There should be no shortage of Christmas-themed events in Hattiesburg this holiday season, as officials from the Hattiesburg Convention Commission are putting on their annual month-long slate of activities throughout the month of December.
The events begin on December 1, when the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum will display its December exhibit, and will run through December 30 at various commission locations.
“This is what we do – we like doing it, and we’re in the entertainment and hospitality business, so we enjoy being able to surprise and delight not only our local residents, but visitors from out of town,” said Rick Taylor, executive director of the commission. “We know we reach different audiences – for example, Lights of the Wild is a particular favorite of ours, because you kind of get the whole family, or the extended family.
“So that’s nice, and it’s something that we know is meaningful to those people, which makes it meaningful to us. At the same time, over in the (Sixth Street) Museum District, we want to celebrate the holidays – one, with our military friends at the African American Military History Museum, but then also with the open house, where we have some additions to the Generations Strong Wall behind Eureka School. So we’re excited to honor those people and to kind of welcome everybody.”
A list of commission events is as follows:
December exhibit at the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum
The new exhibit began December 1 at the pocket museum – which is located in an alleyway in the heart of downtown Hattiesburg – and will continue for the entire month.
The exhibit highlights “Christmouse,” which was built by Blake Fortenberry of Fortenberry Woodworks.
Lights of the Wild
This recurring event takes place from 6-8:30 p.m. December 1-3, 8-10 and 15-23 at the Hattiesburg Zoo.
Guests can enjoy displays of lit lanterns, life-sized animals and “larger than life” plants and holiday décor. Story Time With Mrs. Claus will be offered in the Asbury Discovery Center, along with photos with Santa in the African Pavilion, animal encounters throughout the zoo and unlimited rides on the Northern Lights Express Train.
Numerous holiday treat stations will be located throughout the Zoo and include holiday favorites, dinner fare and seasonal beverages.
For ticket pricing and availability, visit www.tickets.hattiesburgzoo.com.
Arctic Pajama Party at the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum
This event will take place from 5-7 p.m. December 8 in the pocket museum alley.
Snow will begin falling in the alley, and families are encouraged to wear their favorite matching pajamas for holiday photos. A story time with milk and cookies also will be offered for children.
In addition, Zydeco Swampmobile rides and Alley-Gator books and plushes will be available for purchase.
“It’s kind of become a thing for families to bring their kids down and come play in the snow,” Taylor said. “We have a snow machine that’s on a timer, and the lobby of the Saenger (Theater) is set up for photos.”
Snow in the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum Alley
Snow will continue to fall from 6-8 p.m. from December 8-30 in the alley.
“The alley has been decorated for Christmas,” Taylor said. “So it’s not only a good spot to relax and enjoy, but to take some photographs.”
Unveiling of final panels at Generations Strong Wall
This event will take place at 11 a.m. December 9 at 410 East Sixth Street, behind Eureka School. Officials will unveil the last nine individuals to be featured on the “Generations Strong: Inspiring African Americans of Hattiesburg Commemorative Wall,” which was made public in March.
The wall highlights the life and times of several prominent members of Hattiesburg’s Black community, including but not limited to Johnny DuPree, Deborah Delgado, Alvin Eaton, Charles Marshall, and Vernon and Ellie Dahmer.
To present a stunning visual, convention commission officials light up the wall after dark each day, until approximately 10 p.m.
Christmas Open Houses
This event will take place from noon-2 p.m. December 9, following the wall’s panel unveiling, at Smith Drug Company and the African American Military History Museum. The drug store building is located at 604 Mobile Street, while the museum is located at 305 East Sixth Street.
Desi Banks at the Saenger
“Desi Banks: The Purpose Chaser Tour” will be held at 7 p.m. December 9 at the Saenger Theater, 201 Forrest Street in Hattiesburg.
Banks is a comedian and actor who also played two seasons of college football for Morehead State in Kentucky, where he excelled at the wide receiver position. He started doing stand-up comedy in 2017, and as of earlier this year, has more than 8 million followers on Instagram.
His YouTube channel has garnered more than 2 million subscribers and more than 750 million views.
For ticket pricing and availability, visit www.hattiesburgsaenger.com.
World Series: The Nutcracker
This event will be held at 7 p.m. December 13 and 14 at the Saenger Theater.
The Nutcracker is an 1892, two-act classical ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchailovsky that is set on Christmas Eve in Nuremberg, Germany. The plot is an adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 short story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
The World Ballet Series edition showcases a diverse cast of 40 professional ballet dancers, more than 150 hand-crafted costumes and hand-painted sets.
For ticket pricing and availability, visit www.hattiesburgsaenger.com.
Master Class Ballet: The Nutcracker
This event will be held at 1:30 p.m. December 14 at the Saenger Theater.
The class offers participants an opportunity to learn more about classical ballet as part of educational community outreach. It has been specifically developed for participants with no previous ballet experience.
For more information, visit www.hattiesburgsaenger.com or www.worldballetseries.com.
“I guess everybody is feeling the holiday spirit, because we’re very pleasantly inundated with a wide range – and a significant number of – Christmas-related events,” Taylor said. “It’s going to be a busy month, but we always know that.
“And a big part of it, is that it gives us a jump start to the first quarter of our fiscal year and helps us get through the winter – the winter is definitely slower at the zoo than it is (at other times). So these special events help us not only have the revenue, but help us have the interest and support of the public. And to look at the smiles on our guests’ faces, I think it drives all of us.”
