Capital City Lights returns for its third annual seasonal event on Friday, December 1 starting at 4:00 PM. This holiday spectacular brings the collaborative efforts of multiple organizations to Downtown Jackson to usher in a season of joy in the City With Soul. The event, presented in part by Visit Jackson and Downtown Jackson Partners will feature family-friendly activities, shopping, tours, and more centered on Capitol Street.
Organizations and businesses from throughout Jackson are represented at the event, each bringing a unique activity or flavor to the festivities. Returning this year is the collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) for their Christmas by Candlelight Tour that will allow participants tours of downtown museums with a connecting shuttle service.
Additional Capital City Lights events throughout downtown Jackson that night include a holiday-themed marketplace courtesy of Magnolia Sunset Markets, the AIA Mississippi Holiday Storefront Competition (register to participate here), Ballet Mississippi’s presentation of “The Nutcracker,” The Westin’s Festival of Trees, food trucks, kids activities and more. The City of Jackson will celebrate the event with its annual tree lighting from 5 - 6 pm at Jackson City Hall.
Epic Funk Brass Band - roaming around and playing the event throughout the night
Mississippi Department of Archives and History Christmas by Candlelight Tour 2023 - Live Music * Holiday Decorations * Treats * Model Trains * Shopping
Visit the Mississippi State Capitol, Mississippi Governor's Mansion, Old Capitol Museum, Museum of Mississippi History, and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum from 4-8 pm.
Park and take advantage of the shuttle buses running between sites. Walk or drive and come and go on your own schedule. The shuttle buses will stop running at 8 p.m.
1 - Sessions Jazz Ensemble (5-8 pm), Chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives are open for all to enter, Offices of the Speaker of the House and the Governor are available for viewing, Stop by the Capitol Gift Shop for that special Christmas gift - MS State Capitol
2 - Johnson Elementary School Choir (5 pm), Jim Hill High School Choir (6 pm), Germantown High School Choir (7 pm), Model trains and town of Possum Ridge on second floor, Shop at the Mississippi Museum Store, Holiday craft activity, choirs (5-8 pm) - Two Mississippi Museums
3 - Holmes County Central High School Singers (6-6:45 pm), Enjoy festive holiday lighting, traditional decorations, and faux snow on the grounds, Eudora Welty House & Garden staff will offer holiday ornament crafts in the North Corridor - Old Capitol Museum
14 - Photo with Santa Claus, Trackless train rides, Hot cocoa and cookies, Self-guided tours of the historic mansion and East Garden; Outside - Jackson Zoo, AZA Chapter, and The Bean Path and Spark-O-Matic - MS Governor's Mansion
7 - Emergency Services Vehicles on Display - Touch-A-Truck-style - State at Capitol Street
8 - Capital City Pride Bar - Featuring wine and speciality drinks for purchase - President at Capitol Street - 4-9 pm
9 - City With Soul Sounds and Info
Featuring a mix of music by DJ Unpredictable. Entertainment sponsored by MWB - President at Capitol Street - 5-8 pm
10 - AIA Mississippi Holiday Storefront Competition
Area architectural firms, interior designers, event planner, downtown businesses and more compete with magical storefront displays. Vote via QR code in each window.
11 - City of Jackson Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony (City Hall) featuring live performances by Clausell Elementary School Dance Team, Cordoza Middle School Choir, Boyd Elementary Cheer Squad, Champion Dance Team and Montage of Dance and Callaway High School Men’s Chorale. City of Jackson Benefits Administrator, Rod Oliver will DJ the ceremony. Join them as they lead a second line from City Hall to Capitol Street. 5pm – Program Begins | 5:45pm – Official tree lighting | 6pm – Second line march
12 - Magnolia Sunset Markets - Featuring a selection of vendors - over two dozen - showcasing artisan merchandise, foods and more - Across from the Heritage Building on Capitol Street (Capitol at Congress) - 4-9 pm
13 - Mississippi Museum of Art Pop-Up Shop - Holiday card making, items from the museum store, limited number of free tickets to the current special exhibitions, Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds and Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations - Outside of Lamar Life Building
15 - Come celebrate Visit Jackson’s 40th anniversary with cookies, hot cocoa, photos with Santa and 10% off merchandise storewide and food trucks - JXN Welcome Center - 4-8 pm
16 - Holiday Happy Hour, Views & Decorations and tours of the new 20th-floor rooftop bar - Capital Club
17 - Iconic cross will be lit , drumline on Congress Street, model apartment tours, 20th floor rooftop will be open with a complimentary signature cocktail - Capital Towers Building
18 - Clock Tower lit in holiday colors - Lamar Life Building
19 - Porsche Display - provided by the Magnolia Region Porsche Club of America + new car display from Porsche of Jackson - West at Capitol Street
1 - Mississippi State Capitol Gift Shop
2 - Two Mississippi Museums Museum Store
4 - Pretty Slayer - Candy Land-themed decor with treats, hair twists, face painting, spiked cocoa and nail stencils
5 - Thimblepress
6 - Offbeat - DJ Daddy Bug, Atlantic Records free gift wrapping, caricatures, by David Jackson and bites by City Box Catering
15 - JXN Welcome Center - Come celebrate Visit Jackson’s 40th anniversary with cookies, hot cocoa, photos with Santa and 10% off merchandise storewide.
20 - Food Truck Location - Rays To Go - Burgers, Hot Dogs, Loaded Fries, etc | Smokey’s Meals on Wheels | Mr. Turkey Leg
21 - Soulé - Soft Opening and Coffee Truck
22 - Donut Shop Downtown - Come by and welcome this downtown eatery, open 4-7 pm
23 - Names & Faces Lounge - Drinks + 21+ dining
24 - Food Truck Location - Road Dogs Food Truck | Kimyatta’s Express Kitchen
25 - 4th Avenue Lounge - Drinks + 21+ dining
26 - Food Truck Location - Sweet Tasten | Candied Apples, Nachos, Taco Salad, Hot Dogs and Eddie Wright BBQ
27 - Estelle Southern Table at The Westin Jackson - Drinks + Dining
28 - Martin's Downtown - Drinks + Dining
29 - Hal and Mal's - Drinks + Dining + Live Music
30 - Johnny T's Bistro and Blues - Drinks + 21+ Dining + Live Music
31 - Interior Holiday Decorations, Festival of Trees - The Westin
32 - Ballet Mississippi live performance of The Nutcracker - Thalia Mara Hall - 7:30 pm (ticketed)
Beaux Arts Building, Seat of State Government
Session Jazz Ensemble, Chambers of House and Senate will be open to enter, Officer of Speaker and Governor available to view, Capitol Gift shop will be open. 4-8 pm.
The MS Museum of History + the MS Civil Rights Museum With Multiple Spaces, Indoors and Out
In December 2017, the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum opened in celebration of the state’s bicentennial.The Two Mississippi Museums is a place where Mississippians tell their own…
Original State Capitol
A National Historic Landmark and one of America’s finest examples of Greek Revival architecture, the Old Capitol building served as state capitol from 1839 to 1903, housing such notable events as the…
Pretty Slayer Boutique Open House
Artist-Designed Stationery + Gifts
Open 10 am - 3 pm, Monday-Friday. Holiday hours: 10 am - 6 pm Monday-Friday It is the mission of Jackson, Mississippi-founded Thimblepress® to "encourage kindness and inspire fun with the colorful…
Alternative Culture Store + Art Gallery
Billed as an "alternative culture" store, OffBeat - now located in Downtown Jackson - started in May 2014 as an idea and an attempt to build community through a store and art…
Emergency Vehicle Display
Featuring City Police, Fire and Rescue Vehicles, Touch-A-Truck-Style
City With Soul Sounds and Info
Featuring a mix of music by DJ Unpredictable and official info tent. Entertainment sponsored by MWB.
Holiday Storefront Challenge
Downtown storefronts decorated by local architects and designers. Displays will be up throughout the month of December and you can vote using posted QR codes.
The Seat of Jxn Government
5pm – Program Begins; 5:45pm – Official tree lighting; 6pm – Second line march
Monthly Arts Vendor Market
Featuring a selection of vendors showcasing artisan merchandise, foods and more. 5-9pm
MS Museum of Art & Pop Up Store
Holiday card making, items from the museum store, limited number of free tickets to the current special exhibitions, Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds and Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations.
Second Oldest Occupied Gubernatorial Residence in the US
Constructed in 1841, this beautiful Greek Revival mansion was designed, according to architect William Nichols, to adhere to plain republican simplicity. Having served as the official residence of Mississippis first family since…
JXN Welcome Center
Come celebrate Visit Jackson’s 40th anniversary with cookies, hot cocoa, photos with Santa and 10% of merchandise storewide. Food truck location.
Capital Club
Holiday happy hour, decorations, and tours of the new 20th-floor rooftop bar
Capital Towers
The buildings windows will be lit in the shape of a cross.
Lamar Life Building
The iconic tower will be lit in red and green.
Classic Cars Along Capitol
Provided by the Magnolia Region Porsche Club of America
Food Truck Location
Rays To Go - Burgers, Hot Dogs, Loaded Fries, etc | Smokey’s Meals on Wheels | Mr. Turkey Leg
Soulé
Soft opening and Coffee Truck
Food Truck Location
Road Dogs Food Truck | Kimyatta’s Express Kitchen
Hybrid Cocktail Lounge
4th Avenue is a hybrid Cocktail Lounge and event venue conveniently located on the corner of Lamar and Pearl Streets in Downtown Jackson.
Food Truck Location
Sweet Tasten | Candied Apples, Nachos, Taco Salad, Hot Dogs and Eddie Wright BBQ
Located in The Westin Jackson
Anchored by a bustling open kitchen, Estelle offers a modern wine bar and bistro experience in downtown Jackson, MS. Sip on a creative craft cocktail or enjoy our curated wine list, carefully…
Restaurant + Bar + Venue
Restaurant and music venue and neighborhood hangout with daily blue-plate specials, nightly drink specials and live music multiple times a week.
Gulf Coast Centric Menu, Classic Jxn Bar
A breezily Gulf Coast-centric menu and a busy bar that keeps the spirits in action, Hal & Mal’s is a colorful, funky glimpse at the Capital City’s lunch-time, after-hours and weekend life…
Modern Cuisine Mixed With America’s Music
Indulge your desires with our internationally and seasonally inspired menu! Chef Bryan Myrick, formerly of Char and Anjou, creates a truly unique offering of the southern cuisine.
The exquisitely designed hotel is located in the heart of downtown Jackson with meeting space, Soul Spa and Estelle Wine Bar & Bistro.
2,000 Seat Auditorium, Home to USAIBC
Questions and More Info?
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