JXN is jam-packed with events in the coming days, not the least of which is a birthday celebration for a blues legend, a Veteran’s Day observance and opportunities to continue to usher in the holidays. Get a few laughs and some good food, too, in this week’s list.

Bobby Rush Live – Duling Hall – Tuesday 7:30 p.m.
Bluesman and Grammy winner Bobby Rush celebrates his birthday (he turns 87!) with a live, socially-distanced show in Fondren. Tickets – $30 – are available on Eventbrite.

Creative Arts and Scholarly Engagement (CASE) Festival – Virtual – Tuesday 6 p.m.
Featuring JSU alum and artist John Jennings, the event – postponed from April – will be streamed on the Margaret Walker Center Facebook page. The event title is “Cyborgs and Crossroads.”

Veteran’s Day Observance – Two Museums – Tuesday 10:30 a.m.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History will honor Mississippians who serve and have served in the United States Armed Forces. The program will take place on Entergy Mississippi Plaza under COVID-19 precautions. The program will include a performance by the 41st Army Band, a moment of silence, recognition of the veterans in attendance, memorial volley, wreath-laying, and a keynote speech delivered by Major General Janson D. Boyles—the Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard.

Fondren Unwrapped – Downtown Fondren Historic District – Thursday-Sunday
Fondren Renaissance Foundation spreads its annual holiday merchant open house over several days this year – Thursday-Sunday – highlighting boutique merchants and dining and drinking opportunities in the neighborhood.

Additional highlights include Unwrapped Under the Stars (Thursday, 7 p.m. in the Cups parking lot), a mini-paraded welcoming Santa (Friday, 6:15 p.m.), a group walk (Saturday, 10 a.m. at Fondren Corner), and free COVID-19 testing (Saturday, 11 a.m. in the Fondren Station post office parking lot), among other events (a Saturday evening concert at Duling Hall has been postponed).

Friendsgiving – Highland Village – Friday 7 p.m.
Highland Village’s second annual Friendsgiving kicks off the holiday season and is a chance for the shopping and dining destination to support Canopy Children’s Solutions in an effort to shine a light on mental health in the community. The 1993-themed fun will include games, soups from Highland Village eateries, s’mores and pies, libations and live music by Aa’keela & The Beats, as well as a special holiday art reveal from some of Jackson’s most talented artists. Tickets are still available.

Bill Bellamy – Chuckles Comedy House – Friday-Sunday
Newark, NJ native Bill Bellamy brings his “I Want My Life Back” Tour to Jackson for multiple shows this weekend. The comedian, actor and frequent television host (he was an MTV VJ) was the host of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” for two seasons.

2020 Metro Jackson Heart Walk Digital Experience – Virtual – Saturday
Jackson area Heart Walk participants and teams will not physically meet but are invited to get moving at home or around the neighborhood starting at 8:30 a.m. To register, visit metrojacksonheartwalk.org. From there, participants can stay up to date by downloading the Heart Walk mobile app and encourage friends and family to join in via e-mail or on social media. On the day of, everyone is encouraged to wear their Heart Walk shirt and post pictures and videos to document your activity using #HeartWalkJXN.

Holiday Open House with Nick Wallace Culinary – Two MS Museums – Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Enjoy special discounts on store items, raffle prizes, artist and maker meet-and-greet opportunities, and tasty samplings at the Mississippi Museum Store. Become a museum member and receive an additional discount. Face masks and social distancing guidelines are required.

BBQ Day – The District at Eastover – Saturday Noon-5 p.m.
Enjoy freshly smoked BBQ, drinks and live music from Victoria Lynn outside on the patio. The menu includes
smoked ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, sides and more.

Events are noted by location or, in the case of an online-only presentation, we’ll use “Virtual” as the venue.

We strongly encourage you to follow COVID-19 restrictions set forth by the City of Jackson (despite the lapse of a statewide mask mandate, facial coverings ARE still required in the city of Jackson along with social distancing and crowd size limits). Stay informed of additional public health guidance on the state level and in Jackson to minimize risk to themselves and others.

Events are linked to Facebook events, organizer websites or ticket links. All events are presented by their respective organizers and not Visit Jackson unless otherwise noted.