Events & Festivals in Jackson

Runners hammer past shotgun houses and blues clubs on this 26.2-mile tour of Jackson's historic districts, live bands every mile and hot tamales waiting at mile 20.

Mississippi's leading chefs square off with smoked pork belly and bourbon-poached pears while jazz curls through The Cedars' antebellum courtyard under oaks strung with lights.

Bagpipes roll down Capitol Street while kilted dancers kick Irish jigs between floats hurling green beads and corned-beef scent drifts from pub doorways.

Oil paintings drink golden light on Fondren sidewalks while acoustic guitar leaks from converted-garage galleries handing out sweet tea and cheese straws to strollers.

Bodhráns slap against Highland pipes while dancers' shoes click-clack across wooden stages, haggis smoke and heather thick above vendor rows in Smith Park.

Mississippi craft beer in hand, giraffes stretch their necks overhead. Zoo paths glow under string lights while barbecue smoke tangles with animal-feed scent in humid night air.

Drum circles pound ancestral rhythms while red velvet cake and strawberry soda mark emancipation. Elders trade stories beneath shade trees at Smith-Wills Stadium.

Evening 5Ks launch at sunset when Capitol Street cools a notch. Runners glide past porch bluesmen and food trucks slinging catfish tacos with mango salsa.

Eudora Welty's old neighbors dissect Southern Gothic beneath the State Capitol dome while iced tea and chess pie fuel readers through afternoon panels.

Marching bands blast Irish jigs down State Street while green beer pours from Hal & Mal's outdoor taps and corned-beef aroma fills the September air.

Fondren's blocks turn into an open-air bazaar where vintage vinyl rubs shoulders with artisanal honey, wood-fired pizza scent wrestling with incense from crystal stalls.

The Mississippi Museum of Art gleams against October's sharp nights while jazz sax drifts through sculpture gardens and wine glasses clink beside Choctaw pottery.

Hayrides bump past pumpkin rows while kettle corn pops and kids shriek through corn mazes at the Ag Museum fields, autumn spice sharp in the air.

Belhaven porches blaze with Christmas lights while porch concerts swing from Delta blues to string quartets and neighbors pass hot cider between historic homes.

Handmade ornaments glint in winter light between twinkle-lit stalls while mulled wine and pecan-praline scent drift through The District's European-style square.

Millions of LEDs turn the zoo into a winter wonderland while hot chocolate steams in cold fists and carousel tunes mix with lion roars from heated dens.

Fireworks burst above the King Edward Hotel while confetti snows on downtown streets and champagne corks fire at midnight, winter pine from hotel décor thick in the air.