The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council will host its ninth annual Miss-I-Sippin’ beer festival this weekend, overflowing with events dedicated to highlighting Mississippi breweries and craft beers. Throughout the weekend the arts council will offer games, scavenger hunts, food, free tastings and, of course, lots of beer.
“We have all new things for this year, including our new beer app, which will take people on a scavenger hunt around the Square to sample beers and have a chance to win prizes,” said Wayne Andrews, executive director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.
Miss-I-Sippin’ kicks off Friday with the Brewers’ Banquet at Southern Craft. The event will consist of Southern Craft’s favorite dishes, each paired with a flight of craft beer. The brewers will be on site so that beer fanatics can ask questions and get to know more about the craft beers they are drinking. The Brewers Banquet is from 6 to 9 p.m. at Southern Craft and is followed by an after party to follow until close.
This year is full of new events and activities different from those offered at past Miss-I-Sippin’ festivals.
“The event is two days long, and people can purchase a single-day ticket or a two-day pass. We encourage purchasing in advance, as we have an app that you will need to download to play the game,” Andrews said.
Saturday’s schedule is full of original activities – specifically, the launch of the new app, which will lead festival attendees on a beer scavenger hunt. Participants can embark on the beer tasting trail anytime Saturday from noon until 6 p.m.
“This year, we will be moving around the Square like a pub crawl, with beer fans meeting brewers at different beer hot spots. We think this makes it fun, invites people to explore the community and supports local retailers,” Andrews said.
The goal of the scavenger hunt is to engage members of the Oxford community and connect them with the craft beer scene via trivia and free tastings. Teams will compete and hunt for various locations – from retail shops to restaurants – for a chance to win beer prizes at the Firkin and Craft Beer Festival held later that night.
“I think the new beer scavenger hunt will be the hot part of the weekend. I know people are looking forward to the return of the chicken wing-eating contest with Gus’s returning to the Old Armory Pavilion as part of the Saturday event,” Andrews said.
Following the scavenger hunt Saturday is the annual Miss-I-Sippin’ party – this year, named the Firkin and Craft Beer Festival – at Old Armory Pavilion. The event takes place from 6 until 9 p.m. and is a family-friendly event that provides games, live music, food trucks and craft beer samples for those of age.
A Sunday brunch is being held at Southern Craft from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. However, it is not included in the weekend festival ticket price.
This event is not new to Oxford – people flock to town each spring to take part in this annual beer festival.
“This event started out as a food pairing event because we did not have craft breweries in Mississippi,” Andrews said. “It was a one-night food and beer tasting and has evolved as we have added places like The Growler, Jackson Beer Company and other local spots like Southern Craft.”
The festival also fundraises for a local cause – the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the events it hosts year round.
“The proceeds from the event support our year-round programming. We host quarterly fundraisers to ensure we have funding to support events like the Sunset Concert Series, Movies in the Park and other community events,” Andrews said. “We enjoy events like this, as they create a sense of community and encourage partnerships with local businesses.”
