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A Downtown Oasis: Belhaven Beach by Taylor McKay Hathorn
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ackson’s city dwellers wanting to beat the dog days of summer don’t have to make the three-hour trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to enjoy the sun and sand, as Belhaven Beach is located a stone’s throw from downtown Jackson, on the west bank of the Pearl River, just south of Jackson Waterworks. “I think one of the biggest draws of Belhaven Beach is that not many metro areas have a beach like that,” Andy Hilton, a volunteer with the Pearl Riverkeeper—a nonprofit aspiring to improve the Pearl River Watershed through restoration, advocacy and education—says of the stretch of beach just east of the college. “The Pearl River serves as a natural outlet in a way that a lot of urban areas just don’t have.” Despite its uniqueness, Belhaven Beach has experienced its share of difficulties, as water activities are currently forbidden from the spillway to Pearl due to sewage leaks in the city of Jackson. “I wouldn’t do more than wade there,” Hilton admits.
Despite the current ban on water-based activities, visitors of Belhaven Beach can still enjoy a myriad of activities commonly held on sandy shores.
“They monitor the water, and sometimes the water is cleaner than other times, but you can’t unhear that there’s sewage in the water,” Hilton added. Even with a downturn in the watersports and fishing that were once so popu-
lar on the shores of Belhaven Beach, Hilton says the area can still make for an enjoyable day trip for Jacksonians, with volleyball, frisbee and picnicking remaining popular pastimes of local beach-goers. Hilton does hope, though, that anyone who takes
literature
Five Panels Not to Miss:
Mississippi Book Festival Watchlist by Taylor McKay Hathorn
August 4 - 31, 2021 • jfp.ms
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file photo/amber helsel
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ississippi is constantly faced with mockery and derision. “Fiftieth” has been the look-down-the-nose cry of its northern counterparts and even its fellow southerners, who refuse to see what’s long been known: Mississippi is a microcosm of America. The land that national weather forecasters consistently refer to as “the area between New Orleans and Mobile” proves once again that it’s more than just the butt of a joke that was never true in the first place with its annual “literary lawn party” on the grounds of the Capitol. The event celebrates the history of a state that produced
The annual literary festival features panel discussions, book signings and sales, food trucks and more.
Three Conversations to Catch:
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Mosquito Supper Club: Melissa M. Martin, chef of Mosquito Supper Club in New Orleans, will discuss Louisiana cuisine and bayou-living with Timothy Pakron, the author of “Mississippi Vegan.”
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advantage of the downtown oasis will work to keep the area clean and free of trash. “I wish everyone who visits Belhaven Beach knew that they should clean up after themselves,” Hilton remarks. “I wish they realized that other people are cleaning up behind them.” All sandbars on navigable rivers are considered public property, so the task of tidying up after local litterbugs falls to volunteers like Hilton, who participates in the “Clean Sweep” each year, which combs through the refuse of the Pearl River from Neshoba County to the Gulf Coast. Hilton is hopeful that the heavy task of keeping public waterways and shorelines clean will eventually be distributed more evenly if the City of Jackson takes an interest in sandbars like Belhaven Beach. “It’s not really officially a park. Right now, it’s kind of a no-man’s land,” Hilton concludes. “I’d like to see the city promote the area and attract more people there.” Visit theswimguide.org/beach/9175.
Personal Reflections: Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Lauren Hough will lay their lives bare as they consider their personal memoirs. Afrofuturism: Tim Fielder and Jesse Holland continue the wonder of Black Panther with their contributions to the syfy-esque lore.
Eudora Welty, William Faulkner and Richard Wright while simultaneously saluting its modern voices, like Natasha Tretheway, Jesmyn Ward and John Grisham. The single-day festival is on Aug. 21 this year, featuring dozens of panels, commemorative art and an extensive lineup of popular writers. Former Congressman Gregg Harper will be on hand to discuss his new book, “A Fool’s Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama and Trump.” Editor of Time Magazine Walter Isaacson will be in attendance, as will recent Faulkner Award winner Deesha Philyaw. Mississippi’s own will also stud the list of offerings, as Jacksonian Angie Thomas will promote her latest YA novel, “Concrete Rose,” alongside activist Kiese Laymon, who is rolling out his recent novel, “Long Division.” Catherine Pierce, the state’s newest Poet Laureate who recently published “Danger Days,” will also join the list of featured authors. Visit msbookfestival.com or find the festival on Facebook and Twitter.
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All About Hub City Press: The Hattiesburg-based indie publisher will host a panel with three of its authors: Mark Barr, Anjali Enjeti and Gordy Sauer.
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Meet Me in the Middle: Young readers will have the opportunity to meet New York Times Best-Selling author Nic Stone, along with Alda P. Dobbs, Carrie Seims and Gilbert Ford.
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Rhythms of the Region: Regina Bradley, Bobby Rush and David Whiteis talk about their foray into writing about Mississippi’s musical past.
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Book Club Picks: Those who prefer to read in groups with coworkers, neighbors or friends can find their next monthly selection by listening to Katherine St. John, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Karen White.
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Southern Writers: With one of the largest panels on the docket, LeTanya McQueen, Lee Durkee, M.O. Walsh, Katy Simpson Smith and Gin Phillips will discuss the influence of their southern roots on their stories of the deep South.
