What's on
Arts Alive!, Pirate Day in the Bay, The Bay Fest, Cruisin' the Coast, Christmas in Old Town and more, with every date checked against an official source.
How to read this page
We list a specific date only when an official or organizer source gives one. Where an event repeats on a familiar schedule but the 2027 date has not been published, we say “typically” and show the most recent date as a guide. Check the organizer before you plan around any event.
Coming up this season
Christmas in Old Town starts in late November.
Art Without Walls art market (The Arts, Hancock County)
Confirmed: chamber calendar
Taste of Hancock
Confirmed: chamber calendar
Christmas in the Bay: festive shopping, local artisans, entertainment and food in historic downtown, ending with the community Christmas parade. Free.
Confirmed: Coastal Mississippi. Times: check the host.
Santa Stroll: Old Town in its holiday finest, with sales, games, contests and Santa
Date unclear: the chamber lists Dec 12, the Merchants Association lists Dec 13. Confirm with the Merchants.
Winter Solstice Lantern Parade & Beach Bonfire (The Arts, Hancock County)
Confirmed: chamber calendar
New Year's Eve Oyster Drop at 200 North Beach Restaurant
Confirmed: chamber calendar
Several of these dates are priced as event dates on our rates page (Thanksgiving week, November 14 and December 12), and New Year's has a 3-night minimum for stays that include December 30 to January 1.
2027
Dates from the Hancock County Chamber's calendar and each organizer. Waveland and Diamondhead events are left out unless noted.
Dolly Should Festival (it happens on the second Saturday in January) and the Mutiny & Mayhem Bash
Confirmed
Mardi Gras parades, with Fat Tuesday on February 9. See our Mardi Gras guide.
Confirmed (see that page for each parade)
Bay St. Louis Film Festival at 100 Men Hall
Confirmed: chamber calendar
Battle of the Bay: The Art of the Cocktail, and Souper Mudfest (handcrafted bowls and soup samples from Old Town merchants; in 2026 bowls were $30, sold on the day, from 11 a.m. at Main Street United Methodist Church)
Confirmed dates: chamber calendar. 2027 format and prices not confirmed.
Arts Alive!: art, music, food and activities for kids in the Depot Arts District along Blaize Avenue, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, free admission
Confirmed: Coastal Mississippi and The Arts, Hancock County
Art Without Walls art markets (The Arts, Hancock County)
Confirmed: chamber calendar
Pirate Day in the Bay, with a pub crawl and treasure hunt, costume contests, vendors, a children's parade, the Pirate Invasion Parade and fireworks (programs in past years)
Dates confirmed by the organizer. Schedule not yet confirmed.
The Bay Fest: arts, crafts, food and live music in Old Town, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., free. Third annual.
Confirmed: Coastal Mississippi
Juneteenth outdoor concert at 100 Men Hall
Confirmed: chamber calendar
Our Lady of the Gulf Crab Festival, on the July 4 weekend, and Frida Fest in July (2026: July 11)
Typically
Booker Fest at 100 Men Hall (2026: September 4 to 6)
Typically
Cruisin' the Coast, the 31st annual classic car event along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Downtown Bay St. Louis is one of the stops.
Dates confirmed by the organizer. Local schedule not yet published.
Boo in the Bay Parade (2026: October 17) and Witches Walk, Old Town's biggest event of the year (2026: October 24)
Typically
Taste of Hancock (2026: November 18)
Typically
Christmas in the Bay (2026: November 28)
Typically
Santa Stroll (2026: December 12 or 13, see above)
Typically
Cruisin' the Coast: the organizer lists Bay St. Louis (downtown) among its stamping sites, with hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Saturday on its site-hours page. Confirm the 2027 schedule on its site.
All year
Special events, live music and festive shopping in Old Town on the second Saturday of each month, presented by the Old Town Merchants Association. 2027 dates by that rule: Jan 9, Feb 13, Mar 13, Apr 10, May 8, Jun 12, Jul 10, Aug 14, Sep 11, Oct 9, Nov 13, Dec 11 (calculated).
Free local music, art and food on the Depot grounds, third Wednesdays from April to November, typically 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The 2027 dates are not published yet.
Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., at 3068 Longfellow Drive in Bay St. Louis, according to the chamber calendar.
Concerts and community events through the year, including a Blues Brunch on a Sunday each month (the chamber's calendar lists April 11, May 9 and June 13, 2027).
Plan your stay
Some event dates have special rates and minimum stays. Mardi Gras weekend (nights February 6 to 9) and New Year's (December 30 to January 1) have a 3-night minimum. See the rates page for the full list of event dates. If you want a golf cart to get around during an event, Quality Custom Carts is our preferred local rental vendor (independent, not affiliated, reserve ahead; no cart is provided with the rental).
Facts on this page were checked against the sources below on October 28, 2026. We have no business relationship with the places or events mentioned and receive nothing for listing them. Hours, prices, routes and dates change, so please confirm with the organizer before you travel.
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