Saturday, Dec. 14
■ Christmas Festival: Highland Oaks in Sturgis will be hosting a day of Christmas fun for families from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be pancakes with Santa, making reindeer food, a Christmas wish list, games, a hot chocolate bar, a hayride, Santa’s shop, and more. The event will be at 5622 Highway 12 West in Sturgis.

Saturday, Dec. 21
■ Literary Crafternoon: In a partnership between Friendly City Books and Fired Up Studio, author and MUW alum Beth Kander will be holding a reception for the release of her new book, “I Made It out of Clay.” In addition to meeting the author, participants will have the chance to make their own gingerbread ornaments. Tickets are $10 in advance for creating the ornament, $30 for the book or $35 for both. For more information or to RSVP, visit friendlycitybooks.com/events.

Wednesday, Jan. 1
■ First Day Hike: Start 2025 on the right foot with a self-guided hike at Lake Lowndes State Park. Hikers can choose between a 3.5 mile walk through the Opossum Trail or the more challenging 7 mile hike. Admission is free with park entry. For more information, contact Penny Wyers at [email protected], or call 662-328-2110.

Thursday, Jan. 16
■ Books and Authors: Friends of the Starkville Public Library will be hosting a book talk with Dr. Darden North, a physician from Jackson who will be discussing his novel “Party Favors.” The talk will begin at noon at the library.

Friday, Jan. 17
■ Pi Jacobs Concert: Pi Jacobs will be performing at the Columbus Arts Council Theater at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. Blending a blues soul sound with American roots music, Pi’s music has drawn comparisons to Tom Waits, Dolly Parton and Lucinda Williams. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased online at columbusartscouncil.com/events.

Tuesday, Jan. 21
■ Nashville Chamber Music Society: The Nashville Chamber Music Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing chamber music to local communities around Nashville and surrounding areas, will be visiting the Mississippi State University campus for a masterclass and concert. This event, free and open to the public, will begin with masterclasses at 3 p.m. and a concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Building Recital Hall.

Saturday, Jan. 25
■ Symphony Gala: The Starkville-MSU Symphony Association will be hosting an evening of music at The Gathering at 7 p.m.. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at music.msstate.edu/events.

Sunday, Feb. 9
■ String Serenade: Brought to you by the string section of the Starkville Symphony Orchestra, this performance of chamber favorites includes Grieg’s Holberg Suite, the Elgar Serenade for Strings and the Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings. The orchestra will also perform a Starkville premier of Kilar’s Orawa with 15 individual string parts. The concert will begin at 2 p.m. at Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall of Mississippi State’s campus.

Thursday, Feb. 13
■ TAKE3: As part of Mississippi State University’s Lyceum Series, TAKE3 will perform a concert of classical music infused with pop/rock charisma. This fusion of genres promises to exhilarate audiences of all ages. The concert begins at 7 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium. Tickets are available online at msstate.universitytickets.com, or in person by visiting the Center for Student Activities in the Colvard Student Union.

Saturday, March 1
■ The Paul Thorn Band Concert: Presented by The Barn Concert Series, The Paul Thorn Band will be performing two album release concerts, one at 5 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m., at Cromwell Theater on the MUW Campus.

Tuesday, March 4
■ Hamlet: Mississippi State University’s Lyceum Series presents “Hamlet,” performed by Actors From The London Stage. This self-directed ensemble celebrates its 50th anniversary with their performance of one of Shakespeare’s most iconic works. The play begins at 7 p.m. at Bettersworth Auditorium. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit msstate.universitytickets.com.