Pine Belt Motors Presents
with support from Hattiesburg Clinic
Stars & Steps Forever!
Featuring 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.
- June 13
- Mannoni Performing Arts Center
- $10 - $25
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.
- June 27
- Historic Hattiesburg Saenger Theater
- $20 - $40
FestivalSouth 2026 Art Auction
Each year, FestivalSouth invites an artist to share their work and select a piece to become the commemorative artwork for the season. This year FestivalSouth has chosen Ellen Langford!
Ellen is a painter whose body of work is inspired by landscapes, chance meetings, and the South’s mighty cross-currents. She notices and captures the relationships between the land and its inhabitants – a child with his dog, a clothesline in the breeze, a figure with the landscape. To celebrate the 2026 season, Ellen created a beautiful painting entitled “To Hear a Story”.
A 32 x 40-inch horizontal canvas is now being auctioned with all proceeds supporting the arts and artists of FestivalSouth. The auction continues through June 27, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. CST. The winner will be announced at the FestivalFinale in the Saenger Theatre at 7 p.m. The winner need not be present to win.
Upcoming Events
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.
- June 9
- Lillie Burney Learning Center
- Free to participants in Hattiesburg Parks & Rec Summer Camp
Presented with support from Forrest County, Lamar County, Landry, Kitchens, and Germany Architects, Coca-Cola, and Mississippi Tank Company
Lines and Light | Poetry Workshop for Ages 8 – 12
This creative arts workshop will help kids ages 8-12 find inspiration in art and poetry. Surrounded by the paintings of Ellen Langford, we’ll discover how art tells stories and how lines, shapes, colors, and textures can inspire us to create our own stories and poems.
- June 9
- USM Gallery of Art & Design
- Free - Registration Required
Featuring Catherine Parker Edmonson and Jennifer Peterson
Artie’s Adventures in Writing
Join us for a fun-filled creative adventure! In this workshop, published authors will guide young writers through the exciting process of building their very own story.
- June 10
- Lillie Burney Learning Center
- Free to participants in Hattiesburg Parks & Rec Summer Camp
Presented with support from Forrest County, Lamar County, Landry, Kitchens, and Germany Architects, Coca-Cola, and Mississippi Tank Company
Archetypal Healing Art Doll Workshop
This is a creative workshop by Emma Connolly that will teach you how to make Healing Art Dolls using materials found in nature. In this 4-hour workshop, you will meditate on the healing intention that you have developed before.
- June 10
- Main Street Gallery
- $65
Presented with support from Forrest County and the Montague Fund for the Arts
Dancing with Artie
Join us for a fun-filled morning of dance where kids will get the chance to learn exciting dance moves and a choreographed routine from talented local dance teacher, Loren Burke-Johnsen!
- June 11
- Lillie Burney Learning Center
- Free to participants in Hattiesburg Parks & Rec Summer Camp
Presented with support from Forrest County, Lamar County, Landry, Kitchens, and Germany Architects, Coca-Cola, and Mississippi Tank Company
First 3, No Flash
With publication credits in Rolling Stone, Billboard, People Magazine, Forbes and many more, Jenn Devereaux is a concert and event photographer who turns live music into images that let you relive the show long after it’s over.
- June 11
- Mannoni Performing Arts Center
- Free Event
Presented with support from Forrest County and the Montague Fund for the Arts
Event Categories
Best of the Pine Belt Nominations Open!
Nominate the best individuals and businesses in the Pine Belt! Nominations are open through May 24.
Register for Dog Days 5k
Run or walk in the Dog Days 5 Mile, 5K, or 2 Mile event on Saturday, June 13,. This event supports the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
