The Best Time to Visit Oxford, Mississippi

Spring in Oxford, Mississippi, is as fun as football season in the fall but with nicer weather! There are plenty of activities happening around town to fill those longer days that lead into summer. Come enjoy a weekend in Oxford, and you’ll see why it was voted “America’s Best College Town” by ESPN.

Watch the reigning National Champions Ole Miss baseball team as they open home SEC play March 24 at Swayze Field. Enjoy the opening pitch of a Friday night game where there’s a 100 percent chance of beer showers expected in right field once the Rebels hit a home run. Stick around after the final pitch for fireworks over Swayze! 

On Saturday, grab a handmade treat at Bottletree Bakery or a donut from High Rise Doughnuts to start your morning off right. The lunch crowd shouldn’t miss a trip to South Depot Taco Shop, Proud Larry’s or Funky’s to set a solid foundation for your day of cheering on the Rebs. For a bit of Southern flair, head to Ajax Diner or Bouré. 

If you’re looking for a more upscale dining experience, try James Beard Award-winning City Grocery, Saint Leo, or McEwen’s, all conveniently located on the Square. When the game is over, head back to the Square for the buzzing nightlife at any one of Oxford’s many hotspots.

Back at the Square, do a little shopping, and be sure to check out the End of All Music, an independent record store upstairs from JANE. Check out the world-renowned Square Books, as well as its sister stores, Off-Square Books, Square Books, Jr., and Rare Square Books. Olive Juice Gifts has the perfect find for a reminder of your weekend in Oxford so stop in and pick up a local artist’s work or a piece of Etta B pottery.

The weekend of April 28 to 29, 2023, enjoy the 26^th annual Double Decker Arts Festival where Oxford celebrates food, music and the arts. Music starts Friday night with Auburn-based rock band The Stews, followed by native Mississippians and America’s Got Talent contestants Chapel Hart. The Friday night headliner is country superstar and Grand Ole Opry inductee Ashley McBryde. 

On Saturday, more than 140 art vendors set up around the Square while local food vendors tempt passersby with delectable aromas from their booths. The music on Saturday will start at 11 a.m. with the Mississippian Jazz Ensemble followed by Vieux Farka Touré who has been touted as the “Hendrix of the Sahara.” Gospel soul duo the Sensational Barnes Brothers take the stage next followed by Memphis-based soul and blues band Southern Avenue. 

The evening portion starts with singer-songwriter Lissie, followed by Southern rock band Blackberry Smoke. The headliner for Saturday night is Grammy-nominated Americana singer, songwriter and guitarist Marcus King. 

When the tulips start blooming, Oxford sends a warm welcome back to some of the town’s favorite spring weekend activities. Whether catching a game at Swayze, taking a stroll around the Square, or enjoying the Double Decker Arts Festival, there truly is nothing like Oxford, Mississippi, in the springtime.