We are so excited to present the “Shop Small Crawl” this year! From Saturday, November 15, 2023 to December 15, 2023, local businesses across Stone County are hosting numerous sales, promotions, and other treats just in time for the holidays! Be sure to stop by some of your favorite local spots for a sweet treat! For every $20 that is spent at a participating local business, you will receive one entry into our final holiday giveaway! There will be a giveaway drawing on December 18th at noon!

If you are interested in participating in the “Shop Small Crawl” promotion, pick up a punch card from a participating business. Once you are finished with your shopping, feel free to drop off your punch card at the Historic Train Depot in Wiggins!

The countdown is on! November 17 & 18 is our open house and we could not be more excited!! Join us for great deals, delicious food, and fun festivities!! Bring a friend and we will see you there!!🎁🎄🎅🏼

Friday, November 17, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. & Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

✨❄️ Magical moments await! Join us for a Frozen Meet & Greet with Ana and Elsa on November 18 from 10-12!
Your little ones can also craft a cherished handprint ornament (additional charge) and start their Christmas wish list. 🎄✨ No reservation required!

Meet Ana and Elsa, create a handprint ornament, and make your Christmas wish list!

*Some activities may require an additional charge.

Southern Turnings will host their Christmas Open House on Saturday, November 18th beginning at 8:30 a.m. Be sure to stop in and shop some amazing holiday goodies!

On Saturday, November 18th, 2023 at 11 a.m., the Wiggins Police Department is serving hot Thanksgiving meals until they run out of food. As in years past, Thanksgiving plates will be served in drive through style at the Ferris B. O’Neal Senior Center. Everyone is welcome to attend this event.

This event is sponsored by the following community groups: The City of Wiggins, Northwood Church, Fat Daddy’s Fine Dining, New Welcome Hill Baptist Church, Wiggins Church of God in Christ, Piggly Wiggly, Walmart, Butcher Block, Infinity Church- The Apostolic Assembly, and the Shekinah Glory Missionary Baptist Church. We are very thankful for these group investing in our community!

Enjoy complimentary wine, tour of the facility, $40/person, selling charcuterie boxes at Wild Acres!

Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and are a vital component in the Stone County economy as well.

Small businesses create more jobs than any other sector and they collectively represent half of the national economic output. It is a way upward for Americans with an entrepreneurial spirit.

An event like Small Business Saturday reaches beyond inspiring local entrepreneurs; it helps to build and strengthen the local economy. For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $68 remains right here in Stone County. When we spend with a chain business, only $43 stays here. The difference is significant, and reaches those far beyond the business community.

The money we spend gets invested right back into our community. Local business owners are our volunteers, coaches, Sunday School teachers and friends they make every aspect of our community better. Join us as we offer events recognizing Small Business in Stone County!

Shop with local vendors at the McHenry Community Market on Small Business Saturday on November 25th! This is a great opportunity to get some holiday goodies while supporting local entrepreneurs. Who knows? You might find your new favorite shop!

Pancake breakfast with the green meanie, tour of wild acres, $40/person, offering sloth selfies day of for $10 extra.

Alternative dates: December 2, 9, 17, and 23 at 10 a.m.

This is an event to remember on the beautiful Perkinston Campus of MS Gulf Coast Community College. Enjoy activities for children, carolers, food, music and so much more.

Bethlehem is back for its 2023 production on December 2 and 3. This is an experience unlike any other! Attendees can join in the holiday spirit by witnessing a live nativity scene, an outdoor walking tour, and so much more! Tours will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and will be on a first come, first serve basis. Tours will be mostly outside, so please dress accordingly. This is a free event for everyone to enjoy!

MCHENRY PARADE will be DEC 9th at 11 AM. Parade will begin at the McHenry Library, head east over the tracks on W. McHenry Rd then travel south to old Hwy 49 and back to the library.

Anyone is welcome to include their group/business but must be approved first before DEC 7th by sending your into the the inbox here on our page. 🙂 Decorated vehicles, trailers and tractors are welcome, as well as walking groups. We are also looking for sponsors and donations for the parade. Please message me if you have any throws or would like to help the Fire Dept by donating candy from your business or organization for Santa to distribute into the crowd. 🎄

There is no better way to ring in the holidays than with the lighting of the official Wiggins & Stone County Christmas Tree! Join us in Blaylock Park immediately following the Christmas Parade! Stay for Santa’s Village activities including cookie decorating, letters to Santa, create food packets for Santa’s Reindeer, Christmas Carols, and much more.

Enjoy this beloved holiday tradition with your loved ones! Bundle up and enjoy the fun with us in Downtown Wiggins! Click more information to print out the Christmas Parade application!

Please join the Stone County Economic Development Partnership and our Board of Directors for our Holiday Open House!! Meet us at the Historic Train Depot in Wiggins on Thursday, December 14 from 3-5 p.m. for fellowship, refreshments, and more! We are so excited to celebrate the holiday season with you all! #SetInStone #VisitStoneCounty #ExploreStoneCounty

A holiday safari of sparkling lights, $20/person, selling hot chocolates and smores kits

We are turning the farm into Whoville! Cow train rides to The Grinch’s Lair, plenty of photo ops, yummy Who snacks, an outdoor showing of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, caroling hayride, and of course visits with The Grinch! More details to be announced soon. Tickets will be available online at www.williamsfamilyfarms-ms.com | December 16 & 17

This is a favorite every year! Free admission. There will be a nativity and musical program along with a reading of Jesus’ birth from the Bible. The event will be held inside our Animal Barnyard. Guests are free to visit our animals once the program is over. Seating is limited, feel free to bring a chair. 7pm each night. | December 23 & 24

Pine Hill Festival

Opening Ceremonies are set for Friday, April 26, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Enjoy our Friday evening celebration of Stone County’s historical and cultural storytelling. This program is made possible by a grant from Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area. In addition to the enjoyable music, you will find an assortment of food vendors, and arts and crafts, along with plenty of fun for the children. The festival is presented by the Stone County Economic Development Partnership and Sponsored by the City of Wiggins, CSpire, and Jeff Register Building and Trusses.

Enjoy the sounds of local and regional performers throughout the day from the Janice & Ben Carpenter Pavilion at Blaylock Park. More than eighty vendors, including a variety of artisans and specialty food vendors will fill Pine Hill Ave, College Street and 2nd Street.  There’s something special for the kids including jumpers, rides, a petting zoo and other activities that make for a great family weekend.

The Pine Hill Festival is the largest single event presented by the Stone County EDP and one of the longest-running festivals in South MS, over forty years since its’ inception. The festival is planned and organized by a dedicated group of community volunteers and loyal sponsors. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the heritage of Stone County, our citizens and the creativity found in South Mississippi. All the recommended safety precautions will be required.  Handwashing stations are scattered about the event area.

For animal lovers, the Stone County SPCA’s Annual Mutt Strut will take place on Saturday.

Have you ever wondered what it is really like to fly or how long it takes to learn to fly? Come to the Annual Wings Over Wiggins Fly-In and you can ask real pilots these questions and more as you look over their airplanes. This year, Wings Over Wiggins will be Saturday, May 13, 2023. The festivities will begin at 10 am at Dean Griffin Memorial Airport in Wiggins.

In addition to pilots and airplanes, contemporary, experimental and vintage, there will be local skydivers, food, beverages, a civil air patrol display, arts and crafts booths, activities for kids and so much more!

Admission to the fly-in is free with proceeds from the concession sales and the raffle benefiting the Gateway Christian Academy.

Enjoy friendly competition as local clubs and organizations compete for braggin’ rights. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, pets and the kids for this family-friendly event filled with music and fun and friendly competition. Think your favorite recipe is better than your neighbors? Toss your grillin’ apron on and join the fun. You just might win! Cash prizes will be awarded in several categories including Best Decorated Booth, People’s Choice Award, and more. Participants have an opportunity to double their earnings by competing for prizes.

Expect more than twenty-five booths to fill the streets adjacent to Blaylock Park. Enjoy specialty food items, great music and activities for the children.

Join us for the annual Cultivation Nation Triathlon in Stone County and test your abilities! 600 yard swim; 16 mile bike race; 3.1 mile run.

The Stone County Economic Development Partnership presents Tunes on the Town, our inaugural summer concert series. We will host live music at the Boardwalk Stage on Pine Hill on the second Friday of June, July, and August. This is a free and family-friendly event for all members of the community!

Our first featured band for Tunes on the Town is the Eric Boutwell Quartet on Friday, June 9, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.!

Our second featured band for Tunes on the Town is Zach Koch on Friday, July 14, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.!

Our third and final featured artist is Charles Donaldson on Friday. August 11, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.!

We are so pleased to bring this event to our community this summer.

Everyone’s favorite Stone County staple is returning October 2024! Are you interested in joining the competition? Be sure to register your entry for the Scarecrow Convention through our landing page. Voting for the People’s Choice Award will run from early to mid-October. Judging for all other awards will take place at the conclusion of the Convention.

If you would like to see all of the wonderful scarecrow displays, be sure to check the Stone County EDP’s social media pages for the addresses of participating businesses and community members! We will be sure to keep you up to date on all that this beautiful community has to offer. We are so excited to host all of our friendly scarecrows again in this year’s convention!

Come experience some Mississippi Hospitality at the 9th annual HUNTING FOR BIGFOOT RIDE being held amongst beautiful longleaf pines of the Desoto National Forest in South Mississippi. We are excited to announce that we will be hosting our 2nd Ride and Tie event! Come be a part of this exciting addition to the endurance ride.

CAMP – Ride camp is located in an area with flat easy parking and is primitive camping only. NO HUMAN WATER. There will be horse water available. Trees are available in some areas of camp for those who high tie. Porta potties will be available. No dumpsters available, so if you pack it in, please pack it out. Parking may be tight, so try and minimize your footprint. However, be considerate of neighbors and coordinate among yourselves. A hospitality tent with refreshments will be on site. ALL vet checks will occur in camp.

TRAILS – Beginner horse and rider friendly. Trails are permanent horse trails and are a combination of single and two tracked. Very little sand, only a couple of hundred feet or so. Gentle rolling hills with hardwood bottoms. There will be some dirt roads, with small gravel, riding on some trails, so shoes are recommended. There will be some lengths of gravel
free/reduced shoulders. .. Plenty of water on trail with some being natural, pending rain. Helmets are required for Junior riders.

The Stone County Fair will take be open in October 2024. Be sure to join in all the activities including the livestock show and exhibits, the vendor fair, dessert contest, fair queen contest, and so much more! This tradition is one you do not want to miss.

Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls! Oh My!! Join the merchants of downtown Wiggins in a family-friendly trick-or-treating event in October 2024. We encourage everyone to be safe as they participate in the holiday festivities.

Join the team at the Flint Creek Water Park for a spooky Trick or Treat event!! There will be food trucks, am outdoor movie, and more! Invite the whole family for an evening full of tricks, treats, and fun.

Great things are happening in McHenry this fall! The McHenry Community Market will host its Fall Craft Show in October 2024! There will be a costume contest for dogs, tent-to-tent trick or treating, crafts, food vendors, and so much more! Snow Boogers will also be on-site selling some of their delectable sweet treats. This is an event your family does not want to miss.