As Mississippi commemorates 200 years of statehood in 2017, Oxford will be the focus of Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration North that will be held June 24 in the Gertrude C. Ford Center. A similar event was held in Gulfport earlier this month and a central Mississippi event will be held in December.

On Thursday, Rowan Oak will host a press conference at 2 p.m. to announce the concert headliner. Gov. Phil Bryant, as well as Oxford Mayor Pat Patterson, University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter, and Visit Mississippi Director Craig Ray, will be on hand for the announcement, as well as Mississippi Music and Culture Ambassador Steve Azar.

Onsite parking for the event will be limited to media and special guests, but the public is invited to ride the Double Decker from the parking lot at the northwest corner of Old Taylor Road and Highway 278 beginning at 1:15 p.m. and run every five minutes until the press conference begins at Rowan Oak.