FestivalSouth® Returns with Live and Live-Streamed Events this June
Wed, 05/19/2021 - 08:28am | By: Mike Lopinto
FestivalSouth® returns to live events and adds new streaming options for its 12th season, opening June 5 and continuing through June 26. Tickets to both live and virtual
events are available now at FestivalSouth.org.
A significant cultural and economic driver for the Pine Belt, FestivalSouth calls on the community to join them and show resilience by participating and supporting the arts of this and other organizations by their visible attendance in the theater, or via their digital devices. Performances are nominally priced, or free to encourage the largest turnout possible. Advance tickets to public events are strongly recommended as venue capacities may cause sell-outs.
“We are beyond excited to have the opportunity to safely return to our audiences whether in person or virtual,” said Dr. Mike Lopinto, co-artistic director of FestivalSouth. “We have had a year to plan this labor of love for our community, now worldwide, and we need you there to show the world the unique support the Pine Belt has for our arts community.”
While a complete listing of the month-long festival is available at festivalsouth.org, the summer’s headline events include Broadway in the ‘Burg featuring a special reunion of the Hub City Players casts of Kinky Boots, Sister Act, Rock of Ages, and more; Motown Downtown Revival featuring the incredible Vasti Jackson and G.C. Cameron of the Spinners and the Temptations; On Pointe, featuring medalists of the U.S.A. International Ballet Competition (USA IBC); and A Night at the Opera, a partnership celebrating the 75th anniversary of Opera Mississippi, featuring some of the greatest moments in the operatic repertoire.
Festival favorites like the FestivalMusic, Artie Events for Families and Artie Reads, FestivalArt, and many more return to venues around the city and in most cases live- streaming.
“In addition to the ongoing involvement of our Hattiesburg-area entities such as The University of Southern Mississippi, the City of Hattiesburg, Forrest County, William Carey University, and others, we are excited to have Opera Mississippi and the USA International Ballet join us at this year’s festival,” said Jay Dean, founding artistic director, and co-artistic director of FestivalSouth. “These are two outstanding Mississippi arts organizations, and their involvement is a testament to our commitment to statewide collaboration.”
While some events have required alteration due to pandemic precautions for the safety of performers and audiences, the core mission to transcend social, cultural, and economic lines remains intact. Generous sponsors and donors have made FestivalSouth possible for over a decade. Now, more than ever before, they have invested again to be certain that the community remains a vibrant haven for the arts with FestivalSouth leading the way.
“Now is the time for us as a community to come together once again to show that our arts are vitally important to us,” said Amanda Powell, chairwoman of the Hattiesburg Concert Association, parent organization of FestivalSouth. “The arts have suffered a catastrophic blow forcing them out of existence in many cases. We have the ability to change that with our actions – and I urge you to start immediately.”
For more information, visit festivalsouth.org and social media including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.
About FestivalSouth
FestivalSouth, the largest project of the Hattiesburg Concert Association (HCA), is an annual, multi-week festival presenting a variety of musical and other arts-related entertainment that aims to transcend social, cultural, and economic lines. This year, the festival celebrates its 12th anniversary, FestivalSouth is credited with bringing over $2 million in economic impact to the community last year alone and has distinguished itself as the premier arts presenter in the region, drawing locals and tourists of all ages with its’ wide variety of cultural programming, that features exceptional performing and visual artists.