The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Dr.) will host a Fossil Road Show on Saturday, March 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visitors will be able to bring in their own fossil discoveries for appraisals about their ages and identities from an onsite team of scientists. The show will also feature items from the museum's own fossil collection as well as collector and exhibitor displays, fossil digs, a scavenger hunt and hands-on activities.

This event is included with museum admission or MMNS Foundation Membership.

For more information, visit mdwfp.com/museum, call 601-576-6000 or email nicole@mmns.ms.gov.

S.T.E.M., Leaves and Trees at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Dr.) will host "S.T.E.M., Leaves and Trees" on Friday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Events will include displays focused on Mississippi trees and their past and present roles in the state's environment, as well as tree-themed crafts and games and a live tree and spring bulb giveaway while supplies last.

This event is included with museum admission or MMNS Foundation Membership.

For more information, visit mdwfp.com/museum, call 601-576-6000 or email nicole@mmns.ms.gov.

Mississippi Boychoir Hosting First Male Honor Choir

Mississippi Boychoir is hosting its first Male Honor Choir, UNA VOCE, on Saturday, Feb. 5, beginning at 4 p.m. at Woodworth Chapel on the campus of Tougaloo College (6500 Tougaloo Blvd., Tougaloo).

The concert will include music from the Festival Choir, Tougaloo College Men’s Singers,and Copiah-Lincoln

Community College Men’s Singers. Ken Berg of the Birmingham Boys Choir is the festival clinician.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available online at msboychoir.org or at the door.

Mississippi Boychoir is funded in part by the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, call 601-665-7374 or visit msboychoir.org.

County Cajun Seafood Market Coming to Jackson

County Cajun Seafood Market and Best Stop Boudin is set to open at 6030 Interstate 55 N. in Jackson in early February. The market is located in the former Outbacks building next door to Cracker Barrel restaurant.

The market will stock fresh seafood from Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, including live crawfish from Mamou and Crowley, La. County Cajun is also franchised with Louisiana-based The Best Stop Supermarket and will carry all items available there.

For more information, visit County Cajun Seafood Market's Facebook page.

Highball Lanes (3019 N. State St.), a combination creole restaurant and 10-lane bowling alley with an attached bar in Jackson's Fondren neighborhood, opened for business with limited hours on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

The menu at Highball Lanes includes skirt steak tacos, shrimp wontons, Zydeco chicken, shrimp and grits, duck spring rolls, shrimp and okra gumbo, Mardi Gras pasta, blackened catch of the day, Cajun cobb salad, shrimp po-boys, prime rib, salmon and brussels, white chocolate bread pudding, cajeta and more.

Highball Lanes' attached bar offers cherry cola and Mississippi Mule highballs, house originals such as Kingpin and Gutter Punk, draft beers from Southern Prohibition and Parish and more.

The restaurant is currently open only for dinner service on select days from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information and to see weekly service hours, call 601-487-9520, visit highballlanes.com or find the restaurant on Facebook.

LaCour Kitchen and Bar Open in Highland Village

French Brasserie-inspired LaCour Kitchen and Bar opened in Highland Village (4500 I-55 N Frontage Rd., Suite 130) on Monday, Jan. 10.

LaCour is open seven days a week and offers lunch, dinner, late night and weekend brunch specials as well as a curated bar program with classic cocktails, wine, beer and espresso drinks. A jazz pianist will be on-site during later hours to entertain guests, a release from the restaurant says.

The brunch menu includes California benedict, spinach and goat cheese omelettes, chicken and galettes, shrimp and grits, French toast, croque monsieur, avocado BLTs and more. Lunch includes duck reubens, margherita French bread pizza, pork chops, Creole linguini, steak frites, gnocchi and more. The dinner menu features lobster rolls, redfish, bone-in ribeye, garlic-roasted crustaceans, lobster thermadore, lamb chops and more.

For more information, call 601-500-7830 or visit lacourkitchenandbar.com. For reservations, call 601-500-7830 or schedule online at lacourkitchenandbar.com/reservations.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi and JPD Form Youth Basketball League

Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi partnered with the Jackson Police Department to establish a new youth basketball league on Friday, Jan. 21.

The purpose of the newly established league is to teach skills, build community engagement and give young people an alternative to the streets, a release from BGCCM says.

BGCCM's youth basketball league is open to children ages 8 to 17, with the first squad meeting planned for March 2022. For more information or to sign up for Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, call 601-969-7088 or visit bgccm.org.

The Mississippi Children's Museum will host its annual "Ignite the Night" fundraiser from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12. The adults-only event features food, live music, themed activities and more. The theme for this year's event is "New York State of Mind."

Events will include street performers and musicians, a silent auction, a recreation of Fifth Avenue, a SoHo Artist's Alley, New York-style food and more. The museum invites guests to come dressed in cosmopolitan New York-styled clothing.

Proceeds from the event will provide funding for the museum’s operations, including meeting ongoing exhibit and program needs. To purchase tickets online, visit one.bidpal.net/ignitethenight. For more information, call 601-981-5469 or visit mschildrensmuseum.org.

Junior League of Jackson Hosting Junior League Jumble

Junior League of Jackson will host its annual Junior League Jumble rummage sale on Saturday, Jan. 29, with a reveal party ahead of the event on Thursday, Jan. 27. Face masks or coverings are required for all attendees at both events.

The reveal party allows guests to have early shopping access in exchange for prices of all items being doubled during the event. Guests can purchase VIP Hour tickets for $60, which allows early entry at 6 p.m. Regular admission begins at 7 p.m. and is $50 per ticket.

Junior League Jumble will begin with Peek and Purchase from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., in which visitors can pay $10 admission for early access before general admission shopping hours begin. General admission begins at 8 a.m. and is $5 per ticket.

Admission is free from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and all items will be on sale 50 percent off during that time.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit juniorleaguejumble.com/tickets-2022.

Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show at the Trade Mart

The Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society will host its 63rd annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show at the Mississippi Trade Mart on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson on Saturday, Feb. 26, and Sunday, Feb. 27.

More than 25 vendors from Mississippi and beyond will be present at the event. The show includes museum displays, demonstrations of techniques such as cabochon cutting, flint knapping and jewelry making, hands-on crafts projects and learning activities for children, a “touch and see” table where visitors can examine Mississippi rocks and minerals, hourly door prizes for both adults and students and more.

Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for students, or $2 for Scouts and Scout leaders in uniform. The event is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 26 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 27.

For more information, e-mail mgmsshow@missgems.org or visit missgems.org.

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Dr.) is hosting a Family Fun Science Day event on Saturday, Jan. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visitors will be able to operate a robot, interact with Mississippi wildlife, conduct experiments and take part in brain teasers and demonstrations relating to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Food vendors will also be on site.

Access to the event is included with regular museum admission or MMNS Foundation Membership. For more information, call 601- 576-6000 or visit mdwfp.com/museum.

Game Changers Coming to Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science will host a video game-themed traveling exhibition called "Game Changers" beginning on Friday, Jan. 28.

Game Changers explores the history and innovations of the video game industry from the early days of Pong to modern console games. Visitors will be able to operate a supersized Nintendo controller, conduct augmented reality experiments, take part in a retro video game music quiz, explore the past and future of video game trends and put themselves into a game.

The Canada Science and Technology Museum and Science North manage the traveling exhibit in partnership with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Electronic Arts.

Game Changers will remain at the museum until Sunday, April 24. For more information, call 601- 576-6000 or visit mdwfp.com/museum.

Oops! All Vegan Opening New Physical Location

Oops! All Vegan, a Jackson-based all-vegan food truck, opened a new physical location at 4409 N. State St. on Monday, Jan. 10, following a soft opening on Dec. 31, 2021.

The menu at Oops! All Vegan includes barbecue burgers and Texas melts with house patties or Beyond Burger patties, philly cheesesteaks, burrito bowls, teriyaki bowls, cauliflower or setain wings, nachos with walnut meat or Beyond crumbles, sweet heat or buffalo chik'n sandwiches and more.

Oops! All Vegan is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 601-909-0080 or visit oopsallvegan.com.

Yolanda Singleton, a Jackson native concert promoter who owns her own company called Xperience Jxn, has partnered with the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to host the #StandAgainstHate Old School Hip Hop Reunion on Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St.). The event was originally scheduled for August 2021 but had to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 concerns.

The organizers say their goal is to use the #StandAgainstHate concert to promote peace and unity in Jackson and to stand against violence, racism and other negativity within the capital city. Another major goal for the concert lies in increasing awareness of issues that those enduring HIV and AIDS face, while minimizing stigmas those individuals can experience in the community.

Queen Boyz, a Jackson-based band known for tracks like “Hata Blockaz” and “Say It to My Face,” are among the performers appearing live at the event. Its members serve in the Mississippi Artists and Producers organization. Other performers include 8 Ball & MJ, Bun B, Scarface, Mystikal and Ying Yang Twins, with sounds from DJ Koollaid.

The #StandAgainstHate concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15. Tickets for the event are $52 to $82 based on seating. Tickets are available at the Mississippi Coliseum Box office and at ticketmaster.com. For more information, call 678-322-8098.

Opera Mississippi Hosting Future Stars of the Stage Concert

Opera Mississippi will host "Future Stars of the Stage," a gala concert featuring winners of the John Alexander National Vocal Competition and the Opera Mississippi Chamber Orchestra, on Monday, Jan 17, at Duling Hall in Jackson.

"Future Stars of the Stage" features six winning singers from the John Alexander National Vocal Competition, which is named for John Alexander, an opera tenor from Meridian, Miss. The purpose of the competition is to identify and recognize outstanding opera and musical theatre talent, Opera Mississippi's website says.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 17. General admission is $30. To purchase tickets, click here. For more information, call 601-960-2300 or visit operams.org. For a full list of winners of the John Alexander National Vocal Competition, visit Opera Mississippi's Facebook page.

Shen Yun Chinese Dance Show at Thalia Mara Hall

Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson will host "Shen Yun," a show dedicated to classical Chinese dance and performing arts, on Tuesday, Feb. 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A group of Chinese artists formed Shen Yun in New York in 2006 with the goal of reviving the best of China’s cultural heritage and sharing it with the world, Shen Yun's website says. The show takes inspiration from the practice of Falun Dafa, a spiritual discipline based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The company’s performances also seek to shed light on the plight of people living in communist China today.

Tickets for the performance range from $80 to $150 depending on seating location. Children under age four will not be admitted to the show. For more information, call 877-663-7469 or 601-487-2563 or visit shenyun.com.

Jackson Indie Music Week, a week-long series of concerts, showcases, panels and parties spotlighting creatives from all genres, is partnering with the Cool Kids from Third Coast Radio to host "The Culture Concert" at Hal and Mal's in downtown Jackson on Friday, Jan. 14.

Featured artists at the Culture Concert include Akeem Ali, Coke Bumaye, Allie Baby, Mookey Montana, Big Josh and Navihon. Tickets will be $20 at the door and are available in advance for $15 at thecultureconcert.eventbrite.com. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show begins at 9 p.m.

In addition to the concert, Jackson Indie Music Week will have events throughout Jackson from Monday, Jan. 10, to Monday, Jan. 17. The week's events will cover everything from rock, hip-hop, EDM and blues to independent films and videos. Venues will include the Mississippi Museum of Art, Martin's Downtown, One Block East, Kemistry Sports Bar & Lounge and more.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit jxnindiemusic.com.

Women for Progress Hosting Kwanzaa Celebration

Women for Progress of MS, Inc., will host its annual Kwanzaa celebration in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums on Sunday, Dec. 26, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Dr. Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga, a professor of Black Studies, created the event in 1966 to honor the values of ancient African cultures and inspire African Americans who were working for progress, Women for Progress of MS' website says. The event's name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits of the harvest."

The Two Mississippi Museums event is free and open to the public and will feature food, live entertainment and more. For more information, email mail@womenforprogress.net or visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Facebook page.

Soule' Cafe Coming to Jackson

South Carolina-based coffee shop Soule' Cafe is opening a new location in downtown Jackson inside the Regions Bank business building (210 E. Capitol St.) by early January 2022.

The menu at Soule' Cafe includes boba tea, iced or hot Matcha lattes, smoothies and blended drinks, Chai tea, lemonade, frappes, soda spritzers, cakes and more.

For more information, visit soulecoffee.com or follow the cafe on Facebook or Instagram.

Repeat Street (242 Highway 51, Ridgeland) is hosting a Countdown to Christmas event from Tuesday, Dec. 14, through Friday, Dec. 24, with different events and specials each day.

Events include raffles, a storewide bingo game, a Santa Hat Scavenger Hunt, discounts for singing Christmas songs at checkout, gift card giveaways, a candy cane drawing for coupons, a clearance sale at Repeat Street's sister store Rethreads and more.

Repeat Street will also host a donation drive for Community Animal Rescue and Adoption, a Caring Cards Day event for Mississippi Veterans Home and a special promotion to purchase a $100 gift card and receive a $20 gift card for yourself, or a $10 gift card for a $50 gift card purchase.

For more information, call 601-605-9123 or visit repeatstreet.net.

Possum Ridge Train Exhibit at Two Mississippi Museums

Two Mississippi Museums (9222 North St.) in Jackson is hosting the Possum Ridge Train Exhibit through Friday, Dec. 31. The 40-year-old exhibit, which depicts a typical Mississippi railroad town during the 1940s, originally went on display inside the Mississippi Department of Archives and History's William F. Winter Archives and History Building.

When first constructed, the exhibit consisted of a single block of an electrified Main Street with 10 buildings including a bank, dry goods store, newspaper office and restaurant. Since then, the model town has grown to include a depot, church, bakery, barbershop, icehouse, sawmill, cotton gin, train yard, farmsteads, an agricultural airport and more. A model of the Panama Limited train runs on a track around the perimeter of the model, with two other trains running on other tracks at the same time.

The Possum Ridge Train Exhibit is located on the second floor of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and is free to view. The exhibit is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Possum Ridge exhibit will be closed on Dec. 25.

For more information, call 601-576-6850 or visit mmh.mdah.ms.gov.

Hal and Mal's Tacky Christmas Party

Hal and Mal's is partnering with The Phoenix Club of Jackson to host its 16th annual Tacky Christmas party on Friday, Dec. 17, beginning at 7 p.m.

The event will feature music from DJ Mario and a private VIP Lounge with hors d’oeuvres, limited open bar, and drink specials. Proceeds from the event will benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. VIP tickets are $75. For more information, call 601-948-0888 or visit halandmals.com.

Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area recently announced the grand opening of its new Habitat ReStore on Tuesday, Jan. 11. The ReStore will be an 8,000-square-foot retail space inside Habitat’s headquarters at 615 Stonewall St. in Jackson. The grand opening celebration from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. will include refreshments and sales throughout the day.

The purpose of the ReStore is to resell construction and household-related items that businesses, companies and individuals donate to Habitat, a release from the organization says, with profits supporting Habitat projects. The ReStore will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Because the inventory of the ReStore depends on donations, inventory will vary. Customers looking to see what is in stock can visit the ReStore Facebook page.

The ReStore has begun seeking donations and recruiting volunteers. To donate to the ReStore or to view donation guidelines, visit habitatmca.org. To volunteer in the ReStore, call 601-353-6060. The first volunteer orientation will take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

Homestead for the Holidays at the Ag Museum

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum will host "Homestead for the Holidays" on Thursday, Dec. 9, and Friday, Dec. 10, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. both nights.

Visitors will be able to view demonstrations depicting life and Christmas during the late 1800s in the museum's Small Town and Fortenberry-Parkman Farmstead exhibits. The event will also feature a sampler breakfast for supper, storytime with Mrs. Claus and photo opportunities with Santa Claus and Rudolph.

Carousel and train rides will also be available as well as hands-on historic crafts and live music throughout the grounds. The Ag Museum's Small Town Print Shop is also creating limited-edition postcards for the event.

General admission is $7 per person. For more information, call 601-432-4500 or email msagmuseum@mdac.ms.gov.

Holiday Pop-up Shop at Mount Helm

LizNicole and Twin Botanicals are hosting a Holiday Pop-Up Shop on Saturday, Dec. 11, at Mount Helm Baptist Church (300 East Church St.) in Jackson from noon to 4 p.m. More than 20 local small businesses are participating in the event, selling jewelry, clothing, custom cups and more.

The event will also feature ribs and smoked turkey legs from Retta’s Kitchen, burgers and wings from Kimyata’s Kitchen, music by DJ Lil Walt and an animal petting zoo for all ages.

Admission to the event is free. For more information, email liznicolellc@gmail.com or twinbotanicals@gmail.com.

New Stage Theatre will begin hosting its annual production of "A Christmas Carol" on Saturday, Dec. 4, with performances running through Sunday, Dec. 19. The Dorsey J. Barefield Charitable Trust and the Sam E. and Burnice C. Wittel Foundation are sponsoring the production.

Sharon Miles is the director of the play. The cast consists of 29 children and adults, with Jay R. Unger playing the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge. Other actors in the production include Andrew Fehrenbacher as Bob Cratchit, Sigrid Wise as Christmas Past, K. Devin Hunter as Christmas Present, Hosea Griffith as Young Scrooge, as Belle and Mrs. Cratchit, Ethan Hartfield as Tiny Tim and Joseph Frost as Marley.

For the Thursday, Dec. 9, performance, patrons can come to the box office beginning at 6 p.m. and purchase tickets at any value with cash, check or credit card, with a $5 minimum for card payments. Customers who bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots to the Dec. 9 performance can also receive one free ticket per new toy while tickets remain available. Both of these offers are only valid for the Dec. 9 performance.

Curtain times for public performances are 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays. The performance on December 4 will be at 11 a.m. Ticket prices are $35 with discounts available for students, senior citizens, military and groups. Tickets are available at the New Stage box office, located inside the Jane Reid Petty Theatre Center. Customers can order tickets by phone at 601-948-3531 or online at newstagetheatre.com. To view New Stage's COVID-19 public safety protocols and vaccination requirements for different performances, visit newstagetheatre.com/covid-19.

Jackson Hosting Capital City Lights

Visit Jackson and the Mississippi Arts Commission will host a holiday event called Capital City Lights from Friday, Dec. 3, to Saturday, Dec. 4. The celebration will also serve as the launching point for Jackson's year-long bicentennial celebration.

Events will include the Festival of Trees at The Westin Jackson, Nutcracker performances at Thalia Mara Hall, shopping at Magnolia Sunset Markets and JXN Flea, a classic car show, a "Touch a Truck" event for children featuring emergency vehicles, live music, hot chocolate, caroling, marching bands, holiday décor and more.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History will also host its annual “Christmas by Candlelight Tours” at the Mississippi State Capitol, the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, the grounds of the Old Capitol Museum, the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. The candlelight tour takes place from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Attendees can park and use shuttle buses running between sites or walk or drive between locations on their own schedule. For more information, visit capitalcitylights.com.

Ohashi Bowls at Cultivation Food Hall

Husband and wife duo Emrick Immanuel and Kim Nguyen opened a new restaurant called Ohashi Bowls at Cultivation Food Hall in The District at Eastover in September. Initially serving sushi and bubble fruit teas, the restaurant also added ramen to the menu at the end of November.

The menu at Ohashi Bowls includes pork, chicken, beef and miso ramen, with toppings such as kimchi, marinated eggs, butter corn, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, fried onions, pickled ginger and more. Other menu items include pork belly wraps, karaage chicken and pork or veggie gyoza.

"A lot of places in Jackson might offer ramen as a side dish, but for us this is our specialty rather than something added on," Immanuel says. "We even brought on a pair of sushi and ramen chefs with 25 years of experience to prepare these dishes. Eric Nguyen and Sam Gonzalez came all the way out from California and New York, respectively, to help us open our restaurant."

Ohashi Bowls is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 769-208-0314, visit cultivationfoodhall.com or find the restaurant on Facebook.

Visit Jackson recently unveiled a second phase for the JXN Icons mural on the back of the Old Capitol Inn on North Street. Visit Jackson’s Creative Design Manager, Reshonda Perryman, painted the first four Jackson Icons depicted on the mural in 2020.

The original four Jackson icons included Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers; writer and photographer Eudora Welty; American ballet dancer, educator, and author Thalia Mara; and rapper and philanthropist David Banner. The new addition to the mural will add nine further Jackson visionaries.

Perryman's new Jackson icons include Dr. Margaret Walker Alexander, Angie Thomas and Richard Wright for their literary contributions; Dorothy Moore for her musical contributions in blues, gospel and R&B genres; Harold “Hal” and Malcolm “Mal” White for establishing Hal & Mal’s and the Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade; James Meredith for planning and leading Mississippi’s largest civil-rights march, the March Against Fear; Hezekiah Watkins for his sacrifice and activism as the youngest Freedom Rider; and Walter Payton for his athletic prowess at Jackson State University.

For more information, visit discoverjxn.ms/news/jxnicons or visitjackson.com.

New Playground Coming to LeFleur’s Bluff Complex

A new playground will open at the LeFleur’s Bluff Education and Tourism Complex on Friday, Dec. 10. The LeFleur’s Bluff Complex is the shared campus between the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Mississippi Children’s Museum. The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation sponsored the playground's construction with a $3.86 million grant.

The facility will feature 80 play activities, the majority of which are wheelchair accessible, as well as an outdoor pavilion and a museum walking trail. The playground is separated into different play areas based on age, for children ages 6 months to 12 years old. Shade structures cover 75% of the playground, making the area below up to 30 degrees cooler, a release from the MCM says.

Other upcoming additions to the LeFleur’s Bluff Education and Tourism Complex include Spotter’s Adventure Trail, an 8-foot-wide museum walking trail located east of the playground, and The Den, an outdoor pavilion with tables and seating for up to 50 students for field trips, events and museum programs. Both are scheduled to open in early summer 2022.

LeFleur’s Bluff Playground will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is available in the park and at both museums. Admission to the park is free.

S.T.E.M. with Snowflakes at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science will host an educational event called "S.T.E.M. with Snowflakes" on Friday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

"S.T.E.M. with Snowflakes" will feature ice-fishing demonstrations, experiments with instant snow and an exhibit about Wilson Bentley, also known as "Snowflake Bentley," the photographer who first successfully captured snowflakes on film.

The event is included with museum admission, which is $6 for adults, $4 for children ages 3 and up and free for children under age 3. Admission is also free for visitors with a Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation Membership. Masks are recommended.

For more information, call 601-576-6000 or email nicole.smith@mmns.ms.gov.

Malcolm White, owner of Hal and Mal's restaurant in Jackson, is hosting an event called the "Big Ass Attic Sale" from Thursday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Nov. 20. Customers will be able to enter the restaurant's 10,000-square-foot attic space and purchase a wide variety of items that White has accumulated since Hal and Mal's originally opened in 1985.

Items up for sale include furniture, tables and chairs, posters, cultural memorabilia, photographs, signage, assorted art pieces and more. All items will have display prices, but customers are also free to make their own offers.

Only 50 people will be allowed into the space at a time, and White asks that visitors wear masks and follow other COVID-19 safety regulations just as they would within the restaurant.

The sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on all three days. For more information, call 601-948-0888 or visit halandmals.com.

Younger Foundation Crèche and Bethlehem Tree Collection at the Mississippi Museum of Art

The Mississippi Museum of Art will open a new Christmas-themed exhibition called the Younger Foundation Crèche and Bethlehem Tree Collection on Saturday, Dec. 4.

The collection is named for Jewell Younger Graeber, a native of Marks, Miss., who began collecting items after viewing the Angel Tree nativity exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1985.

Graeber’s daughter, Oxford native Gay Graeber Stubbs, now curates the exhibition, which includes more than 150 authentic 18th-century neapolitan angel and nativity figurines in an Italian crèche setting. "Créche" is derived from the French word for manger. The figures in the Younger Collection are made of metal wrapped in hemp, with heads and shoulders made from painted terracotta, glass eyes and wooden feet and hands. In addition to the traditional figures of Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the Three Magi, the collection includes a host of angels and more than 75 townspeople.

MMA will launch the exhibit alongside a Christmas tree unveiling ceremony on Friday, Dec. 3. The Younger Foundation Crèche and Bethlehem Tree Collection will remain on display through Jan. 4, 2022. For more information, call 601-960-1515 or visit msmuseumart.org.

Coffee Bean Corral Coming to Jackson

Coffee Bean Corral, an Arizona-based coffee company founded in 1991, recently purchased the former Batte Furniture Warehouse on Beasley Road in Jackson to relocate its company headquarters from a 4,800 square foot warehouse in Gluckstadt to a new 14,000-square-foot facility in the capital city.

The company sells specialty grade green, unroasted coffee beans to home roasters and small roasting businesses. Coffee Bean Corral's inventory includes 130 varieties of conventional, decaffeinated and organic specialty coffees imported from 36 countries. Customers can also purchase green coffees, grinders and home roasting equipment online via the company’s website.

For more information, visit coffeebeancorral.com or call 601-691-5983.

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Community Library Mississippi recently announced the second annual Holiday Book Festival, which will take place live via Zoom and Facebook on Saturday, Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The event will feature an online marketplace for book publishers, book vendors, quilters, artists and jewelry makers from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as well as a spelling bee for first through sixth graders and a poetry contest. There will also be spoken word performances and a discussion on crime prevention and solutions.

CLM's poetry contest features elementary, middle, high school and adult divisions. Elementary contestants will write and recite at least a four-line stanza. Middle school contestants will write and recite at least two four-line stanzas. High school and adult contestants will write and recite at least four mixed-lined stanzas. Stanzas contain between two and seven lines. Published pieces that have not previously been recited in a CLM competition are allowed.

The Holiday Book Festival is free and open to the public. Spelling bee contestants can download the master spelling study list after purchasing tickets.

For more information and to register, https://meredithetc.com/jackson-book-festival/ or https://www.facebook.com/jacksonbookfestival/. Tickets for the event are available on eventbrite.com.

Mississippi Arts Commission Governor's Art Awards

The Mississippi Arts Commission recently announced the recipients of the upcoming Governor's Art Awards, which honor people and organizations in Mississippi whose work promotes arts-based community development. MAC will present the awards in a ceremony in downtown Jackson on Feb. 10, 2022.

Alcorn State University's Jazz Festival in Vicksburg, a free event that aims to educate attendees through workshops with the performing artists, will receive the “Arts in Community” award.

Myrna Colley-Lee, a Charleston-native costume designer for the Black Theatre Movement, will receive the “Excellence in Costume Design & Arts Patron” award.

Larry Gordon, a Belzoni native and producer of the films “Field of Dreams" and “Die Hard," will receive the “Lifetime Achievement in Motion Pictures & Television” award.

Holly Lange, founder of the Mississippi Book Festival, will receive the “Governor’s Choice Award.”

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, a Jackson-native contemporary abstract artist and arts educator who explores personal stories and social-justice themes through mixed media, painting and printmaking, will receive the “Excellence in Visual Art” award.

Grammy-nominated gospel group The Williams Brothers will receive the “Lifetime Achievement in Music” award.

For more information, visit arts.ms.gov.

Mississippi Humanities Council Grants

The Mississippi Humanities Council recently donated more than $113,000 in grants to 16 Mississippi organizations in support of public humanities programs. Among the programs that received grants are an oral history project about Ida B. Wells’ life in Marshall County, a documentary film about a landmark civil-rights case in Shaw and an exhibit celebrating the life of James Hill, a Reconstruction Era African American legislator and Mississippi Secretary of State, among other projects.

Other grant recipients include the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi; Mississippi University for Women and the Lowndes Community Foundation in Columbus; Activists With a Purpose Plus in Grenada; the Ida B. Wells Museum in Holly Springs; Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez; Mississippi Rising Coalition in Ocean Springs; University of Mississippi in Oxford; From the Heart Productions in Ruleville; Community Foundation for Mississippi in Shaw; and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson State University, New Hope Baptist Church, Community Health Center Association of Mississippi and The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects in Jackson.

MHC awards humanities grants to Mississippi nonprofit organizations that foster the public’s understanding of the state's history and culture, a release from the organization says. MHC gives out major grants twice per year. Deadlines for grant submissions are May 1 and Sept. 15. For more information, visit mshumanities.org/grants or email carol@mhc.state.ms.us.

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum will host its annual Harvest Festival event from Tuesday, Nov. 9, through Saturday, Nov. 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Small Town Mississippi on the Ag Museum grounds will hold live demonstrations to teach guests about small town Mississippi's past and the impact of agriculture in the state. Demonstrations will include the operation of the cotton gin, saw mill, cane mill, print shop, blacksmith shop and more. Wagon, train and carousel rides will also be available for $1 per rider throughout the event. Snacks and souvenirs will be available at the museum's General Store.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 3-17. Children ages 2 and under get in free. Reservations are recommended for groups but are not required.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-432-4500 or email msagmuseum@mdac.ms.gov.

Mississippi Blues Marathon

The annual Mississippi Blues Marathon will take place on the Mississippi State Capitol Complex (400 High St.) lawn in downtown Jackson on Saturday, Nov. 13, beginning at 7 a.m.

Races will include a 26-mile marathon, a half marathon, a 10k and 5k road race and a marathon relay. Five-person team relay run and virtual options are also available, and prices are discounted for early registration.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, special rules and procedures for racer safety will be in place during the event. For more information on safety regulations for racers, click here.

The marathon will feature live music throughout the course and after the races. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Mississippi Blues Commission's Musicians' Benevolent Fund.

For more information or to register for the marathon, visit msbluesmarathon.events.

Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Selby and Richard McRae Foundation Bravo Series

The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra will host the second show in its seasonal Selby and Richard McRae Foundation Bravo Series at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.) on Saturday, Nov. 13. The featured guest artist for the production is Israeli pianist Alon Goldstein, who will be performing music by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Ravel.

General admission for the event starts at $29, or $5 for children ages 4-18. Guests can have tickets mailed until Tuesday, Nov. 9. After 10 a.m. that day, tickets can be picked up at the Thalia Mara Hall box office, which will remain open until 6:30 p.m. on the evening of the concert.

In compliance with City of Jackson COVID-19 ordinances, guests must wear masks inside the venue.

For more information, call 601-960-1565 or email info@msorchestra.com.

The Center for Art & Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art recently announced the release of two new publications made through support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The publications are titled "CAPE Toolkit" and "Compassion, Art, People and Equity: The Story of the Center for Art and Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art."

CAPE Managing Director Monique Davis created CAPE Toolkit, which is a digital publication that offers a model intended to guide institutional transformation by investigating equity, transparency and truth in a community, a release from CAPE says. CAPE Toolkit is available on the Museum’s website.

Art critic and writer Seph Rodney wrote "Compassion, Art, People, and Equity: The Story of the Center for Art and Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art," which describes CAPE’s establishment, its partners and participants and its signature programs. The 21-page softcover book is available on the Museum’s website (https://www.msmuseumart.org/cape-resources/).

Meals That Heal, Plant-based Menu

Meals That Heal (612 N. Farish St.), a restaurant with an entirely plant-based menu, opened for business in Jackson on Aug. 29. Husband and wife Yasmin Gabriel and Eric Collins opened the restaurant together with their friend Detrice Roberts and chose Aug. 29 as the opening day because it coincides with the Haitian Revolution, a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in what is now Haiti.

"My husband and I are of Haitian descent and were even married there," Gabriel says. "The Hatian Revolution represents the first successful Black revolution and place of freedom in the Western Hemisphere, and we wanted to open our restaurant on a day that signified Black freedom."

Gabriel and her husband also own Herbal Blessings (614 N. Farish St.), an herb shop located right next door to their new restaurant. The spark to open a restaurant came when Roberts, who suffers from asthma, decided to switch to a plant-based diet.

"A plant-based diet is good for your health, but there aren't many options for that in Jackson," Gabriel says. "Some restaurants have a few vegan or vegetarian options, but they're often processed foods. Our goal is to bring fresh and healthy food to Jackson that tastes just as good as what people are used to."

The menu at Meals That Heal includes vegan tacos and burritos, beet burgers, black bean burgers, pecan meat spaghetti, plant-based gumbo, kale wraps, baked cauliflower wings, Creole greens, butternut squash macaroni and cheese, Berber cabbage, spring rolls and more. Meals that Heal does not use any white sugars, butter or heavily processed items in any of its dishes.

Meals That Heal is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for dinner. For more information call 662-314-7739 or visit mealsthatheal601.com.

The Village at Livingston Under Construction in Jackson

Developers and City of Jackson officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new project called “The Village at Livingston” on Thursday, Oct. 21. Retail Specialists is overseeing the development, which is slated to bring 195 to 200 new homes to Jackson along with commercial and retail space for hotel and grocery users.

The Village at Livingston will feature traditional-styled homes and a common area greenspace within the neighborhood for resident’s use. The development, located off Livingston Road and Woodrow Wilson Avenue, is a redevelopment of the former Hood Furniture Manufacturing facility.

Retail Specialists is developing The Village at Livingston together with Prominence Homes, which is constructing the new homes. Benchmark Engineering is serving as the project engineer for the development, and Construction Services, LLC, will perform the site work for the project.

Mississippi Boychoir will host its annual Be the Light 5K-10K Fun Run on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Flowood Nature Trail (4077 Flowood Drive). Registration packets will be available at 7 a.m., and the race will begin at 8 a.m.

The event will feature races, snacks, door prizes, pre-race stretching, obstacle courses, a cornhole tournament and more. Mississippi Boychoir members will also perform during the event.

Tickets for the event are available in advance online at Raceroster.com or can be purchased on the morning of the event. Race and cornhole tournament costs are $20 for pre-registration and $25 for registration on the day of the event. The Fun Run is $15 if pre-registered or $20 on the day of the event. For those who cannot attend the event in person, Mississippi Boychoir is also holding a Virtual Race with tickets costing $25.

For more information, call (601-665-7374 or visit mississippiboychoir.org.

Broadway in Jackson Hosting Anastasia at Thalia Mara Hall

Broadway in Jackson began sales of individual tickets for the tour of its latest show, "Anastasia," on Friday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available online at JacksonBroadway.com.

"Anastasia" features a book by playwright Terrence McNally, a new score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens and tour direction by Sarah Hartman based on original direction by Tony Award-winning director Darko Tresnjak.

The cast includes Kyla Stone as Anya, Sam McLellan as Dmitry, Brandon Delgado as Gleb, Gerri Weagraff as Dowager Empress, Bryan Seastrom as Vlad, Madeline Raube as Countess Lily and Taya Diggs and Marley Sophia as Little Anastasia.

An original Broadway cast recording for the show is available at BroadwayRecords.com, Amazon.com and iTunes. The 75-minute album includes the Academy Award-nominated “Journey to the Past” alongside new pieces created for the show such as “In My Dreams,” “Still” and “My Petersburg.”

For more information, visit thaliamarahall.net.

Mississippi Nonprofits Receive Partnership Grant Program Funding

BancorpSouth and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas recently awarded $78,222 to 10 nonprofits in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana as part of the Partnership Grant Program. PGP grants help qualified nonprofit organizations fund their operational and administrative activities.

Mississippi-based organizations that received funding include $5,000 for Christmas in April Grenada Inc., which makes home repairs for the needy and elderly; $6,000 for Coalition of African American Communities in Gulfport, which offers youth development, financial literacy and small business training to minority and low-income residents of Gulfport; $10,000 for Hernando Desoto Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes with volunteers at a no-interest affordable mortgage to buy the home they help build; $14,105 for Mercy Housing and Human Development in Gulfport, which provides homeownership opportunities to families with low- or moderate-income; $10,000 for Restoration Home in Jackson, which offers transitional housing for men recovering from drug and alcohol addictions; $10,000 for Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Walls, which operates two Catholic elementary schools and related social services; and $6,000 for Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity

FHLB Dallas has awarded $400,000 in PGP grants throughout 2021. Its members provided an additional $200,250 for an impact of more than $600,000 in its five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas.

To view the complete list of 2021 PGP grant recipients, click here. For more information, visit fhlb.com/pgp.

Send business-related story tips to dustin@jacksonfreepress.com.

The Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.) will host a dinosaur-themed edutainment event called Jurassic Quest from Friday, Oct. 22, through Sunday, Oct. 24.

Jurassic Quest features 100 animatronic dinosaur models along with dinosaur-themed rides, shows and interactive science and art activities. The event covers the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods and also includes an "Ancient Oceans" exhibit with a moving, life-sized megalodon model roughly 50 feet long as the highlight.

Other activities include a “Triceratots” soft play area, bounce houses and inflatable attractions, photo opportunities with Cammie the Camarasaurus, Tyson the T-Rex and Trixie the Triceratops or dino trainers Safari Sarah, Dino Dustin, Captain Caleb, Prehistoric Nick and Park Ranger Marty, among other attractions.

Tickets are timed entry and start at $19, with prices increasing during peak hours. General admission tickets include access to the dinosaur and marine exhibits, arts-and-crafts activities and dinosaur shows. Some rides and activities at the event require activity tickets available on site for $5 each, or guests can upgrade to the Kids Unlimited Rides ticket for $33. Green screen photography and animal art tattoos are available at a separate cost of $15. Entry is free for children under age 2. Tickets will be available onsite or can be purchased in advance online at jurassicquest.com.

For more information, call 601-960-2321 or visit jacksonconventioncomplex.com.

Sprouting Season at The Bean Path

Jackson tech-based nonprofit The Bean Path is celebrating its third anniversary with an event called "Sprouting Season" at the Bean Barn on the JXN Tech District (177 N. Gallatin St.) grounds on Sat., Oct. 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The celebration will feature an outdoor drive-thru where participants can pull up to attend informationals, receive giveaway items and enjoy refreshments while supplies last. The event will also include live music, sitting areas and an awards ceremony.

All proceeds will go towards the Bean Path's newly acquired building renovation, youth coding/AI programs, tech help desks, CTO-to-Go incubator program and technological equipment.

The Bean Path launched at the Eudora Welty Library in October 2018. The organization provides technical advice to new startups, small businesses and individuals in the Jackson community. The Bean Path offers tech office hours at local libraries, engineering and coding programs and scholarships and grants for students and community organizations.

For more information, visit thebeanpath.org.

Mississippi Ag Museum’s Pumpkin Adventure

The Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive) will host Pumpkin Adventure 2021 from Oct. 13-16 and Oct. 20-23. The event includes a hayride, milk and cookies, free pumpkins from the museum's pumpkin patch, activities at Small Town, the General Store and the Heritage Center Gallery and more.

Admission is $8 per person, and groups of ten or more must make reservations by phone. Event hours are from 9 a.m. to noon on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more information, call 601-432-4500, email msagmuseum@mdac.ms.gov or find the event on Facebook.

Dogmud Tavern (681 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland), a Ridgeland-based gaming bar and restaurant connected to local game developer Certifiable Studios that opened on April 1, 2021, announced on Friday, Oct. 1, that it will be expanding its facilities in honor of the tavern's six-month anniversary.

The renovations will include a new 1,800-square-foot covered outdoor patio, which will go in place of an unused drive-thru window that was already in place on the building before Dogmud Tavern opened. The new addition will seat roughly 80 people. Workers broke ground for the project on Monday, Oct. 4.

"Our new patio will offer a nice lounge setting with more space for playing games, as well as a nice outdoor area for guests to enjoy lunch on a pretty day," Rick Moore, co-owner of Dogmud Tavern and Certifiable Studios, says. "It's a nice addition because there have been times where we just don't have enough space, not to mention that outdoor seating is something people who are still dealing with the pandemic will appreciate."

Dogmud Tavern offers board games from Certifiable Studios as well as popular options such as Catan, Splendor, Ticket to Ride, Betrayal at House on the Hill and more. The tavern also has gaming consoles for Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros. 3, Galaga, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox and more, as well as free-to-play arcade machines and a weekly Trivia Night.

Dogmud Tavern is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call 601-499-4932 or visit dogmudtavern.com.

Extra Table Partners with Cathead Distillery Through Everyone Eats Program

Extra Table, a nonprofit that provides food to soup kitchens and food pantries throughout Mississippi, recently partnered with Cathead Distillery in Jackson to combat food insecurity in the state.

As part of a promotion for its new cocktail, Cathead Sparkling, the distillery put proceeds from each case of Cathead Sparkling sold in Mississippi during September toward purchasing food on behalf of Extra Table, which amounted to a $60,000 donation. Cathead Distillery and Mississippi Cathead Distributors also pledged to cover the cost of food to Extra Table’s state-wide partners for the full month of October.

Extra Table has similar partnerships with Stokes Distributing, F.E.B. Distributing, Clark Beverage Group, Inc., Capital City Beverages and Magnolia Beverage Company, a release from the nonprofit says.

Each month, Extra Table purchases nutritious, shelf stable food for roughly 60 food pantry partners throughout Mississippi. In 2021, Extra Table also launched the Everyone Eats program, which allows individuals and business partners to work with the organization to provide food for Mississippi for one month.

For more information on Extra Table and the Everyone Eats program, visit extratable.org or call 601-264-0672.

Magnolia Speech School Launching Capital Campaign

Magnolia Speech School recently announced the launch of the public phase of its Capital Campaign, which will raise funds for the construction of a new campus and facilities. A release from the school states that it is 80% of the way towards reaching its goal as of this writing, and it is now reaching out to the public to fund the last 20%.

Funds raised will support the construction of the new school and the purchase of new learning materials. When the construction is complete, MSS will move from its current location at 733 Flag Chapel Road in Jackson to 414 Bozeman Road in Madison.

MSS' new facility will integrate construction materials and educational and therapeutic technology designed to accommodate the needs of children with hearing loss and communication disorders. The facility will also include an expanded clinic for outpatient services.

The school also announced that it is partnering with Trustmark Bank, which will complete a dollar-for-dollar match up to $125,000 as part of the Capital Campaign.

For more information on the Capital Campaign, visit buildinghopemss.com. For more information on Magnolia Speech School, visit magnoliaspeechschool.org.

Neal Bumpus, who organized the inaugural Mississippi ToyCon in 2020, is partnering with Nerdvana Comics, Games & Collectibles to bring the event back in a new location for 2021. Toy collectors and hobbyists can browse numerous vendors offering vintage and modern toys as well as comics and other collectibles.

Mississippi ToyCon will take place on Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Pearl Community Center (2420 Old Brandon Road, Pearl). General admission is $5 and begins at 10 a.m., or $10 for early bird admission beginning at 9 a.m. Children age 12 and under get in free.

Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes and enter cosplay contests for different age divisions, with winners receiving various prizes. Door prizes will be held every half hour.

For more information, email momstrashcan@gmail.com or visit mstoycon.com.

New Stage Theatre Launching 56th Season in October

New Stage Theatre will open its 56th season with performances of the Broadway musical “Little Shop of Horrors” from Oct. 5 to Oct. 17.

The cast includes Tyler Bellmon as Seymour, Taylor Galvin as Audrey, Joseph Frost as Mr. Mushnik, Sharon Miles as Audrey II, and Evan Brechtel as Orin. Additional cast members include Erin Morton, Jaymi Horn, Jayla Lomax, Mandy Kate Myers, Hosea Griffith, Kyle Devin Hunter, and Caleb Henry. Tyler Bellmon and Taylor Galvin appear through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.

Curtain times and dates for performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Proof of full vaccination and ID will be required for all performances except for a socially distanced performance taking place on Oct. 13.

Ticket prices are $35 with discounts available for students, senior citizens, military, and groups. Tickets are available at the New Stage box office, which is located inside the Jane Reid Petty Theatre Center (1100 Carlisle St.). Customers can also order tickets by phone at 601-948-3533 or order them online at newstagetheatre.com.

The show is recommended for ages 12 and for language and innuendo. To view New Stage's public safety protocols, visit newstagetheatre.com/covid-19.

Southern Unity Project Hosting Pet Parade

Southern Unity Project is partnering with Petco and the Madison Police Department to host a pet parade at Old Trace Park on the Reservoir on Friday, Oct. 10, in support of Webster Animal Shelter.

Petco will provide free dog grooming and hygiene services and free pet supplies at the event. The event will also feature food trucks, dog pools, face painting and live music by the Patrick Harkins Band courtesy of Fondren Guitars. Event sponsors include the Human Rights Campaign and Philter Studio.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with the pet parade scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The parade will feature dogs from Madison's Webster Animal Shelter who attendees can adopt after the show.

To become an event sponsor or to make a donation, visit southern-unity-project.square.site. Sponsorship requests are due by Oct. 4. For more information on dog adoptions, visit madisonthecity.com/webster-animal-shelter.

Rethreads (242 US-51, Ridgeland), a consignment retailer that sells curated clothes and accessories from vendors across the state, held its grand opening on Tuesday, Sept. 7. The business resides inside Repeat Street’s secondary building, which owner Michelle Austin decided to remodel earlier this year in honor of the store’s 15th anniversary.

Click this link to view the full photo gallery.

Repeat Street and Rethreads are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 601-605-9123 or visit repeatstreet.net.

The Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson opened a new traveling augmented-reality exhibit from PBS Frontline called Un(re)solved on Saturday, Aug. 28. The opening date coincided with the 66th anniversary of the death of Emmett Till, a Chicago teenager who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955.

Un(re)solved is a multi-platform exhibit that examines the federal government’s effort to investigate more than 150 civil-rights-era cold cases under the authority of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, a release from TMM says.

The advisory council for the exhibit includes Jerry Mitchell, investigative reporter and founder of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting whose past reporting helped lead to convictions in cases such as the 1963 assassination of Mississippi NAACP leader Medgar Evers, the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, and the 1964 slayings of civil-rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.

Other members include Margaret Burnham, Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern University; Jelani Cobb, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism; Rhea Combs, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery; Leslie Fields-Cruz, Black Public Media; Hank Klibanoff, Georgia Civil Rights Cold Cases Project at Emory University; Stanley Nelson, Firelight Media; Ron Nixon, The Associated Press; and Lisa Osborne, Black Public Media.

Un(re)solved includes a web-based interactive experience, a serialized podcast, a touring augmented-reality exhibit and a documentary and companion education curriculum for high schools and universities. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, Oct. 24, in the FedEx and Medgar and Myrlie Evers Exhibition Halls at the Two Mississippi Museums.

Fifteen-minute tours are available Tuesday through Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $8 for youth ages 4 to 22. Discounts are available for students, seniors, active duty military, veterans and groups of ten or more. Admission is free for children under the age of three. The ticket price includes admission to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Museum of Mississippi History and all special exhibitions. Admission is also free on Sunday. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit https://www.mdah.ms.gov.

TECH JXN and Visit Jackson Hosting Three-Day Event

TECH JXN will partner with Visit Jackson for a three-day event highlighting the best of Jackson tech, film, music and food from Thursday, Sept. 23 through Saturday, Sept. 25. Events will take place at the Jackson Convention Complex Thursday and Friday and at the Mississippi Museum of Art on Saturday.

The TECH JXN event will focus on senior high-school students as part of an overall workforce initiative to educate students and fill jobs in Jackson and beyond. The event, which will also feature a college and career fair, is open to the public.

Seniors will be able to attend any two out of eight workshops during the event, all of which will cover four pillars of “TECH”: technology, education, creativity and healthcare.

The college and career fair on Friday will feature representatives from Mississippi universities and corporations as well as City of Jackson officials, to potentially fill hundreds of jobs, a release from TECH JXN says.

TECH JXN will also include a “film academy” to educate attendees on the growing film industry in Mississippi and possible careers in the field. Attendees can create their own one-minute films to showcase what they have learned. TECH JXN will premiere the student films at the Mississippi Museum of Art on Saturday, Sept. 25.

Due to COVID-19, the event will adhere to local guidelines to ensure the safety of all in attendance, meaning all attendees must wear a face covering at all times.

For more information, visit techjacksonms.com.

Simply Salad Opens in West Jackson

Jackson native Christopher Deans II joined together with his family to open a new restaurant in West Jackson called Simply Salad (2584 Robinson St.) on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Simply Salad offers a fully customizable salad menu. Customers start with a salad base such as veggie, Caesar, grilled chicken, turkey, ham and more, then choose the top of lettuce they want, including iceberg and romaine or options such as spinach and tender greens. Each salad comes with five free toppings such as cheddar or parmesan cheese, egg, cucumber, grape tomatoes, red onion, raisins, pineapples, sunflower seeds and more, with additional toppings costing 35 cents each. Finally, customers choose their dressing, including ranch, thousand island, French, Italian, blue cheese, chipotle ranch, balsamic vinaigrette and more.

"All my life my family and I have known that we live in a state where obesity and associated health problems are a serious issue in many communities, especially in places like West Jackson," Deans says. "We love our deep-fried foods with gravy here, but those kinds of things hurt us in the long run, so my family and I wanted to offer up a healthy option here on this side of town. Now, people in West Jackson won't need to go to Clinton or Flowood to find a healthy meal at a fair and affordable price, made with only the things they want in it."

Simply Salad is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 601-398-0452.