UM Hosts Mississippi Bicentennial Concerts this Weekend

Governor's Concert featuring Marty Stuart will be held in the Grove

OXFORD, Miss. – The Governor’s Concert at the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration North is set for Saturday in the Grove at the University of Mississippi as part of a weekend-long celebration of 200 years of statehood.

High interest in the event prompted state officials to move the concert from the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts to the Grove so many more can attend. The concert is the crescendo of bicentennial programming on campus and in the community this week. All events are free and open to the public.

“Interest in the Governor’s Concert showcasing Marty Stuart and many other Mississippi music stars has been consistent and strong,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “The Grove provides ample space for many more families and friends to gather in celebration of Mississippi’s bicentennial.”

Attendees are welcome to arrive at the Grove early, picnic, and bring blankets and chairs before the exciting evening packed with some of Mississippi’s most talented performers and songwriters.

Ole Miss is tremendously pleased to take part in the state’s bicentennial celebration, Chancellor Jeff Vitter said.

“We look forward to the many exciting events that will honor our state’s history, culture, people and places,” Vitter said. “What a great opportunity to showcase the wonderful Lafayette-Oxford-University community and all of the north region.

“We appreciate all the hard work and coordination of Visit Oxford, Mississippi Hills Heritage Area Alliance, Visit Mississippi, Mississippi Development Authority and the Governor’s Office to celebrate the anniversary of Mississippi’s statehood in ways that pay tribute to the state’s accomplishments and contributions over the last 200 years.”

The Bicentennial Celebration North includes a weekend of events beginning Friday (June 23), with a special edition of Thacker Mountain Radio in the Grove at 7 p.m. The show will be taped for future broadcast on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Following the radio show, Damien Wash & Friends will perform an hourlong Mississippi Soul Singer Tribute.

The entertainment begins in the Grove at 5 p.m. Saturday with Anne Freeman & The Garbage Sons. The Governor’s Concert follows at 6:30 p.m. Country and Americana legend Marty Stuart will headline the lineup, appearing with singer-songwriters Mac McAnally and Shannon McNally, and Mississippi’s Music and Culture Ambassador Steve Azar. The concert also features Vasti Jackson, the Roots Gospel Voices of Mississippi, the Mississippi Bicentennial Symphony Orchestra and the Mississippi Bicentennial Singers.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, the university will host a family day tailgate in the Grove with live music from Blackwater Trio. Additional events hosted in Oxford throughout the June 23-25 weekend are listed here.