In Biloxi, the holiday season is usually marked with hundreds of children marching and gathering through downtown Biloxi in the annual Children’s Christmas parade and Christmas on the Town Green. This year, to help make the season festive yet safe, the City of Biloxi is presenting a virtual lighting event on Friday.
Throughout the day on Friday, beginning at 3 p.m., the lighting of the Biloxi Town Green can be seen on the city’s social media pages, YouTube Channel and BTV.
Mayor Gilich, and his wife, Serena, will flip the switch, turn the holiday lights on, and kick off the Christmas Season in Biloxi. The lights at the Town Green, and other areas throughout the city, will be illuminated every night through the holiday season.
The city will also be modifying other events, such as the annual senior citizen Christmas celebrations. A drive-thru Seniors Brunch with Santa takes place Thursday, Dec. 17 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Frank Gruich Community Center on Howard Avenue. Instead of the annual luncheon, Santa and his elves will hand out 250 goody bags filled with brunch treats to the car passengers.
As for the children, they can hop in the vehicle with their family and participate in the Christmas on Lameuse drive-thru event set to take place on Saturday, Dec. 19 beginning at 9 a.m. Children ages 11 and younger will be given breakfast and goody bags at Biloxi City Hall. Only 500 bags will be given away at the event.
Other Christmas happenings in Biloxi: the annual Woolmarket Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 12 beginning at 2 p.m.; the Holiday Market on Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Biloxi Visitors Center where vendors are set up inside the center, spaced out to accommodate social distancing; and the annual Santa Claus at the Biloxi Fire Museum on Sunday, Dec. 20 from 1 to 3 p.m.
The city will also continue its annual North Pole or Santa Calling where children in pre-K through second grade can talk with Santa and his helpers on Dec. 16. Parents or guardians just need to complete an application, which is available on the city’s website and at the Edgewater Mall, and mail it to the Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department by Dec. 13.
The centerpiece of Biloxi’s Christmas events, the annual Christmas on the Water boat parade, takes place on Saturday in the Mississippi Sound beginning at 6 p.m. The decades-old tradition includes boats in holiday decorations and lights parading along the Mississippi Sound. The best viewing for the parade is along the beach from the Biloxi Lighthouse to the Small Craft Harbor.
See the Holiday Market flyer
See the Woolmarket parade flyer
See the Seniors Brunch with Santa flyer
See the Christmas on Lameuse flyer
See the Santa Calling flyer
See the December Community Calendar
News & notes: Debris, B-Alert, public hearing
Debris: The city’s debris teams are nearing the 130,000 mark (of 200,000 cubic yards), and the city’s GIS team has updated the online tracking map to show where debris has been removed. To see the map, click here.
B-Alert: Stay in the know about road closures, road re-openings, and other traffic advisories by signing up for B-Alert. It’s a real-time, on-the-go messaging system that brings advisories directly to your cell phone. Just text BILOXI to 888777.
Public hearing: The city’s Federal Programs Division next week will unveil a draft of the 2019 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report for Housing and Community Development. A public hearing to review the draft will be Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Development Department, on MLK Boulevard. Face masks are required and social distance will be practiced. To read the notices, which are in English, Vietnamese and Spanish, click here.
