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NATCHEZ – In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the 100th anniversary of Henry Mancini’s birth, the Natchez Festival of Music will present An Evening with the Pink Panther on Friday, Oct. 11, at the Natchez Civic Center.

This fundraiser supports the American Cancer Society’s Mississippi chapter. Mancini, a renowned American composer, is best known for “Moon River” and the Pink Panther theme. The event begins at 7 p.m. with the Sam Bruton Jazz Ensemble, featuring guest artists John Christopher Adams and Maryann Kyle. Tickets are $30 online or at the door, with proceeds going to the cause. For tickets go to: natchezfestivalofmusic.com or natchez.com.

Mary Lessley, past chairman of the Natchez Festival of Music and the fundraising coordinator behind the Pink Panther event, shares her passion: “Hosting this concert during Breast Cancer Awareness Month aligns with our mission. The Henry Mancini centennial concert supports the American Cancer Society and the Men Wear Pink Campaign. Cancer has touched us all, and this event unites our community in the fight against it.”

The Mississippi chapter will continue its MEN WEAR PINK tradition with Natchez’s team captain Dennis Short. Natchez restaurants will feature a special Pink Panther cocktail, donating 50% of proceeds. Support the team directly at https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=108921 after typing in Dennis Short as the ambassador.

As part of the Civic Center’s renovation, Memphis artist Austin Turner was commissioned to create portraits of famous Mississippi musicians. After learning about the Pink Panther fundraiser, he volunteered to donate two Pink Panther paintings for auction at the event.

Out-of-town guests attending An Evening with the Pink Panther can get discounted rates at the Grand Hotel (601-446-9994 or natchez.com) and Monmouth Historic Inn (601-807-4442). Additionally, Absolute Charm Natchez (830-997-2749 or absolutecharm.com/natchez) is donating $5 for every rental in October to the American Cancer Society. The above events are made possible by the generous donations of our many sponsors.  For more information and to see a list of sponsors, go to natchezfestivalofmusic.com.

The Natchez Festival of Music was founded in 1990 as the Natchez Opera Festival. In its early days, it produced four fully staged operas every May in addition to several vocal instrumental recitals. As the festival gradually broadened its offerings to include Broadway musicals and jazz, the name eventually changed to the Natchez Festival of Music. The festival is now in its 34th year of presenting high-quality musical productions in Natchez. The Festival benefits the City of Natchez in terms of contributing to the quality of life for its citizens, making the city more attractive for businesses to locate to Natchez, providing educational experiences for children in and around the Miss-Lou area and being a major tourism component to the city’s overall cultural offerings. While the original festival limited its performances to the month of May, the festival now offers year-round presentations and performances that help make Natchez a year-round destination for cultural tourism.