I read the Mac Gordon column, “Mississippi can brag about this,” in the Enterprise-Journal on Wednesday, June 22. The article was most informative in highlighting a portion of Mississippi’s achievement in the arts. I certainly applaud the intent of the article.
However, as I read deeper, I soon began to see omissions in the article. There was a failure to mention musical artists such as Conway Twitty from Friars Point, Johnny Russell from Moorhead, Jimmy Buffett from Pascagoula and Marty Stuart from Philadelphia, Mississippi.
There were no examples given in film such as Gerald McRaney from Collins or James Earl Jones from Arkabutla. The article even failed to mention playwright Tennessee Williams from Columbus or puppeteer Jim Henson, born in Greenville.
Mr. Gordon next takes a foray into music, arts and crafts festivals. Smokin’ on the Tracks gets the first well-deserved mention. Carlfest in Ocean Springs (honoring a rooster) and the Daylily Show in Hattiesburg then get a mention. I have never heard of these two festivals but imagine them to be of limited to interest to fans of the Rooster or daylily enthusiasts.
What was missing from this article was any reference to the Homochitto River Festival in downtown Meadville. Unlike the rooster festival or the daylily show, the Homochitto River Festival has a wide variety of events.
The Homochitto River Race offers a run and mountain bike race along the sandy banks of the Homochitto River, followed by a kayak race down the Homochitto River.
The Meadville Library has hosted an art show, a musical petting zoo, visual story boards and local authors. The children’s pet parade always draws a crowd. The pageant beauties are recognized during the day.
There has been a barbecue cookoff each year which includes prizes and trophies as well as a tasting session for festival visitors. There is a street dedicated to food vendors. Nearly 200 vendors dotted the streets of Meadville in 2021. Chess exhibitions are generally found at the Chess Center in downtown Meadville.
However, the Homochitto River Festival is at its heart a festival of music. Three stages of music begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 7:00 p.m. In 2021 alone there were six headliners: Moe Bandy, T. G. Sheppard, Janie Fricke, T. Graham Brown, Ronnie McDowell and the Kentucky Headhunters. The 2021 festival drew over 10,000 people to Meadville in Franklin County, Mississippi.
The 2022 festival is hosting Mississippi native Paul Overstreet from Van Cleave on Friday night, Oct. 21. The next day the festival welcomes Little Texas and Shenandoah.
The Homochitto River Festival is also hosting a rock event on Saturday afternoon with Dr. Zar’s Amazing Funkmonsters, Sullivan’s Hollow and the Spunk Monkeys. In addition to three stages of music, many of the attractions mentioned above will return along with some new events.
As Mayor of Meadville, please let this letter serve as my personal invitation to Mac Gordon to come to town that weekend for the Homochitto River Festival.
— Lane B. Reed, Meadville
