To kick off the spring season, local grocery store Chicory Market will sponsor the Mid-Town Spring Fest, featuring a variety of small businesses around the Mid-Town Shopping Center on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Multiple vendors, artists and restaurants will sell food and drinks and host activities.
Chicory Market will offer live music, vendor samples, an artists market and a crawfish boil available for purchase. The End of All Music will DJ from 10-11 a.m., Oxford School District’s Orchestra will perform from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Horace Willis will perform from 1-2 p.m. Additionally, Johnston Hill Creamery, an artisanal cheese chop located inside Chicory Market, will offer free samples.
Avery Sams, a Chicory Market employee and freshman civil engineering major from Oxford, will be among the artists selling watercolors and mixed media pieces.
“Chicory draws in a crowd that is so unique to Oxford, and being in a college town, it’s so important that they’re here to help diversify the area,” Sams said.
Natalie Elizalde, a freshman majoring in biology from Houston, expressed excitement about attending the event and the artists market.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone brought, plus I love little markets like that and being outside in the beautiful weather sounds amazing,” Elizalde said.
Vine Bottle Shop, located next door to Chicory Market, will have discounts and giveaways for wine and spirits. On the other side of Chicory, The Depot Antique Mall will have in-store discounts.
Hands-on artistic activities will be available for kids and adults. The Oil Shed will have a porch pot demonstration, showing people how to decorate and arrange planters for porches, and Oxford RX will provide free art activities for kids.
Outdoor physical activities, without requiring registration, will be included as well. The YMCA will have free outdoor fitness classes, with Zumba at 10 a.m. and spin at noon. A free heated vinyasa yoga class will be hosted by Southern Star Yoga at 11 a.m.
Restaurants including Big Bad Breakfast, Volta Taverna, Jensei and Good Day Cafe are offering food, drink and music options. Big Bad Breakfast will have a lemonade stand, activities for kids and a “Midtown” cocktail special.
Volta Taverna will have half-price margaritas and mojitos. Jensei will be open with a limited menu, drinks from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and music by DJ Gordo. Good Day Cafe will also have live music performed by Zechariah Lloyd.
Henry Smith, a sophomore journalism major from Oxford, expressed his excitement for the live music and the way the Spring Fest is strengthening the community’s connection.
“Through the Mid-Town Spring Fest, Oxford businesses are building real and personal ties to the area,” Smith said. “I play bass in a local band, Golden Teacher Society, so it’s always great to hear live music and see local artists of all different mediums come together to show off the creativity and passion of Oxford.”
