Higher Purpose Hub will celebrate 10 years of service by combining its Community Market, Business Summit and Awards Gala into Higher Purpose Fest, August 6–8, 2026.
The Mississippi Delta will take center stage this week as Higher Purpose Hub brings its annual Higher Purpose Fest back to Clarksdale for three days of music, food, wellness, entrepreneurship and community celebration.
The festival will take place Thursday, August 6, through Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Coahoma County Higher Education Center in Clarksdale.
Now in its fourth year, Higher Purpose Fest will be larger than ever. For the first time, the organization is bringing together three of its signature experiences—the Community Market, Business Summit and Awards Gala—under one unified festival banner.
The expanded weekend also arrives during a milestone year for Higher Purpose Hub, which is celebrating a decade of work across the Mississippi Delta.
“Ten years ago, we set out to build a different kind of future for the Mississippi Delta, one rooted in the brilliance, joy and resilience of our people,” said Dr. Tim Lampkin, founder and executive director of Higher Purpose Hub.
Lampkin described this year’s festival as both a celebration of the organization’s progress and a launching point for its next decade of community investment.
Through partnerships at the local, state, regional and national levels, Higher Purpose Hub has used community education, storytelling and grantmaking to expand opportunities for young people, women and Black residents throughout the Delta.
Over the next 10 years, the organization plans to work with regional partners toward 10 outcomes designed to help reduce poverty and strengthen economic opportunity.
A Festival Designed for the Entire Community
Higher Purpose Fest is intentionally structured to offer something for families, entrepreneurs, artists, food lovers, creatives, wellness advocates and community leaders.
Each day will feature a different experience while advancing the festival’s larger goal: celebrating the people, businesses and ideas shaping the future of the Mississippi Delta.
Thursday: Community Market
The weekend begins Thursday, August 6, with the Higher Purpose Community Market from 3 to 8 p.m.
Free and open to the public, the market will combine local commerce with food, wellness, family activities and live entertainment.
The culinary stage will feature cooking demonstrations from Talisa Shivers and Turnip Todd, while Jaylen Hudson will lead a hands-on raised-bed gardening demonstration.
The wellness corner will offer yoga sessions led by Maya Morris and Candace Sausberry. Guests will also have access to onsite health services, a family zone and a curated retail shopping experience featuring local vendors and entrepreneurs.
Music will remain at the center of the celebration. DJ Amber Love will serve as the official DJ, with live performances from:
- Cuz Band
- Marion Cork
- Mike Steele
- Edna Nicole + Delta Ave.
The Community Market reflects the festival’s broader approach to economic development by creating a space where local farmers, makers, artists, food vendors and business owners can connect directly with the public.
Friday: Business Summit
On Friday, August 7, Higher Purpose Fest will shift its focus toward entrepreneurship, creativity and professional development during the Business Summit, beginning at 10 a.m.
The summit will open with a keynote from Ameka Coleman, founder and CEO of Strands of Faith and a recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Person of the Year recognition.
The day will conclude with a fireside conversation between hip-hop artist Akeem Ali and Dr. Tim Lampkin.
DJ Kujho will serve as the official summit DJ.
Throughout the event, expert panels will explore opportunities and challenges within music, food and wellness.
Music Panel
The music discussion will feature:
- Grammy Award-winning artist Audri Johnson
- Music executive Gabby Jones
- Producer and songwriter Tiffany Turner, granddaughter of the late Ike Turner
Food Panel
The food entrepreneurship panel will include:
- Harvey Williams, co-founder and CEO of Delta Dirt Distillery
- Corterrius Allen, founder of DaCakeGoat
- Kenesha Lewis, co-owner of Kay’s Kute Fruit
The conversation will be moderated by Emanuel Williams, founder and CEO of The EDW Group.
Wellness Panel
The wellness panel will feature:
- Maya Morris, owner of Split Rebel Yoga
- Dr. Mary Williams, owner of Urgent & Primary Care Clinic
- Sederia Gray, owner of Far & Dotter Dispensary
Together, the sessions will offer practical insight for entrepreneurs and creatives while highlighting professionals building businesses within and beyond the Delta.
Saturday: Higher Purpose Awards Gala
The weekend will conclude Saturday, August 8, with the Higher Purpose Awards Gala from 7 to 11 p.m.
The gala will recognize business and community leaders whose vision, resilience and generosity are helping expand economic opportunity, preserve culture and strengthen communities across the Mississippi Delta.
The evening will also feature a performance from Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn, with celebrity DJ Traci Steele providing the music.
The gala represents the celebratory culmination of the weekend—a chance to honor those already doing the work while encouraging the next generation of Delta changemakers.
“From the local artists at the Community Market, to the entrepreneurs and founders sharing the stage at the Business Summit, to the leaders we will honor at the Awards Gala, every moment of this weekend is a celebration of excellence and an investment in local changemakers,” Lampkin said.
Celebrating What Is Possible in the Delta
Higher Purpose Fest is more than a series of events.
It is a statement about what becomes possible when communities invest in their own talent, businesses, culture and leadership.
For 10 years, Higher Purpose Hub has worked to challenge narratives that define the Mississippi Delta only by its obstacles. The organization instead centers the region’s creativity, knowledge, resilience and capacity to build solutions from within.
This year’s festival brings that mission to life.
Farmers and food producers will share space with musicians.
Entrepreneurs will learn from established founders.
Families will have access to wellness activities and community resources.
Artists will perform before audiences from across the region.
Community leaders will be recognized for the work they have already accomplished.
And residents will be invited to imagine what the next decade of Mississippi Delta progress could look like.
Registration Information
All Higher Purpose Fest events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Reserved tables for the Higher Purpose Awards Gala are also available for purchase.
To register or learn more, visit HigherPurposeFest.com.
About Higher Purpose Hub
Founded in 2016, Higher Purpose Hub is a regional nonprofit intermediary working to improve intergenerational economic opportunity across the Mississippi Delta. Its work focuses on community education, storytelling, partnerships and grantmaking that expand opportunities for youth, women and Black residents.
Learn more at HigherPurposeHub.org.