The Mississippi Coast Coliseum will borrow a tradition from Spain this weekend when the Biloxi arena hosts its own version of Running with the Bulls, an attraction being produced in conjunction with the annual Professional Cowboys Association rodeo finals.
The Coliseum’s extravaganza, where amateurs run with the bulls and professional cowpokes will be competing for a quarter-million dollars in cash and prizes, is just one of the myriad attractions this weekend.
Among the other highlights of the weekend fare, you’ll find concerts by Tony Orlando and the singing duo Allison & Warren at IP, Huey Lewis & The News at Beau Rivage, Jamey Johnson at the Hard Rock, and Departure, the Journey tribute band, at Margaritaville.
To read details on these shows and other entertaining events, as detailed online by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, click here.
Mardi Gras events off and running – yes, already
Downtown Biloxi will host the second annual Run for the Beads this weekend, which represents just one of the many carnival-related events leading up to Fat Tuesday, which falls on March 4 this year.
To find out how you can be involved in the Run for the Beads, click here.
Meantime, youngsters are being sought for the annual Mardi Gras Children’s Walking Parade, which takes place in downtown Biloxi on Lundi Gras, the Monday before Fat Tuesday. For details on how you can be involved in this event, click here.
Carnival webcasting: Bill Raymond, the manager of the Biloxi Visitors Center and the city’s historical administrator, talks Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Museum in this week’s City Desk webcast. To listen to the 13-minute program, recorded at the Biloxi Visitors Center, click here.
City Council: Batter up, fireworks, feather banners and more
The Biloxi City Council will have two meetings on Tuesday, a 10 o’clock session to discuss baseball and a regularly scheduled meeting at 1:30 p.m. Both meetings will be at City Hall and are open to the public.
During the 10 a.m. session, councilmembers are expected to hear reports from architects and engineers who have been working on the proposed downtown baseball stadium, and discuss financing for the proposed $36 million development.
At the 1:30 p.m. meeting, councilmembers face an agenda that includes more than two dozen measures, including the first reading of ordinances that would strengthen the ban on the sale of fireworks in Biloxi and another item that would relax existing sign ordinances regulating the use of so-called feather banners.
The agenda also includes a host of measures involving Katrina rebuilding projects and an item that would allow the redevelopment of property at 955 Howard Ave., known as Morgan Square.
Arthur McMillan, superintendent of Biloxi Public Schools, is also scheduled to appear before the council at the 1:30 meeting to discuss the performance of the city’s public school system.
To see the complete agendas and supporting documents for both meetings, click here.
State of the City luncheon seats now available from Biloxi Bay Chamber
The Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce is now selling seats for the annual State of the City luncheon, which takes place Monday, March 10 at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.
During the annual affair, which typically is presented to a capacity audience, Mayor A.J. Holloway presents information on a variety of city projects and initiatives. The event is also cablecast the next day on Cable One in Biloxi and video is available on the city web site.
“This is the best opportunity that we have each year to give our citizens an overview and progress report on the most important projects and issues that we are dealing with here in Biloxi,” said Chief Administrative Officer David Nichols. “We’re looking forward to another great presentation this year – for the luncheon audience, and for those who will watch it at home the next day, courtesy of Cable One, or on the city web site.”
Individual seats for the luncheon are $35, or a reserved table of 10 can be purchased for $350. Call the chamber office at (228) 435-6149 to reserve your tickets.
To see the video of progress from the 2013 State of the City, click here.
News and notes
START SMART: An innovative program that is designed to help prepare children for organized sports is getting ready to have another round of sessions. To learn how you can be involved in the program, which is free for Biloxi residents, click here.
DRC agenda: The Development Review Committee – the multi-department city body that reviews development in Biloxi – has two cases on its agenda for next week: Waffle House No. 6 in West Biloxi, and RC Track on Hudson-Krohn Road. To see the agenda, click here.
Like and Follow Biloxi: Have you connected to the city’s Facebook presence? Bmail and other news will now also be passed along through the city’s Facebook page. To Like the city’s Facebook page, click here. On Twitter, you should follow Biloxi at @CityofBiloxi.
