Clarksdale
Around Clarksdale
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Mississippi · 20k people
Clarksdale
Locals say the Delta · “Birthplace of the Blues”, “The Crossroads”
Home of the blues and the crossroads
Midnight BlueCotton Tan
Welcome to the Delta, where the blues are born and the catfish is always fried. Take your time, sip some sweet tea, and let the music pull you in. This place grows on you—slowly, like the cotton in the fields.
Clubs for Clarksdale
No clubs for Clarksdale yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Clarksdale. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Clarksdale. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 The legendary blues crossroads where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul.
- Delta Blues Museum The region's premier institution for blues history and culture.
- Ground Zero Blues Club Iconic blues club co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman.
- New Roxy Theater Restored performing arts venue hosting concerts and events.
- Red's Lounge A classic juke joint known for authentic Delta blues.
- Carnegie Public Library Historic library with local history and blues archives.
- Outdoors Fish the Mississippi River
- Outdoors Walk the levee
- With kids Visit the Delta Blues Museum
- With kids Walk the levee along the Mississippi River
- Evenings Catch live blues at Ground Zero
- Evenings Hit a juke joint like Red's Lounge
- Locals love Juke joints
- Locals love Blues clubs
Through the year
- Juke Joint Festival April A multi-day blues festival with live music across Clarksdale's juke joints and venues.
- Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival August Free blues and gospel performances along the Sunflower River.
- Coahoma County Fair September Local fair with rides, exhibits, and community gatherings.
Hot, humid summers and mild winters. The best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are ideal—mild temps and low humidity.
Talk like a local
- “the Delta”
- The Mississippi Delta region
- “the Crossroads”
- The intersection of Highways 61 and 49
- “the levee”
- The river levee
- “juke”
- A juke joint
Getaways
Local flavour
Rooting for Memphis Grizzlies (NBA), Tennessee Titans (NFL), Ole Miss Rebels (NCAA), Mississippi State Bulldogs (NCAA)
Eat and drink
- Delta Tamales Spicy, slow-cooked tamales wrapped in corn husks, a Delta specialty.
- Fried Catfish Cornmeal-crusted catfish, often served with hushpuppies.
- Sweet Tea The classic Southern beverage, heavily sweetened.
Where people go
- Juke joints Historic venues for blues music and community gathering.
- Blues clubs Modern and historic clubs like Ground Zero, but not named specifically.
- Cotton fields The agricultural heart of the Delta.
- Crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 Legendary site where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul.
- Mississippi River The river that borders the Delta and shapes its life.
Heritage and traditions
Clarksdale is proud of its place as the birthplace of the blues, where the crossroads of 61 and 49 symbolize the music's birth, and where cotton fields and juke joints tell the story of the Mississippi Delta.
This time of year in Clarksdale
- Fall cotton harvest Fall Cotton picking and harvest celebrations
Say it like a local: “a bite to eat” — A small meal or snack
Festivals
- Hopson Plantation Cotton Pickin' Festival September Celebrates the cotton harvest with music and history
- Clarksdale Christmas Parade December A small-town holiday tradition
Landmarks with a story
- Riverside Hotel Where blues legend Bessie Smith passed away
- Hopson Plantation Site of the first mechanical cotton picker in 1944
- Stovall Farms Where Muddy Waters lived and recorded
Food traditions
- Fish camp tradition Families gather at riverside fish camps for fried catfish and hushpuppies, often on weekends
Music and arts
- Delta blues The genre that started here
- Juke joints Informal music venues
- Crossroads legend Where Robert Johnson sold his soul
A little history
- 1944 First mechanical cotton picker used at Hopson Plantation
- 1964 Freedom Summer voter registration drives in the Delta
- 1927 Great Mississippi Flood devastated the Delta
- 1869 Clarksdale founded as a railroad town
- 1941 Muddy Waters recorded for Alan Lomax at Stovall Plantation
Rivalries
- Ole Miss Rebels vs Mississippi State Bulldogs The Egg Bowl is a fierce annual football rivalry.
- Game day High school football
- Game day Hunting and fishing
- Outdoors Paddle the Sunflower River
- Outdoors Watch the sunrise over the Delta
- With kids Visit the Hopson Plantation
- With kids Attend the Clarksdale Christmas Parade
Locals speak with a Southern drawl, often using phrases like 'y'all' and 'fixin' to.' The Delta accent is distinct, with a slow, melodic rhythm.
Only here
- The Crossroads of Highways 61 and 49
- The birthplace of the blues
- Juke joints
- Cotton fields
New here? A few tips
- Summers are hot and humid, so stay hydrated.
- The Delta is flat and rural, so a car is essential.
- Try the hot tamales and fried catfish.
- Learn about the blues heritage at the Delta Blues Museum.
- Be prepared for mosquitoes in the summer.
Make this page better
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Part of Memphis area
Nearby
Every areaHelenaArkansasWhere the blues live and the river flows.ClevelandMississippiHeart of the Mississippi Delta, where blues and hospitality meet.BatesvilleMississippiWhere the Delta's soul runs deepIndianolaMississippiFlat land, deep soul—where the blues breathe.GreenwoodMississippiWhere the blues sing and the catfish fry.GrenadaMississippiCatfish and quiet mornings by the lake.Forrest CityArkansasHeart of the Arkansas DeltaOxfordMississippiWhere the Grove meets the South
Clarksdale, MS. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.