“The Sweet Potato Capital of the World”
The Town of Vardaman was established in 1904, is the oldest of the three largest cities in the county, and has a population of about 1100. The quality of our people is our biggest asset. We are mainly an agricultural community, blessed with excellent farmland surrounding our municipality, where the chief crop is sweet potatoes.
Location
We are located in the southwest corner of Calhoun County, at the intersection of Highway 8 and Highway 341, just 10 miles from Highway 15. Centrally located near Tupelo, Starkville, Columbus, Grenada, and Oxford, we are just under an hour’s drive from each one of those cities.
Access to Education
Vardaman has excellent K4 through 12th grade schools. We are within 50 miles of Mississippi State University and The University of Mississippi, and within an hour’s drive to two Community Colleges.
Recreation
Vardaman has a $500,000.00 Youth Sports Complex that includes a girl’s high school softball field and four other baseball/ softball fields.
A walking track, a children’s playground, and a Veterans Memorial Park provide exercise and enjoyment for all.
Vardaman has hunting clubs, and is less than an hour from Grenada Lake or Sardis Lake for those who enjoy fishing.
Water/Sewer Treatment System
Vardaman has the largest lagoon treatment system in Calhoun County and ample capacity for future growth. In 2008, we completed a new million dollar water well addition, which puts us in excellent position to accommodate new industry.
Crime Rate
Vardaman has a low crime rate and is fully staffed with an experienced police department.
Annual Sweet Potato Festival – www.vardamansweetpotatofestival.org
The Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival Committee kicks off its annual Sweet Potato Festival with the Arts and Crafts Day which is always the First Saturday of November. This generates lots of excitement with crowds of 20,000 to 25,000 people.
Some of this opening day’s activities include a 5K Run/Walk, Political Speakers, Famous BBQ Chicken at the Fire Station, the Sweet Potato Tasting Booth, and the Information Booth, which also provides Sweet Potato mementoes. There are Sweet Potato Critter Contest, Sweet Potato Photography, Artwork, Writing contests, a Pie eating contest and live entertainment.
The week-long celebration of the harvest of the sweet potato crop continues on the following Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with the Sweet Potato King & Queen Beauty Pageants, ranging from new born to High School Seniors. Wednesday is Student Government Day, a day in which elected Senior Government Class Students take over the running of the town’s government.
The Second Saturday closes the harvest celebration with an original sweet potato recipe contest and the Sweet potato Banquet. That evening there is a presentation of awards and the presentation of the Mayors Cup to the winner of the cooking contest. Also at the Banquet, we auction off a hand-made sweet potato quilt, made by the Merry Hearts Club. This is a group of elderly ladies – our Mothers, Grandmothers and Old School Teachers and friends that work on the stitching of the quilt all year long. This quilt usually sells for hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars, which is donated to local projects.
Contact us at Vardaman City Hall, 662.682.7561
James M. Casey, Mayor
Tiffany Fugett, City Clerk