Casey Jones Music Fest Is Saturday
WATER VALLEY – Make plans to be in downtown Water Valley this Saturday, March 22, for the second annual Casey Jones Music Fest. The festival will celebrate the city’s rich railroad heritage and the legendary train engineer, Casey Jones, with a full day of live music, a 5K run, a cornhole tournament, and a bustling food and vendor market.
Water Valley Main Street Director Chris Goodwin encourages everyone to attend.
“The weather is going to be fantastic, and the event will be even better!” Goodwin said.
The festival will begin with the Casey Jones Music Fest 5K Run/Walk sponsored by the Yalobusha Greenways Alliance. Registration will open at 7 a.m at Railroad Park. The train whistle will blow at the Casey Jones Railroad at 8 a.m. marking the start of the race. Runners will enjoy a brand-new route that weaves through historic Main Street and the beautiful city. The first 75 participants will receive a Casey Jones t-shirt. Online pre-registration costs $35, while race-day registration is $40. Water Vallians who live along the route (see map on Page 16) are asked to come out and cheer them on.
Jay Tucker will host the Casey Jones Music Fest Cornhole Tournament that will take place in the Courthouse Commons parking lot. Walk-ups must arrive by 11 a.m. to participate. Registration is also available online via the Scoreholio app under CASEYJONESMUSICFEST.
The festival will feature an incredible lineup of artists performing throughout the day on three stages: the main Solero Stage, the Magnolia Coffee Courtyard Stage, and the Courthouse Commons Stage.
The Water Valley High School band will open up the action at the Solero Stage, located at the intersection of Panola Street and Main Street, at 10:30 a.m. Michael Farris Smith & The Smokes will follow at noon. Mud Alexander is scheduled to perform at 1:30. Amy LaVere & Will Sexton will follow at 3 p.m. The Wilkins Sisters perform at 4:30 p.m.
The Magnolia Coffee Courtyard Stage at 428 North Main Street will feature Brady Rees at 10 a.m., Alana Mosley at 11:30 a.m., Baxter Arender at 1 p.m., Jacob Kynard at 2:30 p.m., and Donny Roye at 4 p.m.
The Courthouse Commons Stage at 218 Blackmur Drive will feature the Roxford U School of Rock Band at 11:30 a.m., The Kites at 1 p.m., Horace Willis at 2 p.m. and Bear Ryan at 4 p.m.
The festival will take place in the heart of Water Valley. Main Street will be closed from Church Street to Blackmur Drive, while traffic will still flow on Church Street and Blackmur Drive to allow access.
Water Valley Police Chief Jason Mangrum reported that a small segment of Main between Panola Street and Blackmur Drive will be closed beginning around 6 p.m. Friday night for the stage setup. Main Street will be closed from Blackmur Street to Church Street all day Saturday.
Over 80-plus vendors have signed up along with a dozen food vendors. A car show will extend from FNB to the 500 block of Main, lining the east side of the street. Crafters will line the west side of Main Street. Food vendors will be located behind the Pocket Park and picnic tables will be placed behind the Pocket Park and Sweet Mamas. A Kidz Zone will be set up between the Chamber office and the pavilion in Railroad Park.
The Casey Jones Railroad Museum, located at the intersection of Blackmur Drive and Main Street will be open.
The festival pays tribute to Casey Jones, the legendary Illinois Central train engineer who lost his life in 1900 when his “Cannonball” train collided with a stalled freight train in Vaughan, Mississippi.
Following the wreck, Wallace Saunders, a worker at the Canton roadhouse, composed a ballad about Jones.
The song spread widely among railroad workers and became famous when vaudeville singer Billy Murray recorded it in 1910, selling over a million copies. Over the years, the story of Casey Jones has been immortalized in blues, country, and folk music. Artists who recorded Casey Jones songs include Fiddlin’ John Carson, Furry Lewis, Mississippi John Hurt, Johnny Cash, Sidney Bechet, Spike Jones, and the Grateful Dead.
Come out and enjoy a day of live music, delicious food, and community fun at the Casey Jones Music Fest. With an exciting lineup of performances, fun competitions, and a celebration of history, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
