Five Reasons to Plan a Late-Summer Trip to Tupelo, Mississippi

Explore one of Mississippi’s best small cities

Tupelo sits in the northeast corner of Mississippi, where the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains get their start. It’s a small city, under 40,000 people, but it carries more cultural weight than its size suggests. Elvis was born here in a two-room shack. The final battles of the Civil War in Mississippi were fought in and around the city. The fourth most visited national park in the country calls Tupelo its headquarters.

Downtown Tupelo has long given visitors a reason to plan a trip. Independent restaurants have popped up throughout the area, a craft coffee scene has emerged, and a boutique hotel filled to the brim with local touches offers the perfect getaway. The list of things to do seems endless.

Late summer gives you quite a few reasons to plan a visit. Songwriter nights draw serious talent to an intimate room, the local coffee community becomes a spectator sport, a marathon sends runners onto rolling country roads before sunrise, and that’s just scratching the surface.

Here’s what’s on the calendar.

Loco Taco in Tupelo, MS

Tupelo Farmers Market at The Depot

Saturdays through October 3 | 8 a.m. to noon

Start Saturday downtown with four hours of fresh air, coffee, and local vendors at the Tupelo Farmers Market at The Depot. More than 30 vendors set up each week with locally grown produce, baked goods, canned goods, honey, plants, flowers, and handmade crafts. The morning has enough going on for a full family stop, with live music, children’s activities, coffee truck, and plenty of reasons to stop at each and every booth.

Go early, especially if you like having the first pick of tomatoes, fresh flowers, and baked goods that always sell out.

UAM Aviation Day

August 15

UAM Aviation Day brings the airport experience closer to the ground for families, aviation fans, and anyone who likes getting a closer look at machines they usually only see overhead. The second annual community celebration will include static aircraft displays, a free photo booth with Tupelo Photo Booth, a Kids Fun Zone, local vendors, food, music, and prizes.

It’s an easy daytime plan if you’re traveling with kids, but adults who love planes will have just as much reason to explore. Bring sunglasses, comfortable shoes, and a camera.

The Tupelo Sessions

August 25 | Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum

The Tupelo Sessions gives music lovers a quieter way to spend a night in the city where Elvis’ story began. The songwriter round features Mississippi writers Brian Harrison, William Stults, Patrick Sudduth, and John Major, each sharing songs and the stories behind them in an intimate setting at the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum.

Tickets are $5 plus tax, and the evening includes complimentary snacks and a cash bar. It’s the rare show where the conversation sparked between songs may be as memorable as the show itself.

Tupelo Elvis Festival