HATTIESBURG — In the Hub City, the calendar is filling up.

From trivia nights and pop-up concerts to farmers markets and zoo events, businesses and community groups are turning weekdays into shared experiences. With support from city tourism leaders and a wave of independent creativity, these efforts are reshaping Hattiesburg into a year-round destination for entertainment, connection and culture.

Hattiesburg is creating a blueprint for how communities can thrive through consistent, inclusive and engaging entertainment.

“I’m from Jasper County, my family is from Jasper County, but we come down here all the time,” said Terry Phillips, a frequent visitor to the city.

A growing demand for connection

Hattiesburg is home to nearly 48,000 residents, two universities and a growing downtown. With the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University attracting students and faculty from across the globe, the city has been working to offer more activities for a diverse, active population.

In recent years, small businesses and local organizations have stepped in with weekly trivia nights, art classes, farmers markets and outdoor movie screenings — helping fill gaps in weekday entertainment.

“I know they have the Crawfish Festival; they have the downtown stuff that we’ve been a part of a time or two,” Phillips said. “Mainly, we actually come here to the zoo, and we actually go to the (Forrest County Multipurpose) Center … when they have events there.”

The constant activities not only keep residents engaged but attract regular visitors and set an example for surrounding towns that want to boost local pride and foot traffic.

Kayce Boleware, general manager at The Porter Public House, said people are moving to and visiting downtown in growing numbers — and they’re looking for things to do throughout the week. She said with businesses hosting events alongside the city of Hattiesburg, “it really gives people the opportunity to mesh, mingle and meet people.”

National recognition and a tourism push

In April 2024, Southern Living named Hattiesburg one of the South’s Best Cities on the Rise, placing it among the top 25 emerging cities across 16 states.

“I love downtown Hattiesburg,” Boleware said. “I love what our mayor is trying to do. I love what Visit Hattiesburg and the downtown association is doing.”

The article highlighted Hattiesburg’s growth through “strategic storytelling, local collaboration and intentional destination development.”

That strategy began years earlier as city tourism leaders responded to pandemic-era travel shifts. In 2020, Visit Hattiesburg launched the “Safely Open for You” campaign, which emphasized the city’s creative culture, outdoor recreation and civil rights history. The campaign generated more than 300 million media impressions in six months and created national attention for the city.

According to Visit Hattiesburg, Mississippi outpaced the nation in tourism recovery by the end of 2020. The U.S. Travel Association named Mississippi the top tourism market that December based on year-over-year visitor spending.

“I think they prepare well, they do well, they support their community,” Phillips said.

Local events strengthen local business

A major part of that support comes from events like Live at Five, a free outdoor concert series held at Town Square Park in downtown Hattiesburg. Allison Neville, owner and operator of the series, said they host six concerts every spring and fall, plus a shorter summer lineup.

“It’s a great support system for the downtown community as a whole because people visit our local restaurants and shops before and after the event, which is really important for just our local downtown economy,” she said.

Neville said the event supports not just the businesses but the people behind them. Attendees’ purchases go toward local artists, musicians and vendors. She added that she sees upward of 2,000 people at each event, some of whom offer valuable suggestions on what kind of vendors and performers they’d like to see.

Outside of Live at Five, other businesses keep the week lively. At The Porter Public House, weekly trivia nights, open mic events and live music bring in regular crowds.

The Hattiesburg Zoo also plays a major role in local entertainment. According to its website, the zoo welcomes nearly 200,000 guests annually. In addition to housing more than 100 species, the facility offers interactive exhibits, learning opportunities and adventure activities for all ages.

Event hosting benefits more than just attendees. According to Event Academy, community events drive foot traffic and boost local economies by increasing sales at nearby shops, restaurants and service providers.

A tourism boom with staying power

Mississippi welcomed a record 43.7 million visitors in 2023, generating $11.5 billion in travel spending. Hattiesburg alone brought in $582 million in direct visitor spending — up $150 million over the past five years, according to Visit Hattiesburg CEO Marlo Dorsey.

The city outpaced the state’s overall tourism growth since launching a five-year strategic plan in 2019 aimed at transforming Hattiesburg into a year-round destination.

In 2023, visitors spent $170 million on food and beverages, $127 million on recreation and $126 million on lodging. Outdoor recreation and accommodations have seen some of the biggest gains, contributing to the city’s rise as a top travel spot.

Although home to two universities, Hattiesburg has also become a destination for retirees. The Downtown Hattiesburg Association reported that the city was named one of the “100 Best Retirement Towns in America” and is a Certified Retirement Community — thanks to its low cost of living, strong health care access and wide range of recreational and cultural options.

“Hattiesburg really tries to cater to everybody, and I really love that — because there’s such a wide variety of people and it just really makes Hattiesburg fun because there’s always an event going on,” Boleware said.

Building on momentum

As local leaders, businesses owners and community organizations look to continue to build Hattiesburg into a community hub, new spaces continue to emerge. Midtown Green, a recently opened park in midtown Hattiesburg, is already being eyed as a future hotspot for community gatherings.

“Midtown Green just opened up in midtown, and it’s such an awesome park,” Neville said. “I don’t know who’s going to start something there, but I can assure you there will be some sort of live music series that pops up there.”

As towns across the region look to strengthen their own local economies, Hattiesburg stands as a strong example of what’s possible when everyone works together.