Trustmark Park will once again transform into a winter wonderland this holiday season.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters, the Frontier League club that plays home games in the Pearl venue, announced Wednesday that The Southern Lights will be back after a successful debut in 2025. This year, however, officials say there will be even more Christmas lights, along with an expanded ice skating rink that will be 900 square feet larger than last season.
“Our guys still have baseball left to play on the road, but here at Trustmark Park we’re already starting to turn the page toward Christmas,” Mud Monsters Assistant GM David Kerr said. “There was something really special about watching this place transform last year. One day it’s a baseball stadium, and then suddenly there are lights everywhere, people are skating, and families are making completely different memories in the same place.”
Kerr added that the first edition of The Southern Lights motivated officials to take things to the next level this holiday season. And the overarching goal is to make Mississippians feel like they are at a premier Christmas destination.
“We learned a lot from our first year, and this year we’re going bigger,” Kerr said. “More lights. More room to skate. More of those little moments where you turn a corner and see something that makes Christmas feel like Christmas.”
One of the biggest changes guests will notice will be on the ice. The Southern Lights’ ice skating rink will grow by 900 square feet for 2026, creating significantly more room for families and friends to skate together beneath the lights of Trustmark Park. Beyond the rink, Kerr said visitors can also expect more lights throughout the experience as The Southern Lights continues to grow into a Christmas tradition of its own.
“Ultimately, that’s what we want The Southern Lights to become,” Kerr said. “One of those things families put on the calendar every year. Something kids remember. Something you bring family and friends to when they’re home for Christmas. Something where you walk through the gates and, even if it’s only for a couple of hours, everything just feels a little more magical.”
Specific dates, hours, ticket information, and additional details surrounding this year’s event will be announced in the coming weeks.