The 2nd Annual Casey Jones Blues Fest takes place Saturday, March 22, in downtown Water Valley, Mississippi. The festival celebrates the life of Water Valley resident John Luther “Casey” Jones, a legendary engineer with Illinois Central Railroad.
When his train, the Cannonball, collided with a stalled freighter in Vaughn, Mississippi, on April 30, 1900, Casey Jones died while saving the lives of passengers and fellow crewmen. Over the years, multiple musical artists commemorated his sacrifice via songs, including talented bluesmen from our state such as Walter “Furry” Lewis and Mississippi John Hurt.
Located in The Depot on Main Street, Water Walley’s Casey Jones Railroad Museum is also dedicated to the engineer’s heroic legacy. The festival events are centered around this main street venue and are spread throughout the downtown area. While there, make sure to check out the town’s colorful murals created by local artists, including “On the Road Again,” Bill Warren’s tribute to Casey Jones and Furry Lewis.
With free admission, this year’s Blues Fest starts at 7:00 a.m. with registration for the Casey Jones 5K Run & Walk at 8:00 a.m. Then, visitors have a full day’s lineup of events. The festival will feature over 60 arts and crafts booths, at least a dozen unique food vendors, a fun-filled Kids Zone, a Classic Car show featuring a wide array of vintage cars and trucks, a Touch-a-Truck event for kids of all ages, and a much-anticipated cornhole tournament. (Please note that tournament participants must arrive and register at least 30 minutes before this 11:00 a.m. event.)
Of course, from three separate stages, festivalgoers will freely enjoy live music throughout the day, from 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.
On the Magnolia Courtyard Stage, the slate of performers includes Brady Rees, Alana Mosley, Baxter Arender, Jacob Kynard, and Donny Roye. The Roxford U School of Rock will perform in The Courthouse Commons, along with The Kites, Horace Willis, and Bear Ryan. And on The Solero Main Stage, visitors will enjoy the Water Valley High School Band, Michael Farris Smith & The Smokes, Mud Alexander, Amy Lavere & Will Sexton, and The Wilkins Sisters.
The Water Valley Main Street Association invites everyone to come and enjoy some of Mississippi’s finest arts, crafts, food, and music. There’s sure to be something fun for visitors of all ages. So, don’t miss out on the 2nd Annual Casey Jones Blues Fest, taking place this Saturday, March 22, in downtown Water Valley, Mississippi.
Visit online at mainstreetwatervalley.org/casey-jones-music-fest for more details on the festival, as well as registration information for the 5K Run & Walk, the Car Show, and the Cornhole Tournament.
*Photos courtesy of Joy Lucius
