NATCHEZ, Miss. (June 6, 2025) — Each summer, Natchez transforms into a vibrant sea of color as thousands of crepe myrtle trees come into full bloom across downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. Continuing this cherished tradition, the Downtown Natchez Alliance (DNA) has launched its annual Celebrate the Blooms festival, inviting residents and visitors alike to experience the breathtaking seasonal display throughout June and July.
Elizabeth Greer, a Downtown Natchez Alliance Board Member and Promotions Team Chair, shared her enthusiasm for this year’s blossoms. “So far, 2025 is looking good for a banner crop of crepe myrtles, maybe as a result of the intense rains we had this spring,” Greer said. “The white trees – the ‘Natchez Crepe Myrtles’ – are already in bloom. Now we are seeing the lavender and light pink blooms, and soon the magnificent deep pink and red trees should take over. Hopefully, the major rains that could knock off the blooms are behind us, and this will be our most spectacular season in recent memory.”
Natchez proudly holds the title of “Crepe Myrtle Capital of the World,” a distinction largely credited to the late Sallie Junkin Ballard (1926-2017). Her “2000 for 2000” campaign, launched at the dawn of the new millennium, successfully added more than 2,000 crepe myrtle trees to the city’s streets, enhancing an already impressive canopy of mature trees.
As part of the Celebrate the Blooms festivities, DNA offers three self-guided tours designed to showcase Natchez’s colorful scenery. Participants can explore the Bloom Drive, a scenic motoring loop; the City Cemetery Tour, highlighting historic landscapes; and the Sip & See Stroll, a walkable route through downtown. Originally designed by Master Gardener Elaine Gemmell, these tours are available for download at www.natchezdna.org and on DNA’s Facebook page.
The celebration extends beyond the blooms, inviting guests to explore the historic downtown district where local businesses embrace the season with vibrant window displays, bloom-themed merchandise, and seasonal specials, including crepe myrtle-inspired cocktails, mocktails, and desserts. “Summer is a wonderful time of year to experience Downtown Natchez,” said Leah Gibson Hunter, Executive Director of DNA. “Whether you’re sipping iced tea on a shady patio, browsing handmade crafts, or pausing under the blooms for a photo, we invite everyone to slow down, take a walk or drive, and enjoy the uniquely welcoming community spirit of our city in full bloom.”
A highlight of the season is the annual Sallie Junkin Ballard “Keep Natchez Blooming” Award Ceremony. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made exceptional contributions to beautifying downtown Natchez. Nominations are open through Monday, June 16, and can be submitted online. The 2025 honorees will be celebrated at the Celebrate the Blooms Bash on Saturday, June 28, from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Smoot’s Grocery during the Downtown Natchez Farmer’s Market. This community gathering is free to the public and will feature refreshments, a cash bar, and a plant sale.
The Celebrate the Blooms tradition builds on the legacy of the Natchez International Crepe Myrtle Festival, founded by New Orleans-based historic property realtor Peter Patout in 2019. Inspired by a visit to Natchez in 2018, nearly two decades after Ballard’s original campaign, Patout discovered that the city had blossomed with more than ten thousand crepe myrtle trees. His efforts to champion Natchez’s floral beauty laid the foundation for DNA’s stewardship of the festival starting in 2022.
Comments