Events

Get Involved

A revitalization campaign by Small Town Entertainment

🎯 Purpose

To celebrate, promote, and revitalize downtown Columbia, Mississippi, by encouraging community connection, supporting local businesses, and building meaningful experiences rooted in tradition and memory.

 

✅ Eligible Businesses & Participants

Businesses must:

  • Be located within or adjacent to downtown Columbia, preferably within walking distance of the courthouse square or Main Street corridor

  • Be open to the public and contribute to the vitality of the downtown area

  • Represent the spirit of community, hospitality, and local character

Examples of eligible businesses:

  • Locally owned retail shops

  • Restaurants, cafes, and food trucks

  • Barbershops, salons, and boutiques

  • Local service providers (e.g., photographers, studios, artists)

  • Cultural attractions (e.g., Marion Theater, The Marquee at 618)

  • Pop-up vendors participating in official downtown events

 

🚫 Exclusions

To preserve the focus and identity of the campaign:

  • Businesses outside of Columbia’s downtown core may not be listed unless sponsoring or participating in a campaign event

  • National chains or franchises may not be listed unless locally owned and active in community-centered events

  • Political organizations are not included unless participating in neutral, public events

 

🎉 Eligible Events

Events promoted under the Meet Me in Columbia campaign must:

  • Take place within downtown Columbia

  • Be open to the public (free or ticketed)

  • Foster community engagement, local culture, or economic vitality

 

Examples include:

  • Marquee Markets (monthly)

  • Downtown concerts, movie nights, and seasonal festivals

  • Events hosted by a downtown business

  • Courthouse lawn gatherings, parades, and community art events

 

🖥️ Website Listings

The campaign website may include:

  • A Business Directory of downtown participants

  • A Calendar of Events hosted by or in partnership with Small Town Entertainment and approved downtown collaborators

  • A Memory Submission Page for community stories

  • Merchandise and passport program info

 

🤝 How to Get Involved

Businesses and event organizers can join by:

  1. Submitting their information via the website form

  2. Agreeing to campaign participation terms (e.g., logo use, coordination)

  3. Participating in at least one campaign event, promotion, or collaborative effort per quarter

I'd Like to Participate