Oxford
Double Decker
Arts Festival

CELEBRATE MUSIC, FOOD, and the ARTS          at the Thirteenth Annual Oxford

        Double Decker Arts Festival on

                     April 26th, 2008!

Plans for the thirteenth annual Oxford Double Decker Arts

Festival are well under way! Taking its name from the town's authentic double decker bus imported from England in 1994,

the festival brings together visitors and residents alike for a daylong celebration of music, food, and the arts held on the picturesque Courthouse Square.

Vist the Oxford's Town BBQ Throwdown in BBQ Alley at Double Decker! Applications and information about the 2008 BBQ Throwdown will be available as well as merchandise from the inaugural 2007 festival. We will be hosting a BBQ cooking school (pre-registration neccessary, info here) and Dixie Catering will vend award-winning BBQ. There will be an Art of BBQ craft area for the young and young-at-heart - you will also have the chance to purchase unique BBQ rubs and sauces!

Art
115 visual artists from the region will display and sell their creations to the anticipated 55,000 attendees.  Congratulations to our 2008 art vendors - a list is available here.

Double Decker Posters and T-Shirts

Double Decker posters and t-shirts can be ordered at tourism@oxfordcvb.com. Please include contact information, quantity, and size requested.

Music
Throughout the day, festival attendees can browse to the rhythmic sounds of bluegrass, jazz, gospel, blues, country, folk, zydeco, and regional rock-and-roll

groups. Performing on two stages erected on either side of the historic county courthouse, the musicians promise to deliver shows that will have everyone's feet tapping.

Food
Hungry from a day of shopping and dancing, attendees will want to stroll through the "Taste of Oxford" food court featuring a mouth-watering sampling of culinary treats from local restaurateurs. Whether a spicy cup of duck gumbo, a slice of pepperoni pizza, or a chocolate-filled croissant, there is something to satisfy everybody's palate. If you are interested in being a food vendor for the 2008 festival, contact Brooke at 662-232-2477 or at brooke@oxfordcvb.com

Friends
As the Festival is free and open to the public, funding for the event is obtained by generous donations from local and national sponsors. If you are interested in becoming a friend of the 2008 Double Decker Arts Festival, please contact the Oxford Convention & Visitors Bureau at 662.232.2367.

Spring Run
Start the day with the Chamber of Commerce 10K run & 5K walk. With courses winding through the University of Mississippi campus and nearby Oxford neighborhoods, the two courses are fun for both beginning joggers and experienced athletes. For more information call Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce at 662.234.4651.

Square Fair
The children's Square Fair, sponsored by AT&T, will again feature magic shows, face painting, clowns, storytelling, a petting zoo, and musicians to keep both children and their parents entertained. The highlight of the afternoon is the Best Dressed Pet Contest when participants, hoping to win the coveted first prize, parade their dogs, cats, rabbits, and even chickens dressed in elaborate costumes. This year the Square Fair will move down Van Buren Avenue to St. Peter's Episcopalian Church.

Shuttle Service

Shuttles will run from the Della Davidson Elementary School (209 Commonwealth Blvd - next to the Oxford Conference Center) to City Hall from 10am until 11pm.  The charge is $5 per adult (round-trip), children are free.

Oxford Cycling presents the "Double Decker Spring Ride"

The routes this year are 24, 50, and 66 mile loops that meander through the rolling hills of Lafayette County with a visit to Sardis Lake.  The ride will be fully suported with pre-ride bike maintenance, 3 full service rest stops and rolling sag support for any mechanical issues or tired riders.  Pre and post ride refreshements available.  The ride starts at 9am leaving you lots of time to enjoy the festival.  For more information and registration visit www.DoubleDeckerRide.com.

Double Decker Inaugural Car Show
An exciting addition to the Double Decker Festival events on April 26th will be a Car Show & Shine at the Oxford Conference Center, including awards and a parade though Oxford. A registration form is available here, an itinerary is available here.  For more information, check back in the upcoming weeks or contact Richie Martin at  662-607-0885 or wfmartin@olemiss.edu.