There is fall, and then there is fall in Mississippi.
Ours may arrive a little late. We may still be wearing shorts while the rest of the country is pulling out sweaters. And yes, there is always at least one October afternoon that feels suspiciously like July.
But when Mississippi finally settles into fall, it is hard to beat.
So grab your calendar—and maybe keep the sweater in the car until further notice. Here is your Mississippi Fall Bucket List.
1. Take a drive when the leaves start changing.
Head toward the Natchez Trace Parkway, Tishomingo County or the rolling hills of North Mississippi. Add a good playlist, roll down the windows and take the long way home.
2. Go to an SEC football game.
Whether you yell Hotty Toddy, Hail State or simply enjoy the tailgate more than the actual game, college football and Mississippi fall go hand in hand.
3. Visit a pumpkin patch.
Pick the pumpkin that is way too big, take the obligatory family picture and buy something involving cinnamon on the way out.
4. Spend a day at the Mississippi State Fair.
The rides are fun, but we all know the food deserves its own category. Go hungry.
5. Find a small-town fall festival.
This is where Mississippi shines: courthouse squares, craft booths, live music, local food and somebody you know every six feet.
6. Take a fall trip to the Delta.
Drive the backroads, eat something wonderful and watch the Mississippi Delta stretch toward the horizon under an October sky.
7. Sit around a fire.
No elaborate plans required. A fire pit, friends, something warm to drink and mosquitoes finally beginning to admit defeat will do just fine.
8. Explore a Mississippi ghost story.
From Natchez mansions to old battlefields and historic hotels, Mississippi has plenty of stories that get a little more interesting after dark.
9. Eat something that tastes like fall.
Sweet potato pie, caramel cake, chili, gumbo, apple cider—pick your pleasure. We do fall food exceptionally well.
10. Slow down long enough to notice it.
This may be the most important one.
Mississippi fall never seems to last quite long enough. One minute we are waiting for the humidity to break, and the next the Christmas decorations are going up.
So take the drive. Go to the game. Buy the pumpkin. Sit outside a little longer.
Fall is here, Mississippi.
Let’s enjoy every bit of it.
