Top line: The promise of sweet music and savory eats will pack them in at the fourth annual Hamstock festival in Ridgeland.
The sounds are a picnic basket of Mississippi bands, with the likes of Jimbo Mathus & the Tri-State Coalition, The Cedric Burnside Project and The Delta Mountain Boys on tap. The Electric Hamhock, The Hustlers, The Bailey Brothers and Chris Gill keep the tunes coming.
Bands are concentrated on the front lawn of The Parker House Restaurant and children's activities are spread throughout the district.
Day-long free live music is a big draw for the festival, which has seen attendance from 2,000 up to almost 6,000 in previous years.
Ham, bam, thank you ma'am: The event's Memphis Barbecue Network-sanctioned barbecue contest comes on the heels of Memphis in May, so world-famous teams are either fighting to hold their ground or fighting to show off a bit, says festival coordinator Jayne Jackson.
Barbecue plates and other yummies will be for sale at the festival. Bring the family and lawn chairs, but not coolers. Waters, soft drinks and beer will be for sale, too.
The entire Jackson Street Business District is on board, with in-house giveaways and donation collections for the festival's beneficiary, Adam's Project.
Adam's Project's mission is to build a fully accessible park in Ridgeland for children with special needs. Also, Adam's Project will be selling drinks at the festival to raise money.
Additional festival parking is available at Trace Station and at Freedom Ridge Park, with a trolley service available for festivalgoers.
