Festival Home - FestivalSouth

Hancock Whitney Presents

In partnership with Visit Hattiesburg and Visit Mississippi

Disney's Newsies

Featuring the Hub City Players

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Disney’s Newsies celebrates America’s spirit with a high-energy, family-friendly musical to kick off FestivalSouth 2026 in star-spangled style! The Hub City Players return with another Broadway smash hit packed with non-stop dance, heart-pounding music, and an unforgettable story based on the Disney film.

Pine Belt Motors Presents

with support from Hattiesburg Clinic

Stars & Steps Forever!

Featuring the international ballet stars and premier dancers from the region

In honor of America’s 250th birthday, get ready for a high-energy celebration that is ballet turned up! Expect pristine pointe work colliding with hip hop grooves, Latin heat that ignites the stage, razor-sharp tap rhythms that hit like percussion solos, and modern choreography that speaks straight to the soul. From grand jetés to street-style swagger, from folkloric roots to boundary-pushing innovation, this program celebrates the full spectrum of American dance culture.

Forrest General Presents

with support from Cadence Bank and the City of Hattiesburg

The Great American Playlist

Featuring the FestivalSouth Orchestra with Jay Dean, conductor and Robert St. John emcee

This electrifying night of music brings together a large powerhouse cast of professional performers, including internationally-known Mississippi artist Vasti Jackson and the FestivalSouth Orchestra. Premiering bold new symphonic arrangements, this concert reimagines America’s most iconic popular music with unforgettable energy, passion, and style. From blues and Motown to R&B, soul, rock, pop, and country, the sounds that built our nation’s soundtrack are reborn for full orchestra, singers, and more.

FestivalSouth 2026 Art Auction

Every year, FestivalSouth celebrates its upcoming season by inviting an artist to create an original work that represents the month-long event through their creativity and vision. This artist, along with their featured commemorative artwork, is given the opportunity to showcase their art with an exclusive exhibition that is showcased for the length of the festival. This year, our featured FestivalARTIST, Ricardo Moody, created a piece titled “Celebration”.

The auction continues now through 7:00 pm CST on June 21, 2025. The winner will be announced that same evening at our FestivalFinale at the Saenger Theatre at 7:30 pm. You need not be present to win.

Upcoming Events

Artie’s Celebration of American Authors, Artists, and Musicians

Enjoy interactive arts experiences through hands-on art, dance, music, and much more!

Presented with support from Forrest County, Lamar County, Landry, Kitchens, and Germany Architects, Coca-Cola, and Mississippi Tank

Haydn in Hattiesburg Chamber Music

Students of “Haydn in Hattiesburg,” a week-long festival of pedagogy, performance, and community, present chamber music offerings in this beautiful downtown venue.

Presented by Forrest County with support from the City of Hattiesburg, Southern Miss College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Miss School of Music, Payne Companies, and VERB Architecture

We All Might Could Use to Hear a Story

Enjoy the opening reception of this year’s FestivalSouth featured artist, Ellen Langford. A painter inspired by landscapes, chance meetings, and the South’s mighty cross-currents.

Presented with support from Forrest County and the Montague Fund for the Arts

Haydn in Hattiesburg in Concert

This concert embodies the joy, precision, and expressive power that define orchestral music and its enduring place in our shared cultural heritage.

Presented by Forrest County with support from the City of Hattiesburg, Southern Miss College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Miss School of Music, Payne Companies, and VERB Architecture

I Hear America Singing

The Meistersingers of Mississippi invite you to enjoy an uplifting celebration of patriotic song, Americana, and the rich legacy of American composers.

Presented by Forrest County with support from the City of Hattiesburg, Southern Miss College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Miss School of Music, Payne Companies, and VERB Architecture

Anansi Stories

This performance features the many tales of the trickster Anansi the spider. These stories feature life lessons, many that point out the consequences of bad behavior.