DEL.ICIO.USThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/16/08
Oxford, Miss. — The last time I saw Emmylou Harris, the elegant country songbird was warbling a high, lonesome tune against a darkening sky.
The crowd was hushed and her voice seemed to float above Oxford's postcard-perfect town square.
 Oxford Convention & Visitors Bureau | ||
| The Double Decker Arts Festival is named for the bus the city of Oxford acquired from London in 1994. About 50,000 people are expected for this year's festival on April 26. | ||
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Such moments of unearthly beauty can rise up unexpectedly at Oxford's Double Decker Arts Festival, scheduled this year for April 26. And then there are the festival's more predictable earthly delights, from plates of fried catfish to bowls of steaming gumbo.
With juried arts vendors, children's events, "Taste of Oxford" food booths and other attractions, the festival stays circled on locals' calendars months in advance.
Tourists from Georgia and other nearby states are marking their calendars, too.
The free event, which turns 13 this year, takes its name from the bright red double-decker bus that Oxford imported from England in 1994.
Yet everything else about the festival is as Southern as sweet tea. And once again, Oxford's pristine town square will form an ideal backdrop for the all-day festivities.
"A lot of towns hold festivals and fairs out in a big, empty lot somewhere," said Hugh Stump, executive director of the Oxford Convention & Visitors Bureau. "But there's just not a lot of character and charm there. And that's what Oxford is known for — its uniqueness and culture and history."
About 50,000 people are expected to cram into the festival, which lines the square and spills out into the surrounding streets.
But "we really can't get any bigger," Stump said, and the fact that the festival has maxed out its space is probably a blessing in disguise.
Its manageable scale, along with its picturesque setting, guarantees a homey feel. Every year, University of Mississippi alumni turn the festival into an unofficial reunion, often with a new batch of kids in tow.
Part of the draw is its two stages of live music, with local and nation acts that evoke the sounds of the South. Past performers have included Wilco, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Lucinda Williams, Marty Stuart and Emmylou Harris, whose performance left me enthralled two springs ago.
"We try to stick to blues and Americana," Stump said, "music that has a broad reach and a diverse following."
This year's headliners are the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Avett Brothers, a progressive bluegrass band from North Carolina whose show Saturday at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta is sold out.
"We like to book artists like the Avett Brothers," Stump said, "people who we think are maybe a year or two away from being big stars, where you can catch them on their way up and say, 'I saw them back when.' "
When the crowds grow too thick, savvy visitors grab a chair on one of the storefront balconies that line the square.
Come Sunday morning, festival-goers can revive themselves with strong coffee, fresh croissants and ginger scones at the Bottletree Bakery at 923 Van Buren Ave., where the walls are lined with folk art and the wait is definitely worth it.
A block away is Oxford's highly regarded literary outpost, Square Books, an independent bookstore that celebrates the South's best writers with lectures, signings and other events.
Book hounds can round out their afternoon with a tour of Rowan Oak, the stately home where William Faulkner penned novels that would alter the landscape of modern literary.
For sports fans, there's Ole Miss' red-hot baseball team. The Rebels host the University of Arkansas during festival weekend.
"The thing about Oxford," Stump said, "is that we don't have a beach. We don't have a casino. We don't have a water park. But what we do have is realness."
IF YOU GO
Getting there
Driving: Oxford is about 335 miles from Atlanta, about a 5 1/2-hour drive.
Flying: Expect to pay about $250 roundtrip from Atlanta to the Memphis International Airport, about an hour north of Oxford.
Where to stay
In an ideal world, the recently renovated Downtown Oxford Inn and Suites, just two blocks for the square, offers a perfect respite from festival crowds with a white-columned veranda to relax on. Rates are $99-$159 per night. 400 North Lamar Blvd. 662-234-3031 or 1-800-606-1497; www.downtownoxfordinnandsuites.com .
There's also a Hampton Inn (110 Heritage Drive, 662-232-2442) and a Holiday Inn Express (112 Heritage Drive, 1-877-863-4780) near the Ole Miss campus.
Realistically, though, it's unlikely that vacancies exist in town this close to festival weekend. The Oxford Convention & Visitors Bureau suggests checking for rooms in nearby Tupelo or Batesville.
"And a lot of people will also stay in Tunica and then come over here," Stump said. "It's only 70 miles away, and you can go gambling there."
Where to eat
For true Southern fare, the affordably priced Ajax Diner on the town square provides down-home dining. 118 Courthouse Square. 662-232-8880.
For a splurge, City Grocery offers an extensive wine list, critically acclaimed new Southern cuisine and great views onto the square. 152 Courthouse Square. 662-232-8080; www.citygroceryonline.com
And for catfish, locals swear by Taylor Grocery in what is quaintly referred to as "downtown" Taylor, about seven miles south of Oxford. Despite its middle-of-nowhere location, expect long lines no matter when you go. Live music across the street at the Big Truck Theater (www.bigtrucktheater.com ) will help drown out the sound of growling stomachs until your table is ready. 662-236-1716; www.taylorgrocery.com
Information
For more on the festival, see www.doubledeckerfestival.com
For more on Oxford, see www.oxfordcvb.com or call 662-232-2367.
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