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July 16, 2026
Serving Columbus & Starkville, Mississippi

Prairie Arts Festival 2025

September 2, 2025

Katie Adams and her mother Kathie Blair set up Adams’ stand for her art and woodworking business, KMA Studios LLC, Saturday morning at the Prairie Art Festival. Adams, who has operated her business out of Tuscaloosa for the last three years, drove to West Point for the first time to set up her stand at the festival, she said. Adams was a part of more than 170 vendors that showed up at the festival. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Marilyn Sumerford, an assistant with Access Family Health Services, selects eight large pieces of artwork for some of the organization’s 16 clinics found across Mississippi at Nancy Paints’ booth Saturday at the Prairie Arts Festival. Nancy Waggoner has been selling paintings at festivals and large events since 2010 and has sold thousands of paintings in that time, she said. She was one of more than 170 vendors at the festival. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Lisa Gammill gets two permanent bracelets melded together by Belle Fairley at her permanent jewelry stand at the Prairie Arts Festival. Gamill said that she had been wanting to get some permanent bracelets and decided to “splurge” at the festival, she said. Fairley operates Fairley Adorned Permanent Jewelry out of Allegro MedSpa in Columbus but has traveled around the state to different larger events since starting a year ago, she said. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Peyton Dyess, 3, gets his face painted like a tiger by face painter Anne Smith at her booth at the kids’ zone. Dyess said that his favorite animal is a tiger. Smith has been face painting for more than 30 years at various festivals and large events in Mississippi and Tennessee, she said. Dyess’ mother is Alex Dyess. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Muareen Fulater, a server with the Lots of Lumpia food vendor, grills chicken shish kabobs Saturday morning at the stand. The seven-person crew typically operates out of a food truck in Florida but travels for festivals and larger events, owner Lauren Mendoza said. Mendoza said that they had already been to 30 other festivals and events this year, serving “a little bit of everything,” which included funnel cakes, hot dogs and fried seafood. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Teresa Grayer, Lateishia Grayer, Shuquana Grayer and Keshia Grayer harmonize together as they sing covers of gospel music to open the slate of performers on the music stage Saturday at the Prairie Arts Festival. The Starkville family has been performing as a band for the last 22 years and typically performs at churches, festivals and concerts, manager for the band Darius Grayer said.
Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
Cindy Warren, co-owner of Deep South Leather, hammers a design into a leather belt at the business’s booth Saturday. The business deals in belts, wallets and leather key chains and was offering a selection of 25 unique belt designs, co-owner Cary Warren said, adding that they try to do about 16 events a year. Deep South Leather was a part of more than 170 vendors present at the festival. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff
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