Since being elected in 2001 to represent Ward 2 on Hattiesburg City Council, Deborah Delgado has made it a priority to revitalize the Mobile-Bouie Street area with several different initiatives to help businesses thrive and celebrate the history and importance of the neighborhood.
One of those measures, the Historic Mobile Street Renaissance is set to return for its 18th year on September 29, September 30 and October 1. The three-day
event will offer live music, art exhibits, a variety of vendors, book signings, block parties, a pageant and more on Mobile Street and the surrounding area.
“It’s a great event, where we celebrate the history and culture of that community,” Delgado said. “It allows us to get out and talk with each other, and listen to great gospel music, R&B music, great Blues.
“And it allows us to experience some of the artwork the people in our area do.”
The lineup of events for the festival is as follows:
Friday, September 29
- 5:30-11 p.m.: Mac’s Café, 2023 Mobile Street Festival Kickoff Party, 420 Mobile Street
Saturday, September 30
- 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Sho’ Nuff Good Barbeque Cook-Off
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Car show, 4th and Mobile streets
- 9 a.m.-7 p.m.: Arts & crafts, food, information and political booths, on the 400-600 blocks of Mobile Street
- 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Art exhibit, Eureka School Museum, 409 East 6th Street
- 9 a.m.-6 p.m.: Children’s village, Mobile Street between 5th and 6th streets
- 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Gospel music stage, beginning with Clarence Jones
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Historic Smith Drug Company tours, 604 Mobile Street
- 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Health screening clinic with Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative at Smith Drug Company, 604 Mobile Street
- 10 a.m.-1 p.m., pound cake and sweet potato pie contest, 417 Mobile Street
- Noon-4 p.m.: Dominoes competition, Go Mo Alley, 400 block of Mobile Street
- Noon-4 p.m.: African American Military History Museum tours, 305 East 6th Street
- Noon-2:30 p.m.: Step show in front of children’s village, Mobile Street between 6th and 7th streets
- 1-4 p.m.: Horseshoe competition, Mobile Street just south of the railroad tracks and ditch between 4thand 6th streets. It will be located on the property next to the building at the corner of 4th and Mobile streets.
- 2-4 p.m.: R&B stage at the corner of Mobile and 4th streets
- 4-8:30 p.m.: Blues stage at the corner of Mobile and 4th streets
- 6:30 p.m.-midnight: Mac’s Café closeout party, 420 Mobile Street
Sunday, October 1
- 4-9 p.m.: Miss Mobile Street Festival Pageant at Eureka School Museum, 409 East 6th Street
“(We’re looking forward to) all of it,” Delgado said. “We’re growing the Gospel stage; it’s getting bigger, and also we’re bringing back the Sho’ Nuff Good Barbeque Cook-Off, after we put it aside for a few years since COVID.
“This is the first year that we’re bringing (the cook-off) back, so we’re looking forward to that, and then we have the Pound Cake and Sweet Potato Pie Contest as well. So those are things that the community participates in, that are really great activities and opportunities. (The reception in past years) has been great, and we’re looking forward to it being a good event this year.”
