Weekend Ticket: Variety of events offered in area for possible rainy days

Published 12:09 am Thursday, March 13, 2014

NATCHEZ — Hear talented musicians compete in a piano competition or tour one of 24 historic houses in Natchez this weekend in the Miss-Lou.

Sunny skies are forecast through Friday, but showers could dampen weekend plans Saturday and Sunday.

“Do’s & Don’ts of Cyberspace”

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The Vidalia Library will host “Dos & Don’ts of Cyberspace” a presentation at 6 p.m. today, which will detail the responsibilities of texting, messaging, strong language and pictures for adults and youth that use technology.

Concordia Parish Library Director Amanda Taylor said she encourage all residents to attend because the problem of cyberbullying is a real threat.

“I had a little girl from Ferriday High School that came to me one day and said, ‘Can you do anything about them bullying me?’” Taylor said. “I had to tell her, ‘I really can’t, but you need to go to the police station.’

“This presentation is for everyone — adults as well as youth.”

Wade Bond of the Rapides Children’s Advocacy Center will give the presentation.

Handouts and resources will be made available to those attending.

The program is free and open to the public.

Friday forum

This week’s topic includes a presentation about taxes.

The weekly forum begins at 8 a.m. at Natchez Coffee Company.

Alcorn piano competition

Alcorn State University will host its seventh annual piano competition from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Episcopal Church.

Talented classical pianists of all ages will come from locations throughout the region to compete for cash prizes.

The public is encouraged to attend.

Spring Pilgrimage

The famous Natchez Spring Pilgrimage continues this weekend with 24 historic houses and properties open for tour.

Tickets and maps for the Pilgrimage tours are available at Natchez Pilgrimage Tours, located in the Natchez Visitor Reception Center at 640 S. Canal St. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tours feature three houses each with a tour in the morning, 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., and in the afternoon, 1:30 to 5 p.m.

Tickets for the three-house tours are $30 per adult and $18 for children ages 6 to 18.

Tickets for the six-house tours are $60 per adult and $36 for children ages 6 to 18.

Tickets for a three-house tour plus a tour of historic Longwood, Rosalie or Stanton Hall are $42 for adults and $26 for children.

Tickets are available only at tour headquarters. No tickets are available for individual houses, which are open only as scheduled during Spring Pilgrimage.

For more information, visit natchezpilgrimage.com or call 1-800-647-6742.

Natchez Tableaux

The 82nd annual performance of the Historic Natchez Tableaux will continue throughout the Spring Pilgrimage season with shows at 8 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday through April 5.

The tableaux includes a series of scenes, each depicting an event prominent in the life and culture of the South before the Civil War.

Area residents — mostly children and teens — perform four nights a week during pilgrimage in the Tableaux. Participants dance in colorful period attire and portray skits depicting local history.

Tickets to the performance are $15 per person, with children admitted for $7.

Advance tickets and reservations for the performance are available at Natchez Pilgrimage Tours, but can also be purchased at the door.

For more information, call 1-800-647-6742.

Southern Exposure

The Natchez Little Theatre will present for the 53rd year the classic 1950s romantic comedy about Natchez and the Pilgrimage, “Southern Exposure.”

“Southern Exposure” makes a little fun of Natchez Spring Pilgrimage by telling the story of Penelope Mayweather, a formerly beautiful Natchez belle trying to save her home, Mayweather Hall, from financial ruin. She takes on a boarder — John Salguod — only to hide his identity because he was the author who wrote a best-selling book that was banned in Natchez, because locals considered it libelous.

The situation is further complicated when her young cousin Carol comes to spend the night.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday throughout Spring Pilgrimage, which ends April 8.

Tickets are $15 and should be reserved by calling NLT, located at 319 Linton Ave., at 601-442-2233 or online at natchezlittletheatre.org.

The box office opens an hour before each performance begins.

Southern Road to Freedom

Members of the Holy Family Catholic Church Gospel Choir will bring history alive at Holy Family Catholic Church beginning Saturday through “Southern Road to Freedom.”

The history of African-Americans in Natchez is told through the songs and narration of the gospel choir.

The show is presented at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday throughout Spring Pilgrimage.

Tickets are $15 per person and are available at the Natchez Pilgrimage Tours, located in the Natchez Visitor Reception Center or at the door before performances.

Krewe of Killarney Parade

The 24th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will walk through downtown Natchez at 6 p.m. Monday.

The annual parade is hosted by the Krewe of Killarney and is meant to celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland.

The parade will travel down Main Street and end at the Gazebo on the Bluff, where all the snakes will be cast into the river, captain of the krewe Ricky Warren said.

“Natchez and the surrounding community has a lot of Irish heritage and blood running through its veins but St Patrick XXIV, Pat Burns, Jr. says it’s OK for everybody to be ‘Irish’ for a day,” Warren said.