In just more than a month, Natchez’s greatest opportunity kicks off in the form of the city’s tricentennial birthday celebration.

Three centuries have passed — or will by the time next August, the city’s actual birthday, rolls around — since early French settlers first set up camp in Natchez.

Thousands of hours have been devoted to planning the tricentennial celebration — much of it by volunteers.

The public will have a chance to preview the fruits of that great undertaking of labor at 4 p.m. Monday.

A preview of sorts will be presented to help residents understand what all has been planned so far for the tricentennial and to gain an understanding of areas in which they may seek to become involved.

For the city to truly maximize the exposure this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity offers, the effort will require a community effort.

We continue to hope that Natchez certainly take advantage of the outside exposure such a milestone can offer in terms of bringing more tourists to town.

But beyond that, we hope Natchez’s residents use the event as a way to come together, to set aside their differences and begin to move forward, together.

Our hope remains that the memories of our area’s past serve to bond us more permanently together as one community with a singular goal — improving the future for our children.

That’s a lofty goal, for sure, but one that is fitting and needed. If our ancestors managed to make Natchez survive for 300 years, certainly we can work together to make its birthday celebration have meaning beyond the cake and confetti.