“This is the largest crowd I’ve seen for Cruisin’ since before Hurricane Katrina,” Mayor A.J. Holloway says of this year’s Cruisin’ the Coast, the eight-day world of wheels that heads into its stretch run this weekend before wrapping up Sunday.
“I’ve been impressed with the number of cars I’ve seen along the beachfront, and I think Wednesday’s downtown block party was the largest we’ve ever had,” the mayor said. “I hope everyone takes advantage of the great weather to get out and see some of the cars, to meet some of the car owners, and enjoy the entertainment at the many Cruisin’ venues.”
Biloxi Police Chief John Miller, meantime, says motorists should expect heavier traffic Saturday and increasing into Saturday evening, primarily on U.S. 90.
“Just be patient,” the chief said. “Give yourselves plenty of time. Avoid Beach Boulevard if you want to avoid the heaviest concentration of traffic. We’re not going to take any drastic control measures – such as venting traffic – unless we see gridlock. Venting is in our traffic plan for major events, but we only use it in extreme cases.
“Just know that traffic will be heavy, so take your time and enjoy yourself. It’s not just Biloxi, it’s the entire Gulf Coast, but there’s more in Biloxi, which is OK.”
Cruisin’ schedule: To see the Cruisin’ scheduled this weekend, click here.
Big names: George Jones, Tommy James and the Shondells, Trace Adkins, The Four Tops and Temptations, Cyndi Lauper and David Cassidy are some of the headliners in town this weekend. You’ll also find a host of other diversions in this weekend’s entertainment lineup, as compiled by the award-winning Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. To read more, click here.
Is your child a future George Ohr? Find out this weekend
Been waiting for the financial clouds to part before visiting the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art? Saturday sounds like it’s a good day to visit – and bring a child or two.
On the second Saturday of each month, “Studio Ohr” focuses on an artist of note, and this weekend’s “Studio Ohr” looks to discover future Ohrs – an event geared for children, with a bonus for adults.
Adults who bring their child to the “Studio Ohr: Kids Event” Saturday — from noon to 2 p.m. — will be admitted for free, while for a $5 fee the child will have a chance to create a masterpiece, undertaking such endeavors as clay masking, jewelry making, vase painting and glazing. The child’s creation is theirs to keep. “Studio Ohr” also will include a George Ohr Photo Shoot, complete with moustache making.
The museum’s café will be open for lunch, featuring adult and kid-friendly fare, along with soft drinks or freshly brewed Starbucks coffee.
To learn more about this weekend’s event – and to learn more about the museum itself — click here.
News and notes
What a week: David Staehling, the city’s director of administration and a board member at Biloxi Regional Medical Center, discusses the impact of HMA’s plans to construct a second hospital in Biloxi in this week’s “City Desk” webcast. Staehling also discusses the municipal budget and dealing with FEMA. To listen to the program, click here.
Public improvement projects: Did you realize that the city has more than $11 million in publicly funded construction underway in all parts of the city at the moment? For a review of the major work – as reported in a Bmail a couple of weeks ago — click here.
City Council: The next scheduled meeting of the Biloxi City Council is Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 1:30 p.m.
