Fall Concerts Planned at Lafayette County Arena

The Lafayette County Multi-Purpose Arena lives up to its name, offering a place for a variety of events that go beyond agriculture programming.

This fall, event coordinators will focus on the Multi-Purpose features offering concerts, markets and special events.

This new effort kicks off on Sept. 23 with a concert by the Dukes of Country. Dukes of Country is a show band that asks if you remember when country was fun — the icons, the legends, the dancing, the excitement.

Come “experience” the 70’s and 80’s of country music. Not only does the group transform into characters from that time and deliver an awesome throwback full band show, there will also choreographed dancing fun. Plus, they also use CB radios to talk to the crowd and each other. The experience is complete with a light show taking each fan back to the 70’s and 80’s of Country — Dolly, Conway, Willie, Waylon, Reba and Hank Jr. George.

In October, the arena will provide a new home for the Oxford Blues Festival. The long-running festival has provided a showcase of emerging blues artists and music legends. The arena floor will be transformed creating a space for food trucks, artist market, and tables and seating on the indoor blues lawn.

The festival will feature workshops, classes and talks kicking off on Thursday, Oct. 12 at Thacker Mountain Radio which has booked blues musicians. The Oxford Blues Festival is Oct. 13-14 the Daryl Parker organizer of the Oxford Blues Festival hopes that by providing the next generation of Mississippi musicians with the essential tools they need for a proper music education one day they will be the headliners of the Oxford Blues Festival.

The three-day festival starts with a free panel entitled Juke Joints Unplugged: Tales and Tunes from Mississippi’s Soulful Hideaways! Featuring panelists Red Paden & Roger Stolle, followed by a panel on Soulful Sounds: Blues Music and the ongoing Pursuit for Justice with Brenda Luckett.

Friday will feature the Emerging Blues Artist Showcase opening the stage to rising artists and inviting the audience to discover a new artist. Saturday features a full lineup of music including Mud Alexander, Randy Ferguson, Little Willie Farmer, Mick Kolassa, Cadillac Funk, Wendy Jean Garrison & Andrea Staten, Anthony “Big A” Sherod and Mizz Lowe.

Tickets for these two events are on sale now, with the Blues Festival offering an early bird special, to
encourage community members to plan to attend. Tickets can be purchased at oxfordarts.com or in
person at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.

Courtesy of YAC