Summertime in Oxford is a little slower-paced as locals and visitors enjoy the town without the hustle and bustle. This June, the annual Summer Sunset Series returns to the Grove stage on the campus of the University of Mississippi. Each Sunday night in June, starting at 6pm, make your way to the Grove to enjoy local live music for free!
The series will kick off on June 2 and music will be sponsored by Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. The event will feature music by Alice Hasen and Josh Threlkeld Trio. The event will include the YAC kickoff party featuring free hot dogs by Farm Bureau Insurance, Balloons by Steve Thomas and a pop-up art show by the Oxford Artist Guild. The Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce is the sponsor of the June 9 event and will feature music by Sir Rod and the Blues Doctors, offering a powerful mix of down-home blues, old school soul and uptown funk! Sunday, June 16 will feature music by the Yalobushwhackers and sponsored by Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The Yalobushwhackers are known as the house band for Thacker Mountain Radio Hour. Sunday, June 23 will feature music by Honeyboy and Boots and is sponsored by the University of Mississippi Museum. This guitar and cello duo blends the rich notes of cello with acoustic guitar creating a sound that embodies Americana, folk, alt country and blues with harmonies and a hint of classical notes. The final performance of the Series will feature Terry “Harmonica” Bean sponsored by the University’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture. Bean was born and raised in nearby Pontotoc where his name is included in a Mississippi Blues Trail marker for the Pontotoc County Blues. Bean created a one-man guitar-and-harmonica act in the 1990s before traveling to festivals around the world to perform and recording his first album, Here I Am Baby, in 2001.
What to Pack:
Get your grove chairs and picnic blankets out for this one! If you’re looking for some good treats to pick up, check out some of our favorites!
Chicory Market offers multiple options for grab-and-go. Stop by the Johnston Hill Creamery counter and grab a charcuterie box or grab a dip (or three) to enjoy with chips or crackers. You can also check out their dessert cooler and see what sweet treats are available. Chicory has expanded their offerings as they moved into their new location in the Mid-Town shopping center on North Lamar.
Another local favorite for grab-and-go is My Michelle’s, which offers a variety of dips and snacks or ready-made meals to pop in the oven. You can never go wrong with the Baby Girl’s chicken salad or spicy feta dip. The staff at My Michelle’s keeps the cooler stocked with other items such as pasta salad or broccoli salad. Don’t leave without grabbing some homemade pita chips!
Summer Sunset Series is a community event made possible through a collaboration of Visit Oxford, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts, the University of Mississippi Museum and the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.
