Photo Gallery: Southern Fried Pop Culture & Comic Con
I don't think we've ever seen anything in Jackson quite like the Southern Fried Pop Culture & Comic Con. Check out these crazy photos Kristi Woody captured at this absolutely unique event this past weekend.
Kristi Woody is a photographer and storyteller for our Hello Jackson features about locally owned retail stores and restaurants. She also works as the university photographer for Union University and owns her own wedding photography business, Woody & Pearl Photography. In her free time, Kristi enjoys spending time with her husband and rambunctious beagle, Rhett and Chipper respectively. If you can't find Kristi in Jackson, you'll find her in her second favorite place: Disney World!
We’ve all been there: that moment when we realize we’ve taken our local government for granted and quite frankly have no clue who to call. No matter how vigorously our local leaders keep watch over our city, there will always be the occasional pothole, confusing terms, and roadkill in your driveway to put a damper on your day. But dealing with those issues and a dozen other shouldn’t be a hassle. That’s why we’ve created this “Who’s Who?” guide to twelve of our city’s most important departments.
It’s Christmastime, and we’re here for it! Take advantage of all the free fun offered in Jackson, for kids and adults alike.
September may be Jackson’s overall best month for community events, and the great weather makes it even better! While we’re always excited for classics like the state fair, international festival, and Starlight Symphony, here are five other favorites we want to see you at. And don’t forget to sync our event calendars with Google or iCal so you don’t miss a thing!
Don’t let the summer fun end once 731Day passes! August is full of one-of-a-kind entertainment and so many opportunities to support local non-profits in special ways. Check out our top event suggestions.
July is by far one of our favorite times of the year with 731Day on its way, but there’s so much more leading up to that beloved end-of-summer event! Check out all the laughs, music, and other fun in store for this month.
Courtney Vandiver walked toward the tall, off-white credenza in the corner of the studio, above which hung two loose coloring sheets with pink crayon streaks bleeding from the bold, black outlines of butterfly wings. About eight feet of blue masking tape formed an “L” shape around the credenza. Before the class began and the girls were still giggling and adjusting their leotards, Courtney told me she had placed the tape there one stressful day, warning her students not to cross the line.
Spring in the South is something special, and this May we’ve got plenty of events to celebrate just that. See what five community get-togethers you can’t miss this month.
As the weather gradually warms up this month, we’re all eager to get out of the house and find unique ways to spend our weekends. This March is full of exciting events, new and old, and many of which are as fun for kids and they are for adults. Check them out!
As I sat near the window at Starbucks, a man wearing brown leather boots and a denim jacket hand-stitched with the name “Wolf” immediately caught my attention. Though I had heard and read many things about Lee Wilson, I had never met him up until this point. As one of the co-owners of Jackson Escape Rooms and a winning contestant of CBS’ reality show, Hunted, Lee has proven his seemingly uncanny ability to strategize and solve problems, a skill that far surpasses his knack for style.
When I was young, my family would take vacations to different cities to watch baseball games. While I loved baseball, the thing I looked forward to the most was seeing the skyline of whatever city we were visiting. In my single digit years, it was always St. Louis. Driving past the multitude of Drury Inns in the suburbs and waiting for the skyline to materialize in the distance never got old. Seeing the Arch stretch across the sky is something I can still see in my mind today. As I got older, the cities became larger: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York.
While the weather may be dreary these days, Jackson’s social scene is most definitely not. February is bringing the most dancing, learning, and new fun our city has seen since the holiday. Here’s just a handful of the awesome events happening throughout our community this month.
January might not be the most exciting month following the joy of Christmas and entering the bleak midwinter, but Jackson has plenty of fun to offer, especially with a handful of annual events we’re all looking forward to. See what’s in store this month!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, y’all! Jackson has so much family fun for you this holiday season, so check out these five favorite events happening this December.
Maybe it will be a high school production of the musical Camelot. An exhibit of stunning photography by a local class may catch your eye. Perhaps you’ll just want to see the downstairs museum, where dozens of photos, plaques, awards, and costumes recall the acting careers of Dixie Carter and her husband, Hal Holbrook. What will bring you to The Dixie? The Dixie Carter Performing Arts & Academic Enrichment Center is a historical performing arts and enrichment center in Huntingdon, Tennessee.
My daughter is in the fifth grade. She’s just beginning that transition from child to full-blown adolescent. And with that transition inevitably comes the time when I’m not fun enough to hang out with on a Friday night. I’m experiencing that right now. Sure, it wounds the pride a little, but I knew it was coming, so we’re dealing with it. By “dealing with it,” I mean that we’re inviting her friends to do stuff with us on the weekends now instead of putting a puzzle together or playing Mario Kart or watching Andi Mack.
Gathering with friends and family around a beloved movie is a special thing for many people. Maybe it’s a yearly tradition of going to the movie theater on Christmas Day or a parent taking a child to each new superhero film that hits the screen. These are bonding experiences, and with Jackson Outdoor Movies now a part of our community, locals can make more memories like these under the stars. Jackson Outdoor Movies provides a first-class movie watching experience for public and private events.
September just might be Jackson's most nostalgic month, bringing us favorite events we've loved for years. From classics like the Starlight Symphony, state fair, and International Food & Arts Festival to new fun and fall races, this month is bound to keep your family entertained every weekend.
The year was 1984, and a young student from a remote region in the heart of Africa walked out of a small Jesuit mission in what is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makim Mputubwele was leaving a torn country to study applied linguistics in the sprawling, peaceful landscapes of Indiana.
August is here, which means school is back in session and the weather may be a bit better—right? Either way, Jackson still has some awesome events to keep you and the family entertained as we say goodbye to summer, from golfing and hacking to contemporary music and old movies. Check out what you should be at this month.
This Tennessee summer heat is almost more than we can bear, but at least there's lots going around in town to keep us busy and happy! From fireworks and 5k's to music and theatre, July will be a month to remember. Here are the events we hope to see you at!
It's officially summer, and that means that you're looking for events for the family even more than usual. Thankfully, June is full of family competitions, live music, and ways to keep both you and the kids learning all summer long. Check out what you've gotta be at this month.
With Mother's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Memorial Day all on the horizon, we've got plenty of ways to celebrate in this perfect spring weather. From farms to food trucks, hot air balloons to how-to's, we've got your May weekends covered.
Welcome to West Tennessee, City Farmhouse Pop-Up Fair shoppers! We're so glad to have you. If you're taking a few days to peruse the fair but also want to check out all the fun we have here in Medina and Jackson while you're in town, check out some of our best local picks from Our Jackson Home Editor-in-Chief, Katie Howerton, and White Oak Farms owner, Stephanie Alexander, featuring our favorite restaurants, boutiques, and more.
It’s a muggy June evening, and a small crowd of about thirty gathers outside the J. R. Hyde Science Building at the University of Memphis at Lambuth. The crowd represents all portraits of life in Jackson: families with multiple small children, retirees, and a small group of teens looking to break the monotony of their typical summer drudgery by doing something singularly unique.
Who knew seven doors and a plate of sardines could cause so many uproarious laughs! The Jackson Theatre Guild has brought Noises Off by Michael Frayn to The Ned and it's guaranteed to keep you in stiches. Noises Off is a farcical play that gives the audience a peek behind the scenes of a live performance. The first act occurs the night before the first show; the dress rehearsal is going horribly. The director must constantly stop the action and redirect his actors.
With Easter kicking off the month, April is bound to be full of spring fun, from a few special chances for you to get outside with the fam and plenty of local music opps, too. And don't forget to be at our 6th edition of A Night of Storytelling on the 13th, too!
March means spring, and for Jackson, that means more races, concerts, shows, and overall fun for our community. Find out what special guests are heading to West Tennessee this month, what organizations you can support, and how your family can celebrate St. Patrick's Day. (It's on a Saturday this year!)
February may not be everyone's favorite month to get out and about, but it does hold Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, and lots of cozy indoor events! Check out what Jackson has going on as we wrap up winter with entertainment, inspiration, and even some exotic animals.
Generally speaking, January is known as the reject-event month following the glitz and glam of the holiday season, but we're determined to make the most of it, especially with our new year's resolutions fresh on our minds. Here are five events we're especially excited so that our January is full of meaning and fun, but make sure to check out our full community calendar here.
When you interview a guy you’ve known for years—a guy who has had dozens of articles and interviews published since the launch of his business—the thing you are probably the most aware of is the desire to be original in what you put on paper for the whole world to see. If nothing else, don’t be cliché about it. So that was my goal as I mentally prepared myself to interview Sam Bryant, owner of Samuel T. Bryant Distillery here in Jackson.