This small college town has much to offer holiday shoppers and festive event-seekers
The quaint town of Oxford, easily accessible from Interstate 55 in North Mississippi, about an hour from Memphis, Tennessee, is bursting with fourth quarter festivities and shopping to help folks beat the last-minute dash for gifts. Catch holiday dazzles like the Nutcracker, attend one of the numerous book signings including Elizabeth Heiskell, the Debutante Farmer, AND get a head start on your holiday shopping.
October marks the beginning of celebratory fall events, thoughts of holiday shopping and all that goes with the last quarter of the year. With all those things in mind, here are some Oxford gems that you won’t want to miss.
Celebrate the season with special events
Voted “Bookstore of the Year” in 2013 by Publisher’s Weekly, Square Books is a general bookstore located on Oxford’s historic town square with over 10,000 square feet of space and more than 150 author events per year. Richard and Lisa Howorth founded Square Books in 1979 and take pride in pairing books with readers. Grab a cup of joe in the upstairs coffee bar and enjoy relaxing on the balcony overlooking the courthouse.
There are many book signings and author events coming up this fall that will offer opportunities to pick up unique gifts for the reader or collector on your gift-giving list.
- Amy Stewart on Thacker Mountain Radio with “Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit,” Thursday, October 4—6 p.m.
- Hampton Sides with “On Desperate Ground,” Tuesday, October 9—5 p.m.
- Julian Randall with “Refuse,” Wednesday, October 10—5 p.m.
- Jaime Harker with “The Lesbian South,” Monday, October 15—5 p.m.
- Kiese Laymon with “Heavy,” Tuesday, October 16—5 p.m.
- Elizabeth Heiskell with “The Southern Living Party Cookbook,” Tuesday, October 23—5 p.m.
- Erin and Ben Napier with “Make Something Good Today,” Friday, October 26—5 p.m.
- Rachel Cobb with “Mistal: The Legendary Wind of Provence,” Tuesday, October 30—5 p.m.
- Erin and Ben Napier with “Make Something Good Today,” Saturday, November 3—5 p.m. *signing only*
- Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah on Thacker Mountain Radio with “Friday Black,” Thursday, November 8—6 p.m.
- Emiko Jean, Robin LaFevers, Rebecca Schaeffer, & Megan Shepard, Monday, November 12—5 p.m. (Emiko Jean with Empress of All Seasons; Robin LaFever with Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin, Book I; Rebecca Schaeffer with Not Even Bones; Megan Shepherd with Grim Lovelies)
- Bob Drury with “Valley Forge,” Wednesday, November 14—5 p.m.
Harvest Supper at Rowan Oak (William Faulkner’s home) is the University of Mississippi Museum’s annual fundraising event bringing together members of Oxford and Lafayette County and the Ole Miss alumni community who love and support the arts. Proceeds will help support numerous University Museum aspects including acquisitions, guest lectures, exhibitions, educational programming and special events. This year the event will be held on October 18, 2018.
No holiday season would be complete without taking in a performance of Moscow Ballet’s “Great Russian Nutcracker” at the Ford Center for Performing Arts. Make great memories seeing world-class Russian artists, hand-painted sets, Russian snow maidens and nesting dolls in this fabulous performance on Friday, November 30, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
Also, at the Ford Center is the Oxford tradition—Holiday Village. This year a Miniature Christmas Village display will be added to the traditional Gingerbread Village, as well as an international corner celebrating holiday traditions from around the globe. Free and open to the public, Holiday Village supports local food banks, so please bring a non-perishable food item to donate. Open daily from December 1-15, 2018, the Holiday Village has special story times for preschoolers and elementary-aged children along with a fun visit from Santa. Times vary, so check the website.
Save the date for these Yoknapatawpha Arts Council seasonal happenings:
- Theatre Oxford presents new original plays from the winners of the National 10-Minute Play Festival running Thursday, November 15-Sunday, November 18, 2018.
- The Annual Holiday Art Market will return with creative gifts from local artists and craftsmen from Friday, November 30-Sunday, December 2, 2018. The holiday art market is free and open to the public featuring family activities.
- Thacker Mountain Radio invites the public to join them for their year-end celebration on Friday, December 7, 2018 at Southside Gallery.
- The Annual Holiday Ornament Auction will feature one-of-a-kind creations from 100 local artists with a holiday food tasting by local restaurants on Friday, December 14, 2018 at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.
Wrap up the season with unique Oxford shopping
The South’s oldest store—Neilson’s—is on the historic courthouse square in Oxford and features the latest trends in fashion for the whole family since 1839. A shopping delight, visitors come from all over to do some holiday shopping at Neilson’s.
Other popular stores in Oxford that offer fantastic opportunities to purchase unusual gifts for folks on your holiday shopping list include Olive Juice Gifts, Oxford Floral, Village Tailor and Katherine Beck Gifts.