Jackson MS concert series begins downtown Saturday

Ed Inman
| Special to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger

A free gospel concert featuring the Mississippi Mass Choir will kick off the Levitt Amp Music Series in Jackson.
The event is the first of thirty free concerts planned over the next three years, funded by a grant.
Families are encouraged to bring blankets and picnics, though food and beverages will be for sale.
The concert series will feature a variety of musical genres, including blues, Cajun, and reggae.

The outdoor stage at downtown Jackson’s Smith Park will come alive this Saturday, April 25 with a free gospel concert featuring the Mississippi Mass Choir.

The family-friendly event will kick off at 11 a.m. and will also feature the children’s choir from New Horizon Church International as well as several speakers, including Jackson Mayor John Horhn. The Mississippi Mass Choir will take the stage around noon and the concert will conclude by 2 p.m.

As the kickoff event for what is called the Levitt Amp Music Series, it will be the first of thirty free concerts planned for Jackson over the next three years. The series is being funded in part by a $120,000 grant awarded to Downtown Jackson Partners by the Levitt Family Foundation. The grant requires a local match of $120,000, totaling $240,000.

Downtown Jackson Partners President Liz Brister said out of 300 applicants nationwide, Jackson emerged as the No. 9 top-voted finalist in the competitive grant program, which is designed to strengthen communities by allowing people to celebrate music together.

“We are very excited. I can’t think of any other place in the country that needs this more than Jackson,” Brister said.

She said the gatherings will be a great way to bring together people from throughout the metro area, “to feel good about our capital city.”

Families are encouraged to bring their own blankets and picnic items, but brunch items will also be offered for sale by celebrated chef Nick Wallace, who most recently opened the Hen and Egg Restaurant inside the historic Sun-n-Sand building.

Menu items will include: Bacon Sausage Dog – $10; Brisket Potato Bowl – $14; Braised Pork Tacos – $13; and Chicken Fried Rice – $12. Desserts by Nick Wallace will also be available, as will beverages courtesy of Hal and Mal’s Restaurant.

Smith Park is located at 302 East Amite Street. In the event of rain, festivities to will move indoors to the Old Capitol Inn at 226 North State Street, Brister said.

The Levitt Family Foundation was founded in 1966 by Mortimer and Mimi Levitt of New York City. Mortimer Levitt, who died at age 98 in 2005, was recognized as an outspoken advocate for the arts and a dedicated philanthropist.

He built a men’s fashion empire of made-to-measure shirts, starting with single store in New York City in 1937 and growing to include more than 60 others around the country. He was also the author of several how-to books about men’s fashion including “The Executive Look: How to Get It, How to Keep It” (1981), and “Class: What It Is and How to Acquire It” (1984).

Future concerts as part of the series for 2026 have been announced as follows:

May 2: Mr. Sipp, 5 – 8 p.m. (Delta Blues)
May 16: BeauSoleil Avec Michael Doucet, 5 – 8 p.m. (Cajun)
May 30: Chambers DesLauriers, 5 – 8 p.m. (Blues, Rock and Soul)
July 4: Stars, Stripes & Symphony with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 – 9 p.m. at the Old Capitol (Classical)
September 10: Soul City Swingers, 5 – 8 p.m. (Funk and Soul)
September 17: Cary Hudson, 5 – 8 p.m. (Country, Folk, Blues and Rock and Roll)
September 27: The Wailers, 4 – 7 p.m. (Reggae)
October 1: Grits and Greens, 5 – 8 p.m. (Psychedelic Y’Alt Rock)

A final October concert will be announced soon. All concerts (except for the July 4 event at the Old Capitol) will be at Smith Park.

‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’

‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.clarionledger.com ’