The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the diverse cultural heritage of Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Mississippi Delta, and the American South. The Foundation works to achieve its goals by creating and hosting cultural activities at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center.

Celebrating Our 30th Anniversary! In 1994, the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation was formed to preserve these historic buildings and to direct their transformation into a cultural center. Twenty years of carrying on our mission: emphasizing the humanities and the arts, providing unique and quality programming for free or at low cost to the Vicksburg community. We celebrated 30 years on November 23, 2024. “The Landy Teller Champion for Culture & the Arts Award” for 2024 was presented at the SCHF 30th Anniversary Celebration to Landy’s son, Blake Teller! Vicksburg Post Outlook article.

• SCHF Event Calendar

• More! Activities Log of all current and past years' activities.

• The Southern Cultural Center is a GREAT venue for Rentals!

• All Eventbrite SCHF Activities.

• Facebook Events Page (must sign into Facebook to view)

• If donating items rather than money is more your jam, we have an Amazon Wish List! Thank y’all for all the support!

• Our 2026 Activities suit many interests, and our 1999-2025 Activities are a testimony of the rich cultural heritage of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

• What fun events or workshops would you like to attend at SCHC? Click here and tell us!!!

• We're Hiring!
  Part-time event set-up.
  Part-time cleaning.
  For more information, please call 601.631.2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

• Salsa & Bachata Lessons at SCHC Wednesday nights! New combos each week! No partner required!
  6:30-8 p.m. Salsa & Bachata
  $5/person. Academy Building/Dance Room. For more information call the Southern Cultural Heritage Center business office at 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

• Line Dance Practices in the SCHC Academy Dance Room. For October 2026, practices will be Monday night, October 5, 19, & 26 starting at 5:30 p.m. From 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. we will focus on Beginner Dances and Warm-up. From 6:15 to 7:00 p.m., we will do Intermediate/Advanced Dances. From 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., we will do Party Dances and Dance Cardio, with Country Swing/Partner on October 5 and 19. Admission is $5/person. For more information call the Southern Cultural Heritage Center business office at 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

• The 38th Annual Over the River Run, Saturday, October 10th, 2026 at 8 a.m. CST at the Old Mississippi River Bridge located at I-20 and Washington Street. The Foundation along with many sponsors and volunteers present this very special community venture. This event welcomes hundreds to the City of Vicksburg and will serve as a wonderful family event. Join us in keeping a Vicksburg tradition running strong! For 38 years, the Over the River Run has brought runners, walkers, families, businesses, and our community together for a fun and memorable event. What began decades ago has become a beloved tradition that celebrates fitness, community, and the unique spirit of Vicksburg.
  Photos.
  Race results.
  For more information, please call the SCHF office at 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

• 19th-Annual Classics in the Courtyard, offers a variety of entertainment through different genres of classic music. Local entertainers and local restaurants will provide the music and lunch on Fridays from noon-1 p.m. beginning October 16th and concluding November 6th. The musical entertainment is sponsored in part by a generous grant from Entergy Mississippi. The entertainment is provided for free and lunch can be purchased for $18 per person or $15 for SCHF Members. Reservations are required for lunch and must be made by 5 p.m. on the Thursday before the event. There is no better beginning to the fall season than “Classics in the Courtyard”. For more information or to make a reservation, call the Southern Cultural Heritage Center business office at 601-631-2997, Eventbrite.com, or email info@southernculture.org. The schedule of entertainment and lunch providers are listed below:
  Friday, October 16: Performed by The Brotherhood Band; Lunch provided by Southern Sisters Café & Catering. Facebook event. Buy tickets.
  Friday, October 23: Performed by The Star Chiefs; Lunch provided by Goldie’s Express. Facebook event. Buy tickets.
  Friday, October 30: Performed by The Goodins; Lunch provided by Billy’s Italian Restaurant. Facebook event. Buy tickets.
  Friday, November 6: Performed by Alter Ego; Lunch provided by Seazand Dreams Catering, VCC. Facebook event. Buy tickets.
  This wonderful program is also supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the generous support of Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation individual and corporate members, the City of Vicksburg, and various appropriations. Press release.

• “Tunnel of Terror Haunted House” and the “It’s Fall Y’all Carnival,” Saturday, October 17 from 6-9 p.m. (Scaredy Cat hour from 6-6:45 p.m.) and Sunday, October 18, 2026 from 6-8 p.m. on (Scaredy Cat hour from 6-6:30 p.m.).
  The Haunted House will take you through the convent, into the basement, and through the creepy tunnels that line the inner courtyard of the Southern Cultural Heritage Center. It will be decorated with the things of your nightmares, surely to haunt you. Get ready for ghosts, skeletons, dolls, clowns and more as you make your way through the tunnel of terror! The Carnival will take place in the courtyard on the corner of Cherry and Crawford Streets. Activities will include decorating a small pumpkin, a jump house for the kids, and all sorts of carnival games like corn hole, monster toss, and more! Games will include small prizes and sweet treats! There will also be music and Triple J’s Pizza Taco will be set up on the street! Libations will be available for purchase inside the carnival!
  Tickets for the Carnival only, not including entrance to the haunted house, will be $5 per person. Game tickets will be available for purchase. Tickets for the Haunted House are $15/person in advance and $20/person at the door and include entry to the carnival for free. Press release.
  The Tunnel of Terror Haunted House Saturday, October 17 Facebook event. Buy tickets.
  The Tunnel of Terror Haunted House Sunday, October 18 Facebook event. Buy tickets.
  It’s Fall Y’all Carnival Facebook event.
  Tickets will be available at the gate or online at Eventbrite.com or call the SCHF office at 601-631-2997.

• Southern Book Club, Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 6 p.m. The Southern Book Club meets the third Wednesday of each month. For more information or meeting location, please call 601.631.2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

• River Kids Free After School Art Program. Fall Semester begins August 20, 2026. Open to any child in 1st through 6th grade, the class will meet on Thursdays from 3:45-5:00 p.m. for the thirteen-week program. Space is limited and reservations are required. The River Kids Program is designed to encourage children to discover and develop their creative talents. It will expose creativity through drawing, painting, crafts, collage, ceramics, sculpture and many more exciting techniques. Experienced and accredited educators plan and teach each class. The program is free, but requires a full semester commitment from the parents. It will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
  To register, call the SCHF business office at (601) 631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org. Press release. Facebook event page.
  This free after-school program is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the generous support of the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation individual and corporate members, the City of Vicksburg, and various appropriations.

• SCHF Receives Mississippi Arts Commission Grant. The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation has been awarded a $14,400 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). This grant is a portion of the $1.7 million in grants MAC awarded in Fiscal Year 2026 and will be used to continue the mission of the SCHF and bring exceptional events and quality programming to the community through artistic excellence. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. “Mississippi is a vibrant hub of artistic talent that enriches lives and fuels local economies throughout our state,” said David Lewis, executive director for the Mississippi Arts Commission. “With the generous support from the Mississippi Legislature, we can leverage our citizens’ creativity to invest in our communities.” More. Press release.

• Plant Drive! Our gardens are in need of some new plants! We will be taking donations of plants in the month of May! Plants may be dropped off at our office during normal business hours or during any Classics in the Courtyard.

• Violin Lessons: The SCHF offers violin lessons for all ages. Mrs. Ruthanne Schnell has taught for over 26 years. She has trained and studied under many master instructors. She is also able to teach the viola and cello. If you are interested or would like more information, please call 601-383-0796.

• More activities...

• WLBT article, Going back in time with the Sisters of Mercy, February 20, 2009.

• A memorial fund in honor of Mother Clementine Phelan and the Sisters of Mercy has been established by Mrs. Edna Henry Hosemann, Mrs. Elizabeth Henry Nelson and Mr. George Nelson, and Pat and Lance Dichter in honor of their aunt. Press release.

• Looking for that unique gift for that special someone? Consider the special Cultural Center Crosses created by Misty Clendenin. All proceeds go to support the buildings and all programs at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center. The crosses are only $10 each, plus tax.

• The SCHF is an ideal place to hold weddings, receptions, performances, reunions, lectures, and business meetings. Space available for rent include the classrooms in the 1930s Academy Building and the 1880s Auditorium featuring a stage, 24-foot ceilings, and hardwood floors.

• Check out the musical montage of past programs and events held here at the Center, The Southern Cultural Experience at the bottom of this page.

Important Community links...
Vicksburg/Warren Chamber of Commerce
Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau
Vicksburg Main Street
Vicksburg Theatre Guild and Gold in the Hills