Sunday, Oct. 13
Sunday at the Bluff — Dr. Michael Galaty of Mississippi State talks on “High Altitude Archaeology: Results of the Shala Valley Project, Northern Albania” at 2 p.m. at the Plymouth Bluff Center, 2200 Old West Point Road, Columbus. Free and open to the public. October is Archaeology Month. For more information, contact Plymouth Bluff, 662-241-6214.
Thursday, Oct. 17
Signature Chefs Auction — This March of Dimes fundraiser at the Hunter Henry Center on Mississippi State’s campus is 6:30-9:30 p.m. Chefs showcase culinary masterpieces as guests enjoy entertainment and silent and live auctions. Tickets are $75. For information or tickets, contact Wendy Parker, 662-523-9333, or go to marchofdimes.com/Mississippi.
Omnova Series concert — Seattle-based indie folk duo Ian McFeron and Alisa Milner perform in the Columbus Arts Council’s intimate Omnova Theater at the Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501 Main St. Local alt-folk blues pair Honey Boy and Boots are also featured. Tickets to the 7 p.m. show are $10 in advance at the Arts Center; $12 at the door. For tickets, contact the CAC, 662-328-2787.
Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 17-19
“Bloody Murder” — Theatre MSU presents Ed Sala’s award-winning murder mystery featuring Agatha Christie at 7:30 p.m. on the McComas Hall Main Stage. Tickets to this fun night of “whodunit” are $10. Buy them at comm.msstate.edu/theatre/tickets or at the door. For more information, contact Theatre MSU, 662-325-3203.
Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 17-20
Barrel racing — The Mississippi Horse Park, 716 Poorhouse Road, Starkville, hosts the Horse Poor Better Barrel Races (BBR) Eastern Region Tour Finale. For more information, visit horsepoorBBR.com or contact the Horse Park, 662-325-9350.
Friday, Oct. 18
Bridge grand opening — Celebrate the dedication of the newly-restored Old Tombigbee River Bridge at the Columbus Riverwalk with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting and “BBQ & Blues” at 11 a.m. Stroll the historic bridge as award-winning blues artists Grady Champion and Homemade Jamz entertain. Food from Hank’s BBQ and Pepper’s, along with bridge prints, T-shirts and work by area artists will be available for purchase. For more information, contact the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-920-3533.
At the piano — Mississippi University for Women presents a solo piano recital by Dr. Valentin Bogdan at 7:30 p.m. in Poindexter Hall on the MUW campus. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Music, 662-241-6399.
Oktoberfest — Mississippi University for Women kicks off fall festivities with its annual Oktoberfest on Shattuck Lawn at 4 p.m. Food, music, a costume contest, laser tag, pumpkin painting and face painting are among fundraising activites for campus organizations. Free and open to the public (activity tickets are 25 cents). For more information, contact the Student Programming Board, 662-329-7249.
Mystery dinner show — The Jackson-based Detective Mystery Dinner Show coming to Zorba’s in Starkville weaves comedy and interactive whodunit into an entertaining mix at 7 p.m. Solve the mystery and win prizes. Tickets are $50; reservations are required. Call or text 601-937-1752 or go to thedetectives.biz.
Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19
Caledonia Days — After kicking off the weekend Friday with a ribbon cutting and “BBQ and Blues” at the newly-restored Old Tombigbee River Bridge at the Columbus Riverwalk (more details below), be at Ola J. Pickett Park in Caledonia at 7 p.m. to celebrate Caledonia Days with music by the Win Wheel Band, American Idol finalist Skylar Laine and a fireworks show. Activities in downtown Caledonia Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. include a 5K, music, classic car and tractor show, dice run, pet parade, lawn mower race and more. For more information, call the Town Hall, 662-356-4117.
Saturday, Oct. 19
Book signing — Author and television producer Barbara Sillery of Louisiana will sign copies of her book, “The Haunting of Mississippi,” at the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center and Bookstore, 300 Main St., from 10 a.m.-noon. For more information, contact the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation, 800-920-3533.
Monday, Oct. 21
Hazard Lecture Series — The Hazard Lecture Series presents historian Marc Harris at the Heritage Academy Elementary School auditorium at 7 p.m. in the first of three presentations marking “The Voyage from the Past: The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War.” The program at 623 Magnolia Lane, Columbus, is free to the public. Programs will also be presented Oct. 28 and Nov. 4. For more information, contact Beth Lucas at Heritage Academy, 662-327-1556.
Library celebration — The Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library hosts a reception from 4-6 p.m. at the library at 314 Seventh St. N. to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Chebie G. Bateman building. The community is invited. For more information, contact Jo Shumake, 662-497-2948, or Keith Gaskin, 662-617-0942.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
“Conquistadors” — As part of their “Coming to America” season theme, the Columbus Arts Council shows this PBS documentary at 5:30 p.m. at the Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501 Main St. Free and open to the public. For information, contact the CAC, 662-328-2787.
Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 24-26
Welty Symposium — Mississippi University for Women’s Welty Writers’ Symposium features keynote speaker Ellen Gilchrist and writers Steven Barthelme, Mitchell L.H. Douglas, Holly Goddard Jones, Cary Holladay, L. Lamar Wilson, Elizabeth Hughey, Steven Yates, Stephanie Powell Watts, Adam Vines, Stephen Fuller and Michael Farris Smith. For more information, visit muw.edu/welty or contact director Kendall Dunkelberg, 662-329-7386.
Friday, Oct. 25
Welty Gala — New York Times Best Selling author Po Bronson (“Why Do I Love These People?” “What Should I Do With My Life?”) is the featured speaker for the Welty Gala at Mississippi University for Women. Tickets are sold at different levels and offer opportunities for a private reception with the author along with premium seating during dinner. For more information, contact the MUW Office of Alumni and Development, 662-329-7148.
Old Memphis Kings CD release party — The Old Memphis Kings hold a CD release party for their album “Haven’t Your Heard? Vol. 1” at 7 p.m. at the Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501 Main St., Columbus. $5 at the door. Cash beverage bar. For more information, contact the Columbus Arts Council, 662-328-2787.
Pumpkinpalooza — A Bulldog pep rally, trick-or-treating with downtown merchants, inflatables, pumpkin-painting station and restaurant specials for kids in costumes highlight Pumpkinpalooza in downtown Starkville from 6-8 p.m. For more about New South weekends, go to visit.starkville.org/south3.
Sunday, Oct. 27
Harpsichord concert — The Columbus Arts Council presents Dr. Jackie Edwards Henry at the harpsichord in “Parlez Vous Franglais,” a program featuring French and American music in honor of France’s gift of the Statue of Liberty, dedicated Oct. 28, 1886. Dr. Ryan Ross makes a visual presentation. Tickets are $10 in advance; $12 at the door. For more information, contact the CAC, 662-328-2787.
Monday, Oct 28
A visit from Gen. Grant — The Hazard Lecture Series presents E.C. Fields as Gen. U.S. Grant at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Academy Elementary School auditorium, Columbus. The program, “Lee, Grant and Lee: End of the War and Into the Future,” is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Beth Lucas at Heritage Academy, 662-327-1556.
Book signing — Adele Elliott will sign copies of her book “Friendship Cemetery” at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library from 4:30-6:30 p.m. For more information, call 662-368-2211 or email [email protected].
Tuesday, Oct. 29
MUW Choral Concert — Mississippi University for Women’s University Singers, Chamber Choir and Chorale are in concert at 7:30 p.m. in Poindexter Hall on the MUW campus at 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Music, 662-241-6399.
Thursday, Oct. 31
Haunted Horse Park — Mississippi State’s Residence Hall Association presents the Haunted Horse Park at the Mississippi Horse Park, 716 Poorhouse Road, Starkville. Admission is $5. For more information, call 662-325-0508.
Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 31-Nov. 2
Decorative Arts and Preservation Forum — This forum and antiques show and sale at the Rosenzweig Arts Center in Columbus focuses on “Andrew Jackson’s Military Road: Nashville to New Orleans.” Highlights include “A Look at Hermitage,” a fall and holiday floral design workshop with Lynette McDougald, talks on Military Road and Jacksonian America, elegant dinners, concerts and garden symposiums. For more information, contact the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation, 800-920-3533 or columbus-ms.org.
Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 31-Nov. 3
“A Catered Affair” — Starkville Community Theatre presents this funny, poignant and oh, so human show of love and disaffection at the Playhouse on Main, 108 E. Main St., Starkville. For more information, call the box office, 662-323-6855.
Friday, Nov. 1
At the piano — Mississippi University for Women and the Music Teachers National Association welcome guest artist Angelin Chang in a piano recital at 7:30 p.m. in Poindexter Hall on the MUW campus. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Music, 662-241-6399.
Tuesday, Nov. 5
Portland Cello Project — Mississippi State’s Lyceum Series presents this innovative cello showcase that has wowed audiences from nightclubs to symphony halls and even halftime at Portland Trailblazers games. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium on campus. Tickets are $15 (+$3 fee). Get tickets at lyceum.msstate.edu or call 662-325-2930.
Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 7-9
“The Good Doctor” — The Mississippi University for Women Department of Theatre presents this Neil Simon comedy with music at 7:30 p.m. in Cromwell Communications Center on campus. General admission is $10; students $5. For more information, contact the department, 662-329-7260.
Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8-9
Ghosts & Legends — Meet some of the “spirits” that still reside in Columbus as they tell of history and mystery. Bus tours depart the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center, 300 Main St., Columbus, beginning at 6 p.m. For more information, contact the Columbus Arts Council, 662-328-2787.
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