At the Jackson Free Press we track the pulse on the community in a lot of ways. One is through the annual Best of Jackson contest. Here are some categories from the 2019 contest that we believe would be beneficial to newcomers.

Best New Addition to Jackson; Best Tourist Attraction: Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (222 North St., Suite 2205, 601-576-6800, mscivilrightsmuseum.com)

Best New Addition to Jackson finalists 4th Avenue Lounge (200 S. Lamar St., 
769-572-4669, 4thavenuejxn.com) / Aplos (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 174, 601-714-8989, eataplos.com) / The District at Eastover (1250 Eastover Drive, 601-914-0800, thedistrictateastover.com) / Fine & Dandy (100 District Blvd. E., 601-202-5050, eatdandy.com)

Best Tourist Attraction finalists The District at Eastover (1250 Eastover Drive, 601-914-0800, thedistrictateastover.com) / 
Fondren / Mississippi Children's Museum (2145 Museum Blvd., 601-981-5469, mschildrensmuseum.org) / Natchez Trace Parkway (natcheztracetravel.com) / Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St., 601-576-6920, oldcapitolmuseum.com)

Best Local Live Theatre Group: New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com)

Finalists Black Rose Theatre Company (103 Black St., Brandon, 601-825-1293, blackrosetheatre.wordpress.com) / Fondren Theatre Workshop (fondrentheatreworkshop.com) / Hearth & Mantel Theatre Company (769-218-9496, hearthand
manteltheatre.com) / MADDRAMA (Jackson State University, 1400 John R. Lynch St., jsums.edu)

Best Arts Organization: Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515, msmuseumart.org)

Finalists Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-7546, craftsmensguildofms.org) / Greater Jackson Arts Council (201 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1557, greaterjacksonartscouncil.com) / Mississippi Arts Commission (501 N. West St., Suite 1101A, 601-359-6030, arts.ms.gov) / New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533, newstagetheatre.com)

Best Festival: Bright Lights Belhaven Nights (August, greaterbelhaven.com)

Finalists Cathead Jam (June, catheadjam.com) / CelticFest (March, celticfestms.org) / Farish Street Heritage Festival 
(September, facebook.com/farishstreetfestival) / Mississippi 
Science Fest (September, mssciencefest.org) / WellsFest (September, wellschurch.org/wellsfest)

Best Community Garden/Nature Attraction: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive, 601-576-6000, museum.mdwfp.com)

Finalists The Art Garden at the Mississippi Museum of Art 
(380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515, msmuseumart.org) / 
Clinton Community Nature Center (617 Dunton Road, 
Clinton, 601-926-1104, clintonnaturecenter.org) Flowood Nature Park (4077 Flowood Drive, Flowood, 
601-992-4440) / LeFleur's Bluff State Park (3315 Lakeland Terrace, 601-987-3923, mdwfp.state.ms.us) / Mynelle Gardens (4736 Clinton Blvd., 601-960-1894)

Best Locally Owned Business: Deep South Pops (1800 N. State St., 601-398-2174; 4500 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-398-0623, deepsouthpops.com)

Finalists Capital City Kayaks (601-953-7615, capitalcitykayaks.com) / Offbeat (151 Wesley Ave., 601-376-9404, offbeatjxn.com) / The Prickly Hippie (500 Highway 51, Suite F, Ridgeland, 601-910-6730, pricklyhippie.com) / Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Spray Tans by Kayla (504 N. Bierdeman Road, Pearl, 769-972-1138)

Best Museum: Mississippi Children's Museum (2145 Museum Blvd., 601-981-5469, mschildrensmuseum.org)

Finalists Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive, 601-432, 4500, msagmuseum.org) / 
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (222 North St., Suite 2205, 
601-576-6800, mscivilrightsmuseum.com) / Mississippi 
Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.; 601-960-1515; 
msmuseumart.org) / Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive, 601-576-6000, museum.mdwfp.com)

Best Annual Event: Hal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival (March, halsstpaddysparade.com)

Finalists Jackson Music Awards (July, jmaainc.com) / 
Mississippi Science Fest (September, mssciencefest.org) / 
Mistletoe Marketplace (November, mistletoemarketplace.com) / WellsFest (September, wellschurch.org/wellsfest) / Zoo Brew (May, jacksonzoo.org) Best Nonprofit Organization: The Mustard Seed, Inc. (1085 Luckney Road, Brandon, 601-992-3556, 
mustardseedinc.com)

Finalists Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi 
(395 W. Mayes St., 769-216-3414, arfms.org) / Cheshire 
Abbey (cheshireabbey.com) / Community Animal Rescue & 
Adoption (960 N. Flag Chapel Road, 601-922-7575, 
carams.org) / Mississippi Kidney Foundation (3000 Old 
Canton Road, Suite 110, 601-981-3611, kidneyms.org)

Best Live Music Venue: Brandon Amphitheater (8190 Rock Way, 601-724-2726, brandonamphitheater.com)

Finalists Bonny Blair's Sports Cafe (1149 Old Fannin Road, Suite 16, Brandon, 769-447-5788) / Duling Hall 
(622 Duling Ave., 601-292-7121, dulinghall.com) / Hal & Mal's 
(200 Commerce St., 601-948-0888, halandmals.com) / 
Martin's Downtown (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712, martins
downtownjxn.com) / Shucker's Oyster Bar (116 Conestoga Road, 
Ridgeland, 601-853-0105, shuckersontherez.com)

Best Animal Shelter: Community Animal Rescue & Adoption (960 N. Flag Chapel Road, 601-922-7575, 
carams.org)

Finalists Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi (395 W. Mayes St., 769-216-3414) / Cheshire Abbey (cheshireabbey.com) / Mississippi Animal Rescue League (601-969-1631, 
msarl.org) / Webster Animal Shelter (525 Post Oak Road, Madison, 
601-605-4729)

Best Barbershop: Fondren Barber Shop (2939 Old Canton Road; 601-826-0707)

Finalists The Barbershop at Great Scott (4400 Old Canton Road, Suite 100; 601-984-3500; greatscott.net/the-barber-shop) / Custom Cuts & Styles (2445 Terry Road; 601-321-9292) / Maurice's Barber Shop (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 360, 601-362-2343; 398 Highway 51, Suite 60, Ridgeland, 601-856-2856) / Noble Barber (1065 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite F, Ridgeland; 601-856-6665; noblebarber.com) / Yelverton Barber Salon (901 Highway 51, Madison, 601-856-0015)

Best Salon: Molly Gee & Co. (219 Garden Park Drive, Suite 200A, Madison, 601-853-0054, 
mollygeeandco.com)

Finalists The Glossary Salon (109 E. Main St., Florence, 
601-845-1111, glossaryhairsalon.com) / LIV the salon (160 W. Government St., Brandon, 601-814-8731) / Sage Salon & Color Bar (120 District Blvd. E., Suite D104, 601-487-0368, 
sagecolorbar.com) / Signature Hair Lounge (6969 Old 
Canton Road, Suite F1, Ridgeland; 662-436-1506; signaturehair
lounge.com) / Studio J Salon (151 E. Metro Pkwy., Flowood, 
601-212-9130)

See more at jfp.ms/boj2019.