Starkville Area Arts Council gears up for Cotton District Arts Festival

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Starkville Area Arts Council is in overdrive preparing for its annual Cotton District Arts Festival this weekend.

The event attracts talented artists from across the region and exposes residents to their work and the work of the Arts Council.

The Starkville Area Arts Council is taking over a corner of the city for a weekend of arts and entertainment, but its work of bringing appreciation of the arts to the area is a year-round mission.

For over three decades, people have gathered in the Cotton District for the annual Cotton District Arts Festival, and this year’s theme is Fall in the District.

The Starkville Area Arts Council hopes the event sheds light on the programs and area artists it sponsors all year long.

“They think of us as the Cotton District Arts Festival, the planning of the Cotton District Arts Festival in between the 17,000 other things we do to try to help the community learn about art and love art,” said Juliette Reid, SAAC.

The Arts Council is a group with deep roots in its community, and it’s also sharing the spotlight with other organizations.

“Starkville Strong is a nonprofit that collects, as you said, perishable items to give to those in need in our community, so there will be lots of fun activities for the kids at the children’s village this year. It is like a carnival slash cruise theme,” said Mary Switzer, SAAC.

The council wants to remind the community that the arts are inclusive; they are even inviting pets out to join in the fun…

“There is a board of ‘pawldermen’. Love it. Chief of “pawlice” and fur chief, and then the pet mayor, and the pet mayor is Buster Camp,” said Reid.

Pet Mayor Buster Camp along with Starkville’s human mayor will lead the charge in the pet parade starting at 9 a.m. and all activities will follow.

For more information, visit cdafestival.com

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