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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

B.B. King Homecoming Festival – June 6, 2008, Indianola, Fletcher Park – Gates open 4:00pm – Music starts 5:00pm. Petticoat Junkies – Mickey Rogers and the Soul Master Band – B.B. King – Homemade Jamz’ Blues Band – fireworks. $10 in advance $15 at the gate. Children 12 & under FREE. indianolams.org B.B. King live in Vicksburg June 12, Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Mulberry Street. – B.B. King live in Tunica at the Horseshoe Casino June 13. At Bonnaroo June 14. Buy Tickets at bbking.com

September 13, 2008 – B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center Grand Opening
Come to Indianola for the grand opening of the B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center. Contact www.bbkingmuseum.org for info.

November 8, 2008 – 5th Annual Mississippi Delta Blues Challenge
Come to Indianola for this blues challenge. www.indianolablues.org

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.