By MDA Staff Writer | October 8, 2026
MARKS, Miss. — The City of Marks is preparing for a weekend of music, history and community activities as the annual Quitman County Mules & Blues Festival returns with a special addition: the planned soft opening of the Quitman County Regional Farmers Market.
The two-day celebration begins Friday, Oct. 9, with the farmers market event scheduled from 10 a.m. until noon at 285 Main Street in downtown Marks.
The market opening will include health and wellness resources, information about food access and nutrition, and a cooking demonstration featuring chef Charles Patrick White.
Community health organizations scheduled to participate include Tougaloo Delta Health Partners and Aaron Henry Community Health.
The market initiative adds an agricultural and community-health component to a festival traditionally centered on music, history and local culture.
The celebration continues Saturday, Oct. 10, with a full day of entertainment and family activities.
Saturday’s program begins with a 5K run and walk scheduled from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The event will support infant mortality awareness.
Music, food and vendor activities are scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. and continue into the evening.
The entertainment lineup includes gospel, blues, soul and rhythm-and-blues performances.
Among the scheduled performers are Bobby Rush, Super Chikan, Victoria Pride, Jewel Jones, Jake Carter and O.B. Buchana.
Bobby Rush is scheduled to perform at 4 p.m., followed by additional afternoon and evening performances.
Wagon mule rides and children’s activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Admission to the festival is free.
Beyond entertainment, the annual celebration recognizes an important chapter in American civil-rights history.
Marks played a significant role in the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign, when the historic Mule Train departed the Mississippi Delta for Washington, D.C.
The campaign sought to bring national attention to poverty, economic inequality and the struggles facing low-income Americans.
The Mules & Blues Festival preserves that history while celebrating the region’s musical traditions and cultural identity.
For Quitman County, the gathering also provides an opportunity for vendors, entrepreneurs and community organizations to connect with residents and visitors.
The planned farmers market opening introduces another element to those efforts by placing food access, agriculture and nutrition alongside the festival’s cultural programming.
The celebration is supported by local government, businesses, organizations and community partners.
The festival’s organizing committee has recognized the involvement of the Quitman County Board of Supervisors, the City of Marks and municipalities throughout the county.
With the farmers market opening Friday and the main festival Saturday, Marks is preparing for a weekend that combines economic opportunity, community wellness and the preservation of Mississippi Delta history.
Photo courtesy of: 2026 Mules & Blues Festival
Source: 2026 Mules & Blues Festival — Official website