Sunset Series Resumes Saturday
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By Chris Goodwin
Water Valley Main Street Association Director
The Water Valley Main Street Association has developed several signature events over the years, from music festivals to an art crawl that highlights the town’s rich culture. Earlier this year there was a big turnout for the Water Valley Wine Down, with shoppers visiting stores throughout downtown that stayed open after their regular hours for the event.
In March, the second annual Casey Jones Music Fest took place on Main Street. The weather was fantastic, and lots of folks from Water Valley and beyond came for the food, specialty vendors, and live music. It seemed like there was always a line for the specials at Six Peas Catering’s food truck, and the restaurants up and down the street were going great guns.
The 5K race kicked the day off and showed off the town in all its early spring flowering glory. Bennett Hill organized what turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the day in the classic car show that stretched north along Main Street, and vehicle owners and admirers shared stories about their experiences with favorite models.
The Casey Jones Music Fest grew in several ways from its inaugural year, and one of the most visible changes was the addition of two more stages. Singer-songwriters were featured on the Magnolia Courtyard stage, where the audience took advantage of the comfortable seats and swings to connect with the artists on a more personal level. The Courthouse Café stage highlighted regional solo musicians and groups—and was especially appreciated by the people participating in the cornhole tournament nearby.
The Solero Technologies Main Stage had fantastic music from performers, many of whom had Water Valley connections. After the Blue Devil marching band got the crowd going with a pep rally set, Michael Farris Smith and the Smokes took the stage. In addition to being an accomplished guitar player and singer, Smith is an award-winning author who wrote for years from a space on Water Valley’s Main Street. The headlining act was the Wilkins Sisters, daughters of the Rev. John Wilkins, who preached for years in Tate County but also recorded for Fat Possum records. His daughters served as his backup singers in church and also on tour supporting his record, and Water Vallian Amos Harvey was Rev. Wilkins’ tour manager and occasional bass player—a role he reprised with the sisters onstage at Casey Jones.
As spring nears its end, the Main Street Association is picking back up with its summer sunset series in the Pocket Park. The first performance of the year will be this Saturday, May 24, from 6 to 8. Arnie Brenn, a multi-instrumentalist with Oxford and Ole Miss ties living in Water Valley, will play songs from his debut EP titled INTROSPECTACULAR.
He’ll be followed by a group of Nashville musicians who also write their own songs and play multiple instruments, the Styrofoam Winos. The trio’s songs pull from country, folk, and pop influences. Water Valley’s own Cynthia Smith will be on site with her Cynthia Wingin’ It food truck. The event is free, and the weather forecast couldn’t be nicer—so come out and see your friends and neighbors before the summer heat settles in to stay.
