Best Museum; Best Kid's Hangout; Best Tourist Attraction: Mississippi Children's Museum

(2145 Museum Blvd., 601-981-5469, mschildrensmuseum.org)

The human brain never stops learning, and for children, it is especially vital that they begin to learn about the world from an early age. Luckily for parents and kids alike, places like the Mississippi Children's Museum put learning in a playful context.

This year, voters selected MCM as Best Kids' Hangout, Best Museum and Best Tourist Attraction.

The museum's website says MCM's mission is "to provide unparalleled experiences that ignite a thirst for discovery, knowledge and learning in all children." Visitors can learn about a variety of topics, including the state's geography and natural landscape, how a combustion engine works, the way that the human body operates and more, all in one location. The museum also puts a focus on literacy education, with exhibits such as the Literacy Garden and the "Wild About Reading" gallery.

In addition to its ongoing exhibits, MCM also brings in traveling attractions, including the recent "Journey to the North Pole," and hosts special events, such as the Storytelling Festival earlier this month and the upcoming "Ignite the Night" fundraiser, where adults get to take over the museum for a night of music, dancing and drinks.

The museum also features programming such as the monthly "Question It? Discover It!" series, where kids can learn about different healthy habits through fun activities. Each month, the museum also hosts a visiting artist, including dancer Kathryn Wilson for January and writer Robert Chapman for February, to help children learn about and get involved with the arts. —Amber Helsel

Best Museum Finalists: Eudora Welty House and Garden (1119 Pinehurst St., 601-353-7762, eudoraweltyhouse.com) / Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515, msmuseumart.org) / Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive, 601-576-6000, museum.mdwfp.com) / Smith Robertson Museum & Cultural Center (528 Bloom St., 601-960-1457)

Best Kid's Hangout Finalists: High Heaven Trampoline Park (2280 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 769-208-3008, highheaven.us) / Kids Court at Highland Village (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-5861, highland
villagems.com) / Party Safari (5324 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-992-5111, partysafari.us) / Winner's Circle Park (100 Winners Circle, Flowood, 601-992-4440, cityofflowood.com)

Best Tourist Attraction Finalists: Fondren (fondren.org) / Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St., 601-359-1114, legislature.ms.gov) / Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St., 601-576-6920, oldcapitolmuseum.com) / The Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St., 601-352-2580)

Best Day Spa; Best Nail Salon: Aqua the Day Spa

(1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 8001, Ridgeland, 601-898-9123, aquathedayspa.com)

With AQUA the Day Spa's numerous services and products, and knowledgeable staff, it's easy to see why Jacksonians again voted it Best Day Spa. And thanks to its manicure and pedicure services, the business also won Best Nail Salon this year.

The spa offers skin care and facial treatments for both men and women, and anti-aging facial treatments such as the Hydra Facial, which cleanses, exfoliates and hydrates the skin, and extracts dead skin. The spa also offers lip and neck treatments, and a collagen eye mask; Swedish and therapeutic massage therapies; hair removal for the face, legs, arms and more; and manicure and pedicure services.

AQUA is open Monday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit aquathedayspa.com. —Amber Helsel

Best Day Spa Finalists: Drench Day Spa and Lash Lounge (118 W. Jackson St., Suite 2-B, Ridgeland, 601-707-5656, drenchdayspa.com) / The Skin District (2629 Courthouse Circle, Suite B, Flowood, 601-981-7546, theskindistrict.com) / Soul Spa (Westin Jackson, 407 S. Congress St., 769-235-8401, soulspajackson.com)

Best Nail Salon Finalists: Cuticles Nail Studio (2947 Old Canton Road, 601-366-6999) / Kevin's Nail Spa (655 Lake Harbour Drive, Suite 600, Ridgeland, 601-427-5211) / Le Nails (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 390, 601-366-3069) / Serenity Nail Spa, LLC (101 Lexington Drive, Madison, 601-707-7430)

Best Place to Book a Party or Shower; Best Place to Get Married: Fairview Inn

(734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429, fairviewinn.com)

If someone told you the best place to book a party, host a shower or even tie the knot was inside a 1908 colonial mansion turned boutique hotel, would you believe them? If you're in Jackson, you have the opportunity to see for yourself.

The Fairview Inn in historic Belhaven has developed a reputation for being a central hub for pivotal life events, corporate events and casual hangouts alike, with the restaurant 1908 Provisions and the 
Library Lounge also on the grounds. Brides who have married there have praised Fairview for its aesthetic, its food and its staff on the website The Knot.

Even if you're getting hitched or hosting a party in the hot summer months, the outdoor space is enclosed with trees that create a welcome shady space in the Mississippi sun. But even the indoor spaces boast timeless decor that will leave just about patrons happier than when they entered. —Ko Bragg

Best Place to Book a Party or Shower Finalists: CAET Wine Bar (3100 N. State St., Suite 102, 601-321-9169, caetwinebar.com) / Deep South Pops (1800 N. State St., 601-398-2174; 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 173, 601-398-0623; deepsouthpops.com) / Table 100 (100 Ridge Way, Flowood, 601-420-4202, tableonehundred.com) / The South Warehouse (627 E. Silas Brown St., 601-939-4518)

Best Place to Get Married Finalists: Bridlewood of Madison (3024 Highway 22, Madison, 601-707-4024, thebarnatbridlewood.com) / McClain Lodge (314 Clark Creek Road, Brandon, 601-829-1101, mcclain.ms) / The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road, 601-366-5552, fondren.org) / The Ivy Venue (1170 Luckney Road, Flowood, 601-906-5499, theivyvenueflowood.com) / The South Warehouse (627 E. Silas Brown St., 601-939-4518)

Best Animal Shelter: Community Animal Rescue & Adoption

(960 N. Flag Chapel Road, 601-922-7575, carams.org)

Community Animal Rescue & Adoption is one of several three-time winners in 2018, but even among these, it is unique. Voters have selected it as the Jackson metro area's "Best Animal Shelter" every year since the Jackson Free Press added the category in 2016.

CARA is a no-kill shelter that relies on volunteers workers, volunteer board members and part-time employees, along with money from fundraising events and private donations, to care for an average of 300 dogs and 120 cats.

The shelter's main focus may be helping critters find caring families, but CARA also provides resources for current pet owners and those looking to adopt, including and online booklets filled with helpful training tips and Bree's Bark Park, a 1.68-acre off-leash dog park located next to CARA on Flag Chapel Road. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi (395 W. Mayes St., 769-216-3414) / Cheshire Abbey (cheshireabbey@gmail.com) / The Madison Ark (madisonark.org) / Webster Animal Shelter (525 Post Oak Road, Madison, 601-605-4729)

Best Annual Event: Hal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival

(March, halsstpaddysparade.com)

If you have lived in Jackson for awhile, chances are good that you've heard of or attended the annual Hal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival.

In the early 1980s, Hal & Mal's co-owner and current Mississippi Arts Commission Executive Director Malcolm White and his friends strolled up Capitol Street dressed like characters from Tennessee Williams plays.

White's goal was to start a parade that was unique to Jackson, so on that day, he created one combining elements St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras celebrations. The parade, which was once called Mal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival, was renamed as Hal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival in 2016 in memory of his late brother Hal White.

The parade will fall on St. Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17, this year, and the theme will be "Artfully Alive at 35," celebrating the 35th year of the event. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Bright Lights Belhaven Nights (August, info@greaterbelhaven.com) / Jacktoberfest (October, jacktoberfest.com) / Jackson Music Awards (July, jmaainc.com) / Mistletoe Marketplace (November, mistletoemarketplace.com) / Zoo Brew (April, jacksonzoo.org)

Best Art Gallery: Fondren Art Gallery

(3242 N. State St., 601-981-9222, fondrenartgallery.com)

If you're an art lover who has not been inside Fondren Art Gallery's new location, you are missing out. The space is filled ceiling to floor with artwork, from the framing area downstairs to the gallery upstairs to even the parking lot, with all of its different art pieces and studios.

Fondren Art Gallery has work from artists in all manor of mediums, including watercolor paintings from Darryl Anderson, oil paintings from Cleta Ellington, drawings from Jeffrey Yentz, and international artists such as abstract artist Cheng Jinlu.

The gallery not only represents current artists but also trains up-and-coming creatives. Owner Richard McKey teaches art lessons for adults for $60, and children can register for an art lesson with Holly Wigman for $40. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: AND Gallery (133 Millsaps Ave., 601-351-5075, andgallery.org) / Brown's Fine Art and Framing (630 Fondren Place, 601-982-4844, brownsfineart.com) / Fischer Galleries (736 S. President St., fourth floor, 601-291-9115, fischergalleries.com) / Offbeat 
(151 Wesley Ave., 601-376-9404, offbeatjxn.com) / Southern Breeze Gallery (500 Highway 51, 601-607-4147, southernbreeze.net)

Best Barbershop: Fondren Barber Shop

(2943 Old Canton Road, 601-826-0707)

Even with huge competition in the Best Barbershop category, Fondren Barber Shop claimed the title for a fourth year in a row.

"We kind of noticed the trend happening where men were giving themselves permission to treat themselves better than they used to," Eddie Outlaw, who opened the business with husband Justin McPherson in 2013, says. "We saw that happening, and we're glad that the men of the metro area are happy with it and taking advantage of it."

Outlaw says that he hopes Jacksonians voted for Fondren Barber Shop because of its commitment to elevating the barbershop experience, with one of the biggest focuses being customer service. "It starts at the front of the house and goes all the way through to their stylist and the way they're treated," he says. —Micah Smith

Finalists: ACEY Custom Hair Design (3015 N. State St., 601-937-7754) / The Barbershop at Great Scott (4400 Old Canton Road, Suite 100, 601-984-3500, greatscott.resurva.com) / Custom Cuts & Styles (2445 Terry Road, 601-321-9292) / Maurice's Barber Shop (multiple locations) / Noble Barber (1065 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite F, Ridgeland, 601-856-6665, noblebarber.com)

Best Beauty Shop/Salon: Barnette's Salon

(4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 201, 769-230-4648; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 8001, Ridgeland, 601-898-4646; 4400 Old Canton Road, 601-362-4040; barnettessalon.com)

Barnette's Salon may have downsized a bit last year, closing its Highland Bluff shop to focus on its locations at Banner Hall and Renaissance at Colony Park, but that didn't stop the business from winning Best Beauty Shop/Salon for a third consecutive year.

General Manager Richard Gray, who has been with Barnette's for two years, says that people keep coming back to the salons because their stylists go above and beyond for clients, whether they come in for a simple cut, coloring or specialty services.

"We have wonderful employees that are just easy to get along with. They're motivated and well-trained, and the customers we have are just fantastic people," he says. "Everybody seems to enjoy coming to work, simply because of the customers." —Micah Smith

Finalists: Artisan Hair Company (400 A Cynthia St., Clinton, 844-321-2426, artisanhaircopmany.com) / LIV the salon (160 W. Government St., 601-814-8731) / SMoak Salon (622 Duling Ave., Suite 206, 601-982-5313, smoaksalon.com) / Watercolor Salon (115 W. Jackson St., Suite 1H, 601-605-4448, watercolorsalon.com) / William Wallace Salon (2939 Old Canton Road, 601-982-8300)

Best Caterer: Fresh Cut Catering & Floral

(108 Cypress Cove, Flowood, 601-939-4518, freshcutcateringandfloral.com)

Many people who have planned events in Jackson are probably familiar with Wendy Putt's work. Her company, Fresh Cut Catering & Floral, is often a local go-to for event planning because she and her team can do basically everything: floral arrangements, decorating and food service.

Fresh Cut has catered events such as weddings, birthday parties, Team Jackson luncheons, Mistletoe Marketplace, corporate events, fundraisers and more.

She also owns venues The Railroad District and The South Warehouse, so using those is even more convenient because you have a built-in decorator, caterer and flower arranger (you may have even attended a couple of Best of Jackson parties at her venues). Putt also recently opened the Nissan Cafe by Fresh Cut at Two Mississippi Museums. —Mike McDonald

Finalists: 4Top Catering (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-942-4999, 4topcatering.com) / Ashley Steele-Ramage (Mama Hamil's Southern Cookin' & BBQ, 751 Highway 51, Madison, 601-856-4407, hamils.com) / Babalu Tapas & Tacos (622 Duling Ave., Suite 106, 601-366-5757, eatbabalu.com) / Mangia Bene Catering (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900, mangiabene-catering.com)

Best Dance Studio: Salsa Mississippi Club & Studio

(605 Duling Ave., 601-213-6355, salsamississippi.com)

After three consecutive years as a finalist, Salsa Mississippi won the title of 2018's Best Dance Studio, but the business' Best of Jackson history goes back much further. Sujan and Sarah Ghimire founded Salsa Mississippi in 2006, and the studio was the first to win Best Place for Dance Lessons, the precursor to Best Dance Studio, when the category was created in 2010.

While Salsa Mississippi is still one of the city's premier spots for salsa, Bachata and ballroom dancing lessons, it is also a hub for other physical-fitness practices.

Jacksonians can visit the Fondren studio to take lessons for Zumba, hip-hop dance, tai chi, yoga and hybrid kickboxing, with the guest instructors and workshops for dances such as tap, Zouk and more. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Applause Dance Factory (242 W. Stephens St., Ridgeland, 601-228-3270, danceatapplause.com) / Dance Works Studio (1104 E. Northside Drive, Clinton 601-720-1885, dwsms.com) / Studio K (801 S. Wheatley St., Suite A, Ridgeland, 769-251-1506) / Xpress Dance Company (2160 Main St., Suite D, Madison, 601-853-0826; 155 W. Government St., 601-954-6268; xdance.net)

Category We Left Off: Best Realtor

I may be the son of a realtor, but I was still surprised to see that Jacksonians voted the profession as this year's Best Category We Left Off. At least, I was until I thought about it. My mom's experience in the field over the years has shown me just how much work goes into finding someone the right place to live, with plenty of research and careful planning put into every purchase.

In one sense, realtors are also a gateway for people to enjoy every other category in Best of Jackson, from restaurants to entertainment to quality educators. The best realtors can help their clients find not just a house in Jackson but a real home, a starting point to plug in and find community here in the capital city. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Best Event Planner / Best Florist / Best LGBT Hangout / Best Yoga Teacher

Best Fitness Center: Baptist Healthplex

(717 Manship St., 601-968-1766, mbhs.org; 102 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-925-7900, healthplexclinton.com; Healthplex Performance Center, 501 Baptist Drive, Madison, 601-856-7757, healthplexperformance.com; mbhs.org)

Longtime Best Fitness Center contender Baptist Healthplex has been a mainstay of the Jackson metro area since Baptist Hospital opened its first location in Jackson in 1989.

"We pride ourselves on a family atmosphere and a comfortable environment that is both friendly and uncrowded," Baptist Healthplex Interim Director Tony James says. "It's not just about fitness but the social aspect, as well."

The facility offers personal training, group exercise, aquatic exercise classes and small group training for three or more people. Group exercise courses include yoga, Pilates, body sculpting, dance aerobics, abdominal classes and senior fitness classes. —Dustin Cardon

Finalists: Crossfit 601 (113 W. Railroad St., 601-941-8904, crossfit601.com) / Focus Fit (5709 Highway 80, Pearl, 601-591-7487, focusfitms.com) / Metropolitan YMCAs of Mississippi (400 Lindale St., Clinton, 601-924-5812; 690 Liberty Road, Flowood, 601-664-1955; 6023 Lakeshore Park, Brandon, 601-992-9118; metroymcams.org) / The Club (multiple locations, theclubms.com)

Best Flower Shop: Greenbrook Flowers Inc.

(705 N. State St., 601-957-1951, greenbrookflowers.com)

Few of 2018's Best of Jackson winners have as long of a winning streak as Greenbrook Flowers, which voters have selected as the Best Flower Shop for 12 years running. For an even shorter list, look for establishments that have served the city as long as Greenbrook has. The florist is now in its fifth generation of ownership and celebrated its 100th year in operation in 2017.

Things haven't been "business as usual" for Greenbrook over the past century, though. Today, the shop is a 24-hour floral service that lets customers to purchase a variety of plants, flowers and gourmet baskets online or over the phone at any time. The store is also part of the international Florists' Transworld Delivery network, letting patrons access FTD-exclusive products without losing the personal quality that Greenbrook is known for. —Micah Smith

Finalists: A Daisy A Day (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 194, 601-982-4438, adaisyadayjackson.com) / Mostly Martha's Florist and Gifts (353 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-956-1474, mostlymarthas
florist.com) / The Prickly Hippie (470-337-7167, pricklyhippie@gmail.com, pricklyhippie.com) / Whitley's Flowers (740 Lakeland Drive, 601-362-8844, whitleysflowers.com)

Best Kids' Event: Boo at the Zoo

(October, jacksonzoo.org)

Jacksonians selected Boo at the Zoo, the Jackson Zoo's two-night Halloween festival, as 2018's Best Kids' Event for a third year in a row.

The zoo has hosted the event for more than a decade and expanded on its offerings over the years. Now, Boo at the Zoo features more than 22 vendors passing out candy and treats for children, a live deejay, a magician, the "Monster Mash" dance party, a parade of costumes, a "Howl Like a Wolf" contest and a chance to learn about the nightlife of animals at the zoo.

"The reason it is so popular is that it offers safe environment for trick-or-treating and added entertainment," Toni Francis, the zoo's event coordinator, says. "We even have the education department out greeting guests with animals from snakes to owls and other creepy-crawly animals for a hands-on learning experience." —Rebecca Hester

Finalists: Dr. Seuss' Silly Birthday Celebration (February, mschildrensmuseum.org) / NatureFEST! (April, mdwfp.com) / Touch A Truck Jackson (April, touchatruckjackson.com) / WellsFest (September, wellschurch.org)

Best Liquor/Wine Store: Fondren Cellars

(633 Duling Ave., 769-216-2323)

For some people, Fondren Cellars may seem a little overwhelming. The business, which opened in 2011, is stocked floor to ceiling with liquors, wines and other spirits. Thankfully, the store also has knowledgeable employees to point you in the right direction.

Whatever your need, whether it be something from across the world, such as sake from Japan, or something closer to home, like Cathead Vodka, you will likely be able to find something to fit your tastes on Fondren Cellars' shelves.

For the wine lovers, the business has Wine Wednesdays, during which the shop's entire inventory of wine is 10 percent off, and a "Smart Buy" rack for those who want to choose a good wine but don't have a lot of time.

Fondren Cellars also has items for bars such as bitters, mixers and ready-made cocktails, and free glassware for private events. The business can even help its patrons plan events such as engagement parties, private wine or spirit tastings, and mixology classes. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Briarwood Wine and Spirits (4949 Old Canton Road, 601-956-5108, briarwoodwine
andspirits.com) / Corkscrew Fine Wine and Spirits (4800 Interstate 55 N., Suite 32B, 601-981-1333) / Kats Wine & Spirits (921 E. Fortification St., 601-983-5287, katswine.com) / McDade's Wine & Spirits (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 320, 601-366-5676, mcdadeswineandspirits.com) / Wine & Spirits in the Quarter (1855 Lakeland Drive, Suite A10, 601-366-6644, drinkinman.com)

Best Local Dealer for a New or Used Car: Paul Moak Automotive

(Honda, 802 Harding St., 855-943-4433; Subaru/Volvo, 740 Larson St., 888-859-4918, paulmoak.com)

Best Local Dealer for a New or Used Car is a relatively new category in Best of Jackson, but Paul Moak Automotive has been a finalist every year since the Jackson Free Press added the category in 2016. This is Paul Moak's first year to win the award.

One of the reasons that voters keep coming back to the family of car dealerships is the variety it offers. Customers find styles ranging from hybrids to sports cars, but the Paul Moak brand also specializes in three different makes: Subaru, Volvo and Honda.

Each of the company's dealerships also holds four stars or better on car-dealership review website DealerRater.com, with Paul Moak Honda having won Dealer of the Year and the Consumer Satisfaction Award three years in a row. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Bob Boyte Honda (2188 Highway 18, Brandon, 601-591-5000, bobboytehonda.com) / Gray-Daniels Auto Family (multiple locations, graydaniels.com) / Herrin-Gear Automotive Group (multiple locations, herringear.com) / 
Patty Peck Honda (555 Sunnybrook Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-3400, pattypeckhonda.com)

Best Local Bank/Credit Union: BankPlus

(multiple locations, BankPlus.net)

Banking local can often be the best way to go. Luckily, the Jackson metro area has Mississippi-based options such as two-time Best Local Bank/Credit Union winner BankPlus. The business launched in 1909 as Citizens Bank & Trust Company in Belzoni, Miss. CB&T established offices in Central Mississippi and the Delta before it became BankPlus in September 1994 following a merger with Southeast Mississippi Bank in Quitman. Today, BankPlus has 57 offices in 33 Mississippi communities.

Along with banking amenities such as check and savings accounts, money market accounts and more, BankPlus also gives back. It created the BankPlus Affordable Housing Program in early 2002 to help local residents become homeowners, and it assists nonprofit organizations that provide affordable housing. The company also participates in an Adopt-a-School program, which provides additional resources for local schools, and takes part in the American Bankers Association Education Foundation's annual National Teach Children to Save Day, for which Bankplus agents teach children about the importance of saving money. —Dustin Cardon

Finalists: BancorpSouth (multiple locations, bancorpsouth.com) / 
Hope Credit Union (multiple locations, hopecu.org) / First Commercial Bank (1300 Meadowbrook Road, 601-709-7777; 1076 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 150, Ridgeland, 601-790-2789; firstcommercialbk.com) / Magnolia Federal Credit Union (multiple locations, magfedcu.org) / Trustmark (multiple locations, trustmark.com)

Best Local Jeweler/Jewelry Store: Jackson Jewelers

(253 Ridge Way, Flowood, 601-992-1700, jacksonjewelersinc.com)

Whether you are buying a piece of jewelry for yourself or picking something out for a loved one, it is best to know what you are getting yourself into. Fortunately, this year's winner for Best Local Jeweler/Jewelry Store, Jackson Jewelers, is all about making sure their customers make the best choice.

Best friends Ron Muffuletto and John Winstead founded the business in 1981; however, these days, Muffuletto and his son Paul Muffuletto run the business as a full-service jewelry store. Jackson Jewelers carries one of the largest selections of loose gems and a variety of engagement rings. The business has pieces from Allison Kaufman, Benchmark and many other designers, but it can also perform services such as custom design, jewelry and watch repair, pearl stringing and engraving.

Jackson Jewelers isn't just about selling jewelry, though. The business wants to educate its customers. The store's website has resources to teach customers about everything from gem quality to jewelery care, but the business also has a certified gemologist on hand. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Albriton's (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 184, 601-982-4020, albritons.com) / Beckham Jewelry (120 District Blvd., Suite D110, 601-665-4642, beckhamjewelry.com) / Juniker Jewelry Co. (1485 Highland Colony Pkwy., Madison, 601-366-3754, junikerjewelry.com) / Newton's Fine Jewelry (5417 Highway 25, Suite N, Flowood, 601-919-8747)

Best Local Men's Clothing Store: Buffalo Peak Outfitters

(4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 115, 601-366-2557, buffalopeak.net)

Best Local Men's Clothing Store is always a competitive category, and yet, for a three years running, voters have selected Buffalo Peak Outfitters for the title. Cody McCain, the store's marketing director, says he attributes that in part to the store's commitment to quality products.

"We've been in business for 31 years now, and I think that definitely speaks to us staying relevant to people," he says. "(It's about) just constantly providing stuff that people really like and also providing good-quality stuff. It doesn't just tear up quickly. It lasts a while, and people know that it does."

McCain says that Patagonia clothing and insulated items were popular purchases in 2017, and the store is also putting a focus on up-and-coming brands such as Howler Brothers and United By Blue for 2018. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Great Scott (4400 Old Canton Road, Suite 101, 601-984-3500, greatscott.net) / Kinkade's Fine Clothing 
(120 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601-898-0513, kinkadesfc.com) / The Landing (111 Colony Crossing Way, Suite 250, 601-707-7505, thelanding
socialshop.com) / The Rogue (4450 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-6383, therogue.com)

Best New Addition: Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

(222 North St., Suite 2205, 601-576-6800, mscivilrightsmuseum.com)

Mississippi turned 200 years old in 2017, and to commemorate the bicentennial, two new museums opened in the capital. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum was one of the two institutions to open in December—and it does not disappoint.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, a civil-rights veteran and widow of Medgar Evers, witnessed many atrocities of white supremacy and racism in Jackson in the Jim Crow and Civil Rights Eras. She said in December that she came out of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum a changed person.

"I felt the pain all over again," she said. "I felt the hope all over again. I felt the determination all over again, and I came out renewed."

If that's not enough to convince you that the museum is this year's Best New Addition to Jackson, then maybe Jackson is not for you. —Arielle Dreher

Finalists: Barrelhouse (3009 N. State St., 769-216-3167, barrelhousems.com) / Jax-Zen Float 
(155 Wesley Ave., 601-691-1697, jax-zenfloat.com) / The District at Eastover (1250 Eastover Drive, 601-914-0800, thedistrictateastover.com) / The Westin Jackson (407 S. Congress St., 601-968-8200, westinjackson.com)

Best Local Women's Clothing Store: Material Girls

(734 McKenzie Lane, Flowood, 601-992-4533; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7005, 601-605-1605; shopmaterialgirls.com)

Material Girls, 2018's Best Local Women's Clothing Store, has been "setting the standard since OH-Four," the shop's Instagram bio reads. When Whitney Giordano Foster opened her first store, she was still a senior in college. She majored in fashion merchandising with a minor in marketing at the University of Southern Mississippi.

When she began putting her education to use, she only had a few clothing racks in the store, and she sold home decor and gifts. 
Foster turned that small shop into a Mississippi stronghold with locations in Flowood, Ridgeland, Oxford and Hattiesburg, in addition to its online store.

Today, Material Girls sends buyers to showrooms and markets across the nation to add more on-trend pieces to its stock of clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories. —Ko Bragg

Finalists: DSquared (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 151; 256 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood; 601-992-9885, shopd2clothing.com) / Libby Story (1000 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 5003, Ridgeland, 601-717-3300, libbystory.com) / Maison Weiss (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 109, 601-981-4621, maisonweiss.com) / Treehouse Boutique (3000 N. State St., 601-982-3433, treehouse.boutique@gmail.com)

Best Locally Owned Business: Sneaky Beans

(2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349)

Sneaky Beans is a lot like the most comfortable sweater you own. It is cozy, warm and despite wearing it all the darn time, never gets old.

The business is a home away from home for many in the area. The coffee shop is literally in a house, of course, so that helps, but there is more to it than that. Depending on what mood you are in or who you are with, there is probably a room in Sneaky Beans for you. If it is 5 p.m., you can grab a beer with a pal and kick it on the porch (sometimes complete with music). If you have five hours of reading to do, you can slide into a side room in a big comfy chair. If you're working on a group project, the back room has plenty of space.

However, it's not just about the coffee, beer and comfy surroundings. Ever since owner Byron Knight started the business in 2009, it has become a staple in the community, especially for Fondren residents. The business even sponsors the State Street Concert Series for Fondren After 5. —Arielle Dreher

Finalists: Capital City Kayaks (601-953-7615, capitalcitykayaks.com) / Dance Works Studio (1104 W. Mississippi Ave., Terry, 601-720-1885, dwsms.com) / Offbeat (151 Wesley Ave., 601-376-9404, offbeatjxn.com) / Mangia Bene Restaurant Management Group (3317 N. State St., 601-982-4443) / The Country Squire (1855 Lakeland Drive, Suite B10, 601-362-2233, thecountrysquireonline.com)

Best Local Festival: Fondren After 5

(first Thursday, fondren.org)

Fondren After 5, this year's winner for Best Local Festival, has taken different forms over the last few years, but one thing has remained true: It's always been a way to bring the community together around local arts, food and culture.

In March 2017, Studio Chane owner Ron Chane, who had organized the monthly street festival since 2015, announced that he would be stepping down, but the Fondren Renaissance Foundation helped to restructure the event and keep the momentum going. Last year, a rotating lineup of presenters hosted anchor events, such as the State Street Concert Series, "Jackson Indie Music Week Presents" and FRF's own Fondren Unwrapped.

Starting in March, Jacksonians can once again enjoy the lively atmosphere of Fondren After 5. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Bright Lights Belhaven Nights (August, info@greaterbelhaven.com) / Farish Street Heritage Festival (September, farishstreetheritagefestival.com) / Hal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival (March, halsstpaddysparade.com) / Jacktoberfest (October, jacktoberfest.com) / WellsFest (September, wellschurch.org)

Best Place to Get Your Car Fixed: Capitol Body Shop

(multiple locations, capitolbodyshop.com)

The past few Best of Jackson competitions have been a whirlwind for Capitol Body Shop. After back-to-back victories in 2015 and 2016, the veteran collision-repair enterprise fell shy of a finalist spot in 2017. This year, Capitol Body is back as the Best Place to Get Your Car Fixed.

The family-owned body shop has been serving Jackson since Chad White first founded the business in 1963. Since then, Capitol Body has opened additional locations in Flowood, Ridgeland and Byram, and expanded upon its services and equipment arsenal. Employees can replace customers' windshields, fix their brakes, change their oil and apply a new paint job in one location, no matter the make or model of the vehicle. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Barnett's Body Shop (multiple locations, barnettsbodyshop.com) / Freeman's Auto Repair (847 S. State St., 601-948-3358) / Graves and Stoddard Inc. (722 Highway 80 E., Flowood, 601-939-3662) / Tony's Tire & Automotive (5138 N. State St., 601-981-2414)

Best Place to Buy Antiques: The Flea Market, Mississippi's Trade Place

(1325 Flowood Drive, Flowood, 601-953-5914)

There's no telling what you might find at The Flea Market. The business is in a 65,000-square-foot warehouse off Flowood Drive, making it one of the largest flea markets in the Jackson metro area.

On Saturdays and Sundays, you can check out more than 150 booths that sell everything large and small, whether you're looking for collectibles or comic books, furniture, paintings, vintage radios and everything in between.

For larger items, The Flea Market has a space for salvage items in the back. There, you can find old wood, signs, doors and more. For more information, visit flowoodantiquefleamarket.com or find the business on Facebook. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Antique Mall of the South (367 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-853-4000) / 
Interiors Market (659 Duling Ave., 601-981-6020) / Old House Depot (639 Monroe St., 601-592-6200, oldhousedepot.com) / Repeat Street (242 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-605-9123, repeatstreet.net)

Best Place to Buy Kids' Clothes or Toys: Leap Frog Children's Consignment and More

(104 Village Blvd., Madison, 601-898-0727, leapfrogmadison.com)

Leap Frog Children's Consignment & More has taken the title of Best Place to Buy Kids' Clothes or Toys for the second time in the 2010s since winning in 2016.

Owner Mary Ann Chaney says she opened Leap Frog in 2001 when she saw a need for a consignment shop in Madison. The store provides consignment and brand-new products for newborns to teenagers, with boutique clothing and accessories, toys for all ages, furniture such as swings and beds, and more. Leap Frog also offers monogramming and applique on backpacks, lunch boxes and other items that can be found in store.

"We have everything that parents may need to get them through the first several years," Chaney says, "and we wouldn't be here without our great customers, so we want to provide them with what they need." —Rebecca Hester

Finalists: Bows & Arrows (182 Promenade Blvd., 601-992-9966, little-bows-arrows.myshopify.com) / Helen's Young Ages (4750 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-0317, helensyoungages.com) / 
Louis LeFleur's Trading Post (Mississippi Children's Museum, 2145 Museum Blvd., 601-709-2603, mschildrensmuseum.org) / 
Row 10 (1107 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 105, Ridgeland, 
601-707-5846, row10baby.com)

Best Place to Buy Unique Gifts: O! How Cute Boutique & Gifts

(multiple locations, 844-742-9120, shopohc.com)

There are plenty of places to find clothes, accessories, decorative pieces and food in the Jackson metro area, but few have all of the above under one roof—or should we say roofs?

With locations in Brandon, Pearl, Flowood and Madison, O! How Cute Boutique & Gifts, this year's winner for Best Place to Buy Unique Gifts, is just about as close as one can get to a one-stop shop.

Customers can purchase home decor such as candles and ceramics; fashion choices including shoes, dresses, T-shirts and purses; and food items like jams, jerky and glazes. O! How Cute also features some local and Mississippi-made artwork and crafts for those looking to grab a one-of-a-kind selection, whatever the occasion. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Apple Annie's Gift Shop (1896 Main Street, Suite D, Madison, 601-853-8911; 152 Grants Ferry Road, Brandon, 601-992-9925; shopappleannies.com) / Bliss Gift and Home (4465 Interstate 55 N., 601-326-3337) / Brock's Beauty & Gift Apothecary (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 300, 601-366-9343, watercolor
salon.com) / Fair Trade Green (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-987-0002, fairtradegreen.com) / The Prickly Hippie (470-337-7167, pricklyhippie@
gmail.com, pricklyhippie.com)

Best Place to Work: University of Mississippi Medical Center

(2500 N. State St., 601-984-1000, umc.edu)

With 10,000 employees, it would be easy for those working for the University of Mississippi Medical Center to feel like faces in a crowd, and yet for three years in a row, it has won Best Place to Work.

For Paula Henderson, that wasn't surprising. She moved here from Maryland to become UMMC's chief human resources officer about six weeks ago because the company's shared goals of improving the state through quality education and health care resonated with her. In her time with UMMC, she says that she has noticed how engaged and committed its employees are.

"They love what they get when they come to work, and what do they get?" she asks. "They get extreme employee satisfaction because they're doing something good for their community and something great for the larger state of Mississippi." —Micah Smith

Finalists: Cole Facial Clinic & Skin Care (1030 N. Flowood Drive, Suite A, Flowood, 601-933-2004, colefacialclinic.com) / Hinds Community College (hindscc.edu) / Mississippi Children's Museum (2145 Museum Blvd., 601-981-5469, mschildrensmuseum.org) / St. Dominic Hospital (969 Lakeland Drive, 601-200-2000, stdom.com)

Best Tattoo/Piercing Parlor: Electric Dagger Tattoo

(2906 N. State St., Suite B-6, 601-982-9437)

Electric Dagger Tattoo in Fondren has been mixing big-city tattooing skills with southern charm for the past five years. This is the business' fourth consecutive year to win the title of Best Tattoo/Piercing Parlor.

"What makes our shop unique is the way we treat customers, our skill set and the dedication we put into our craft—buying books, studying and traveling to bigger cities to stay on top of trends," owner and artist Jason Thomas says. "Jackson didn't have an envelope-pushing shop, and I felt I owed it to Jackson to stay here, and bring talents here rather than move to a larger city."

Even those who aren't sure about body ink might consider a quick visit to Electric Dagger to see the gallery-worthy artwork of Thomas and the shop's other tattoo artists, "Iron Mike" Richardson and Mallory Kay. —Shameka Hayes-Hamilton

Finalists: Black Lotus Tattoo Shop (420 N. Bierdeman Road, Pearl, 601-933-1120) / Hard Rocs Tattoo & Piercing (1149 Old Fannin Road, Brandon, 769-251-5363) / House of Pain Custom Tattoos (22 Holiday Rambler Lane, Suite 300, Byram, 601-321-9040) / Squench's Tattoos, Ltd. (3780 Interstate 55 S., 601-372-2800, squenchstattoos.com)

Best Thrift/Consignment Shop: Repeat Street

(242 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-605-9123, repeatstreet.net)

When thrift-store shopping, it's often best to have a large volume of items to choose from, so you can find what you need—even if you don't know what you're looking for. For one of the largest collections of items, visit Repeat Street, Jacksonians' vote for Best Thrift/Consignment Shop for seven years running.

When you walk into the Ridgeland shop, you'll see salvage items on the porch, and the 17,000-square-foot interior has large pieces of furniture, shoes, clothing, records, accessories and everything in between.

On top of the choices within the store, 
Repeat Street is a sister location to another finalist in the category, Orange Peel in Fondren, so if you can't find what you're looking for at one store, you can always try the other. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: City Thrift (5465 Interstate 55 N., Suite C, 601-345-1833, buythrift.com) / Goodwill Industries International, Inc (multiple locations, goodwill.org) / N.U.T.S. (114 Millsaps Ave., 601-355-7458) / Orange Peel Resale (422 Mitchell Ave., 601-364-9977) / Private Collection (101B Village Blvd., Madison, 601-607-6004)

Best Veterinarian/Vet Clinic: Briarwood Animal Hospital

(1471 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-5030)

Jacksonians have voted Briarwood Animal Hospital as the Best Veterinarian/Veterinary Clinic for a third year in a row, and for Dr. John Ray, who has been with the Briarwood since 1984, part of that dynasty comes from the hospital's history of serving the area.

"For one, the clinic has been here since 1960, so it's kind of a Jackson institution," he says. "It was started by Dr. Hugh Ward back in 1960 and has grown over the years. We're a multi-doctor practice now and try to offer state-of-the-art veterinary care."

All five of Briarwood's doctors work to further their education and make sure they have the most up-to-date techniques and equipment each year, Ray says, but more than that, he hopes that the community voted for Briarwood because its employees are compassionate about the pets they treat. —Micah Smith

Finalists: All Creatures Animal Care Center (262 New Mannsdale Road, Madison, 601-856-5333, allcreaturesanimalcarecenter.com) / Animal Medical Center (995 S. Frontage Road, 601-354-3622, animalmedicalcenter
ofjackson.com) / Hometown Veterinary 
Service (1010 Depot Drive, Brandon, 601-825-1697) / North State Animal and Bird Hospital 
(5208 N. State St., 601-982-8261, northstate
animalhospital.com)

Best Reason to Live in Jackson: Fondren

(fondren.org)

For a third consecutive year, voters have selected 
Fondren as the Best Reason to Live in Jackson.

While there are plenty of amazing places in the capital, the neighborhood has long been a major draw for visitors and locals alike.

Fondren offers a little something for everyone while still being uniquely "Jackson." In a single day, a Fondrenite can shop at a local grocer, see local music, purchase local art, and get food or drinks at a locally owned restaurant, all without getting in a car—a tough feat almost anywhere else in the state of Mississippi.

As with many of the city's coolest places, though, Fondren is more than the sum of its parts. It's also an exemplar of the other contenders in this category—community, hospitality, great food and great people. —Micah Smith

Finalists: Community / Food / Hospitality / People

Best Yoga Studio: Joyflow Yoga

(joyflowyoga.com)

Often, Best of Jackson winners only have their best guess for why voters chose them. Debi Lewis of Joyflow Yoga, this year's Best Yoga Studio, has a pretty good idea.

After 28 years of teaching yoga, she has been able to touch a lot of lives, she says. Lewis first got into yoga because of neck and back pain and depression, so for her, the practice has always been more spiritual than trendy fitness option.

"So I'm not a big 'Instagram chick,' in other words," she says with a laugh. "I'm not going to show off my backbend for you."

Joyflow's location in Ridgeland closed in 2017, but Lewis continues teaching classes at Fitness Plus in Jackson and Connections Pilates in Madison, while also leading teacher training courses around the state.

"I want to help people really make lasting changes in their lives that aren't just physical," she says. —Micah Smith

Finalists: M Theory Yoga (118 W. Jackson St., Suite C, Ridgeland, 601-790-7402, mtheoryyoga.com) / StudiOm Yoga 
(665 Duling Ave., 601-209-6325, studiomyoga
ofms.com) Tara Yoga (200 Park Circle, Suite 4, Flowood, 601-720-2337, tara-yoga.net)

Best Radio Station; Best Radio Personality or Team: WYOY, Nate & Bender

(Y101, 101.7, y101.com)

Nate West and Chris Bender of Y101 won Best Radio Personality or Team and Best Radio Station, respectively—and consider themselves "brothers from another mother." The stars of the "Morning Showgram with Nate & Bender" have known each other for 14 years and have been working together on the "Morning Showgram" for the last few months.

"I think longevity has something to do with it, and the tenure of the on-air staff," Bender says. "I also believe it has something to do with the current music industry, because it draws people to the station."

"And not to mention how funny Bender is," Nate adds. "I think we're a lot alike, and our attitudes about both the radio and life in general help us feed off of one another."

The "Morning Showgram" airs Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. For more information, visit y101.com. —ShaCamree Gowdy

Best Radio Station Finalists: WMPN (MPB 91.3, mpbonline.org) / WJMI (99 Jams, 99.7, wjmi.com) / WMSI (Miss 103, 102.9, miss103.com) / WUSJ (US 96.3, us963.com)

Best Radio Personality or Team Finalists: Felder Rushing (MPB 91.3, mpbonline.org) / Rick and Kim (Miss 103, 102.9, miss103.com) / Scott & Traci (US 96.3, us963.com) / Tambra Cherie (97.7 The Beat of the Capital, thebeatofthecapital.com)

Best Dance Group: Ballet Magnificat!

(5406 Interstate 55 N., 601-977-1001, balletmagnificat.com)

In Jackson's dance world, Best Dance Group Ballet Magnificat! is one of the most well-known companies. Ballet Magnificat!, which gets its name from the Latin phrase "to magnify him," is a Jackson-based Christian ballet company that Keith and Kathy Thibodeaux founded in 1986. The group has performed all over the United States and around the world.

Keith is a former child actor who played "Little Ricky" on "I Love Lucy" and Johnny Paul on The Andy Griffith Show. Kathy entered the international dance scene by winning a silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in 1982. She later became one of the first contracted dancers for the Jackson Ballet Company.

Ballet Magnificat! established its own School of the Arts in 1989, which offers dance classes for all ages and currently has 300 students enrolled. The company also provides a dance curriculum at Belhaven University. —Dustin Cardon

Finalists: Ballet Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St., Suite 106, 601-960-1560, balletms.com) / Dancing Dolls (The Dollhouse Dance Factory, 1410 Ellis Ave., 601-969-4000, dollhousedancefactory.com) / Montage Theatre of Dance (Hinds Community College, hindscc.edu) / Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet
(110 Homestead Drive, Madison, 601-853-4508, msmetroballet.com)

Best Community Garden/Nature Attraction: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

(2148 Riverside Drive, 601-576-6000, museum.mdwfp.com)

In the 1920s, the State of Mississippi did not have mechanisms in place to preserve the state's natural world, from its wildlife populations to the native plants. Thanks to one woman, Fannye Cook, the state now not only has a gaming and fishing commission, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, but it also has a place dedicated to educating the population on the state's natural world: the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. The museum has exhibits on the state's wildlife such as waterfowl, endangered species and terrestrial habitats, along with aquariums, nature trails and 2,500 square feet of temporary exhibit space.

In "Conservation Quest," the next temporary exhibit, guests can learn about energy, and what it is, where it comes from, how we use it and why we should use it wisely. The exhibit runs from Saturday, Jan. 27, to Sunday, April 29. MMNS is 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. For more information, visit mdwfp.com/museum. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Clinton Community Nature Center (617 Dunton Road, Clinton, 601-926-1104, clintonnaturecenter.org) / Mynelle Gardens (4736 Clinton Blvd., 601-960-1894) / LeFleur's Bluff State Park (3315 Lakeland Terrace, 601-987-3923, mdwfp.state.ms.us) / The Art Garden at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515, msmuseumart.org)

Best Public Forum or Speaker Series: Millsaps College Arts & Lecture Series

(Millsaps.edu)

Learning should never stop, and with programs such as the winner for Best Public Forum or Speaker Series, Millsaps College Arts & Lecture Series, it doesn't have to. Millsaps alumni and volunteers established the Arts & Lecture Series in the mid-1960s as part of a larger community outreach program. The conferences bring together local lecturers, performers, writers, and other artists to discuss topics such as music, literature, current events, history and more. Funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts support the program.

Recent lectures have explored the works of Mississippi author William Faulkner, the importance of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) subjects, Mississippi musicians, poets and writers, and more.

All events in the Arts & Lecture Series take place in the Gertrude C. Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Tickets for each program are $10, and season tickets are also available. For more information, visit millsaps.edu. —Dustin Cardon

Finalists: Friday Forum (136 S. Adams St, 601-960-3008, koinoniacoffeehousejackson.com) / TEDxJackson (tedxjackson.com) / History is Lunch (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, mdah.state.ms.us) / Ideas on Tap (Mississippi Humanities Council, mshumanities.org)

Best Local Live Theater/Theatrical Group: New Stage Theatre

(1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com)

New Stage Theatre has been a mainstay in Jackson's theater world since Jane Reid Petty and others founded it in 1965. The theater produced its first season in the winter of 1966 in a church at the corner of Gallatin and Hooker streets. New Stage moved to its present site on Carlisle Street in 1978.

Each year, the theater brings contemporary and classic productions to Jackson. During its current season, New Stage has performed plays such as "And Then There Were None," adapted from the Agatha Christie classic, and Disney's "Beauty & The Beast" on an extended run.

Other programming includes "The Eudora Welty New Plays Series," which features eight contemporary plays about Mississippi or written by Mississippians. "Unframed at New Stage" presents contemporary, edgy material that New Stage normally does not produce on the main stage.

For more information, visit newstagetheatre.com. —Rebecca Hester

Finalists: Black Rose Theatre Company (103 Black St., Brandon, 601-825-1293) / Center Players Community Theatre (madisoncenterplayers.org) / Fondren Theatre Workshop (fondrentheatreworkshop.com) / MADDRAMA (Jackson State University, 1400 John R. Lynch St., jsums.edu)

Best Stage Play: "A Christmas Story"

(New Stage Theatre, 1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com)

Director Turner Crumbley of New Stage Theatre brought a Christmas classic to the capital city when he hosted a production of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's "A Christmas Story: The Musical" in late December 2016. Crumbley put together an ensemble cast that included David Spencer, Cannon Bosarge, Frances Bordlee, Wyatt Roberson, Daniel Hines, Collin Gray, Willis Thigpen and more.

"A Christmas Story: The Musical" is based on director Bob Clark's 1983 classic holiday film "A Christmas Story" about Ralphie Parker and his quest to get an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle for Christmas.

Pasek and Paul, the songwriting duo behind "Dear Evan Hansen," "The Greatest Showman" and the 2017 Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning "La La Land," created the musical in 2009. —Dustin Cardon


Finalists: "And Then There Were None" (New Stage Theatre, 1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com) / "Million Dollar Quartet" (New Stage Theatre, 1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com) / "Sordid Lives" (Fondren Theatre Workshop, fondrentheatreworkshop.com) / "The Dance of the Princess and the Frog" (Montage Theatre of Dance, Hinds Community College, hindscc.edu)

Best Nonprofit Organization: The Mustard Seed, Inc.

(1085 Luckney Road, Brandon, 601-992-3556, mustardseedinc.com)

Best Nonprofit winner The Mustard Seed, which was founded in 1981, dedicates itself to meeting spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual needs of adults with developmental disabilities. Its name comes from the Bible verse, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move."

Mustard Seed's clients, called "Seedsters," participate in different activities such as hand bell choir, art activities and more. The nonprofit has two residential homes on campus that house 10 women and eight men.

The organization also has a gift shop on campus, where clients sell mugs, ornaments and more. Proceeds help fund the organization's programming and accounts for 20 percent of The Mustard Seed's annual income. The gift shop is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and every second Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, visit mustardseedinc.org. —Rebecca Hester

Finalists: Cheshire Abbey (cheshireabbey@gmail.com) / Community Animal Rescue & Adoption (960 N. Flag Chapel Road, 601-922-7575, carams.org) / Good Samaritan Center (114 Millsaps Ave., goodsamaritancenter.org) / Junior League of Jackson (805 Riverside Drive, 601-948-2357) / Stewpot Community Services (1100 W. Capitol St., 601-353-2759, stewpot.org)

Best Local Podcast: Let's Talk Jackson

(letstalkjackson.com)

Those who have been here long enough know that we that the state and city has a vibrant, creative community. Luckily, we have outlets such as podcast Let's Talk Jackson to help showcase that talent.

Host Beau York and others such as Chellese Hall have interviewed people such as artist Adrienne Domnick, artist and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) advocate Anik Kurkjian, photographer Imani Khayyam, and lawyer and beer-law advocate Matthew McLaughlin about their lives, work and more. The podcast airs each Monday.

For more information, visit podasterynetwork.com. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Country Squire Radio (countrysquireradio.com) / Made in Mississippi (madeinmspodcasting.com) / Reality Breached (realitybreached.com) / Token Talk (soundcloud.com/tokentalk)

Best Arts Organization: Mississippi Museum of Art

(380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515, msmuseumart.org)

In the years since Best of Jackson launched, the Mississippi Museum of Art has won or been a finalist in categories, partially because of its dedication to engaging the community in art. These days, MMA might look a little different. In August 2017, the museum took down "The Mississippi Story" exhibit to make way for the bicentennial exhibit "Picturing Mississippi, 1817-2017: Land of Plenty, Pain, and Promise," which features art from 100 artists over the past 200 years.

The museum itself closed to the public to undergo renovations, including ones to The Museum Cafe and The Museum Store. Around December, MMA also announced its Center for Art & Public Exchange, which seeks to create community dialogue through art. The museum is back in action now, and has a full slate of events this year, from classes to monthly events to CAPE events and more. For more information, visit msmuseumart.org. —Amber Helsel

Finalists: Greater Jackson Arts Council (201 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1557) / Montage Theatre of Dance (Hinds Community College, hindscc.edu) / New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com)

Cafe Cubano (Cuban coffee) is what I remember most about growing up in a Cuban household.

Like clock work, my grandfather made espresso at 7 a.m. each day. It was black as night, strong enough to last the entire day and sweetened abundantly with sugar to give me one, maybe even two, cavities per sip. I remember waking up to the sound of the gas stove crackling and the aroma of dark-roast espresso making its way into my bedroom. Offered after nearly every meal, the cultural staple is an example of something that effortlessly joins family, friends and neighbors.

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. Lying only 90 miles south of Key West, Fla., people know it best for its abundant sugar cane, Cuban cigars, and music legends like Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan and the Buena Vista Social Club. Colorful buildings and iconic 1950s-style cars line its iconic capital city, Havana.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., the Latin-American Business Association, or LABA-Link, of Mississippi is hosting the state's fifth annual LatinFest at the Multipurpose Complex in Canton, and this year's event will celebrate Cuba.

"We decided to make some changes this year," Israel Martinez, marketing co-chairman of LatinFest and a local entrepreneur, told the Jackson Free Press. "We decided to incorporate a theme, so this year we are celebrating Cuba. We are looking forward to celebrating Colombia, Brazil and Mexico in the following years."

Cuban American immigrants have contributed to the American economy, culture, and entertainment through decades and centuries of music, food, language, laughs and tradition. Desi Arnaz, who played Ricky Ricardo in the 1950s sitcom "I Love Lucy," is known internationally for his role in the television series. Actresses Rosario Dawson, best known for her roles in the musical "Rent" and Netflix show "Daredevil," and Cameron Diaz, known for her roles in "There's Something About Mary" and "Charlie's Angels," are both of Cuban descent.

The event's website says: "LatinFest showcases the talent and professionalism of the Latin community. It's a cultural celebration that attracts people from all backgrounds and walks of life. The festival will present some of the area's best dancers, cuisines and musicians—this year, including local and out-of-state bands that play jazz, blues, salsa, merengue and bachata."

Canton Nissan and many other local businesses are sponsoring the event.

"Nissan has seen that it's a great event and that both the festival and the company have such an impact on the local community," Martinez said. "Every year, the Red Cross supports LatinFest with volunteers, and the organization wants (to bring more awareness to the) Hispanic community about the services they provide."

A portion of the proceeds from LatinFest will go to the Red Cross.

Martinez says the festival is open to all individuals. The website and the festival program are all in English, and half the songs played will be in English, and half in Spanish. "We have people coming from all over—Japan, Germany, Africa and Europe," Martinez said.

"Everyone is welcome."

Festivalgoers can expect food from Green Ghost Tacos, Boccado's International Cuisine, Marlo's Backyard BBQ and other local vendors. Tickets are $10 for adults, and children 12 years old and younger get in free. The event will also have activities for kids, including inflatables. For more information, visit latinfestms.com.

Ballet Magnificat! of Jackson adds another element to your holiday accoutrements with "Most Incredible Christmas," at Thalia Mara Hall on Saturday, Dec. 20, and Sunday, Dec. 21.

Ballet Magnificat! has been a mainstay of Jackson's holiday entertainment since the company opened in 1986. In fact, one of the ballet's first performances was during the Christmas season. In its first year, audience members brought canned-food donations for Stewpot, and admission was free. Executive Director Keith Thibodeaux, 64, wanted to revive those elements this year. While many productions charge between $10 and $40, "Most Incredible Christmas" is free.

"We're trying to go ... back to our roots, sort of as a gift to the community," he says. "We want to do this to be able to get more people in that wouldn't necessarily be able to afford it. Just with all the stuff going on in the world, we felt like we needed to."

The program pays homage to Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, "The Most Incredible Thing," in which a clockmaker enters a contest to find the most incredible thing. This narrative gave Resident Choreographer Jiri Voborsky, 40, an opportunity for demanding dances, as each performer tries to win the competition.

"Like any contest, you don't bring a half-baked thing," Voborsky says. "A lot of them are fast-paced, technically challenging pieces."

Ballet Magnificat!'s free, community-friendly event brings a wealth of supporters, including the City of Jackson, WAPT, Farm Bureau Insurance and the Salvation Army, whose Capt. Ken Chapman narrates the production. The company performs a special closed production for the Salvation Army on Saturday evening.

"Most Incredible Christmas" is at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20, and 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 21, at Thalia Mara Hall (201 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1537). Doors open at 1 p.m., and seating is limited. For more information, visit balletmagnificat.com.

The Mostly Monthly Ceili series is a Sunday night event that brings the art of the Irish jig to Jackson.

The Jackson Irish Dancers host the series.

"I lived in Ireland for a while and came up with the idea," says Catherine Sherer Bishop, a Jackson Irish Dancers instructor.

"Ben Cody, the manager (of Fenian's Pub) at the time, offered to open up the pub on Sundays once a month for the ceili."

A ceili is an Irish social gathering, usually with music and dancing. The dancers have performed at Fenian's since 2005. They show off an array of Irish dances, depending on what guests are interested in. "It can be any or all, a (solo or group set) of Irish traditional dancing, depending on who is there," Bishop says.

The ceilis are open to all ages and skill levels. The Jackson Irish Dancers don't focus on competition-level dancing, but on everyone enjoying the experience. Local Irish musicians tend to stop by for to give some musical treats. They bring along an Irish music-inspired instrument or a new song to try out.

"It is a social gathering that is fun, with an opportunity to participate in some Irish dancing," Bishop says.

Dancing goes on from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 22, Oct. 20 and Nov. 17. Admission is free, and beginners are welcome. For more information, visit jfp.ms/ceili.

After stunning the audience at this year's Best of Jackson party, Jezabelle von Jane is returning to Jackson to perform at the 9th Annual JFP Chick Ball. While she will be performing solo, three other Sirens will be in the audience and helping with Chick Ball. Von Jane, 35, founded Magick City Sirens in 2006. She's originally from the Boston, Mass., area and moved to Birmingham in 2004.

Why did you start Magick City Sirens?

I've been doing burlesque since 1998. I started in the rockabilly scene up north in Boston, Massachusetts. When I moved down to the south, there were a lot of entertainment things going on, but they really didn't have anything in the way of vaudeville. I branched off from burlesque to vaudeville, which is more of what we do, and started a troupe here in 2006. We definitely needed a vaudeville-burlesque troupe.

Tell me about vaudeville-burlesque.

We are inspired by multiple things.... Anything that you can put on a stage anywhere has really been encompassed by vaudeville. ... It encompasses comedy and a lot of the entertainment that has been lost along the way with television and internet and that sort of thing. It's more like a revival of performance art, basically.

... A lot of times people will confuse vaudeville with dance or theater acts that were going on in London and Paris at the time, but vaudeville here actually was in cheaper theaters. It was a way for the regular man to fill an empty theater that was not a Broadway production. And, of course, the everyday man enjoyed comedy and enjoyed something a little less than ordinary, and that's what they were getting in Broadway.

Burlesque is a complete and totally different entity all in itself. Burlesque is the art of scantily clad women removing their clothing, but you have to understand that back in those days they weren't allowed to be nude. They would remove small pieces of clothing; of course, they started off very small. The ankle and the wrist were very intriguing during those days.

Burlesque and chorus girls were always part of all variety acts in the '20s, '30s and '40s. The chorus girls moved on to having feature girls who did dancing and their scantily clad tempting acts, and vaudeville performers did their small acts in between.

Our troupe actually does both. ... We're called Magick City Sirens for a reason: Each of us sing; each of us are vocalists. We are considered these days as neo, meaning that we clash vaudeville and burlesque together. We don't really encompass the old-timey true-to-the-form burlesque because I feel as if burlesque should be treated as if it never died out.

Burlesque itself is the art of seduction, just like anything else in entertainment.

How else is Magick City Sirens different from other troupes?

All of us sing. all of us dance. All of us act. But each of us has a specific skill set. Some of us are fire-breathers, others are aerialists. ... We do not go out of house to do anything—everything from lighting to sound. All the skits are all written in-house. We do not replicate shows; we do a new show for everyone.

What type of performance do you have in mind for Chick Ball?

Well, that's a surprise. But I will tell you this: We took (inspiration from) the idea of raising money to fight against sex trade. We really wanted to show the queens of the world, and how they can stand on their own. They can fight whatever they need to fight and be strong within themselves.

What about the difference between burlesque and stripping?

Burlesque dancers never get nude. There are scantily clad women. There is more nudity on Broadway than will ever be on a burlesque stage.

Let me be very clear: I am very supportive of all types of entertainment. Strippers and burlesque dancers are both entertainers in their own right. However, burlesque is an art form that gives homage to the performers of the old and gives homage to the art form that was burlesque dancing. There's a true art to it. There's an art to peeling a glove; there's a method to removing a corset.

What do you think the purpose is for most of the dancers?

Is it a woman’s way of embodying her feminism? I have to say that for each entertainer, that question is different. For me, though, I’m equal. I feel like it is an opportunity for men and women and the transgendered. It’s a chance to live your dream and entertain other people. I would say that yes, some women use it as a way to feel empowered about themselves, but for those of us who make this a lifetime choice—to entertain other people—there really is no option for us. It’s not about empowering ourselves, it’s about doing what we love for a living.

How does one train to be a burlesque dancer?

That question is one that many of us who own troupes have difference answers to. I do not hold true to the traditional burlesque. I feel that anyone who is comfortable on a stage can entertain a crowd. That’s the one thing you have to have going in to it. You don’t have to know how to dance; you don’t have to know how to sing. Those are things that can be taught to you, but one thing you can’t be taught is the sense of enjoyment of entertaining others. Once you have that, you come in and I teach you the basics—the basics of appeal, the basics of movements on stage that are suggestive. Because we are a vaudeville troupe, I teach you method acting, and I teach you how to encompass your character how it is on stage.

What led you to performing?

I was really the odd girl out as a teenager and in my 20s. I loved to dance, and I loved to sing. I loved to act, but I didn’t want to waste my life waiting for auditions. I didn’t want to spend my life waiting for someone else to take notice. So I went in with my local theater group in college, and one particular lady came in, and she did what the new revived vaudeville was. She put on an amazing show, and I loved her. I actually became her protégé.

I was sitting at a table one night after one of her shows, and I was making everyone laugh and I was the center of attention. She came over and was like, “Hey, guess what. I would really like you to come in, and I would like to teach you the ropes. I haven’t seen anyone gather that much attention from everyone at a table in a really long time.”

… Being on stage is the most comfortable place I can think of, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

While socks and dancing might seem disconnected to some, for Philip Scott, they go hand-in-hand. He has an international entertainment company called Neural Dope which promotes different types of dancers, and he has a sock line.

In 2007, Philip Scott was working at a suit store. Back then, he would wear white sports socks with his suits, and his coworkers would jokingly make fun of him. One day, someone told him that he should just start making his own socks, and he took that advice to heart.

A Memphis-based model said to Scott after putting the socks on, "My feet have never felt so loved." Now, that has become Scott's slogan.

On June 21, Scott is hosting a dance competition and party, called Get Socked, to promote the socks and dancing and to bring the community together. At the door, guests receive a pair of Scott's socks, and at 7:30 p.m. the dance competition starts. Mississippi native NFL player Brandon McDonald, Jamaar Blanchard and a special guest will judge the dancers. DJ Slim Kutti will provide music.

"It's not about a big turnout or anything like that. It's a start," Scott says about spreading the word about his companies.

Scott plans to donate 10 percent of the proceeds from Get Socked to the organization Dream 2 Succeed. He believes that anyone who is empowering the youth is supporting a good cause. "(Kids) need that extra push and that extra motivation to get out there and be the best that they can be," he says.

Get Socked is at Hearts of Madison (123 Jones St., Madison, 601-862-1763) on June 21 at 7 p.m. The event is for those over 21 and costs $25 which includes a pair of Philip Scott's custom socks. For more info about Philip Scott's socks or to sign up for the dance competition, email getsocked1@gmail.com or call 769-234-6254. Find Get Socked Dancers Page on Facebook.

If you were to ask Mr. or Mrs. Random Citizen to name important cities in the world of dance, he or she would probably rattle off the usual suspects: cultural meccas like New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. But Jackson has played, and continues to play, a role in the dance world that is disproportionate to its size, and Belhaven University's dance department is one of the primary reasons for that.

"Dance in the metro Jackson area is alive and well," Belhaven's dance department chairwoman Cynthia Newland says. "Over the last 10 years since I've been here in Jackson, it's been wonderful to watch it grow."

Belhaven has roughly 110 dance majors, Newland says, making it the largest arts division in the university--and one of the most popular programs on the campus. Recently, the department conducted a study finding that, in the last five years alone, students from 45 states and 12 different countries have studied dance at Belhaven. Many of these students have gone on to dance and teach in companies across the country and around the world.

The international connection at Belhaven doesn't end with just its students, though. The university has a strong connection to the jewel in Jackson's dance crown: the International Ballet Competition, which descends on the capital city every four years.

"The relationship between IBC and Belhaven University is a very close one," says Newland, who is on the board of the IBC. "(We) are the host for the international village; the competitors come and stay on our campus. They utilize our studios for their warm-up classes and then also for their individual rehearsals--for preparing for all of their competitions."

Belhaven offers a bachelor of arts in dance and a bachelor of fine arts in dance, along with a dance minor and a certificate in dance. Beginning this fall, it will also offer a master's of fine arts in dance, as well.

Key factors in Belhaven's program make it different from others around the U.S., and Newland considers these differences to be strengths. For one, Belhaven is a faith-based institution, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Newland says that very few Christian universities have dance programs.

Another statistic that makes Belhaven a rarity among college dance programs is the number of males who study there: In any year, between 10 and 18 men are in the program, which is a lot in a traditionally estrogen-dominated discipline.

"When we have guest artists that come, they're quite envious that we have all of these males to work with," Newland says.

However, the biggest strength of Belhaven's program may be one that's intangible: its faculty's depth of personal interaction with the students, which Newland says is not as common at other institutions. "We care about them holistically: emotionally, spiritually (and) physically. So that's a part of our investment in the students that makes us unique."

Upcoming dance performances at Belhaven include:

Belhaven's Spring Dance Production: Quest of the Designer on April 5-6, and 11-13, a family-friendly showcase of the school's talents. The production will be in the Bitsy Irby building on Belhaven campus (1500 Peachtree St.). Tickets are $10, $5 students.

For more information, visit belhaven.edu/dance/ or call 601-965-1400.

You've mostly likely seen Irish dancing in movies and TV, if not in real life. Remember when Jack takes Rose down to the third-class deck to have a good time in the movie "Titanic?" They leave the stuffy atmosphere of the upper class and go below deck to hear robust, lively music and to dance a jig. Or, think of the celebration at the beginning "The Fellowship of the Ring." (Hobbits have a strikingly similar culture to the Irish). And, of course, let's not forget Michael Flatley, the Irish American dancer and choreographer of "Riverdance" and "Lord of the Dance."

When it comes to Irish dance, Margaret Cupples, president and co-founder of the Jackson Irish Dancers. likes to say, "It's the only aerobic exercise you can do while drinking a beer." Dancing and beer often go hand-in-hand at the Irish ceili (pronounced KAY-lee), which is Gaelic for "gathering," although Cupples says over the years the word has transformed to mean a "gathering with dancing and music."

Irish ceili dancing has a rich history with no clear origins, but it's a traditional dance that has survived the ages. Few accounts of it exist in early literature, but the dancing was popular enough that it spread to England from Ireland in the 1500s. In a 1569 letter to Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Henry Sydney describes dancers he saw in Galway: "They are very beautiful, magnificently dressed and first-
class dancers."

But then, a major bummer: The English introduced the Penal Laws, which made dancing an activity to repress--for more than 100 years. Ceili dancing survived, practiced in secret until those laws were no longer recognized.

Enter the Irish Dance Master. In the 1800s, towns and provinces had someone to teach ceili dances to the young and the old alike. The point was to teach new people how to dance in a way that could refine the skills of the seasoned dancers. That way, everyone could dance together. Thus, a "gathering" became a "gathering with dancing and music." The masters were an important way to teach the dances--the Haymaker's Jig, the Rinnce Fada and the Trenchmore--to a new generation of people.

The traditional ceili dance has many forms--maybe you've been to CelticFest at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum and seen one version of the ceili. Those dances are simple compared to the difficult solo dances (such as those in "Riverdance"). Set dances involve partners, and some even have music where you change partners--from which line 
dancing evolved.

The Jackson Irish Dancers, which Cupples and others formed in 1998, teach classes and perform at events throughout the metro area. "We're not a competitive group," she says. "It's an old-fashioned good time."

As part of Jackson's big St. Patrick's weekend, this Sunday at Fenian's Irish Pub, the dancers will hold a ceili with a special surprise. Emerald Accent, an Irish band from Laurel, will perform music for the event.

"The dancing and the music are designed to go together," Cupples says. "That's what makes it unique." People all over the world can know the same dances set to the same type of upbeat, energetic music. Cupples says the Jackson Irish Dancers once hosted a man from southwestern Ireland. He knew a particular dance that his family had been dancing for years and years in his small town. It turns out that the Jackson Irish Dancers knew the dance, the Ballyvourney Reel Set. They were in New Orleans years ago and learned it from a nun. As fate would have it, she just happened to be from the same small town in Ireland. Cupples says the man cried joyfully because he had come all the way to Mississippi from a small town in Ireland and the people here knew his family's dance.

The Jackson Irish Dancers hold free "mostly monthly" ceilis at Fenian's Pub, usually the third Sunday of the month. Cupples says it's a "great place to meet new people. You can dance or you can sit and watch. It's 
a family event."

There's an Irish proverb that goes something like this: "Your feet will bring you where your heart is." Bring your feet to Fenian's Pub on Sunday 
and dance.

The Jackson Irish Dancers will hold the next ceili at Fenian's Pub (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055) Sunday, March 17, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The group teaches classes by appointment, $10 each, plus $25 for a family or $15 for an individual registering for the year. Visit jacksonirishdancers.org for more information.

Playing the Boot

Traditional Irish music is a collaborative art form that welcomes audience participation, so the next time you attend a ceili or listen to Irish performers, feel free to join in by "playing the boot," or tapping and stomping your feet along with the music.

For some families in Jackson and around the world, there are five seasons in the year, the fifth being The Nutcracker Season. After moving to Jackson in 2005, my immediate family and I made it somewhat of a tradition to attend a performance of "The Nutcracker" each year, and I eventually had the opportunity to perform in several productions. Perhaps because of all the preparation leading up to the event, I came to know The Nutcracker Season well.

For dancers in Jackson at local companies and schools such as Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet and Ballet Mississippi, The Nutcracker Season starts in the fall and continues until the last performance in December.

This year, however, Jackson was home to a third performance of the ballet that originated during the late 1800s. During the week of Thanksgiving, the Moscow Ballet presented one night of "The Great Russian Nutcracker" as part of the largest Russian ballet tour in America; it includes 73 cities this year.

Ballet Mississippi and Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet lean toward the traditional story of "The Nutcracker," but the Moscow Ballet's "The Great Russian Nutcracker" takes cues from happenings in recent decades.

The traditional nutcracker story is about a young girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker doll at a Christmas Eve party. At midnight, Clara rises from her slumber and finds herself surrounded by human-sized mice underneath the larger-than-life tree that continues to grow. The nutcracker then comes to life and leads an army against the rat king and his mice. After winning the fight, the nutcracker transforms into a prince and leads Clara to the Land of the Sweets, or the Land of the Sugarplum Fairy, where the Sugarplum Fairy rewards them with a parade of sweets from around the globe. After each country performs, the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier dance for the couple.

"The Great Russian Nutcracker" sticks to this general outline with a few changes. Clara is instead named Masha. Instead of arriving in the Land of Sweets in Act II, Masha and the nutcracker prince visit the Land of Peace and Harmony where emissaries from around the world dance for them.

Sergey Chumakov and Elena Petrachenko play the Dove of Peace, which replaces the Sugarplum Fairy in "The Great Russian Nutcracker." The two open the second act softly and gracefully—a perfect introduction to the Land of Peace and Harmony.

The curtains rise to reveal the duo entwined in a variation of a fish dive in which Chumakov holds Petrachenko above him with one arm as she seems to dive downward. This and several other one-armed lifts in their dance accentuate their new costumes that, together, create a 20-foot wingspan.

Each variation of Act II has its highlights, and a few stood out. While the choreography in the Spanish variation was not terribly complex, the dancers executed the moves well. The female lead probably had the most beautiful attitude en l'air in the production. The traditional and entertaining Chinese variation preceded the Russian duo that was, as expected, full of energy. The female lead, Anna Radik, easily had the highest arabesque, and Vitaliy Shvets awed the audience with a series of grand jetes en tournant around the stage, throwing his hat to the ground in accomplishment at the end.

It's easy to say that the Arabian variation was probably the most impressive divertissement, or short ballet interlude, of the second act. In fact, the two dancers earned seven ovations during the four-minute divertissement. Chumakov and Petrachenko took the stage together again for it and showed off more lifts, this time held for longer timeframes.

While some have criticized the choreography here as being too contortionistic or acrobatic, each move is executed with an elegance that makes it clear that they specialize in ballet, and the serene mood of the piece keeps it from feeling like a circus act.

In addition, Chumakov and Petrachenko give the piece the sensuality that it deserves, transporting the viewer to a mystical place.

In their final, Masha and the Nutcracker Prince dance the final grand pas de deux in "The Great Russian Nutcracker" instead of the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier. In each section, the dancers, Olga Kifyak and Viktor Shcherbakov, remain poised and light on their feet. Instead of stealing the spotlight with overly performed advanced leaps, the choreography for Viktor Scherbakov only goes so far as to include several tours en l'air, or jump spins straight up with straight legs.

Although the Moscow Ballet strays from the story most people grew up with, the performance doesn't lack its Christmas charm. The 40-dancer production (miniscule compared to local companies using around 100 dancers) is part of the Moscow Ballet's 20th year anniversary tour.

This year marks the 20th anniversary production of Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet's "The Nutcracker." MMB is a non-profit ballet company and a member of the Southeast Regional Ballet Association. Performances are Dec. 8-9 at the Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center.

"'The Nutcracker' is a good first ballet for anyone to come see if anyone has never seen a ballet but is interested in the artform to see what it's all about," MMB's artistic director of 15 years, Jennifer Beasley, says.

"The Nutcracker," which Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed, tells the story of a young girl, Clara, who receives a nutcracker doll for Christmas. Act I includes the party scene at her house, the battle between the nutcracker and rat king, and the waltz of the snowflakes. In Act II, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince travel to the Land of Sweets where the Sugarplum Fairy throws a celebration of sweets in honor of the Nutcracker Prince's victory.

"We have lots of little surprises here and there that the audience doesn't expect, and we like to change choreography from year to year," Beasley says.

MMB's production will feature approximately 125 dancers including Rodrigo Almarales and Maizyalet Velazquez of the Cincinnati Ballet. Velazquez will perform the part of the Sugarplum Fairy, and Almarales will be her Cavalier.

"It is 20 years of volunteers coming together that have really put this 'Nutcracker' together," Beasley says. Almost all of the sets and costumes are created locally by volunteers. "It makes me really proud to see where the production has come and where it is today."

Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet performs "The Nutcracker" Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. at the Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center (4908 Ridgewood Road, 601-364-5416). The Nutcracker Tea Parties follow the matinee performances at 4 p.m. during which children can meet dancers and enjoy treats. Performance tickets are $16-$20, and Tea Party tickets are $10. For more information or to buy tickets, visit msmetroballet.com.

At the Magnolia Ballroom Dancers' Association, couples gather to enjoy an evening spun around the dance floor. The non-profit social dance organization has offered ballroom dancers the opportunity to practice their skills for almost 20 years.

"It's a social group of dancers, composed of dancers from all over the metro area," says Nola Gibson, the association's public relations manager, who has been a member of MBDA for 12 years.

The association is not a studio that offers regular dance classes. The MBDA offers dancers an extra space, outside the classroom, to come and practice or simply enjoy the experience of ballroom dancing.

"It's great exercise, the music is beautiful, and you get to meet nice people you may not have been able to meet any other way," Gibson says. The MBDA accommodates around 80- to 100 dancers per event and has more than 150 members.

"Ballroom is a very polite type of dancing," Gibson says. The website offers a brief description on ballroom etiquette which provides first timers with knowledge to keep with the flow of the evening.

Magnolia Ballroom Dancers' Association will hold a ballroom dance at Madison Square Center of the Arts in Madison the second Saturday night of each month: Dec. 8, Jan. 12 and Feb. 9. The dances are 8-11 p.m. and cost $10 for members and $15 for guest. Water, setups, and snakes will be available. Visit msballroom.com or contact Nola Gibson for more information gibsonk@millsaps.edu.

On Saturday, April 28, Ballet Mississippi presents "Collage" at the Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center (4908 Ridgewood Road, 601-362-9676). The performance is a compilation of ballet and music with works from eight composers and seven choreographers.

The music for "Collage" includes classical, contemporary and Celtic selections. You'll hear works from Mozart to Patsy Cline along with traditional Irish tunes. Choreographers range from Catherine Bishop to the company's artistic director David Keary.

Dancing the Pas de Deux from "Don Quixote" are Ballet Mississippi's artist-in-residence Mikhail Ilyin, now in his fifth year with the American Ballet Theatre in New York City, and Maria Riccetto, also from ABT.

"Collage" begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $12 to $15.

Ballet Mississippi's Lower School Performance is Thursday, May 3, at 6 p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.) .The performance features classical music specifically written for children.

For more information and tickets, visit http://www.balletms.com.

As a professional ballerina, Kathy Thibodeaux began to pray about her career and her future when she became a Christian in 1979. "Should I keep dancing? Do I give up dancing?" She wondered. At that point, she says, no one in the country was really dancing for Jesus. Her Christian friends were skeptical that dancing was something a nice Christian girl should do.

"Give it up," they told her. "You can't be a Christian and dance."

She was Ballet Mississippi's principal ballerina. The new arts company brought professional dance to the state, and Thalia Mara, who founded Ballet Mississippi in 1975, brought the world to Jackson in 1979 with the first USA International Ballet Competition. Kathy Thibodeaux was Mara's student and prodigy. She also was a Jackson celebrity.

Kathy Denton started dancing at age 6 with the Jackson Ballet Guild, which later grew to become Ballet Mississippi. Some of her first teachers included Rex Cooper of the American Ballet Theatre and Thalia Mara.

She met Keith Thibodeaux in 1976, and they got married the same year. Keith, 60, is a Lafayette, La., native who lived in California for a while and worked as a child actor, playing Little Ricky, on the "I Love Lucy Show." He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for a few years before leaving to perform with David and the Giants, a rock group from Laurel.

Three years later, Kathy had a life-altering religious experience. She kept dancing. But Kathy was conflicted. As a Christian, she took the criticism seriously that good girls don't dance. As a ballerina, she didn't completely believe it.

"I really feel like God is the giver of our gifts and talents, and he gives them to us for a reason," Kathy says. "When I realized that he was the giver of my talent of dance, I didn't want to bury that talent. So I kept dancing."

In 1982, she competed in the USA International Ballet Competition. For her last piece in the third round, where she could do a classical or more contemporary dance, Kathy chose to use "We Shall Behold Him," a Christian song by Sandi Patty that had been recently released.

"I wanted to do a piece where I could share my faith," she says. "I met with lots of opposition there."

"This is not the time or place to do a Christian song," people said to her at the competition. Her timing, as it turns out, wasn't wrong. She ended up with a silver medal, not an easy task in a contest of the best ballet dancers in the world.

After that, Kathy began to seriously consider what she should do.

"We began praying about a company of dancers who shared the same vision—to use our gift of dance for God's glory—and prayed about it for a while," she says. "In 1986 we felt like it was time for me to leave Ballet Mississippi."

<u><b>Four Dancers and a Minivan</b></u>People thought Kathy was giving up her career. She had nowhere to go, not even a studio. No one thought she would get support and actually make her dream come true.

"We just had a peace in our hearts knowing that this is what God was telling us to do," she says. They still didn't know what would happen.

The couple started out with four dancers, a minivan and a home stereo system. The dancers hand-addressed envelopes to churches asking if they could come perform, and their first trip was to Florida.

In 1989, they started the Ballet Magnificat! School.

Belhaven University's former president, Newton Wilson, reached out to the hopeful entrepreneurs, and offered studio and office space on campus although they did not yet have a dance program. Later, they started a dance minor program at Belhaven, which has now grown into one of the best dance programs in the South. Soon after, Kathy and Keith formed Ballet Magnificat! She is the artistic director, and he is the executive director.

"It was just amazing in the beginning, how God just put it all together," Kathy says.

They started out as nothing more than a prayer. Now, Ballet Magnificat! Has a school with about 12 teachers and 300 students and touring professional companies.

"It's been the Lord all the way," she says. "We're a miracle."

Between the Alpha Company and the Omega Company, Ballet Magnificat! Has sent dancers to every state and 18 different countries. They also send dancers to foreign countries to teach, perform and do outreach with the Ballet Magnificat! GO (Global Operations) program. Two dancers, who are in Honduras for a year, have invitations from China, Macedonia, Costa Rica, Brazil and Chile. Ballet Magnificat! Is planning a workshop called "Ballet Magnificat! Europe" based in Macedonia in August.

"We're hoping to attract dancers from all over Europe and for it to be the first step in setting up a European base," Keith says.

<u><b>The Arrival</b></u>Ballet Magnificat! Added The Omega Company in 2004 to accommodate requests from different parts of the country. It started small, but now it is just as big as the Alpha Company. Its signature dance is "The Hiding Place," the story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust. In the ballet, the Nazis take both the Jews and the family to a concentration camp.

"It's a very famous Christian story that they've done in Europe and Israel in front of Russian holocaust survivors, and we take it all over the U.S.," Keith says.

The Alpha Company is currently performing the ballets "The Arrival," "Ruth" and "Deliverance."

Kathy and Keith's daughter, Tara, born in 1979, is also a dancer and choreographer. "The Arrival" is her first piece for Ballet Magnificat! The dance is about looking forward to Jesus' return and how to live in the meantime.

"The Arrival" includes modern dance elements and pop overtones that the company has not performed before, although the company dances in different styles.

"It's like 'So You Think You Can Dance' meets anointed worship," Keith, the executive director, says about the style of "The Arrival."

"It's definitely not boring," Kathy adds. "The majority of our pieces are classical-based because all of us have that classical ballet background. But we do incorporate different styles, so it's not just ballet. We incorporate jazz and modern—a little bit of everything."

The company will perform "The Arrival" at Crossgates Baptist Church in Brandon in the spring as a fundraiser for the Alpha Company to go to the Philippines, China, India, Cambodia, and Korea to do a series of performances and workshops. The company also had a recent weekend reunion where dancers from all over the country flew back to visit.

"We're local, yet we're national and international in our scope of what we do and where we go, what our purpose is and what our style is," Keith says.

He describes that style as powerful, energetic and athletic. It also is theatrical because ballets are stories.

"The Snow Queen" is the most recent example. More than 150 Ballet Magnificat! Performers including company dancers, trainees and students rehearsed heavily this fall for the new ballet that premiers Dec. 16 in Jackson. The ballet, "The Snow Queen," is based on a Hans Christian Andersen story, and, like all Ballet Magnificat! Performances, it has a Christian theme.

Kathy and Ballet Magnificat's resident choreographer, Jiri Voborsky, worked on the choreography together.

The scenes include gypsies and trolls and lots of snowy winter sets. The ballet tells the story of a girl on a quest to save a boy who has fallen under the control of a queen who personifies lust and pride.

The girl on the quest is the hero of this story, and she prevails against all odds.

<i>Ballet Magnificat! Performs "The Snow Queen" at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1537) Dec. 16 through 18 in celebration of Ballet Magnificat's 25th anniversary. It's an original production, premiering in Jackson. Tickets are $10 to $30. For information, call 601-977-1001 or visit http://www.balletmagnificat.com.

Check out our Arts & Culture Blog for gallery openings, art shows, and musical performances. Also, click on over to the JFP Events page and the JFP Events Calendar. </i>