Cleveland
Around Cleveland
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Mississippi · 28k people
Cleveland
Locals say the Delta · “Hub of the Delta”
Heart of the Mississippi Delta, where blues and hospitality meet.
Delta State goldDelta State greenDelta blue
Welcome to Cleveland, the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Whether you're here for the music, the food, or the wide-open skies, you'll find a friendly wave and a good story. Pull up a chair and stay a while.
Clubs for Cleveland
No clubs for Cleveland yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Cleveland. 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 Cleveland. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Grammy Museum Mississippi The only Grammy Museum outside Los Angeles, right on the Delta State campus.
- Delta State University Home to the Fighting Okra and a hub of Delta culture and events.
- Bolivar County Courthouse A classic Southern courthouse anchoring downtown Cleveland.
- Railroad Heritage Park A downtown park celebrating the railroad history of the Delta.
- Cotton Row The main street district with shops, diners, and a small-town feel.
- Mound Bayou A nearby Delta town with a distinct and storied past.
- Outdoors Duck hunting in flooded timber
- Outdoors Catfishing on the Mississippi River
- With kids Visiting the Grammy Museum Mississippi
- With kids Strolling the Delta State University campus
- Evenings Live blues at local juke joints
- Evenings Concerts at the Bologna Performing Arts Center
- Locals love Juke joints
- Locals love Small-town diners
Through the year
- Delta State University football games Fall Fall Saturdays with the Fighting Okra in the Delta.
- Grammy Museum Mississippi exhibits Year-round Rotating music history displays and special programs.
- Cleveland Christmas Parade December Downtown holiday celebration with floats and lights.
- Cleveland Farmers Market Summer Local produce, crafts, and community gathering.
- Delta State University homecoming Fall Campus-wide celebration with alumni and activities.
Cleveland has a humid subtropical climate with hot, muggy summers and mild, short winters. Best: Spring (April) and fall (October) are perfect for being outside—mild temps and clear skies.
Talk like a local
- “The Delta”
- The entire Mississippi Delta region, used with pride.
- “DSU”
- Delta State University.
- “The River”
- The Mississippi River.
- “Y'all”
- You all, a universal greeting.
Getaways
- Greenville River city with casinos and blues heritage.
- Clarksdale The crossroads of the blues, with juke joints and music museums.
- Greenwood Known for its cotton history and fine dining.
- Oxford Home of Ole Miss and a lively college town.
Local flavour
Rooting for Ole Miss Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Eat and drink
- Delta hot tamales A regional specialty of the Mississippi Delta
- Fried catfish Staple of Delta cuisine
- Mississippi Delta barbecue Local style often featuring pork and a vinegar-based sauce
- Soul food Collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread
Where people go
- Juke joints Historic blues venues
- Cotton fields Iconic agricultural landscape
- Small-town diners Local gathering spots
Heritage and traditions
Cleveland and the surrounding Delta towns are proud of their deep blues heritage, civil rights history, and the strong sense of community in this flat, fertile land.
This time of year in Cleveland
- Cotton harvest Fall The season when cotton fields are picked and processed.
- Delta Hot Tamale Festival October Celebrates the Delta's unique tamale tradition with tastings and live music.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — About to do something.
Festivals
- Delta Hot Tamale Festival October Celebrates the Delta's unique tamale tradition with tastings and live music.
- Bolivar County Fair September A traditional county fair with livestock shows, rides, and local food.
- Mound Bayou Founder's Day July Honors the founding of the historic all-black town of Mound Bayou.
Landmarks with a story
- Dockery Farms Considered the birthplace of the Delta blues, where Charley Patton lived and worked.
- Mound Bayou Historic District Founded by Isaiah Montgomery as an all-black community in 1887.
- Taborian Hospital A historic hospital that served the African American community in Mound Bayou.
- Mississippi Blues Trail markers Numerous markers throughout the region commemorate blues musicians and sites.
Food traditions
- Sunday soul food dinners A weekly tradition after church, with fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread.
- Sweet tea The unofficial drink of the South, served over ice with plenty of sugar.
- Pecan pie A classic dessert made from local pecans, often served at holidays.
- Catfish stew A hearty stew made with catfish, tomatoes, and vegetables, often at community gatherings.
- Biscuits and gravy A breakfast staple in many Delta homes.
Music and arts
- Delta blues The raw, acoustic blues style that originated in the Mississippi Delta.
- Gospel music Powerful church music traditions, with choirs and quartets.
- African American quilting A folk art tradition with distinctive patterns and community quilting bees.
- Mississippi Blues Trail A network of markers and sites celebrating the region's blues heritage.
A little history
- 1887 Mound Bayou founded by Isaiah Montgomery, a former slave, as an all-black town.
- Early 1900s Dockery Farms becomes a hub for blues musicians, including Charley Patton.
- 1927 The Great Mississippi Flood devastates the Delta, reshaping the region.
- 1960s Civil rights activists, including Amzie Moore, work in Cleveland and the Delta during Freedom Summer.
Rivalries
- Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State The Egg Bowl rivalry splits households across the Delta.
- Delta State vs. Mississippi College A Division II football clash with local pride.
- Cleveland vs. Greenville Friendly bragging rights over high school football and catfish.
- Game day Friday night lights
- Game day Delta State football games
- Outdoors Driving the Mississippi Blues Trail
- Outdoors Walking the levee along the Mississippi River
- With kids Eating tamales at the Delta Hot Tamale Festival
- With kids Visiting Dockery Farms
Locals speak with a Southern drawl, often dropping 'g' from -ing words and using phrases like 'y'all' and 'fixin' to.'
Only here
- The Delta hot tamale, a local twist on Mexican tamales, is a beloved regional specialty.
- Mound Bayou, one of the first all-black towns in the U.S., is a point of pride.
- The flat, endless cotton fields create a unique landscape.
- The blues heritage is everywhere, from juke joints to the Mississippi Blues Trail.
New here? A few tips
- Embrace the heat and humidity; it's part of life here.
- Try a Delta hot tamale at least once.
- Take a drive along the Mississippi Blues Trail to understand the region's history.
- Learn about the civil rights history, especially in Mound Bayou.
- Be friendly; locals are welcoming and love to chat.
Make this page better
Know a place, a festival, a word locals use, or something here that's wrong? Suggest it; someone at Popchat checks every one.
Sign in and join a club here to suggest.
Nearby
Every areaIndianolaMississippiFlat land, deep soul—where the blues breathe.GreenvilleMississippiThe Delta's beating heartClarksdaleMississippiHome of the blues and the crossroadsGreenwoodMississippiWhere the blues sing and the catfish fry.GrenadaMississippiCatfish and quiet mornings by the lake.HelenaArkansasWhere the blues live and the river flows.Pine BluffArkansasRiver town, Delta heartOxfordMississippiWhere the Grove meets the South
Cleveland, 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.