By Bonnie Brown
Columnist

Is it safe to say that Oxford has returned to “normal” after back-to-back weekends of hosting large crowds? It is true that our
little town has become a destination for folks from far and near. And what’s not to like?

We have a lovely and historical downtown Square occupied by great shops, restaurants, and of course, Square Books.
Neilson’s continues to provide the fine service and has remained an upscale Oxford staple since 1839. And there are many,
many other fine shops in Oxford.

The restaurants are unsurpassed in their specialty dishes and southern comfort food. By all means, stop by Square Books for a
most pleasurable experience. It provides a nice opportunity to browse a superb selection of books and just soak up the local
atmosphere.

Oxford and Ole Miss certainly rolled out the red carpet for Morgan Wallen’s “One Night at a Time” tour. Regrettably for the
Sunday night concert, he lived up to the billing of one night at a time. I am certain that fans are still trying to get their tickets
refunded for the Sunday night concert. We happened to be returning to Oxford from a trip to Tupelo to see our grandchildren in
a play and saw the long line of traffic trying to get on campus.

I am not familiar with Mr. Wallen but evidently, he is a big deal and fans are willing to pony up the high ticket price to see him in
concert. I haven’t been to many concerts but at today’s prices, today’s crowds, and all that involves, I just don’t make the effort
to attend.

I know that a live concert is an opportunity to create wonderful memories of not only the artist, but the person you are with and
the memorable setting and experience. And I’m certain that was the case for Mr. Wallen’s fans on Saturday night. Think of
being in the Vaught with your peeps and soaking up the sounds of this artist. I’m sure it was a special evening.
I’ve been told that Taylor Swift puts on an amazing concert with lots of costume changes, dramatic stage entrances, and sings

her heart out for the three or more hours. Did Mr. Wallen make any costume changes? I feel sure that the backdrop of Vaught-
Hemingway Stadium was impressive, so there’s that.

Moving on to last weekend’s Double Decker Festival, I’d have to say it was another great success. Kudos to the organizers and
all the folks who work so hard to make it a first-class event. The fun runs were just that – fun.

The weather was pretty decent, and folks were treated to a nice time on the Oxford Square. Those red Double Decker buses
are always a hit and the vendors and merchants don’t disappoint. There’s always good food to be had and the Square provides
a nice walkable outing for all ages. And you are bound to run into old friends and given the setting, you will likely make new
friends.

Yes, we are blessed to welcome our guests and visitors to concerts, festivals, and the like. But won’t it be nice to have a quieter
weekend and less traffic this weekend?

Write to Bonnie Brown at bbrown@olemiss.edu