Featured Image: Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger
With the never-ending hustle and bustle of life these days, many are trading in overcrowded cities for small towns when it comes to travel. Instead of skyscrapers and ticketed attractions with winding lines, a Southern summer is best spent in a courthouse square, at a farmers market, in a field of zinnias, and strolling through a town where the past is still part of daily life.
If that’s the goal this year, Canton, Mississippi, sits 20 minutes north of Jackson and right between Memphis and New Orleans. It delivers that small-town feel on the daily, with a collection of Americana-inspired events happening all season long. The summer months are hotspots for family reunions, so if multi-generational or big group travel is on the docket, Canton is right for you.
The city’s preserved attractions would capture any traveler focused on history as we approach America’s 250th birthday. Incorporated in 1836, Canton is the seat of Madison County. The Madison County Historic Courthouse, built in 1855, is one of only seven pre-Civil War courthouses in Mississippi still standing in unaltered condition. The square around it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, along with the Old Madison County Jail, built in 1870, and the Canton Depot, built in 1926.
5 Reasons to Get to Canton This Summer
1. Hot Air Balloon Festival | June 26 to 28
The Mississippi Championship Hot Air Balloon Fest returns June 26–28, with the biggest day in Canton taking place Saturday, June 27. Experience colorful balloon launches, spectacular evening balloon glows, tethered balloon rides, live entertainment, family activities, food vendors, and more at the Canton Multipurpose Complex. Whether you’re watching dozens of balloons fill the sky at sunrise or enjoying the excitement throughout the day, the Balloon Fest offers an unforgettable summer experience for all ages. See the full schedule at visitcantonms.org.
2. CantonTown | Open Now
The old Piggly Wiggly at Highways 16 and 43 sat mostly empty for seven years after it closed in 2018. Those thirty-five thousand square feet have now been given new life. CantonTown, the city’s newest marketplace, has moved into the former “Big Pig” with vendors. You’ll find everything from antique dealers and artists to rock and fossil collectors, video game sellers, and a few booths that can’t fit neatly into any category.
3. Old Jail Farmers Market | Every Saturday in June and July
June dates: 6, 13, 20, 27, July dates: 4, 11, 18, 25
The Old Madison County Jail, built in 1870 and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, hosts a farmers market every Saturday in June and July from 7 to 11 a.m.
Expect your haul to include local produce and artisan goods while the kids play and live music bellows.
4. Twelve2Farm U-Pick Flowers | Open Three Days a Week
Twelve2Farm, Central Mississippi’s first u-pick flower farm, sits on land in Madison County. The owners moved there in 2021, started growing flowers in 2022, and opened the farm to visitors in 2023. You’ll have to plan ahead and secure a ticket, but it’s summer fun bundled into a beautiful bouquet. You arrive, check in, get your snips and a cup, and head into the fields. There are pond views, evening light, and farm animals moving around nearby. They also sell eggs, handmade goods, and farm stickers.
5. Visit the Historic Museum and Markers
To keep the historic train on the tracks, visit the Canton Multicultural Center and Museum, which spotlights Canton’s diverse cultures, County citizens, and the contributions they’ve made to America. The permanent exhibit focuses on Civil Rights. In early 2026, the city of Canton unveiled a new historic marker at the site of the Canton Freedom House, which, in the 1960s, served as the operational headquarters of C.O.R.E. (Congress of Racial Equality) in Canton. The house was bombed in 1964, and civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., held a rally at the house in 1966. The marker can be found at 838 George Washington Avenue.
| This article is presented in partnership with Canton Tourism, a Modern South Founding Partner.
