Tennessee Williams celebration labeled a ‘destination festival’
Southern Literary Trail director praises Clarksdale event
Labeled, “outstanding,” “glorious,” and “sensational,” the 16th annual Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival picked up a new definition this fall as a “destination festival” from the Southern Literary Trail’s top official.
Writing from Birmingham where he is fine-tuning next year’s schedule of literary stops in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, William Gantt, called the event a “sensational success in every category: programs, dramatic presentations, hospitality, and social events.”
Clarksdale has “created a celebration that truly deserves its reputation as a ‘destination festival.’ I am thrilled to have been a member of the audience.”“
Additionally the festival has drawn rave reviews from the Mississippi Humanities Council director Barbara Carpenter and her husband Harrell Weathersby who not only praised the weekend but are making plans to return next year.
To the scores of longtime volunteers, financial backers and supporters including the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, and the Rock River Foundation, Covenant Bank, First National Bank of Clarksdale, Kurt Henke, Dr. Bryant Hirsberg, Holmes Pettey, and Jane Wilbourn, hospital, church, and government officials, staff, teachers, actors, chefs, artists, musicians, celebrity musician Charlie Musselwhite who performed as a gift to the festival, Woman’s Club members and pupils at St. George’s Day School, the Chamber’s Walk of Fame organization to merchants, business and home owners who graciously welcomed visitors after hours to their homes, galleries, and stores - Coahoma Community College and the Tennessee Williams Festival Committee members are indebted to you forever.
It was a unique and awesome coalition of “style and grace” that Tennessee Williams most admired in Southerners and Mississippians in particular.
From the United Kingdom, Carmel Lonergan writes she is missing Clarksdale acutely while listening and editing dozens of interviews recorded here for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) one-hour program for Radio 2.
With an audience of 13 million listeners, the BBC program has been likened in prestige to Masterpiece Theatre, and should impact tourism traffic here for years.
From Hernando High School that sent a group of 28 to the two-day festival and drama competition, Julie Campbell writes:
“The Hernando High School students as well as their teacher and chaperone so enjoyed your festival and look forward to participating for many years to come. Each of us came away enriched with vivid images of Tennessee Williams’ Delta.”
“Our students worked very hard preparing for their scene and monologues and appreciated the accolades received through the competition and during Friday night’s reception at the former governor’s mansion.”
“These teenagers were given a unique opportunity to meet and visit with numerous people who offered inspiration, advice, and praise. Thank you for providing such an event which benefited our kids.”
Many thanks to everyone.
Panny Mayfield,
Project Director, Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival, sponsored by Coahoma Community College
For more information, contact Panny Mayfield,
662-621-4157 or pmayfield@coahomacc.edu
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