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The Spirit of Activities

Activities and events in Madison are growing as fast as our city! Be sure to check our website at www.madisonthecitychamber.com for updates and new additions to the Calendar. Check with event sponsors prior to events to ensure the most current information.

JANUARY

Baseball Registration—The Madison Ridgeland Youth Club (MRYC) Spring baseball is offered for ages 4-18 (must have turned 4 years old by May 1 and not turned 18 after July 31) with registration taking place in late January and early February. Once registration is completed, no registration fees will be refunded. For more information, call Velocity Sports at (601) 899-1480 or visit the MRYC website at www.mryouthclub.com, or contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit their website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Softball Registration—Spring softball leagues are available for girls ages 4-18. Registration for the spring season usually occurs in late January and early February. MRYC regularly coordinates with other local community organizations to provide league play for individuals living outside the Madison/Ridgeland area. Depending on the number of registrants each season, certain age groups may not have enough players to form a league. In that event, MRYC Girls Softball will refund registration fees. For more information, email the MRYC Girls Softball at info@mrycsoftball.com or visit the website at mrycsoftball.com.

FEBRUARY

Mother Daughter Tea—The annual High Tea Party for City of Madison mothers and daughters is designed to encourage young women, ages first through fifth grade, in the art of grace and charm. Good manners, hats and gloves are encouraged as mothers and daughters gather at the Madison Square Center for the Arts for etiquette instruction and inspirational message by a guest speaker. Delightful refreshments and sweets are served precisely at 4 p.m. at the English High Tea Party. Selected as the mayor’s favorite event, the High Tea Party will continue to inspire for years to come. For more information on this event, contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

MARCH

Easter in the Park—Easter in the Park, a joyous celebration of Easter, is held annually. An Easter egg hunt for children 2-10 years of age at Madison’s fabulous Strawberry Patch Park is the highlight of a day of fun activities for children and families. For information contact the Madison Parks and Recreation Department at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

APRIL

Movie Under the Stars at Liberty Park—Drive up, put down your blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy a spring evening at the movies under the stars of Madison. Like the drive-in movie theaters of the 1950s, Madison’s special events team is planning an evening for the whole family. A special movie that appeals to all ages will be shown on a large 15 x 20 foot screen, and movie theater popcorn and refreshments will be made available to attendees. Activities begin promptly at 7 p.m. and the movie starts at dark. For more information on this event, contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Relay For Life at Liberty Park—“It’s about being a community that takes up the fight against cancer.” Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It offers everyone in the community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length. Teams form from businesses, clubs, families, friends, hospital, churches, schools and service organizations. Team members share a common purpose—to support the American Cancer Society’s mission. For more information on this event, contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

MAY

AT&T Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament—This annual tournament offers more than $10,000 in door prizes, plus the chance to win a new car. Numerous sponsorship and advertising levels are available for Chamber members. One of the Chamber’s largest fundraisers each year, the event features fun, fellowship, networking opportunities and great golfing. For details, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (601) 856-7060.

Baseball Registration—Summer baseball is offered for ages 4-14 (must have turned 4 years old by May 1 and not turned 15 after July 31). All leagues must have a minimum of 44 players in order to play. Should a league not form, your registration fee will be refunded. Registration is offered mid-May. For more information, call Velocity Sports at (601) 899-1480 or visit the MRYC website at www.mryouthclub.com, or contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Swing into Summer, Every Thursday in May—Every spring, the City of Madison swings into summer with the biggest month-long picnic in the state of Mississippi. The highlight of this spring extravaganza is good music and children’s activities. Family and friends gather to spread out their blankets, pack a picnic and enjoy the sounds of local bands. Located at the Madison Square Center for the Arts, next to the historic Red Caboose, residents gather in the heart of Main Street every Thursday in May from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. After 10 successful years, Swing Into Summer has become a family tradition. For details, contact Madison Parks and Recreation Department at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

JUNE

Potluck at the Patch—A Chamber Family Picnic where members gather to spread out their blankets and share their favorite casserole, salad or dessert as they get to learn more about each other and there families.

Soccer Registration—SMCSO (South Madison County Soccer Organization) will hold registration for fall soccer for boys and girls ages 4-18 (must be 4 years old by July 31). Registration is held June 1–July 15 yearly. You may register at the Madison Parks and Recreation office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information on soccer, please visit the SMCSO website at www.smcso.com or call the Madison Parks and Recreation at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

JULY

Family Fourth Celebration—Live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks show are the highlights of the annual Family Fourth Celebration. Held at Madison’s own Liberty Park, this twilight celebration begins with great music and ends with a flurry of fireworks. Fresh watermelon slices and cold lemonade are a tradition of this memorable family event. For details, contact Madison Parks and Recreation Department at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Summer Arts Camp—The Madison Square Center for the Arts presents Summer Arts Camp for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Summer Arts Camp combines music, dance, theatre, drama, visual arts, stage craft and design and recreation to stimulate creativity and performance experience in children of all ages. Summer camp is designed to encourage children to express themselves creatively through artistic expression in these various areas. Understanding that each child is unique and has interest in different areas of performing and visual arts, this camp is designed to help each child grow to reach his or her potential. The camp is run and directed by professionals in the field of music, dance, art, stage craft, recreation and production, and is the premiere camp of its kind in Mississippi. Camp is held Monday–Friday for two weeks from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. The Summer Arts Camp Show and Exhibit is held on the Saturday following camp at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the Madison Square Center for the Arts at (601) 856-0291.

AUGUST

Baseball Registration—Fall Baseball is offered for ages 4-14 (must have turned 4 years old by May 1 and not turned 15 after July 31). All leagues must have a minimum of 44 players in order to play. Should a league not form, your registration fee will be refunded. Registration is offered mid-August. Games are played on Sunday afternoons for six weeks beginning after Labor Day. For more information, call Velocity Sports at (601) 899-1480 or visit the MRYC website at www.mryouthclub.com, or contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Cheerleading—Cheerleading is offered along with the tackle football program for ages 9-12 (must be 9 years old by September 1). Registration runs through August 15 at Velocity Sports Performance. Your child participating in this activity must be present at the time of registration for uniform fitting. Cheerleading will take place at the tackle football games. For more information, visit the MRYC website at www.mryouthclub.com.

Classes In the Performing Arts—The Madison Square Center for the Arts offers classes in a variety of artistic disciplines for all ages. These classes kick-off with the new school year. For more information, call the Madison Square Center for the Arts at (601) 853-0291.

Men’s Night Out—This pre-football gala features a festive cocktail party for both men and women highlighting a silent auction, live auction and art show all devoted to men.

Softball Registration— Fall Fast pitch softball leagues are available for girls 4-18 (must be between these ages by January 1). Registration for the fall season occurs in late August and early September. MRYC regularly coordinates with other local community organizations to provide league play for individuals living outside the Madison/ Ridgeland area. Depending on the number of registrants each season, certain age groups may not have enough players to form a league. In that event, MRYC will refund registration fees. For more information, email the MRYC Girls Softball at info@mrycsoftball.com or visit the website at mrycsoftball.com.

Tackle Football—Tackle football is offered for ages 9-12 (must be 9 years old by September 1). Registration runs through August 15 at Velocity Sports Performance. Your child participating in this activity must be present at the time of registration for uniform fitting. For more information, contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.mryouthclub.com.

OCTOBER

Basketball Registration—Basketball is offered for ages 4-18 (must be 4 years old by September 1). Registration is held in late October. Practices will begin in early December, with games starting after the first of the year. All games are held at various Madison County Schools. For more details, contact the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.mryouthclub.com.

FreedomFEST—It’s no surprise to the citizens of Madison that FreedomFEST won the Mississippi Recreation and Parks Association “Special Event of 1999” award. After 12 successful years, FreedomFEST, held at Madison’s Liberty Park, is “a fall celebration of family” and a greatly anticipated event by families with children. Spectacular fireworks, games and wholesome entertainment kick off the holidays with a bang! Madison residents play games, eat free concession food from local restaurants and experience a fabulous musical review to celebrate October in Madison. A pumpkin decorating contest, tethered hot air balloon rides, bingo and a first-rate regional dance band will make this special fall event a highlight of the holiday season. For more information, please contact the Madison

Parks and Recreation Department at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Ladies Night Inn—A consistent sell-out each year, this pre-holiday gala features a festive reception and dinner with exhibits and lots of give-a-ways. From holiday entertaining to home decorations to personal glamour tips, Ladies Night Out is an event to attend. For details, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (601) 856-7060.

Viking Classic—Mississippi's premier sporting event will take place at Annandale Golf Club, as PGA TOUR professionals tee it up on the spectacular Jack Nicklaus-designed course to compete for a record $3.5 million purse. Charities are the real winners on the PGA TOUR. In the past 20 years, the Viking Classic has given more than $4.2 million to charity. Each year the Viking Classic, through the Birdies For Charity program, gives back to more than 100 charities across Mississippi. For more information, call (866) 898-GOLF.

NOVEMBER

Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet—The Chamber’s annual banquet celebrates businesses, professionals and volunteers who work together to provide leadership for the community in areas of economic vitality and quality of life. For details, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (601) 856-7060.

Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet Company Presents The Nutcracker—The Madison Square Center for the Arts hosts the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet Company’s annual presentation of the Nutcracker. In this weekend event, the company performs sections from this holiday season. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Madison Square Center for the Arts at (601) 853-0291.

Spring Soccer Registration—Spring soccer is offered for ages 4-18 (must be 4 years old by July 31). Registration is held in late November through December 15 yearly. You may register at the Madison Parks and Recreation office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information on soccer, please visit the SMCSO website at www.smcso.com or call the Madison Parks and Recreation at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

DECEMBER

Christmas Parade—Everyone loves a parade, and Madison’s annual Christmas Parade kicks off the holidays with flair. Madison’s Christmas Parade is held on the first Saturday of December at 9 a.m. Participants from local schools, clubs and organizations join the festivities to unite the Madison community in a spirit of joy and fellowship. Beautifully decorated streets, special holiday activities and the arrival of Santa Claus makes this event one of our family favorites. For more information, call the Madison Parks and Recreation Department at (601) 853-9109 or visit the website at www.madisonthecity.com.

Christmas Tree Lighting—The Christmas Tree Lighting is hosted by the Beautification Commission and is held at 6:30 p.m. on the Monday evening following the Saturday Christmas Parade at Strawberry Patch Park. You don’t want to miss our annual lighting of the Christmas tree and Santa’s visit. There will be activities for the children, entertainment and refreshments. Call the Madison Parks and Recreation office at (601) 853-9109 for more details or visit the website at www.madisonthe.city.com.

Spring Soccer Registration—Spring soccer is offered for ages 4-18 (must be 4 years old by July 31). Registration is held in late November through December 15 yearly. Walk up registration is held in the courtroom of the Madison Police Department across from Rosa Scott. You may also register at our office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information on soccer, please call the office at (601) 853-9109 or visit the SMCSO website at www.smcso.com.

The Nutcracker—The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet Company presents this timeless Christmas Classic at Madison Square Center for the Arts. Experience the joy and magic of the Nutcracker. Some performances feature special activities for the children the day of the performance. This event is always held on the first weekend in December. For details, contact the Ballet Company at (601) 853-4508.