Week Fifteen: Cultural

Every year in Oxford the 'Double Decker' Arts Festival takes place.  This is an opportunity for local artists and musicians to showcase their talents, and for local restaurants to make a lot of money!


As the weekend approached the people of Oxford made preparations for Double Decker, and on Friday and Saturday the square was blocked off from traffic as the festival took place, and floods of students and their families flooded in to witness or participate in the event.

On Friday night local bands played on a large stage in the centre of the square, followed by 'Iron and Wine' who were headlining this years event.  There was such a good atmosphere in the square of Friday night as so many people pilled into the square to see the bands.  However the atmosphere was even better on Saturday when all the stalls and food carts arrived!


The entire square was covered in stalls selling paintings, sculptures, clothes, quilts, jewellery and almost anything creative imaginable.  I really loved seeing so much local art work, and it was a fantastic opportunity for local artists to advertise, and for mothers who made crafts on the side to make some money.  Almost every restaurant in Oxford also had a food cart and I tried my first ever Snow Cone! 


On Sunday I went to Memphis to visit my Aunt and Uncle as they had came over for a holiday, and they took me to Graceland.  A place I had been desperate to go to since I found out I was going to Ole Miss.  I was able to tour Elvis' house, his trophy room, his cars, his private jet (called the Lisa Marie) and visit many more Elvis exhibits.  I was absolutely astounded as I was the place where he lived, and sadly his grave, which was covered in flowers.  It was also incredible to see what fellow Musicians had said about him, from Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake, to Bon Jovi, Trisha Yearwood and Joan Jett.  He was truly respected by Musicians from all era's and genres and he truly did change the future of Music, and especially the future of Music in Memphis.

Graceland was definitely a wonderful cultural experience as Elvis was such a big part of American history, and of the history of the South.  Music is such an important part of Southern Culture, as you can see by the Music filled weekend I had.  This weekend was the perfect opportunity for me to experience what music and art means to the people of the south and their culture.