News
Hipstoric Art Fest named Event of the Year by Mississippi Tourism Association
The Hipstoric Art Festival in Vicksburg has been recognized as the Small Festival/Event of the Year by the Mississippi Tourism Association. The event showcased local artists and significantly boosted downtown revenue during its inaugural weekend.
Last updated:
VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — The Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA) has honored Vicksburg’s Hipstoric Arts Festival as the Small Festival/Event of the Year at its annual Tourism Awards Program, held during the Gover- nor’s Conference on Tourism at the Oxford Conferece Center, Oct. 6-8. The annual educational and professional development event brought together approximately 250 tourism industry professionals from across Mississippi, along with partners from the surrounding region.
The awards program gives MTA the opportunity to recognize members who excel in various sectors of the industry. Awards were presented in 24 categories, each highlighting a different aspect of the hospitality industry or individual achievement.
“Creating a new event that captures the character of a destination and gives people a reason to travel is no small accomplishment. The Hipstoric Art Festival found a creative way to celebrate Vicksburg’s historic setting while introducing a fresh experience that brought visitors downtown, supported local businesses and showcased talented artists from Mississippi and beyond. To see that kind of visitation and economic impact in its first year speaks to the strength of the concept and the collaboration behind it. Hipstoric is a wonderful example of how new events can add energy to a destination and create new reasons for visitors to experience Mississippi,” said MTA Executive Director, Danielle Morgan.
The Small Festival/Event of the Year award is awarded to a unique festival or event that attracts up to 5,000 visitors.
The Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival (VHAF) filled Washington Street in downtown Vicksburg with imagination, creativity, and fellowship as thousands enjoyed fine art, live music, great food, and a little Mississippi flair. The new signature art event brought 34 acclaimed artists from around the country to the heart of beautiful downtown Vicksburg for a juried art show.
Festival goers were blown away by the quality of the vendors, the live music lineup, and the small touches like the Mint Julep Trail and the Legacy Arts Show. VHAF increased hotel revenue by 22% over the weekend and had over 4,000 attendees. Downtown restaurants reported a 40% increase in sales over the same weekend the year before. Plans are already underway for the second Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival with double amount of artists registered to enjoy the art and culture in a hip and historic setting in downtown Vicksburg.
“We are pleased to recognize this year’s award winners and celebrate the individuals and organizations whose pas- sion and commitment continue to move Mississippi tourism forward. Their innovation, collaboration and dedication play an important role in strengthening our state’s fourth-largest industry while creating memorable experiences that showcase all Mississippi has to offer. These honorees represent the very best of our tourism community, and their work continues to raise the bar for excellence across our state,” said Paige Hunt, 2026-2027 President of MTA.
See a typo? Report it here.
