11 Winter Festivals In Mississippi That Are Simply Unforgettable

The holiday season in Mississippi is the most wonderful time of the year. It also tends to be pretty hectic. So, just to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the amazing events that are taking place throughout the holiday season, we put together a list of some of our favorite winter festivals in Mississippi. Let the holiday fun begin!

1. Walking Holiday Spectacular, Vicksburg

Please note, McRaven no longer hosts the Walking Holiday Spectacular. The historic home does offer a variety of other tours, though. Learn more by visiting the McRaven website.

Visit the historic city of Vicksburg between now and January 1st (except for Christmas day) and you can take part in the Walking Holiday Spectacular. The family-friendly event begins at the McRaven house and includes an hour-long tour of the historic home, along with plenty of heartwarming Christmas stories. A perfect tradition to add to your holiday bucket list.

2. Holly Jolly Holidays, Oxford

A great place to spend the holiday season in Mississippi, Oxford has been dubbed one of the nation’s best Christmas towns by Southern Living. In recent years, Oxford has kicked things up a notch with a city-wide celebration known as Holly Jolly Holidays. Already billed as one of the best winter festivals in Mississippi, the festive event, which begins in November and runs into the New Year, features lots of fun activities, including ice skating, visits with Santa, shopping, and lots more. Learn more by checking out our full article on Holly Jolly Holidays.

3. Santa’s Christmas Factory, Meridian

Please note, the Industrial Heritage Museum no longer hosts Santa’s Christmas Factory.

From December 15th to the 22nd, Meridian’s Industrial Heritage Museum transforms into Santa’s Christmas Factory, complete with holiday decorations, music, lights, a train ride for kids, and snow-covered play area.

4. KCS Holiday Express, Vicksburg, Pearl, and Meridian

Each holiday season, the KCS Express sends its Holiday Express train on a nearly month-long journey throughout a variety of cities in the country. This year, the train will make several stops in Mississippi. At each stop, visitors can board the festively-decorated train and visit with Santa and his elves. Don’t miss this free-to-attend event! For more information, including a complete Holiday Express train schedule, check out the KCS Express website.

5. The Victorian Festival, Canton

If you’re looking for a truly magical winter festival, you’ll definitely want to check out Canton’s Victorian Festival. The month-long event usually kicks off in late November and includes lots of fun holiday activities. From parades to old-fashioned carousel rides, The Victorian Festival is like something straight from a Hallmark movie, making it easy to see why it's revered as one of the best winter festivals in Mississippi. For more information, check out the Victorian Festival website.

6. Christmas in the Orchard, Beaumont

Head to Fulmer’s Farmstead on select nights in December, and you’ll get to experience a Christmas like no other, as the farm hosts its annual Christmas in the Orchard. Enjoy carriage rides, hayrides, carolers, tours of historical cabins, live banjo music, and much more. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Fulmer’s Farmstead website.

7. Gulfport Harbor Winter Lights Festival, Gulfport

During the holiday season in Mississippi, Jones Park plays host to the Gulfport Harbor Winter Lights Festival. The family-friendly event offers all sorts of holiday fun, including a spectacular, multi-million dollar light show, which you can either walk through or view from aboard a heated trolley, photo-ops with Santa, rides, concessions, and live entertainment. Want to know more about one of the most beloved winter festivals in Mississippi? Check out the Gulfport Harbor Lights Festival website.

8. Christmas in the Pass, Pass Christian

For the past 30 years, this coastal community has been ringing in the holiday season with its annual Christmas in the Pass. The holiday fun kicks off the first Friday in December and includes the lighting of the town’s Christmas tree, a holiday parade, lots of vendors, firework show, late-night shopping at local shops, and plenty of Santa sightings. For more information, check out the Christmas in the Pass website.

9. Chimneyville Crafts Festival, Ridgeland

Each year for three days in December, the Bill Waller Mississippi Craft Center in Ridgeland transforms into a shopping wonderland as nearly 200 vendors gather for this annual festival. Plan to spend some time at this much-anticipated event, where you’ll find traditional and contemporary crafts in wood, pottery, glass, fiber, metal, basketry, jewelry, and more. For more information, visit the Chimneyville Arts Festival website.

10. Snowflakes in the Bay, Bay St. Louis

This annual festival begins in November and continues until New Year's Day. Held in downtown Bay St. Louis, the anticipated event is free to attend and includes plenty of holiday decorations and nightly festivities for the entire family. For more information, visit the Snowflakes in the Bay website.

11. Victorian Candlelit Christmas, Hattiesburg

A favorite for more than four decades, Hattiesburg’s Victorian Candlelit Christmas is the perfect way to kick off a magical holiday season. During the annual event, which takes place over the course of two days each December, the city’s streets are lined with thousands of luminaries, and homes and businesses are beautifully decorated with garlands, festive bows, and sparkling lights. Between the horse-drawn carriage rides, historic home tours, and carolers, you’ll experience a picture-perfect Christmas from years long gone, making it easy to see why this is among the most popular winter festivals in Mississippi. For more information, visit the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood website.

So, did you know about these winter festivals in Mississippi? Have you ever attended any of them? If so, which ones and what did you think? Know of any other fun winter festivals in Mississippi? What are some other ways to have fun during winter in Mississippi? We want to know what you think; share your thoughts with us!

Looking for another festive activity to add to your holiday bucket list? You’re in luck! During the holiday season in Mississippi, you can visit one of the most unique Christmas displays in the U.S.