NATCHEZ — If you’re up for it, add a few extra hours to your weekend fun.

The Miss-Lou Relay for Life headlines the list of events this weekend and provides 12 hours — most of them when you’re usually sleeping — of food, fun, memories and togetherness.

Event-goers may have to battle a bit of mud, though. Showers and thunderstorms are forecasted for Thursday and Friday, but Saturday should be clear for plenty of sun-soaked weekend activities.

Relay for Life

The 17th annual Miss-Lou Relay for Life will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Friday on the Vidalia Riverfront with survivor registration and will continue through the night with closing ceremonies at 4 a.m. Saturday.

More than 50 teams will gather at 6 p.m. for the Relay welcome by Relay Committee Chair Sherry Kiser.

Marshall Ramsey, an editorial cartoonist and melanoma survivor, will be the survivor speaker at 6:45 p.m.

After Ramsey’s speech will be the survivor lap, followed by the caregiver’s lap and balloon release.

The first themed lap of the evening will be for sports fanatics at 7:30 p.m.

The luminary service starts at 9 p.m., with the second lap, themed favorite reality show starting at 9:45 p.m.

Sky-laterns, which have been purchased in memory or honor of a loved one or friend, will also be released at 9 p.m.

The third lap will feature a cartoon character theme, which begins at 12:15 a.m.

After the final theme lap, the team activities will begin.

Activities will include a whistle relay, mummy wrap relay, plunger relay, sponge relay, ping-pong relay and snorkel relay.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Scratch from 8 to 9 p.m. and from 10 to 11 p.m.

Mojo Mudd will provide entertainment from 11:15 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Closing ceremonies and presentation of team awards will conclude the Relay festivities at 4 a.m. Saturday.

Festival of Music

The Natchez Festival of Music will present “Rhapsody in Blue, A Tribute to George Gershwin, America’s Music Man” at 7 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church for its opening night show. Tickets are $20.

Festival events continue at 4 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Episcopal Church with “American Frontiers” featuring pianist Jonathan Levin. Tickets are $20.

Natchez Festival of Music tickets can be purchased online at natchezfestivalofmusic.com, by calling 601-445-2210 or at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.

Humane society fundraiser

If you’re look for a temporary tropical escape this weekend, the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society is hosting a beach party fundraiser from 7-9 p.m. Saturday at BriarVue.

The fundraiser is one of the biggest money-makers for NACHS, and board President Kathy Fitch said the humane society hopes to raise $7,000-$8,000 at the party.

All of the funds raised go toward the shelter operation costs.

“It’s basically what keeps the shelter doors open, the shelter animals fed and housed and the vet bills paid,” Fitch said.

The party will have a cash bar and a silent auction with beach items, china, plants, tanning packages and more.

Tickets are $25, and dress is beach casual.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling Susan Callon at 601-445-5268.

Experimental aircraft fly-in

If it seems like the Vidalia skies are host to more than a few extra guests this weekend, that’s because it’s true.

Joining the buzz of the bees and the chirp of the birds will be the drone of home-built aircraft at the Concordia Parish airport. Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 912 will host its annual fly-in there from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Experimental aircraft are homemade using a kit.

The event is free open to the public.

Chapter 912 President Donna Maroon said the group has between 25 and 30 members, and that the Concordia fly-in is one of a series of fly-ins that takes place across the state throughout the year.