Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena Serves Region With 70,000 Square Feet of Event Space

Sitting at the intersection of Highway 6 and County Road 406 in Oxford, the Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena packs 70,000 square feet of event space into a $5 million county-operated facility that has quietly become one of the most active gathering points in the region since its completion in March 2019.

The building's centerpiece is a large agrifocused indoor arena with bleachers and direct exterior access to an outdoor covered practice area. The facility also includes two meeting rooms, a large meeting room with space for professional gatherings, and a smaller classroom featuring what the county describes as a demonstration kitchen, and what the construction project record calls a full kitchen. All spaces are available for community use.

Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the arena's manager, has watched the calendar fill steadily since opening. "Over the last three years, the arena has become an essential place to gather, to learn and to have a good time," Andrews said. The arena has hosted kids camps, cooking competitions, gardening classes, craft shows, health fairs, job fairs, barrel races, riding lessons, and PRCA rodeos among its regular rotation of events.

The facility also houses the Mississippi State University Extension Service's Lafayette County office, which operates programs including 4-H youth training, Master Gardener classes, enterprise and community resource development, and services for farmers and businesses. The Extension office can be reached at (662) 234-4451.

Equestrian users have a standing open invitation through the arena's recurring open ride nights, during which community members may use the indoor arena from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for $5 per horse. Those wanting more privacy can request a private ride for up to three horses at a flat rate of $50.

The arena's construction was coordinated alongside the Lafayette County Business Center next door, with both projects sharing an access road and a similar completion timeline, presenting what the project's construction manager, ICM, described as a significant logistical challenge.

Upcoming events at the arena include a show on March 6 and 7 with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. and the show beginning at 7:30 p.m., as well as an event on Sunday, March 29, 2026, running from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. CDT. The arena's own website lists current events and allows users to download an event contract for rental inquiries. Third-party ticketing platforms also list the venue, though their individual pages showed no active event listings at the time of publication.

For bookings or more information, the arena's events and rentals team can be reached at 662-236-6429 or lafayettearena@gmail.com. "We are always interested in bringing new classes and events to the arena," Andrews said. "We invite residents to give us a call to learn more about the arena and what facilities we have available.