- The festival is named after the famed Threefoot Building, which opened in 1926. The iconic downtown centerpiece in Meridian has been coined the “Crown Jewel of the Queen City.”
At the formation of the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in extreme eastern Mississippi, Meridian is full of excitement, especially during the annual Threefoot Festival.
This year the downtown-based festival kicks off on April 19th at 5:30 p.m. with an evening of music, followed by a day of more music and a marketplace of makers, designers, doers and dreamers.
Some of America’s finest artists will be in Meridian to offer their unique creations for sale. This year’s festival will feature both juried and non-juried exhibitors.
Presented by the Meridian Council for the Arts, the Threefoot Festival helps promote the Council’s mission to foster and promote diverse art and cultural organizations, events, education, and individual artists in Meridian and Lauderdale County through leadership, partnership, collaboration, grants and services.
The Threefoot Festival has a main stage on the City Hall lawn for entertainment throughout the event. Friday night the headline act is Delta blues sensation LaLa Craig. LaLa has played around the world, and often plays with James “Super Chickn” Johnson.
“Her energy and enthusiasm while playing the keyboard is unmatched, and will make for a fun evening,” says Sharon Pratt, past president of the Meridian Council for the Arts and one of the coordinators for the festival.
There will be a night run on Thursday.
“Baptist Hospital in Jackson and Anderson Hospital in Meridian have partnered to present the run at dusk,” says Pratt. “The run ends at the stage where the winners will be announced.”
The day begins early on Saturday with a children’s art show.
“The children and their parents will be on hand and cash prizes will be awarded to the winning artists.” There will be entertainment throughout the day, including local dance performances, a jazz band, a local Beatles tribute band, and more. “All of the entertainment will be family-friendly,” says Pratt.
Pratt says there will be beer and food trucks both Friday night and all day on Saturday.
“While the festival is free to attend, we will be selling tickets for the food and drinks.”
The festival is named after the famed Threefoot Building, opened in 1926. The iconic skyscraper is the centerpiece of downtown Meridian, coined the “Crown Jewel of the Queen City” in its golden age during the roaring twenties. Meridian has always been a railroad town, and the hotel provided all the comforts travelers of the day expected.
After years of neglect and abandonment, the Threefoot is once again a shining star, now more than ever. A major renovation and restoration of the building has resulted in a stunning hotel that is located within walking distance of such Meridian attractions as the MAX Museum, the MSU Riley Center, and the Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum.
Guestrooms at the art-deco designed Threefoot Hotel overlook sweeping city views. The Box Car rooftop and the 601 Local restaurant in the lobby provide local flavor. The Threefoot Festival’s namesake would be the ideal place to stay while visiting Meridian for the annual event.
Meridian also offers several other national chain hotels, as well as bed and breakfasts located in some of the city’s historic homes where visitors can stay when they go to the Threefoot Festival.
Laura Carmichael, the executive director of Visit Meridian, says that from a tourism perspective the Threefoot Festival is always good for Meridian.
“It brings people from out of town to our city and shines a spotlight to music and arts. Meridian is so fortunate to have such a strong arts identity. It is a true creative economy. And this festival brings people in who stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and shop downtown while they are here. We love the festival and hope it is successful for a long time to come.”
