First Thursday Is Back in Fondren

Every first Thursday of the month, Fondren comes alive — and in 2026, that tradition is back with renewed focus and some fresh energy behind it.

Credit: Lindsay McMurtray

The event has gone by a few names over the years — Fondren Block Party, First Thursdays — but the spirit has stayed the same for more than two decades. This year, the organizer, Chane, is keeping things centered in Fondren while encouraging visitors to explore the whole neighborhood, from State Street to Fondren Village and Cups to Duling Avenue.

What to Expect on First Thursdays

The first installment is already shaping up well. Rooster's will be outside this time, grilling burgers or roasting corn, running a beer cart, and hosting music out front. Fondren FroYo will be set up near the entrance, and Sweet Tastin' will serve out of their food truck. The Bean will have music and a jewelry designer on site, and Walkers Drive-In is planning a mini farmer's market alongside live music.

Leona Blue will be open late with sales. Bands will be spread all along the strip — at The Station, Highball Lanes, End of All Music, The Pig & Pint and other stops — making it easy to drift from block to block. Also joining the mix: Habitat for Humanity, Fondren Salon, and the Mississippi Children's Museum, which is partnering with First Thursdays throughout 2026 to bring programming and outreach to the event.

A Night Built Around Community

The format is intentionally low-key — no vendors, no admission, no politics. Capitol Police, JPD, and the Sheriff's Department are all present, parking is generally easy to find in the surrounding blocks, and dogs are welcome. As Chane puts it, it's simply "people loving on people."

Why Fondren Keeps Drawing People Back

For Chane, who has operated Swellophonic and Studio Chane in Fondren across 14 different storefronts over 28 years, the neighborhood's pull has never weakened. "Every time I came to resign a lease, I did my due diligence to decide if I wanted to go outside the neighborhood," he says. "Every time I chose to stay, it wasn't a default response. It was a very conscious decision. This is home."

That conviction extends to how he sees Jackson right now. "There's a lot of local love in Jackson that Jackson doesn't get credit for," he says. With new development underway in Fondren — a hotel, two sets of new apartments, an art gallery, and his own new storefront all in the pipeline — he sees momentum that's hard to ignore.

Chane

"Everybody's got FOMO, and everybody wants to see what's going to happen next when they go to Fondren."

Fondren's First Thursdays run on the first Thursday of each month in Fondren from April to November, with July off. Come for the food, stay for the music, and see why this neighborhood keeps drawing people back.

Author

Paul Wolf

Paul is the Director of Destination Storytelling at Visit Jackson, managing the website, Soul Sessions podcast, and travel journalism initiatives. Drawing on three decades in communications, he brings expertise in writing, photography, video, and podcasting to showcase what makes Jackson special. When he's not working, Paul enjoys running, exploring the local food scene — great craft beer, coffee and BBQ.

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