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- The culinary offerings will take diners on a flavorful journey across Mississippi and the Deep South with something to please every palate.
The National Folk Festival, a three-day festival taking place in downtown Jackson, is scheduled for November 7 through 9.
The free festival is a partnership of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the City of Jackson, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, and the National Park Service.
The Festival Marketplace will showcase the handmade creations of 20 of Mississippi and the Deep South’s finest artists and craftspeople, featuring traditional and contemporary crafts inspired by the South’s cultural heritage and landscape.
Selected through a juried process led by a committee deeply rooted in Mississippi’s arts community, the marketplace spans a wide spectrum—from quilts and pottery to jewelry and woodwork—each piece a reflection of the region’s creative spirit.
In addition to the Marketplace, the festival has assembled a vibrant lineup of food vendors offering a mouth-watering array of selections sure to satisfy thousands of hungry festivalgoers just steps from most stages.
The culinary offerings will take diners on a flavorful journey across Mississippi and the Deep South with something to please every palate. The festival will feature four food courts across the site.
Savory food selections include local favorites, including Hal & Mal’s, Gorilla Back BBQ, Green Ghost Tacos, Hen & Egg, and Loren’s Columbian Kitchen.
There will also be a vendor from Maryland – Althea’s Almost Famous, inspired by the people and tastes of Jamaica. Described as “bold island flavors meet comfort food classics,” they will serve jerk pit pork, coco bread, loaded Caribbean chicken bowls, and buttery, flaky meat pockets.
Sweet treats will be provided by vendors such as baked pastries from the historic Campbell’s Bakery in Jackson, as well as Mississippi Delta Koolaid pickles (koolickles!) from Charlie’s in Jackson, Grumpy Dave’s Kettle Corn from Crystal Springs, Dippin’ Dots from Clinton, Mexican treats from Parad-Ice out of Forest, and much more.
Plenty of classic carnival favorites will be offered, including chicken-on-a-stick, corn dogs, and funnel cakes by Daughtry’s Concessions out of Semmes, Alabama.
The National Folk Festival began in 1934. It travels around the country, with a three-year commitment to a three-day free festival. The festival in Jackson is the first time the National Folk Festival has been held in the Deep South.
In addition to juried arts and crafts, local and regional food offerings, the event features live entertainment from around the country all three days.
Beginning at noon on Saturday, November 8, all six outdoor stages—plus street performance areas and the City With Soul Mississippi Folklife Demonstration Area—will provide non-stop entertainment. Saturday runs all day through 9:30 p.m., with some venues closing between 5 and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday festival hours are noon through 6:00 p.m. Marketplace and food vendors open an hour before the festival starts each day.
To see the complete schedule and site map, visit here. For up-to-date information, connect with the festival on Facebook and Instagram.
Susan Marquez
