By Andi Bedsworth

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural Good Night Market at the Old Armory Pavilion. Despite the rainy weather, people came out in good numbers to enjoy live music, vendors selling everything from books, art, jewelry and great food. It got me thinking how lucky we are to live in a town that embraces art, community and family.

With that being said, I would like to suggest some events coming up that will be of interest to families and art lovers who are looking for fun this summer.

The University Museum has scheduled several fun events that would be great to jot down on your calendars.

Though summer is for more relaxed schedules, these additions will not stress you out but will enhance the quality time you want to spend with your family.

On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon, you can drop into the museum for their Made in Mississippi Family Activity Day. Presented by Visit Oxford and the University Museum, this family day celebrates the Mississippi Bicentennial.

Families will travel to different cities in Mississippi and learn about some of the artists that have left a lasting legacy over the past 200 years of statehood.

All activities are free and all ages are welcome as they will even have a play space for Buie Babies ages 0-2.

For those who want to cool down from the summer heat, Oxford’s own Oxsicles will be selling their signature pops during the event.

As a special treat, the Double Decker bus will be giving participants rides departing from the front entrance beginning at 11 a.m.

On July 3, 5, 6, and 7, Celebrate American Art during the week of Fourth of July by exploring the diversity of their Contemporary American Art exhibit by participating in the Summer Open Studio Drop-in Days program. Learn about the immigrant backgrounds of famous American artists like Georgia O’Keefe.

Families with children of all ages, drop in to our open studio each day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed on July 4) and help complete a community diversity map and draw patriotic self-portraits that celebrate our shared heritage as Americans.

This program is also free to the public.

The Buie Babies Museum Stroller Tour this summer is taking place on Saturday, July 15 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Take the tour at 9 a.m. and enjoy snacks and a baby/toddler play area.

This program is a partnership with the LOU Excel By 5 Coalition. They will be using toys from the local Eb5 Lending Library and families will get to tour Lasting Impressions: Restoring Kate Freeman Clark.

On July 24-28, they will host another studio drop in program with Fitting In at the Museum. Families with children of all ages are invited to explore their newest exhibit, Love=Love by Kent Rogowski and to help the museum piece together a community project. Participants will also assemble their own puzzle piece relief sculpture to take home from the drop-in open studio.

For more information on all of these events visit http://museum.olemiss.edu/.

Andi Bedsworth is the owner of Art To Go, which brings free art opportunities to children in the community.