The National Folk Festival is vibing through downtown Jackson. but the music started long before the stages showed up.
Jackson, Mississippi – November 2025
This weekend, the streets of downtown Jackson filled with the kind of sound you don’t just hear—you feel. Seven stages. Dozens of artists. Folk, blues, gospel, brass, and more. The National Folk Festival officially kicked off its three-year run in JXN.
But here’s the thing: the music didn’t start when the tents went up.
If you walked a few blocks over to 309 N. Farish Street, you passed a building that (without exaggeration!) helped shape American music.
Meet Trumpet Records: Jackson’s OG hit factory
In 1950, Trumpet Records launched right in the heart of Farish Street, in what used to be a furniture store. It quickly became Mississippi’s first record label with national distribution, and it did not play around.
- Elmore James recorded his now-iconic “Dust My Broom” there—still considered one of the most influential electric blues songs ever. That slide guitar riff? Copied by generations.
- Sonny Boy Williamson II, one of the greatest harmonica players of all time, laid down classics like “Eyesight to the Blind” and “Nine Below Zero” at Trumpet.
- The label recorded not just blues, but gospel quartets, early rockabilly, and country blues—crossing boundaries in a deeply segregated era.
From 1950–1956, Trumpet was run independently, with no major label backing. Just ears for talent, open studio space, and the belief that Mississippi music mattered.
Fast-forward to 2025: The sound returns
The National Folk Festival is one of the longest-running music festivals in the country—founded in 1934, and still traveling city to city to spotlight the best of American traditional music. This year marks its first-ever stop in Mississippi.
Why Jackson? Look around. This city is folk.
Not any kind of folk cliché, but the real deal:
- Oral storytelling.
- Front porch harmonies.
- Intergenerational traditions passed down in songs, dances, church choirs, and street corners.
- Blues birthed in juke joints. Gospel sharpened in sanctuaries.
And it all ties back to the streets—especially Farish.
Same block. New sound system.
This weekend, performers and crowds filled the same blocks that Elmore and Sonny Boy once walked.
Seven stages. Artists from across the country. Food vendors dishing out catfish, barbecue, and fry bread. Families, students, and tourists bouncing between sets and street shows.
But the moment that hit hardest? Seeing people stop at that blue Mississippi Blues Trail marker in front of 309 N. Farish. Reading the history. Taking the photo. Realizing they weren’t just at a festival—they were standing in the middle of music history.
What’s next?
This was just year one. The National Folk Festival will return to Jackson in 2026 and 2027, bringing even more artists, more makers, and more moments.
And events like this take people power to happen. If you see Jackson born and raised Thabi Moyo, local festival manager, be sure to thank her for her hard work for this city. Consider volunteering next year to keep the good vibes flowering.
📍 Before next year, stop by 309 N. Farish. Tag your festival photos #BlogJXN and #JXNFolkFest. And remember, music history lives here.
