Browsing: Community Picks

During the annual GIVE Awards ceremony, Volunteer Mississippi presented the 2026 National Service “Make a Difference” GIVE Award to Andrea Krell, executive director of the Mississippi Center for Apprenticeships and Residency in Education (MCARE) at The University of Southern Mississippi, for her commitment to service learning. Krell’s award video is viewable on Facebook.

Pascagoula, MS — The Jackson-George Regional Library System (JGRLS) is excited to announce its 2026 Summer Library Program, themed “Unearth a Story.” This free, family-friendly initiative encourages readers of all ages to explore books, participate in engaging programs, and earn prizes throughout the summer.
Registration opens May 30, 2026, with programs officially beginning June 8, 2026, across all JGRLS branches.

The Bay Fest will be held May 30, bringing local artists and food vendors to Old Town Bay St. Louis in support of charities along the coast. 

Outreach and growth are a great way to describe both the personal and professional life of Jerica Hudson, vice president of growth and community for Singing River Federal Credit Union.

The Mississippi Humanities Council, in partnership with Pike School of Art and the Palace Theater, will host a free screening of the award-winning documentary Natchez on Thursday, May 28, at 6 p.m. at the Palace Theater in downtown McComb.

Former pro football player and Lumberton native Terry Grant will host Lumberton’s first youth football camp Saturday, July 25, at Lumberton High School’s football field. 

Pearl River County youths can help shape the look of this year’s county fair through a contest to design the fair book cover. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County is celebrating 34 years of hosting its annual Steak & Steak Dinner & Silent Auction.

Pine Belt boxers brought amateur and professional fights to The Center at Forrest County this month during Cinco de Mayo Box Night, a community-focused event that highlighted local fighters, youth mentorship and efforts to strengthen Mississippi’s boxing culture.

The city of Poplarville will celebrate 42 years of the Blueberry Jubilee with a pageant and festival featuring outdoor activities, local history and community events. 

I had lived in McComb for over a year before someone casually mentioned there was an exotic pet shop in town.

I remember being genuinely surprised. Somehow, I had completely missed it.

Not long after that conversation, my kids and I decided to go check it out for ourselves, and now it has become one of our favorite places to visit.

There’s a moment that happens almost every day somewhere in Mississippi. A stranger holds the door open a little longer than expected. Someone waves from a two-lane backroad. A neighbor checks in after a storm, not because they have to, but because that’s simply what people around here do.

A new initiative from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health is promoting community resources for Mississippians with autism, while its director says adult support remains one of the biggest gaps in care. 

Lumberton Public Library is celebrating its 50th anniversary on May 14, bringing the community together to focus on the local history and future of the public library.  

The Ocean Springs Chamber–Main Street is excited to announce that Ocean Springs, Mississippi, has been named one of the top destinations in the 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Small Town Cultural Scene.

I first visited Ocean Springs with my mother in 2010. She accompanied me on a trip to New Orleans to check out some graduate schools, and we wandered down the coast and into the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. This was a very busy time of life for me, full of change and possibility. I don’t remember very much about that trip other than the Community Center murals, but I was caught up in the beginning of an unexpected turn.