This fall and winter season marks the bicentennial anniversaries of the Woodville Red Camellia, John James Audubon and his family living and working in the area, St. Paul's Episcopal Church and much more.  As part of the celebrations for the past as well as the future with the birth of Woody the Whitetail, Audubon Encounters Promotion Services is hosting the first Gardens & Graveyards festival, January 27th and 28th, 2023.  We hope you can join us for the inaugural events and fundraiser.  

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Money raised this year is being used for the beautifuication and restoration of Woodville —in the heart ❤️ of Audubon Country.  All donations are eligible to be deducted as Audubon Encounters Promotions Services is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Creative Director, Cierra N. Sherman is a native of Woodville and a published author of children's books. She attended Jackson State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degrees in Mass Communications, Speech Communications and a Masters in English.  She also got another Masters in Creative Writing at Reinhardt University. Cierra is an award winning, critically acclaimed story enthusiast. Since learing to read, she carried a book wherever she went. Now, she carries a multitutde of books in her head that she will soo deliver into the hands of bookworms everywhere! Her latest pubication "Woody the Whitetail" is going to inspire readers all over the world to visit Woody's hometown.

Marketing and Digital Director,  Frankie S. Pierson is orginally from North Carolina. She moved to the area with her husband, Drew Pierson, Mayor of Woodville, MS and their young son, Maxwell in 2014. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Wingate University. Later she earned another BS degree in Information Technologies from Liberty University.  Frankie is a commissioner on the Mississippi Delegation of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission and an Angola Prison Museum Board Member. She is a passionate investor, community advocate, strategist, researcher, explorer and value creator.

Audubon?  What does he have to do with all of this? —History was made in 1823 when John James Audubon traveled down to Woodville from Natchez with John Stein to paint portraits. Audubon quickly became freinds with many in the community and gave fencing, dancing and drawing lessons to raise money to fund a trip to Europe to find an engraver to publish what is now considered one of the most valuable books in the world, "The Birds of America". Many believe over a third of the birds he drew were from this region. John, his wife Lucy and their boys lived and worked in this area for almost a decade.  Learn more about Audubon's encounters while living here on the Audubon tab.