Double Decker in full swing
Published 10:30 pm Friday, April 28, 2023
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View of the crowd at the 25th Double Decker Festival from Olive Juice Kids. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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View of the crowd at the 25th Double Decker Festival from City Hall. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performs on Saturday night to a large crowd. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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The famous, red double-decker bus stands on the historic Courthouse Square as crowds mill around. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Saturday night crowd on the second day of the 25th Annual Double Decker. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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A crowd stands before blues artist Samantha Fish on a Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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The Revivalist's lead vocalist and guitarist David Shaw performs for the Double Decker crowd. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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American country singer Maggie Rose performs for the crowd at the 25th Annual Double Decker Festival. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Local band Happy Landing performed Saturday morning on the second day of Double Decker. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Crowd enjoys musical performances in the Blue Delta Blues Alley. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Festival-goers navigate the Blue Delta Blues Alley on Saturday, Apr. 23 during the 25th Annual Double Decker Festival. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Crowd fills North Lamar Boulevard in front of the Double Decker main stage. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Saturday afternoon crowd on the second day of Double Decker. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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A live mural created by local visual artist Tyler Key of artist and civil rights activist Mavis Staples. Staples performed on the second day of the Double Decker Festival. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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View of the crowd and Courthouse from North Lamar on a Friday night during the fist day of the Double Decker Festival. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Brett Young performs at the Double Decker Festival on Friday, Apr. 22. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Friday night crowd at the 25th Annual Double Decker Festival. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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The historic Courthouse Square filled up with festival-goers from all over as the enjoyed musical acts at the 25th Annual Double Decker Festival. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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Friday night crowd experiencing Brett Young's performance. (Photo: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival)
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The 25th Annual Double Decker was a certified success. Tens of thousands of people returned to the art and music festival on the historic Courthouse Square. (Photo: Joey Brent)
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Brett Young performing on the main stage at the 25th Annual Double Decker Festival (Photo credit: Visit Oxford/Double Decker Festival via Twitter)
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University of Mississippi alum Turner Hull is making her return to the "velvet ditch" as an up-and-coming artist at the 25th Annual Double Decker. (Photo: Turner Hull/Turner Hull Art)
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University of Mississippi alum Turner Hull is making her return to the "velvet ditch" as an up-and-coming artist at the 25th Annual Double Decker. (Photo: Turner Hull/Turner Hull Art)
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Oxford, Mississippi
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Oxford, Mississippi
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Runners make their way along Price Street in the Double Decker 5K and 10K runs in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 27, 2019. The 2020 race will feature a new route and even more runners. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle)
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Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit headline the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 27, 2019. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Courtney Craven, left, and Morgan Blythe cheer as Houndmouth performs at the 23td Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Rev. John Wilkins plays Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Friday, April 24, 2015.
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Don Bryant performs at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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The Square is packed with people attending the 23rd Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Hadley Middlecoff looks over art for sale at Candace Boatright’s booth at Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Houndmouth performs on the last day of the 2018 Double Decker Arts Festival held on the Square in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Chi Kalu, Oxford Eagle)
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The festival's headliners, Cold War Kids, make the final performance of the 2018 Double Decker Arts Festival held on the Square in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, April 28, 2018. For a second straight year the festival will not be held, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing restrictions. (Chi Kalu, Oxford Eagle)
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The festival's headliners, Cold War Kids, make the final performance of the 2018 Double Decker Arts Festival held on the Square in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Chi Kalu, Oxford Eagle)
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The festival's headliners, Cold War Kids, make the final performance of the 2018 Double Decker Arts Festival held on the Square in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Chi Kalu, Oxford Eagle)
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Courtney Craven, left, and Morgan Blythe cheer as Houndmouth performs at the 23td Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Houndmouth bassist Zak Appleby performs at the 23td Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Sharde Thomas and the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band perform at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Jerri Anne Davis plays with her dog Fancy during the Best Dressed Pet Contest at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Bruce Newman, Oxford Eagle via AP)
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Writer Aminatta Forna reads from her recently published novel, Happiness, during the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour on the evening of the first of the two-day Double Decker Arts Festival held on the Square in Oxford, Miss., Friday, April 27, 2018. (Chi Kalu, Oxford Eagle)
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Liz Brasher plays guitar on the evening of the first of the two-day Double Decker Arts Festival held on the Square in Oxford, Miss. on Friday, April 27, 2018. (Chi Kalu, Oxford Eagle)
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Sarah Kathryn Bridgers unveils her art which will be used on the 2018 Double Decker Arts Festival poster during a press conference at Visit Oxford in Oxford, Miss. on Thursday, February 8, 2018.
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Sharde Thomas plays the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 29, 2017.
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Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats plays the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Photo/Bruce Newman)
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Dr. John plays the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Photo/Bruce Newman)
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August Fields walks her dog Daisy Dickey during the Best Dressed Pet Contest at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 29, 2017.
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Donald Golden works his booth of photos at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 29, 2017. Golden's work focuses on buildings in decay.
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Amelia Eisenhauer and the Peruvian Farm Girls play the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 29, 2017.
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The 25th anniversary of the Double Decker Arts Festival will take place April 24-25, 2020. (Bruce Newman)
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Ellen Langford works on a painting at her booth at The Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 27, 2013.

A crew works on the stage setup for the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Miss. on Friday, April 28, 2023. (©Bruce Newman)
26th annual event started Friday, has full lineup today
The 26th annual Double Decker Festival was in full swing Friday, and what a perfect day it was. The sun was shining and visitors were busy checking out items for sale while anticipating the music that would have the evening thumping.
Originally inspired by the Double Decker bus that Oxford imported from England in 1994, the festival showcases Oxford as a town that supports the arts and has grown to be one of the champion events in the region, the event’s website eloquently describes.
“Double Decker started with the bed of an old pickup truck serving as the stage for music, and only
hosted a handful [of] art and food vendors. Today, the event is centered around the historic Courthouse Square, and boasts a crowd of more than 60,000 people.
Friday featured art demonstrations around the square. Friday evening was filled with music. Saturday’s all-day affair will feature more than 100 works of art and 20-plus local food vendors, all the while a generous mix of touring musicians take to the stage.
Yesterday’s schedule included the following:
● Art demos, Boles Wiley Alley – Oxford Artists’ Guild.
● Art demos, various locations around the square – Plein Air Painters.
● Merchandise tent opening
● Music, main stage on North Lamar – The Stews; Chapel Hart; Ashley McBryde
Saturday’s schedule includes the following:
● Double Decker Spring Run/Walk 5K start, Double Decker Spring Run/Walk 10K start – 7:30
a.m.
● Double Decker Spring Run Kids Fun Run Start – 9 a.m.
● Opening of festival, art vendors, food venders, shuttle services (until 10 p.m.), Graduate
Oxford Kid Zone in Chancery Building parking lot (rides, games) – 10 a.m.
● Music, Blue Delta Blues Alley, Mac and Lucy – 10 a.m.; Joe Austin & the Tallahatchies – 11 a.m.; Royal Horses – 1 p.m.; Luthi – 3 p.m.; John David Kent – 5 p.m.
● Music, main stage, Mississippian Jazz Ensemble – 11 a.m.; Vieux Farka Toure – 12:30 p.m.; Sensational Barnes Brothers – 2 p.m.; Southern Avenue – 3:30 p.m.; Lissie – 5 p.m.;
Blackberry Smoke – 6:30 p.m.; Marcus King – 8:30 p.m.
● Art vendors, food vendors close – 5:30 p.m.
● Festival closes – 10 p.m.