Mark King told Greenville Rotarians this week that the growing Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Festival in Leland is about far more than a good time on Deer Creek — it is becoming an economic driver for the entire Delta.
King, a Leland funeral director who helps organize the festival, said the event, now in its third year, draws an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people to the town of about 3,000 residents. With no hotels in Leland, many visitors stay in Greenville and Indianola, filling rooms and restaurants across Washington County, he said.
The festival, which has traditionally been held the first weekend in May, is moving to the second weekend this year to avoid conflicts with other regional events and to give families “something to do” on an otherwise quiet weekend, King said. The celebration will open Friday night with live music from 6 to 10 p.m. and continue all day Saturday on Broad Street in downtown Leland.
King said the Wildlife Heritage Festival now folds in two longtime Leland traditions — the Crawfish Festival, billed as the state’s longest-running crawfish event, and Frog Fest, inspired in part by Leland’s claim as the birthplace of Kermit the Frog. Combining those events into one weekend has helped push attendance higher while making the festivals financially sustainable, he said.
Last year’s Frog Fest introduced a bullfrog-jumping contest that quickly became one of the festival’s most popular attractions. Children pay a fee to “buy” a live bullfrog, place it in a marked circle on the street and coax it to jump as far as possible in 30 seconds, with the longest distance taking the prize. “We don’t play by California rules,” King joked, noting that unlike West Coast frog-jumping contests where handlers cannot touch the animals, Leland’s young competitors are allowed to poke and prod their frogs to get them moving.
Another crowd favorite, the Creek Leap, sends dogs sprinting down a 30-foot platform built over Deer Creek and soaring into the water while spectators watch from the bank. Last year’s winning jump measured 16 feet — well short of the 28-foot records seen on national “dock dogs” circuits but still an impressive leap for local pets, King said. Interest is growing, and he said dog owners from across Mississippi are already calling about entering this year’s event.
New for this year will be a wild game cooking contest set up on a side street off Broad. King said cooks will compete in three categories — gumbo, fish or seafood, and a freestyle division for any kind of wild game — as organizers continue to add events gradually in hopes of building “one of the largest festivals in the state.”
The weekend also will feature 18 to 20 food trucks and concession trailers, as well as retail vendors selling everything from turkey and duck calls to boots and tote bags. A VIP tent off Third Street will offer catered food, including wild game dishes and catfish prepared by Danny and Sheree Oberle, along with comfortable seating for those who purchase two-night passes.
Live music will anchor both nights of the festival. Local musician Will Coffin is scheduled to perform Friday, with singer-songwriter Chris Knight headlining Saturday and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band also on the bill. King said organizers are working to finalize a special appearance by the Parchman prison band, which could open Saturday’s program if logistics and permissions are completed.
King encouraged Rotarians to spread the word to potential food and craft vendors and to consider sponsorships, noting that the festival offers a range of sponsorship levels tied to the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame. A VIP area and other festival amenities are supported in part by those contributions, he said.
Beyond the festival, King highlighted a series of new businesses opening along Broad and Third streets, including a children’s store, a dress shop and a new bookstore with a coffee shop. He also outlined plans for a military wall of honor that will list veterans with ties to the Leland School District; organizers have collected about 2,400 names and hope to unveil the monument in front of the library in late August.
“We’re excited about everything that’s going on in Leland,” King said, adding that each new project is meant to strengthen not only his hometown but surrounding communities as well. “The more that we can do in Leland and build up Leland, it benefits Greenville and Washington County and makes this a better place to live and visit.”
