Second Saturday - January 2017

Artwalk Celebrates Dolly's B-day

A lively and full-bodied Dolly Parton themed Artwalk in January celebrates the iconic queen of country music.  Hot Spots:  Alice Moseley Museum (128 Depot Way) and Bay Cottages (305 Main Street) are the featured businesses. 
 - by Grace Birch

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The folks of the bay still think that Dolly should celebrate her January birthday in Bay St. Louis. And so the Second Annual Dolly Should festivities will take place on Second Saturday, January 14. 

"Every year we want to improve it and everyone’s game," organizer Sandy Maggio said. "We want all the shops to do their thing. The running club is going to do their books, boobs and boots - it’s just a little dinky run, but it’s really become the drag race."

The culmination of the day will be the Dolly look-a-like contest at 8 p.m., which will take place on the stage of the Mockingbird Cafe (110 S. Second Street).

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In addition to the drag race, special events are happening all over Old Town: pie contests at various shops, flower crowns at French Potager, a community mural at Social Chair, a satellite hair salon in the courtyard of Smith & Lens, childrens art activities with butterfly paintings and more."We run the gambit from drag queens to cloggers for christ - all are welcome here!" said organizer Ann Madden of Smith and Lens art gallery.

Judges are Ann Tunnerman, aka "Mrs. Cocktail" of Tales of the Cocktail festival, Shelly Brown of Brown's Home Furnishing and drag queen Arthur Severio. DJ Bella will be spinning Dolly Hits. Participants of the Dolly contest should arrive early and register at Smith & Lens. 

Revers should also look for opportunities to donate to rebuilding efforts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, home of DollyWood that recently suffered devastating fires. "We’re all super sad about that," Maggio said. "We understand what that kind of loss is like and we are totally impressed and amazed at the efforts that Dolly has made to take care of her people. We will have a place for donations to support those efforts."

Last year there was a even Dolly sighting — “Listen, I know we love a half-truth about everything, but I swear there was a Dolly sighting in a blue pick up truck on Second and Main last year at Dolly Should,” Maggio said. Ms. Parton has been known the drop in on events held in her honor. Once, she entered a Dolly drag show competition unannounced - and she lost.

Dolly or not, the Bay is gearing up to see lots of sequin boots, bright red lips and big wigs.

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Alice Moseley Folk Art & Antique Museum 
Upstairs in the Historic Train Depot
1928 Depot Way #2  
Bay St Louis
 228.467.9223

My paintings don't all look alike, but that's good. - Alice Moseley

In a community of artists and art-lovers, Alice Moseley is Bay St. Louis’ most celebrated creative minds. Proving it’s never too old to reinvent yourself, Moseley began painting in her 60s years old and moved to Bay St. Louis at 80 years old.

“I have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and it’s Bay St. Louis. I am moving there,” Alice told her family. It was 1988 and she had attended the Bay's Beachfront Festival, invited by local gallery owner, Jerry Dixon.

Today visitors to the Bay can visit the Alice Mosley Folk Art and Antique Museum in the Historic Train Depot, just steps from her former home,  on Wednesday through Saturday.  There's no admission charge. 

“One of Miss Alice’s wishes that the museum will be open to any and everyone, despite their economic situation,” said art director Donna Oakley. “There will never be an admission charge to the museum.”

The museum features 50 original works by Alice Moseley. There’s also an American art glass collection with over 300 pieces. Tim Moseley, Alice’s son, who still lives in Bay St. Louis, has a Majolica collection on display. Visitors will also find a selection of American antiques.

“Our collection is always growing,” Oakley said. “Tim has just acquired another piece.” 

Oakley is a perfect tour guide and ambassador for the museum, having met Alice Moseley on several occasions.

“She was always quick with the one-liners and loved making people smile,” Oakely said. “Alice was a fantastic story teller both in person and through her artwork. For a small lady, she was a larger than life character.”

The museum, a “must-see” for visitors, is in the same building as the Hancock County Visitors Center in the historic Depot building.

“Everything you need to know about what do see and do in our area is here,” said Myrna Green, Hancock County Tourism Development Bureau Director. “You’ll find train artifacts, a Blues Museum, Mardi Gras Museum, Tourism Offices - the park and duck pond are right here. And of course, the Alice Mosley Museum. It’s the greatest starting point to any trip.”

Green was tickled by a recent comment card she read. “A gentlemen wrote ‘my wife drug me in here…’ and then went on to write about how the museum was most wonderful experience he’s had in Bay St. Louis.” Green said. “He now owns several prints after being taken with the story of Alice Moseley.”

The museum also has keepsakes and souvenirs. Prints of all sizes, DVDs, notecards and postcard mean visitors can bring a little piece of Alice Moseley prints home with them. 

“Sales of prints and donations are what keeps the museum going,” said Green.
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Bay Cottages, LLC 
Ronnie & Sandy Robért
305 Main Street
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520

Ronnie and Sandy Robért, the owners of Bay Cottages Vacation Rentals at 305 and 305 ½ Main Street, had a dream to provide a place for visitors to “live like a local.” 

“We wanted visitors to enjoy the charm of our small town and friendly residents,” Sandy said. “At the end of their stay we wanted it to find it hard to leave.”  As residents of Bay St. Louis, Ronnie and Sandy know all that the city has to offer and also wanted to provide encouragement to their guests to want to live here.  

The couple has succeeded as many of their past guests now own homes in the area. It has also become a place for snowbirds to reside during the winter months in more pleasant weather. 

“We feel fortunate that many of our guests throughout the year are now repeat visitors to our area,” Sandy said.

Bay Cottages Vacation Rentals offer visitors a prime location. The Historic Registered 1920 stucco double is located just steps from the shopping and dining of Old Town’s Main Street.  The cottages are relaxing as their names imply: Southern Comfort or Latitude Adjustment.

Beautiful hardwood floors, beaded board walls and ceilings and comfortable furnishings tall provide an atmosphere that feels like home for your vacation choice for a few days, a week or more. The cottages also have a shared front porch or back deck.

“You can choose to sit out front and watch the world go by or take a walk to visit the variety of interesting shops, art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops and music venues within a few short blocks of our cottage,” Sandy said. 

The cottage is two blocks from the waterfront and harbor and less than one-half mile from the public beach and fishing pier combined with a walkway/bike path along the beach that goes for miles. Visitors are also within a few minutes’ drive of a world class golf course and casinos.

Both sides offer living rooms, two bedrooms, one and one-half baths, fully equipped eat in kitchens with laundry facilities and off street parking. Bay Cottages is a prime spot for families coming in for weddings, reunions or just to have fun at many of the great festivals throughout the year along the Gulf Coast. 

“This is a great place to meet the residents and merchants of Bay St. Louis,” Sandy said. “When you stay at Bay Cottages, it’s easy to see why they call Bay St Louis ‘A Place Apart!’”  

The property is managed by Manieri Real Estate and rates and photos can be found here:  Latitude Adjustment and ​Southern Comfort.