- This year’s festival will take place April 26 and 27 in Oxford’s historic downtown square.
Festivals are designed to celebrate something – it could be a place, food, music, art, and more. The Double Decker Arts Festival has been celebrating all that and more for 27 years in Oxford. Presented by the University of Mississippi Museum and Ole Miss Athletics, the festival will take place April 26 and 27 in Oxford’s historic downtown square.
A red double-decker bus imported from England was the original inspiration for the festival, first held in 1997. The bus is still the centerpiece of the festival. The double-decker bus was first introduced in Oxford in 1994 when it was first introduced as a tourist attraction. The bus runs year-round, providing visitors with an extraordinary perspective of the beautiful and historic Southern town.
The event started as a small town festival that has grown beyond all expectations over the years. A crowd of 75,000 people is expected at this year’s festival, and Oxford is ready for it.
Oxford native and artist Jules Mikell was chosen to design the official artwork for the festival. His work will be replicated on commemorative posters, t-shirts, and other festival merchandise, an exciting achievement for an artist who only recently began taking commissions.
Don’t worry about getting hungry at the festival. There will be food trucks and tents throughout the festival with a variety of culinary treats, many representing local restaurants.
There will be over 140 art vendors with one-of-a-kind original art in a variety of mediums for sale on Saturday from 10am to 5:30. A preview by the The Oxford Artist Guild in the Boles Wiley Alley on the Square.
The family friendly event even has a Kids Zone all day Saturday from 10am to 6pm in the Lafayette County Chancery Building’s parking lot.
While the great food and art is always a draw, people stay for the music. This year’s lineup is a strong one. Headliners include Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and Brittany Howard.
The full schedule of music for the weekend can be found on the Double Decker Festival website.
To enhance your festival experience, download the Double Decker Arts Festival mobile app. It includes all relevant information, an interactive map, and music performers’ schedules. Users will be able to customize their preferred schedule, look up art vendor booth numbers, and get real-time updates from organizers. The app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
You can also stay connected via Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
