With Christmas just weeks away, holiday events are going on throughout Mississippi. Featuring everything from twinkling lights and festive décor to appearances by Santa himself, a visit to any one of the state’s winter fests is sure to have you feeling the spirit of the season! Listed below are 10 of our favorites; read on to see how many you’ve been to.
- Christmas in the Orchard (510 Wingate Rd., Beaumont)
Fulmer’s General Store/Facebook This December, head to Fulmer’s Farmstead and you can experience a Christmas like no other, as the farm hosts its annual Christmas in the Orchard. Enjoy great food, carriage rides, hayrides, carolers, tours of historic cabins, live music, and much more. For more information, click here.
- Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival (2250 Jones Park Dr., Gulfport)
JASawyer Imaging/Facebook Held nightly from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Jones Park, this festival is currently underway and runs until January 1st. The family-friendly event offers all sorts of holiday fun, including a spectacular, multi-million dollar light show, which you can either walk through or view from aboard a heated trolley, photo-ops with Santa, rides, concessions, and live entertainment. For more information, click here.
- Zoo Lights and Holiday Market (107 S 17th Ave., Hattiesburg)
Hattiesburg Zoo/Facebook On select nights in December, the zoo transforms into a holiday wonderland, complete with plenty of sparkling lights, a vendor market, train and carousel rides, hot cocoa, mulled wine, appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and more. Tickets go on sale in early December. For more information, click here.
- Snow Flakes in the Bay (Downtown Bay St. Louis)
Brett’s Photo Page/Facebook This “holiday extravaganza” is going on now and continues until December 31st. Held in downtown Bay St. Louis, the much-anticipated event is free to attend and includes plenty of holiday decorations and nightly festivities for the entire family. For more information, click here.
- Santa’s Christmas Factory (1808 4th St., Meridian)
Meridian, Mississippi/Facebook From December 15th - 19th, Meridian’s Industrial Heritage Museum transforms into Santa’s Christmas Factory, complete with holiday decorations, lights, a train ride for kids, and snow-covered play area. For more information, click here.
- Christmas Festival (Canton’s Courthouse Square)
cantontourism.com Canton’s Victorian Festival is held from November 24th through December 23rd, and during that time, the historic Courthouse Square is set aglow by a blanket of over 200,000 lights. The holiday festival also includes parades, rides, and this year’s newest attraction – an interactive Christmas Village. Kids will surely make lasting memories at the exhibit, where they’ll get to take part in magical activities as well as meet Santa, his elves, and Frosty! For more information, click here.
- Landrum’s Christmas Candlelight Tour (1356 Highway 15 South, Laurel)
Landrum’s Homestead and Village/Facebook For over 30 years, Landrum’s Homestead and Village has been putting on its Christmas Candlelight Tour and with each passing year, it gets better and better! Scheduled for December 9th and 16th, the festive fun includes twinkling lights, wagon rides, great food, and more. For more information, click here.
- Victorian Candlelit Christmas (Downtown Hattiesburg and Walthall Park)
Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood/Facebook Hattiesburg’s Victorian Candlelit Christmas is the perfect way to kick off a magical holiday season! During the annual event, which is scheduled for December 9th and 10th, the city’s downtown is set aglow with thousands of luminaries. Between the horse drawn carriage rides, historic home tours, carolers, and other festivities, you’ll experience a picture perfect Christmas from years long gone. For more information, click here.
- Lazy Acres in Lights (596 Lazy Acres Rd., Chunky)
Lazy Acres Plantation, LLC/Facebook Head to the Lazy Acres Farm during the holiday season and you can take a magical hayride through a variety of festive scenes, thousands of twinkling lights, and the largest nativity scene in the state. There are also plenty of indoor activities, including pictures with Santa. The holiday fun began on Thanksgiving Day and lasts until Christmas. For more information, click here.
- Night of Lights (Oxford and Lafayette County)
Matt Taylor/Crooked Letter Photography Already one of the country’s “best Christmas towns” according to Southern Living, Oxford is adding a new event to its holiday lineup, The Night of Lights. A self-guided tour, participants are provided with a map and led to homes across Oxford and Lafayette County that are adorned with “magical lights and festive decorations.” For more information, click here.
So, was your favorite Christmas event included? What would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments section!
Fulmer’s General Store/Facebook
This December, head to Fulmer’s Farmstead and you can experience a Christmas like no other, as the farm hosts its annual Christmas in the Orchard. Enjoy great food, carriage rides, hayrides, carolers, tours of historic cabins, live music, and much more. For more information, click here.
JASawyer Imaging/Facebook
Held nightly from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Jones Park, this festival is currently underway and runs until January 1st. The family-friendly event offers all sorts of holiday fun, including a spectacular, multi-million dollar light show, which you can either walk through or view from aboard a heated trolley, photo-ops with Santa, rides, concessions, and live entertainment. For more information, click here.
Hattiesburg Zoo/Facebook
On select nights in December, the zoo transforms into a holiday wonderland, complete with plenty of sparkling lights, a vendor market, train and carousel rides, hot cocoa, mulled wine, appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and more. Tickets go on sale in early December. For more information, click here.
Brett’s Photo Page/Facebook
This “holiday extravaganza” is going on now and continues until December 31st. Held in downtown Bay St. Louis, the much-anticipated event is free to attend and includes plenty of holiday decorations and nightly festivities for the entire family. For more information, click here.
Meridian, Mississippi/Facebook
From December 15th - 19th, Meridian’s Industrial Heritage Museum transforms into Santa’s Christmas Factory, complete with holiday decorations, lights, a train ride for kids, and snow-covered play area. For more information, click here.
cantontourism.com
Canton’s Victorian Festival is held from November 24th through December 23rd, and during that time, the historic Courthouse Square is set aglow by a blanket of over 200,000 lights. The holiday festival also includes parades, rides, and this year’s newest attraction – an interactive Christmas Village. Kids will surely make lasting memories at the exhibit, where they’ll get to take part in magical activities as well as meet Santa, his elves, and Frosty! For more information, click here.
Landrum’s Homestead and Village/Facebook
For over 30 years, Landrum’s Homestead and Village has been putting on its Christmas Candlelight Tour and with each passing year, it gets better and better! Scheduled for December 9th and 16th, the festive fun includes twinkling lights, wagon rides, great food, and more. For more information, click here.
Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood/Facebook
Hattiesburg’s Victorian Candlelit Christmas is the perfect way to kick off a magical holiday season! During the annual event, which is scheduled for December 9th and 10th, the city’s downtown is set aglow with thousands of luminaries. Between the horse drawn carriage rides, historic home tours, carolers, and other festivities, you’ll experience a picture perfect Christmas from years long gone. For more information, click here.
Lazy Acres Plantation, LLC/Facebook
Head to the Lazy Acres Farm during the holiday season and you can take a magical hayride through a variety of festive scenes, thousands of twinkling lights, and the largest nativity scene in the state. There are also plenty of indoor activities, including pictures with Santa. The holiday fun began on Thanksgiving Day and lasts until Christmas. For more information, click here.
Matt Taylor/Crooked Letter Photography
Already one of the country’s “best Christmas towns” according to Southern Living, Oxford is adding a new event to its holiday lineup, The Night of Lights. A self-guided tour, participants are provided with a map and led to homes across Oxford and Lafayette County that are adorned with “magical lights and festive decorations.” For more information, click here.
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out “7 Weird And Wacky Holiday Traditions You’ll Only Get If You’re From Mississippi.“
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