NATCHEZ — More than 350 people will be taking spring colors to the extreme May 14 during Natchez’s first Color Dash.

Fun runners, or walkers if that’s your preferred speed, will be splashed with hints of blue, green, pink, yellow and orange throughout the 5K event in downtown Natchez.

“Anyone can do it,” event organizer Lauren Burns said. “It is not just for serious runners — people will be walking and jogging — so we hope to have all ages present.

“We are hoping that it is going to be a fun way for people to support some Natchez groups and the Natchez community services by doing a fun thing with the City of Natchez for the tricentennial.”

Burns is an officer with the Natchez Young Professionals, which along with Leadership Natchez and the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce, will be putting on the inaugural event.

The Color Dash will begin at 10 a.m. at the gazebo bandstand on the bluff and tour the downtown streets before ultimately ending up back on the bluff at Riverstock, where the final color “explosion” will occur at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Riverstock, an event put on by Fusion Entertainment and the local Markets, features food, family entertainment and bands from around the South.

Along with The Markets’ vendors sampling food products included in the price of admission, four food trucks will be present on the bluff, said organizer Margaret Perkins with First Natchez Radio Group. The Weinermobile will also be on hand.

The price of admissions also includes unlimited carnival rides. A NASCAR simulator will also be available to ride.

As for music, Perkins said organizers wanted to try something different this year by not bringing in a traditional headliner. The goal, she said, would be giving Riverstock attendees more music for their money.

The live music will begin at approximately 10:30 a.m. when the gates open and continue throughout the day at 10:30 or 11 p.m.

“We have done our homework and brought some good quality artists,” Perkins said. “We will have pop, rock, country, Americana, blues and R&B bands present, so we will have something that will be really appealing to everybody.”

Sam Mooney of Brookhaven will be singing in a pop/jazz style.

“He really has an incredible voice,” Perkins said. “We didn’t intend to do this, but we were able to land many artists from Mississippi and Louisiana.”

The StoneCoats are a rock band from the greater Jackson area.

“They sound a little like The Doors and a little like Tom Petty,” Perkins said. “But every song is a little different.”

Markus King is a blues artist from South Carolina. Perkins said he is one of the top 10 up-and-coming blues artists in the country.

Courtney Cole, a country/pop artist from Mandeville, La., will also be featured.

“She is really going up the charts and has gotten a couple of endorsements recently,” Perkins said.

William Michael Morgan is young country artist from Vicksburg.

“He sounds like George Straight,” Perkins said. “He plays a lot of good songs.”

The Green River Ordinance is an Americana band from Fort Worth, Texas.

“They have gotten a lot of video plays,” Perkins said. “They are just different. Their music has hints of blues, country, R&B and some rock in everything they do.”

Perkins said the night would end with the Compozitions, an R&B/soul group from Jackson.

“We wanted to end the evening by putting you in a great mood,” she said. “It is dance music with everything upbeat. They do R&B covers and are just a great show band.”

Perkins said for $15 in advance, or $20 at the gate, it would be hard to find more family entertainment for your money. Children 6-12 get in for $10, and children ages 5 and under are free.

For more information, call 601-442-4895 or visit www.riverstockfest.com. The website also has a lineup tab where the different bands can be heard.

Color Dash tickets, which cost $40, include tickets to Riverstock, as well as a T-shirt and extra color pack.

Burns said part of the proceeds would support the local Habitat for Humanity.

To sign up, visit cd5K.com and look for Natchez under the locations tab. Those who decide they want to participate late can also show up early to the event to register. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

For more information,visit the Facebook page “The Color Dash — Natchez, MS.”

“The Young Professionals always have a crawfish boil,” Burns said. “This year, we thought we’d do something different to raise money, something that hasn’t happened before.

“We’re excited to do it and have had a lot of really great responses so far.”