You’ve heard of bad problems and good problems.

Thank goodness, the 18th Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration has only one problem, and it’s a good one.

We were at first worried that we had more people wanting to attend a couple of this year’s events than we could accommodate, but the wonderful citizens of Natchez helped us solve this problem. Three activities have been rearranged to accommodate larger crowds.

First, a reception and supper previously planned to take place at the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture on Main Street has been moved to the Natchez Community Center, 215 Franklin St.

This party is from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22. Tickets are $15.

NAPAC President LeRoy White and his board members voted unanimously to move the event after about 150 tickets were sold by mid-January. The museum can accommodate only 200 people in shifts of 100 each, whereas the Community Center can accommodate up to 300 people at one time. Also, as a helpful act, the NAPAC board agreed to open the NAPAC Museum free of charge on Sat., Feb. 24, so the exhibits can still be enjoyed.

Second, a program by humorist, restaurateur and author Robert St. John of Hattiesburg, has created a traffic jam. Hundreds of people want tickets! Originally this program was to take place after lunch at the Carriage House at Stanton Hall. However, after 225 tickets were snapped up and the event was sold out, many people were disappointed. Because of this the NLCC Steering Committee decided to move the program to the Natchez Convention Center, where up to 450 people can be seated. Mr. St. John will speak there at 11:30 a.m., Fri., Feb. 23. Tickets for the program only are now available at $10.

Those holding tickets for both the program and the luncheon will attend the program first at the Convention Center and then have lunch at the Carriage House.

Third, a beautiful reception and buffet supper at The Briars, overlooking the Mississippi River, was limited to 100 people, but those tickets flew out the door. The wonderful people we are working with at The Briars, John Parks, Wendy Grandin and Dan Bland, are now allowing us to host 150 people. This benefit event costs $125, with $100 tax-deductible.

What is creating all the excitement about this year’s NLCC? Maybe it’s the theme: “Southern Accents: Language in the Deep South.” All of us in the South love to talk, and maybe people want to come together to learn more about that particular trait.

Whatever the reason, we welcome everyone. Most of the award-winning conference is free, Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 22-25. Lectures, films, discussion sessions, exhibits, book signings and receptions will take place at conference headquarters, the Natchez Convention Center, 211 Main St.

For those few events that are ticketed, in addition to the above events, plenty of tickets remain since space is unlimited. They are:

4A concert by the Alcorn State University Choir, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 22, $10, Convention Center

4A Mark Twain play, 8 p.m., Fri., Feb. 23, $15, Convention Center

4Ellen Douglas Writing Workshops, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Sun., Feb. 25, $15, Copiah-Lincoln Community College

To buy tickets to any of the events above, e-mail me at beth.richard@colin.edu or call me at 601-446-1289 or toll-free 866-296-6522. Or visit the Web site, www.colin.edu/nlcc.

The NLCC is sponsored by Co-Lin, Natchez National Historical Park, Mississippi Department of Archives and History and Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Partial funding comes from the Mississippi Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Those groups and their many supporters make most of the conference free of charge.

NLCC tickets can be picked up at the information desk in the lobby of the Convention Center from 8:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 22, until 4 p.m., Sat., Feb. 24.

See you at the NLCC!

Beth Richard is the NLCC Ticket and Information chairman.