FestivalSouth Kicks Off Thursday for 13th Year

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - A fan-favorite festival is returning to the Hub City for its 13th year.

The City of Hattiesburg will be filled with art, music and other family-friendly fun starting Thursday, June 2, when FestivalSouth returns for its opening weekend.

“...if you’re into the performing arts, if you’re into the visual arts, there’s a lot of things in the next four weeks that will just be chalked full of things for people to do... things for locals to do and, of course, visitors,” said Marlo Dorsey, executive director VisitHATTIESBURG.

The four-week festival, which runs through June 25, makes a huge impact on Hattiesburg’s economy.

While some of FestivalSouth’s events are free, some do require a ticket.

One of those ticketed events happens to take place this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Local actors will take the stage in “The Play That Goes Wrong” at 7:30 p.m. at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center on the campus of USM. 

“It’s a play about a group trying to put on a play... they’ve bitten off a little more than they can chew, and they think that they’re better than they are so, things are constantly going wrong and the whole fun of it is that you get to laugh at them trying to figure out how to keep going on with the play...,” said Wes Hanson, Scene Shop supervisor at the USM Dept. Of Theatre.

According to Hanson, who is also the show’s director, it’s a play you don’t want to miss.

“The people who were here last night, they left actually in pain,” said Hanson. “That’s a warning to you people, ok, they left in pain from laughing so hard. I had several people tell me that their cheeks hurt as they were leaving. So, I guess that’s a good sign.”

Tickets are $30 dollars for adults and $15 dollars for kids. 

For more events happening during FestivalSouth, click HERE.

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