Craft Shows & Fairs in Mississippi
Mississippi has a craft show tradition rooted in its agricultural heritage, folk art culture, and the deep community ties that define small-town life across the state. The Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia is billed as "Mississippi's Giant HouseParty", and the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, established in 1973, runs the Bill Waller Craft Center just off the Natchez Trace Parkway in Ridgeland. From the Gulf Coast art colony of Ocean Springs to the historic antebellum markets of Natchez, craft fairs in Mississippi draw on a tradition that connects folk pottery, quilting, basket weaving, and fine art across every region of the state.
What to Expect at Mississippi Craft Shows
Craft events in Mississippi range from nationally juried fine art festivals to church bazaars in rural courthouses, from weekly artisan pop-ups on Oxford's Square to the 11-day Mississippi State Fair in Jackson. The Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival fills downtown Ocean Springs each November (November 7–8 in 2026). The Double Decker Arts Festival fills Oxford's historic Square on the last weekend of April with handmade art vendors, live music, and a crowd of 65,000+. At the other end of the scale, community bazaars in towns across the Delta and the Piney Woods serve as seasonal gathering points where handmade quilts, baked goods, and woodwork move from kitchen tables to folding tables.
The Fondren neighborhood in Jackson operates as the state capital's urban craft hub, with neighborhood markets and pop-ups bringing local and regional makers to a walkable arts district. Holiday markets fill November and December calendars in metro Jackson. In nearby Ridgeland, the Bill Waller Craft Center — headquarters of the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi — has a retail gallery of members' work just off the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Quilting holds a deep place in Mississippi's craft identity, with heritage traditions running through the African American quilting communities of the Delta and the broader Southern textile arts practiced at county fairs statewide. Choctaw beadwork and pine needle basketry represent Indigenous craft heritage maintained by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Neshoba County. Shearwater Pottery in Ocean Springs, founded in 1928 by Peter Anderson with the support of his parents, still produces art pottery.
Country Fairs & County Fairs in Mississippi
The Mississippi State Fair runs each October at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds at 1207 Mississippi Street in Jackson. The 2026 fair runs 11 days (October 8–18) with livestock shows, entertainment, rides, and vendors.
The Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia is a long-standing tradition (the 2027 fair is June 18–25). What sets it apart is the "houseparty" tradition — families maintain cabins on the fairgrounds and gather for a week of socializing, political speeches, livestock shows, and handmade craft sales. It is a cultural institution with no real equivalent in other states.
With 82 counties, Mississippi's county fair system touches nearly every community. A few worth knowing:
- Harrison County Fair — Harrison County (Gulf Coast); check the fair for current dates and programming
- Lee County Fair — Tupelo; check the fair for current dates and programming
- Lafayette County Fair — Oxford area; check the fair for current dates and programming
- Adams County Fair — Natchez area; check the fair for current dates and programming
Popular Cities for Craft Events in Mississippi
Jackson
Jackson's craft scene centers on the Fondren neighborhood, where galleries, studios, and boutiques support a recurring artisan market and seasonal pop-ups. The Mississippi State Fair runs in October (October 8–18 in 2026). Holiday craft bazaars fill suburban venues in Madison, Brandon, and Flowood through November and December. The Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi's Bill Waller Craft Center in Ridgeland, 10 miles north, is a year-round destination for Mississippi-made crafts.
Biloxi
Biloxi anchors Mississippi's Gulf Coast craft corridor. The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce's Biloxi Seafood Festival, a September tradition, has included arts and crafts vendors; it moved from Point Cadet Plaza back to the Town Green in 2017. Ocean Springs, 10 miles east, hosts the Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival in early November (November 7–8 in 2026), which bills itself as the largest arts festival in Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.
Oxford
Oxford's craft calendar peaks on the last weekend of April with the Double Decker Arts Festival on The Square — handmade art vendors, live music, and a crowd of 65,000+ in the heart of this college town. The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and South Lamar district galleries support a strong maker community driven by Ole Miss students, faculty, and the town's literary-arts culture.
Natchez
Natchez is a heritage craft destination where artisan markets overlap with the city's famous Pilgrimage events. The Spring Pilgrimage (March-April) and Fall Pilgrimage (late September into early October in 2026) bring visitors for historic home tours, with downtown shops and galleries nearby. Historic Downtown galleries and shops carry handmade goods through the year.
Tupelo
Tupelo's craft events draw on North Mississippi's growing artisan scene and the city's position along the Natchez Trace Parkway tourism corridor. The GumTree Museum of Art on West Main Street anchors the city's visual arts scene, and holiday craft fairs appear in November and December.
Seasonal Guide to Mississippi Craft Shows
Spring (March–May) opens with the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage in March and April, which centers on historic home tours (March 11–April 10 in 2027). The Double Decker Arts Festival brings handmade art vendors to Oxford's Square on the last weekend of April. Spring artisan markets appear in Fondren (Jackson) and on the Gulf Coast as outdoor event season begins. Summer (June–August) is the slowest period for craft fairs in Mississippi. Heat and humidity push events indoors or off the calendar entirely. Some indoor markets continue in Jackson and Tupelo. The Gulf Coast casino resort calendar keeps visitor traffic steady, though outdoor craft fairs are limited. Fall (September–November) is the peak season:- Biloxi Seafood Festival (September)
- Mississippi State Fair, Jackson (11 days, October 8–18 in 2026)
- Neshoba County Fair, Philadelphia (summer; June 18–25 in 2027)
- Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival, Ocean Springs (early November; November 7–8 in 2026)
- Natchez Fall Pilgrimage (September 17–October 3 in 2026)
- Chimneyville Arts Festival, Ridgeland (November)
- Fondren and suburban Jackson holiday bazaars
- Oxford's Square holiday shopping and artisan pop-ups
- Chimneyville Arts Festival at the Bill Waller Craft Center, Ridgeland (November 12–14 in 2026)
- Tupelo holiday craft shows
- Gulf Coast casino resort holiday vendor events
Types of Events You'll Find
- Large arts and crafts festivals — Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival (Ocean Springs), Double Decker Arts Festival (Oxford)
- State and county fairs — Mississippi State Fair (Jackson), Neshoba County Fair (Philadelphia), local county fairs
- Juried artisan galleries and markets — Bill Waller Craft Center (Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, Ridgeland)
- Heritage and Pilgrimage craft events — Natchez Spring and Fall Pilgrimage
- Urban artisan markets — Fondren (Jackson), The Square (Oxford)
- Holiday bazaars and seasonal markets — Jackson metro holiday craft fairs, the Chimneyville Arts Festival (Ridgeland), Gulf Coast holiday markets
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to find craft shows in Mississippi?
Fall is the peak season. September through November brings the Natchez Fall Pilgrimage, the Mississippi State Fair in Jackson, the Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival in Ocean Springs, and the Chimneyville Arts Festival in Ridgeland. November and December add holiday markets statewide. Spring is the second-best window, anchored by the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage and the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford.
Are there country fairs with handmade vendors in Mississippi?
Yes. The Mississippi State Fair in Jackson brings vendors to the fairgrounds across its 11-day October run (October 8–18 in 2026). The Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia has its own Arts and Crafts Market alongside its agricultural and community traditions. Local county fairs around the state add agricultural and community programming; check each fair for current dates.
How do I find craft shows near me in Mississippi?
CraftShow Events lets you search by city, county, or statewide across Mississippi to find upcoming craft shows, artisan markets, and county fairs with dates and venue details. Whether you are in Jackson, the Gulf Coast, North Mississippi, or the Natchez area, search filters by location and date help you find events nearby.
What types of crafts are popular at Mississippi fairs?
Quilting is one of Mississippi's strongest craft traditions, appearing at county fairs and heritage events statewide. Pottery has deep roots — Shearwater Pottery in Ocean Springs has been operating since 1928. Pine needle and sweet grass basket weaving, Choctaw beadwork, folk art painting, jewelry, and woodworking are common across shows. The Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, founded in 1973, supports member artisans working in pottery, textiles, jewelry, wood, and other crafts.
Are there craft shows that focus only on handmade goods in Mississippi?
The Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi's gallery at the Bill Waller Craft Center in Ridgeland sells members' handmade work, and every exhibitor at its Chimneyville Arts Festival (November 12–14 in 2026) is juried. The Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford requires art vendors' products to be handmade.
Discover Events in Mississippi
CraftShow Events covers craft shows, artisan markets, and county fairs across Mississippi. Use the statewide search to browse the full calendar — from the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson to The Square in Oxford to the Gulf Coast — and filter by city, date, and event type to find what is coming up near you.