Things to Do in Hernando

Bead Towne's classes range in price from $10 to $30 and possibly more, depending on supplies; a variety of options are offered for fledgling-finding fumblers and bead-wielding artisans alike. Classes are often created with customer suggestions in mind; request a specific type of class, and Bead Towne will do its best to accommodate you. Past offerings have included earring workshops ($15), pearl rope bracelets ($38), and making swirl beads with polymer clay ($20). Learn the basic skills of jewelry construction from seasoned instructors. Then you can go to town customizing bracelets and rings into towering, hubris-laden stacks of glittering crystals that threaten to buckle the knees of their wearers. The store stocks everything from Czech glass and fire-polished crystals to semi-precious gems and Swarovski crystals, as well as the tools needed to construct accessories for your bridesmaids or your bejeweled boatswain. Classes usually take place on Thursday and Saturday, but if you have a group of three or more who want to take a class together, you can arrange a girl's night out for a Friday night.

At The Clay Canvas's child-friendly contemporary ceramics studio, customers of all crafting levels dabble in DIY activities ranging from pottery painting to hand-building moist-clay pieces. Children's summer camps, workshops, and other classes help youngsters take steps toward skilled painting or overcoming a fear of sitting at a potter's wheel that may be surrounded by friendly ghosts. The Clay Canvas also engages with the local artist community by selling finished pieces at the studio.

During the fall, Priddy Farms welcomes families to stroll through its 23 acres of farmland to enjoy picnic lunches, pick pumpkins, and bask in cool autumn breezes. Leisurely hayrides escort visitors to the farm's pumpkin patch, where they pluck orange gourds to carve or to transform into a very tiny carriage. At the play area, children can ride on a barrel train, climb aboard Noah's Ark, swing on tire swings, or run around the open area. Families equipped with flashlights can explore the grounds at night, possibly spotting deer, foxes, or farm owls. Families are encouraged to bring cameras in order to capture their own memories.

The staffers at Yarniverse understand that it often takes more than yarn and needles to see a knitting project through to the end. With this in mind, they man a round table inside the two-story shop where they help clients master tricky patterns, inspire them to try new techniques, and fuel knitting sprees with friendly conversation until each wooly endeavor is complete. Before starting new projects, clients stock up on yarns and knitting tools or refresh their skills in a class that covers how to make socks, dog sweaters, or vintage scarves.

Range USA brings together the local community of shooting enthusiasts on its range and during special events while welcoming new marksmen with informative and confidence-bolstering classes. The 20,000-square-foot Memphis facility houses a shooting range divided into two climate-controlled areas—one with nine lanes at 50 feet deep, the other with 14 lanes at 82 feet deep—with one of the two areas always open to the public. Further afield, Range USA's team also operates a 10-lane shooting gallery in Jackson. Besides overseeing the ranges, the staff also teaches classes, from basic handgun and advanced tactical training to women-only and youth programs. A FAQ page anticipates visitors' questions, such as "What calibers are allowed on the shooting range?" and "Do you have ear muffs to match my belt buckle?" When spending a day at Range USA, the facility's own 1776 Deli & Eatery keeps hunger from interfering with focus.

Author William Faulkner, satirist Stark Young, and art collector Mary Skipwith Buie share something in common—they've all lent their legacies to The University of Mississippi Museum. Originally opened in 1939, the complex encompasses the one-time home of Faulkner, Rowan Oak; registered Mississippi landmark Walton-Young Historic House, which housed famed satirist Stark; and a historic art museum built around Buie’s private collection. Today, the museum uses its three sites to preserve and showcase the artistic past and cultural heritage of the American South through exhibits, demonstrations, and education. Guides lead scheduled tours though the historic homes and the museum exhibitions to avoid waking napping sculptures.

Rotating exhibits center on genres such as Southern folk art by self-taught painters, ancient Chinese ceramics art, and mixed-media works by modern artists. The four permanent collections provide a home for lasting assemblages of 19th-century scientific instruments; Greek and Roman works of art; pieces by American modernists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove, and John Marin; and a range of Civil War relics, antique costumes, and letters penned by George Washington and John Adams. As part of the museum's focus on education, instructors lead adult studio workshops on topics such as outdoor nature photography, woodcut printmaking, and watercolors. They also let younger artists explore exhibits, use studio space, and question German expressionism's use of forced perspective in ArtZone and summer camp programs.