vacationing in Oxford last week of July? (Meridian, Tupelo: homes, theatre)

[bemer]

Help me make the most of my vacation (staying just outside Oxford) the last week of July. (The Faulkner conference will take place the previous week - dang.) I am familiar with the town generally, but plan to be showing it (and north MS generally) off to a friend those last few days. Thacker Mountain Radio does not have a schedule posted for then, nor does Square Books, nor the Ford Center. I know it is a ridiculous time of year to travel there, but that's not negotiable. Any ideas?

[brickpatio]

You are right that this is probably literally the slowest week of the entire year, as well as the hottest. You mentioned some of the nice options there other than restaurants, but as you say the events such as musical performances, plays, speakers, and sporting events, are likely to kick off a couple of weeks later as the students begin to return.

If you are interested in outdoor activities there is golf, tennis, and biking. There is also boating, including picturesque Pickwick Lake in northeast Mississippi, since you said you would be seeing other parts of that part of the state.

For musical performances and plays etc, you could also check in DeSoto County (outside Memphis) and in Tupelo, both of which are an hour away, as well as in Starkville, although Starkville similarly to Oxford will see their students returning a couple of weeks later also. If you're going to DeSoto County for any reason, you might as well continue into Memphis which is only an hour or so from Oxford.

For architecture, if you enjoy driving through small towns and looking at historic homes, besides Oxford itself which has lovely architecture, the city of Columbus has an entire district of beautifully restored Greek Revival antebellum homes. Holly Springs also has some a sizable stock of antebellum homes although the town overall is quite depressed. And Corinth's residential historic district has a lovely collection of Greek Revival, Federal, Colonial, Queen Anne, and other traditional homes.

Tunica has casinos if that's your thing. And further afield, in the Delta there are several blues museums.
Personally I think I would stay in Oxford and just enjoy the ambiance of the town and Ole Miss campus, and take advantage of the restaurants and pubs and hit a few of the tourist attractions such as Faulkner's home, Square Books and some of the musical venues, and perhaps something outdoors like tennis, golf, running, biking or walking preferably as the sun is going down....and maybe do a little shopping around town etc...and overall just take it easy.

[brickpatio]

One more thing...I did notice that the week of July 24 in Starkville at the Playhouse on Main, a Broadway-type show is playing. And the evening of July 26 in Meridian, (over 3 hours from Oxford) at the Riley Center theatre, Tony Bennett is playing. Otherwise, you might look in Memphis for things of that nature.

[GrandviewGloria]

And the churches put on real nice programs in their fellowship halls: The Sins Of The Mother 2/2 - YouTube