STORY
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2026
Friday belongs to the story. Before the music, before the feast, before the river - we start where it all begins: the screen. Tonight is about seeing ourselves told by ourselves, in a place that has been the source of so much of the world’s culture. Welcome to Clarksdale. Welcome home.
Evening | 7:00 PM – 12:00 PM
7:00 – 8:00 PM
New Roxy
Opening Reception
Doors open. Drinks flow. Connections begin. Join us at the historic New Roxy for a welcome reception before the films roll. This is where the weekend starts — in community, in conversation, in Clarksdale.
8:00 – 10:00 PM
New Roxy
AINT FILM FESTIVAL
An evening of short films by filmmakers from across the South, curated in partnership with AINT. These are our stories — on our terms, on our screen, in our town.
10:00 – 12:00 AM
Red’s Blues
Lounge
Mayor’s Birthday Bash at Red’s Blues Lounge
The night doesn’t end at the theater. Head to Red’s — one of the last great juke joints — to celebrate with the Mayor and our blues musician who keep Clarksdale’s heartbeat alive.
SOUND + SUSTENANCE
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2026
Saturday is the heartbeat of The Return. Every street is a stage. Every conversation is building something. From a morning sound bathe on the river to live podcasts, barbershop talks, artist demos, a curated dinner, and a late-night DJ set — this is what it looks like when a community celebrates itself.
ALL DAY — DROP IN ANYTIME
VIP Lounge
The Matchbox
An exclusive space for VIP ticket holders, and sponsors, open throughout the day. Features snacks, ice cold water, cash bar, and conversation — a dedicated retreat between sessions.
The Neighborhood Album Gallery
Travelers Hotel
An open gallery experience featuring photography and visual storytelling from artist across the Delta and beyond. Drop in between sessions and linger as long as you like.
Part exhibition, part archive, part gathering space. Come see what’s been carried, captured, and remembered.
7:00AM – Noon
Sunflower River with Quapaw Canoe Company
Paddle on the Sunflower River
The day opens gently. A guided paddle along the Sunflower River — an invitation to arrive with intention before the city wakes up. Open to all.
Morning | 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Early Investor Walkthrough
A private, behind-the-scenes tour for early-stage investors, government officials, and major sponsors, offering an intimate look at the future home of the GRIOT Center and plans to reimagine the Paramount Theater and the former three-story JC Penny Building in Downtown Clarksdale.
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Paramount Theater
Future home of Griot Center on Yazoo Ave.
Coffee with Kinfolk + Clarksdale Rising Speed Interviews
The official Saturday morning kickoff anchoring the day in love, friendly faces and hope for the future. Settle in and experience Quick-fire conversations spotlighting local voices, entrepreneurs, and culture-bearers who are building in Clarksdale right now. Fast, energetic, and deeply local presented by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Meraki Coffee
OUR America Gallery Space
10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Barbershop
New Wave Studio
Barbershop Talk at New Wave Studio
One of the most culturally rooted programming elements of the weekend. A revolving conversation on culture, identity, and community held in the most honest room in town.
10:00 AM onwards
Riverside Hotel
Listed: Riverside Hotel Green Book Tour
The Riverside Hotel has been here through all of it. Once listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book as a safe haven for Black travelers, it is also where Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm recorded Rocket 88 — widely considered the first rock and roll record ever made. Step inside for a guided tour of the history, the rooms, and the people who passed through these doors. Open to all attendees throughout the weekend.
Midday | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
11:00 AM –
12:00 PM
Crossroads Cultural Arts Center
SippTalk Live Podcast
Sipptalk Live lands in Clarksdale with a conversation grounded in possibility.
We’re exploring the architecture of a creative economy — who builds it, what sustains it, and what it demands to grow. From overlooked roles to unconventional paths, this live podcast pulls back the curtain on what it means to create, work, and thrive in Mississippi.
This isn’t just about creativity. Its about infrastructure. Access. Power. And what becomes possible when we invest on our own.
Live Mural Activation at the Paramount
One visual artist take to the walls of the historic Paramount Theater as Rev Slim and a collaborating musician set the soundtrack. Art made in real time, on a canvas that will outlast the weekend. Come watch something permanent get made. Presenting by Griot Arts.
12:00 AM –
1:00 PM
Paramount Theater
12:30 PM
Paramount Theater
Future home of Griot Center on Yazoo Ave.
Paramount Walkthrough
Second round of the investor walkthrough. Same intimate access, open to the public.
12:30 PM
Riverside Hotel Tours
Listed: Riverside Hotel Greenbook Tours
Birthplace of rock and roll. Safe haven for Black travelers. One of Clarksdale’s most storied landmarks. Guided tours open to all attendees throughout the weekend.
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Auberge Hostel
Black With No Chaser Live Podcast
BWNC records live in front of a crowd with a lineup of guests reflecting the weekend’s themes — culture, creativity, and what it means to build something lasting in the South.
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Meraki Roasting Company
Building a Blues Economy Rooted in Dignity
A Mississippi Humanities Council talk exploring what a blues economy can look like when it centers the communities that created it — not just the tourists who consume it.
Acting Improv Class - Layla Young
Think fast, speak true, tell your story. Join Layla Young for a hands-on improv workshop that opens your imagination, unlocks your voice and connects you to the performers around you. No experience needed —just show up ready to play.
2:00 PM
Crossroads Cultural Arts Center
Listed: Riverside Hotel Greenbook Tours
Birthplace of rock and roll. Safe haven for Black travelers. One of Clarksdale’s most storied landmarks. Guided tours open to all attendees throughout the weekend.
2:30 PM
Riverside Hotel Tours
Afternoon | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Fashion Brands on the Rise + Screen Printing Workshop
A showcase of emerging Southern fashion brands followed by a hands-on screen printing workshop. Watch creatives create and keep the story moving.
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Travelers Hotel
Black With No Chaser: Storytelling Workshop
A participatory writing and storytelling workshop led by Black With No Chaser. Open to all — bring your story, your voice, your experience. This one goes in the room.
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Crossroads Cultural Arts Center
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Travelers Hotel
Artist Talk in Gallery Space
The weekend’s visual artists speak to their work, their process, and their relationship to the Delta. An intimate conversation between makers and the people who showed up to witness.
5:00 PM
Riverside Hotel Tours
Listed: Riverside Hotel Greenbook Tours
Birthplace of rock and roll. Safe haven for Black travelers. One of Clarksdale’s most storied landmarks. Guided tours open to all attendees throughout the weekend.
5:30 – 9:00 PM
Downtown Alleys
Live Music at Delta Ave. Park Stage
Evening | 6:00 PM – Late
Curated Chef Dinners
The centerpiece of Saturday evening. Your choice of 3 Intimate dinners Downtown pairing a celebrated chef with creatives, farmers, and community — each dinner a distinct experience of food and story.
6:30 – 9:00 PM
Downtown Clarksdale
Multiple Locations
DJ Late Night
The night doesn’t end at dinner — it moves. Red Panther Brewing becomes the late-night home of The Return: DJ Donny P and YoBreezye mix sounds rooted in the same spirit that built this place, carrying the weekend into the early hours.
9:00 PM –
12:00 AM
Red Panther Brewing
12:00 AM –
Until
The Matchbox
The Official Afterparty at The Matchbox
The night's not done. After the DJ experience, the party moves to the Matchbox — indoor, outdoor, and all the way live. Stay till the Delta says goodnight.
SOLACE IN THE SOIL
SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2026
Sunday is for the soil. The weekend ends where so much of the history is held - on the water, in the land, in the quiet of the Delta. This morning we slow down, breathe deep, and reclaim our relationship with a river that carries both sorrow and strength.
Morning | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
10:00 AM –
12:00 PM
New Roxy
Solace in the SOIL | Sunflower Passage
The Sunflower River runs through this town. Sam Cooke was born on its banks. Come to the water. Arrive with intention. A change is gonna come.
A sound bath opens in the morning. The choir rises. Elders and the Clarksdale Community speak, then we take to the water.