air community in Taylor, MS is hosting an artist in residence from July 8th-August 1st.
Artist in Residence, Robert Townsend, will be opening the studio space in The Mill at Plein Air to local artists to join him while he paints. Artists, click here for more info!
Community members are invited to come and watch the artist at work. Free admission!
Meet Your Farmers
3 pm-6 pm Free
Lafayette County Arena
70 F D Buddy East Drive
Oxford, MS 38655
Lafayette County Arena hosts a Pop Up with local farmers and cottage food makers. This event will highlight Lafayette County Farmers with weekly pop up events featuring locally raised, grown and produced goods that source from local farms in Lafayette County. Farmers can learn more and sign up to participate here!
August 2nd
Butoh: Dance of Shadow and Light
August 2nd at 8 pm
The Powerhouse
Butoh Dance originated in Japan in response to the terrible bombings on that country, which ended WWII.
Butoh rejected prettiness in dance and resolved to invent a new form exposing bare reality --- often through shock. They aimed to evoke passionate confrontation with what our world had become, and what it threatened to become. Butoh also incorporates traditional Japanese aesthetics, such as minimalism, delicate strength, and natural harmony. Butoh dance is unique in its use of hypnotic sustainment. Such a slowly evolving movement contrasts extremely with our Western habits and sensibilities.
Presented by LedaSwan, a local dance/theater company directed by Kido Jimmyle Listenbee.
As part of the Hoka Nights series, it is gratefully dedicated to the spirit of Ron Shapiro.
Sanctuary Arts Festival
6-8 pm
Oxford Treehouse Gallery
Join us for a regional artist meet-up and Friday night reception by the owners of Oxford Treehouse Gallery: Walter and Vivian Neill.
Oxford Treehouse Gallery is an art gallery and studio space.
Refreshments provided
Oxford Treehouse Gallery, Southside Gallery (on the Square) and Provisions Oxford (1611 University Ave.) will be open on Saturday for you to explore if you can not attend the reception for you to explore if you can not attend the reception.
August 3rd
Butoh: Dance of Shadow and Light
2 pm & 7:30 pm
The Powerhouse
Butoh Dance originated in Japan in response to the terrible bombings on that country, which ended WWII.
Butoh rejected prettiness in dance and resolved to invent a new form exposing bare reality --- often through shock. They aimed to evoke passionate confrontation with what our world had become, and what it threatened to become. Butoh also incorporates traditional Japanese aesthetics, such as minimalism, delicate strength, and natural harmony. Butoh dance is unique in its use of hypnotic sustainment. Such a slowly evolving movement contrasts extremely with our Western habits and sensibilities.
Presented by LedaSwan, a local dance/theater company directed by Kido Jimmyle Listenbee.
As part of the Hoka Nights series, it is gratefully dedicated to the spirit of Ron Shapiro.
White Linen Art Party
4-6 pm
Exploradora Coffee
463 Ryland Way (behind Old Chicory Market)
Join us to celebrate Rob Townsend and local artists with Oxford's very own white linen art crawl! Light bites from My Michelle's, speciality cocktail from High Cotton, and tunes by DJ PW Francis!
Inspired by the long running White Linen Night gallery tour in New Orleans, Exploradora will host a White Linen Pop Up event with art curated by Southside Gallery and Oxford Treehouse Gallery.
Wear your white linen!
The event is free - reservation ensures planning for food and drink!
Followed by Artist Story telling Contest at The Oliver Hotel at 6 pm.
Sanctuary Arts Festival – Pop Up Gallery and Story Telling Contest
6 pm
The Oliver
The signature event of the Sanctuary Arts Festival features artists from across the state telling the story behind their featured work of art. Meet artists from across the state as we turn the traditional art show into a participator event.
The audience votes for their favorite story helping the artist to take home a $500 prize.
Learn about our upcoming podcast!
Complimentary cocktail by Cathead Vodka for those who RSVP and small bites by Joel Miller.
Featured artists inlcude:
Debbie Myers
Stan O'Dell
Morgan Voyles
Vicki Wood
Kira Cummings
and more!
Sponsored by the Oliver Hotel and Cathead Vodka.
August 5th
St. Peter's Telling
8 pm
St. Peter's Church Courtyard
Come enjoy an evening of Music and Stories Under the Stars in the Courtyard of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 8:00 p.m, August 5. Storyteller Rebecca Jernigan will be joined by guitarist Dr. John Daigle to brighten the evening with folk songs.
St. Peter’s Telling, the North Mississippi Storytellers Guild has offered the popular “Pumpkin Patch Telling”, Winter Lights, All Soul’s Day Remembrances, workshops and other arts events for over 20 years. Don’t miss our midsummer moonlight performance. Our event is free and open to the public. For additional information email Rebecca at
August 6th
Night for Nonprofits
6 pm
The Powerhouse
The 9th Annual Night for Nonprofits, sponsored by the Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT), will begin with an exhibition hour. Guests will have the opportunity to browse displays and tables set up to showcase the work that local nonprofits are performing in the community.
Tickets and more info available here!
August 7th
Oxford on Skates
3:30-5 pm
The Old Armory Pavilion
Come for a free skating get together at the Old Armory Pavilion, 1801 University Ave! BYOS - Bring your own skates! Open to all ages!
August 9th
Iron Bartender
7-9 pm
The Powerhouse
The contest is simple. A bartender version of Iron Chef with a twist. Come learn about cocktails, connect with the talented bartenders in the area, and taste all the contest cocktails!
Tickets and more info available here!
August 10th
Knead Your Cure Wellness Conference
8 am-5 pm
The Powerhouse
Event includes a line up of passionate speakers on how our bodies are made to heal themselves, lunch, vendors, and Q&A time.
Come join us as we gather to hear these amazing speakers bringing us guidelines to a healthy lifestyle. Whether new or veteran to a healthy lifestyle, you will walk away knowing where to start and how to grow in your wellness journey.
Tickets and more info available here!
Hospitality Law Workshop
9 am-12 pm
Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Conference Room
HospitalityLawyer.com, the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Bit of the Sip Culinary Weekend are hosting a free workshop for food and beverage, hotel, meeting, event planning and hospitality businesses.
Drawing from its semi-annual Hospitality Law Conference focusing on loss prevention, labor and employment, regulatory and current litigation issues, following a short meet and greet for attendees, HospitalityLawyer.com is offering a two hour education workshop, supplemented by local moderators to food and beverage, hotel and catering owners, developers, operators, and managers.
Topics include: Alcohol Delivery (issues arising nationwide), Microbial Risks to Catering and Large Scale Food Operations, and Child Labor Enforcement Issues and the Department of Labor.
Admission is free, but seating is limited, please register here to reserve your spot. Coffee and light breakfast provided.
Delta Meat Market BBQ Lunch
12-2 PM
The Farmstead on Woodson Ridge
39 Rd 2068, Oxford, MS 38655
Join us for lunch with Chef Cole Ellis from Delta Meat Market (Cleveland, MS) for a Smoked Meat and BBQ Lunch at The Farmstead. Dine under the pavilion, taste smoked meats paired with Wines by Burg Wines and a cocktail from Cathead Vodka.
This is an all inclusive event: food and drinks are included in the ticket price.
Wonderbird Tour & Tasting
1-3 pm
Wonderbird Spirits
618 CR 303, Taylor, MS
Join the owners of Wonderbird to a conversation and tasting onsite at the newly expanded Wonderbird Distillery.
Guests will enjoy two designed Wonderbird cocktails, a full facility tour educating everyone on gin generally and our gin specifically, and neat tastings of each of our three expressions will also be made available.
Attendees may arrive at any time during the event.
Bit of the Sip: Johnston Hill Cheese and Wine Pairing
3:00 PM
Chicory Market
Join Johnston Hill Creamery and Vine Bottle Shop host a cheese and wine pairing class.
Spend the afternoon with Kelly Jeffus of Johnston Hill Creamery and Dave Grenley of Vine Bottle Shop on the patio of Chicory Market.
Learn about locally made cheese and pairing them with wine. Take a short tour of Johnston Hill Creamery production area!
Featuring wines selected by sommelier, Eric Railsback. Eric has a strong connection to the wines of France. Fluent in French and working harvests all over Europe, Eric brought his talents to Michael Mina’s RN74 – a premiere Burgundy-inspired restaurant in San Francisco. There, he led a team of sommeliers for over three years before bringing it back full circle to Santa Barbara with the opening of Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant. He is the co-founder of Lieu Dit WInes and a partner at Verve Wines and Reailsback Freres Wines.
Block Party
6-9 pm
The Old Armory Pavilion
Join Equitable Entrepreneurship for a Block Party that will include food trucks, a DJ, musical performances, and roller skating! Admission is free! Skates will be available to rent for a fee.
Food trucks include Fresh Out the Water, J&J Barbecue, KaeB’s, J’s Concessions, and Pokeys!
Port Wine & Cigars
9 PM
Spring Street Cigars
415 S. Lamar Blvd.
Join KC Johnson of Tatuaje for cigars paired with port wine on the back deck of Spring Street Cigar. K.C. Johnson is the Co-Founder of L’Atelier Cigars with his brother Pete Johnson the Founder of Tatuaje Cigars.
Enjoy the opportunity to share a cigar paired with a variety of port wines and small bites exploring flavors pairing with these industry experts.
August 11th
Circle & Square Brewery Tour & Tasting
1-3 pm
Circle & Square
Head brewer Joel Weyenberg will give customers a full tour of the brewery explaining the entire beer production process and will lead a tasting of Circle & Square beers, discussing how each beer is made and how he creates the unique flavor profiles of each beer.
Wildfire in Wonderland Hot Sauce Class
2 PM – 3 PM
1503 White Oak Ln, Ste. B
Oxford, MS 38655
This course is taught by Aaron Harris, resident since ’98, USMC veteran, and business co-owner of the local small batch hot sauce companies ‘Wildfire in Wonderland’ and ‘SeauxS’ who is licensed for the manufacture of pre-packaged acidified and fermented goods to sell worldwide.
We invite you to attend if you or someone you know would like to know more about making hot sauce, licensure for producing acidified or fermented foods in accordance with the FDA, or simply interested in learning more about our operation.
August 14th
Melodies & Monologues
6:30 pm
Powerhouse
“How To Get Things Done” Presented by former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.
Senator Lott will describe in detail how he achieved so much while in the US Senate working across “the aisle.” Senator Lott is a dynamic speaker who both entertains and enlightens his audiences with historical facts combined with common sense realities.
This Wednesday evening event is open to the public and promises to be a fun and exciting presentation for the Oxford community.
August 16th & 17th
Nerdvana
Powerhouse
This event is open to all ages and is perfect for gamers, comic enthusiasts, cosplayers, and nerds of all kinds!
Advance general admission to the 2024 Nerd-vana Con is $15 for 1 day or $30 for 2 days. Admission at the door will be $20 per day.
Tickets and more info available here!
August 17th
Girl Scout Movie Night
8 pm
The Old Armory Pavilion
Spread a blanket, bring a lawn chair and join the girl scouts in this free movie night under the stars. The movie is Trolls Band Together.
August 18th
Oxford on Skates
3:30-5 pm
The Old Armory Pavilion
Come for a free skating get together at the Old Armory Pavilion, 1801 University Ave! BYOS - Bring your own skates! Open to all ages!
August 21st
Spillit
6 pm
The Powerhouse
This night of storytelling features the theme, Breaking New Ground, and invites the community to share stories around this theme. Host Josh Campbell travels the Mid-South hosting storytelling events and inviting the community to share their stories. Campbell and a few feature story tellers will share their stories and then invite community members to share theirs - It might be taking that first job, moving to a new city, or creating a new community event. Share your story about breaking new ground
You get 7 minutes to tell your story. True, personal, no notes! Don't want to speak? That's fine, come listen!
Sign up to tell a story or reserve your seat to come and listen!
August 23rd
Delta Rising
6 pm
The Powerhouse
Delta Rising is an immersive cultural experience and musical journey that, with the help of a few Delta characters, showcases the Mississippi Delta’s soulful, deep-rooted culture through taste, sound, and art. It transports the audience to the geographic and mythical place that is the Mississippi River Delta and displays the many ways it has served as a profound cultural influence on the world.
August 25th
Anubis Improv
7 pm
The Powerhouse
Anubis Improv presents It Takes Two! This showcase of two-person improv troupes will feature will feature Kinross Kasunick (Maggie White + David James Hamilton), Hucksters & Imitators (Hannah Allen + Connor King), and Wholesome Lubricants (Ruth Hogue + Dylan Kerr).
August 30th
Second Line & Art Showcase
6 pm
Lyric to the Powerhouse
Join the second line at the Lyric as it travels from there to the Powerhouse for live music and an art showcase. The parade will start at 6 pm! Come early and enjoy a pre-second line drink at Bar Muse! Bring your umbrellas and your walking shoes as we parade to remember Ron Shapiro and celebrate Oxford!