Relay for Life, Festival of Music top weekend

Published 12:08 am Thursday, May 3, 2012

NATCHEZ — A weekend of music, flowers, furniture and honeybees will offer springtime a respite from the workweek.

Relay for Life

The annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday and continues until 4 a.m. Saturday.

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Dozens of area teams will have booths set up to entertain children and adults, while team members walk laps around a track to raise money for cancer research.

Food, music and games will be available on site at the Vidalia Riverfront, south of Promise Hospital.

Natchez Festival of Music

The Natchez Festival of Music will kick off Saturday with Swingin’ Blues at 7 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church.

The world-famous, six-time Grammy-nominated One o’clock Lab Band from the University of North Texas will be the star of a night of swing and blues by Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson, Thad Jones and others. Admission is $20.

On Sunday, the Festival of Music will present a Hungarian Rhapsody at 4 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church.

For the performance, Jonathan Levin will take on the roll of Franz Liszt, who was the classical rock-star of the 19th century.

Pilgrimage Garden Club flower show

On Saturday, the Pilgrimage Garden Club Annual will host its annual flower show from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Longwood at 140 Lower Woodville Road.

The theme of this year’s show is “Springtime around the world,” and displays will reflect a variety of countries.

The show is free and open to the public.

Trinity Mayfest

Fun and games for children will open at 9 a.m. Saturday on the Natchez bluff. Face painting, a dunking booth and inflatable jump houses are just some of the entertainment.

The theme — Roping in all Saints since 1952 — encourages cowboy fun for the whole family.

Adult night with blackjack, roulette and craps tables with professional dealers begins at 7 p.m. at the Trinity gym.

The event is a fundraiser for Trinity Episcopal Day School.

Stanton Hall attic sale

Those who enjoy good furniture finds can shop at the Stanton Hall attic sale from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday on the lawn of Stanton Hall.

Stanton Hall Governing Board Chairwoman Rebecca McGehee said the board is trying to clear out the attic to prepare for renovations, and the fruits of that labor will be for sale for one day only Saturday.

Many of the pieces are copies of original antiques, but they are all period pieces, McGehee said.

“It’s a conglomeration of stuff,” McGehee said. “I cannot even describe it.”

She said some of the pieces are perfect as is, and others need work. Many of the pieces are copies of the original furniture that were placed in the attic when family members of the heirs donated the original furniture back to Stanton Hall, she said.

Because the board hopes to sell most of the pieces in one day and make some money to fund the renovations, the pieces will be very reasonably priced, McGehee said.

Historic Jefferson College EXPLORE! program

Children can learn the buzz about bees Saturday at an education program called “EXPLORE! Bees” at the Historic Jefferson College.

The program will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for ages 6-8 and from 2 to 3:30 p.m. for ages 9-12.

Children will learn about the life cycle of bees, taste some honey and make a bee pin to take home. Parents and grandparents are welcome to stay and learn. The cost is $10 for required pre-registration.

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

The Natchez National Historical Park and the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau will host a performance by Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Matt Hampsey at 7 p.m. Monday at the Natchez Bluff Gazebo.

The free show will feature songs from the recently released album “Songs of the Lower Mississippi Delta.”

Prior to the concert at 6 p.m., the Nation National Historic Park guide Steve Don will present a program on the Civil War in Natchez at the Gazebo.

A reception will be hosted by the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Attendees should bring lawn chairs or blankets.